New “Shively Food Hall” dining options and “The Venue at Shively” catering space anticipated to open fall semester 2026

Ohio University Culinary Services has announced new dining options coming to campus in fall 2026. Three new dining concepts and a catering space are estimated to open at the start of the fall semester on the first floor of Shively Hall.

The new “Shively Food Hall” will include Cucina—an Italian concept, Mezze—a Mediterranean concept and Teppan—a hibachi concept that will provide even more delicious options on the East Green area of campus, in addition to the popular Earl’s Coop. 

Shively Food Hall will utilize a new food locker system where students and members of the OHIO community can pick food up at their convenience. Patrons will be able to use meal swipes, Flex Points, Bobcat Cash and credit card for purchases. The new dining options will also offer limited seating so patrons have the option to enjoy their food right away or take it to go. 

“Placing orders using the OHIO EATS app, patrons will receive a notification when their food is ready for pickup, along with a unique scan code,” said Dale Lindsey II, general manager of Earl’s Coop and Shively Grab N Go. “They can then use that code to unlock their designated locker and retrieve their order.”

The new dining options at Shively Food Hall align with Culinary Services’ new fall 2026 Off‑Campus Grab‑n‑Go Meal Plan. Designed specifically for students living off campus or managing demanding schedules, this plan offers fast, flexible access to fresh grab‑and‑go meals across multiple campus locations—including the new Shively Food Hall food locker system. It provides a convenient alternative for students who may not need a full residential meal plan but still want dependable dining access on campus throughout the day.

“Culinary Services is extremely excited to add to the dining options for our students to enjoy,” said Director of Culinary Services Autumn Ryder. “This new space will allow us to better serve the students and staff of the University, as well as the community. As we get ready to open the new McDavis Hall on South Green in the fall of 2026, these new dining options will offer even more options for students across the University.”

“The Venue at Shively,” a separate catering space, will also be located on the first floor of Shively Hall and will provide another large meeting space on campus. Departments, student groups and other members of the campus community will be able to reserve the catering space as needed.

“The Venue at Shively is a versatile, reservable catering and event space designed to support student, faculty, staff and public events,” said Assistant Director of Retail Operations Chuck Wagers. “With seating for up to 150 guests, it offers an additional gathering option for our campus community. Its flexible design allows the space to accommodate a wide range of events, including meetings, receptions, lectures, and special occasions such as banquets and weddings.”

Renovations on the first floor of Shively Hall to accommodate Shively Food Hall and The Venue at Shively are estimated to begin at the end of spring semester 2026. Project updates will be shared with the University and Athens community via OHIO Today and https://www.ohio.edu/food.