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Lab is still accepting applications to select grades for 2026–2027.

Café Lab

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Nutritious Meals, Quality Dining

The mission of Café Lab is to provide a nutritionally responsible dining experience by offering wholesome foods to fuel our students’ bodies while educating and empowering them to make healthy choices.

Our menus feature a variety of options that cater to each child’s needs. Café Lab is vested in the wellness of each student and committed to providing all Lab students with the nutrients they need to excel each day. 

 

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The Laboratory Schools partners with Handcut Foods to provide made-from-scratch, nutritious, delivered and dine-in experiences to students and employees in our Café Lab and The Grind coffee shop, located in Judd Hall at its Historic Campus, next to the International House and Ida Noyes Hall.

 

Café Lab Hours

7:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
7:30–10 a.m. Breakfast
11 a.m.–1 p.m. Lunch

Grab-and-Go items available to purchase all day.

Menus

All menus for ESH and Cafe Lab will be displayed here. There is no account or login required to view it and it can also be downloaded as a stand alone app. We will also display special items, pop ups and promotions within this site.

View Menus Here

1896 Catering

Discover the exceptional catering service offered by the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in partnership with Handcut Foods. Elevate your next event with a diverse menu featuring fresh, delicious options tailored to your needs, all delivered with attentive service and a commitment to quality. Find out how 1896  Catering can make your gathering memorable—visit the page for details and ordering information.

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Individual Dining Service (Grades N3–5)

Pre-ordered meals are available for students, faculty, and staff in a variety of hot and cold options with sizes customized by age and grade level. Lunches for the day, week, or month are pre-ordered online and delivered on the selected day(s). All orders must be placed at least 72 hours in advance.  Lunches start at $7.50 per meal. All meals include a drink. Nutritional and allergy information are included on every menu.

Payment System
Please follow the instructions to create and fund your Boonli account to easily manage your child’s meal balance. 

Plate-Assortment of Food Dishes

Cafeteria Dining (Grades 6–12)

For students in Grades 6–12, parents, caregivers, faculty, and staff, Café Lab is located in the lower level of Judd Hall and offers students, faculty, staff, and visitors, a variety of hot and cold food stations providing scratch-prepared, grill, baked, self-serve, and grab-and-go dining options. 

Payment System
Parents, caregivers, students, faculty, and staff may load funds onto their student’s Lab ID to make purchases at the cafeteria or coffee shop.To do this, please follow the instructions to create and fund a QuickCharge account.  Cash and credit card are also acceptable payment methods. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Coffee Shop (Grades 6–12)

The Grind coffee shop, located in Judd Hall just outside room C-116, offers a selection of hot and cold beverages and grab-and-go snacks. The following student-patron restrictions apply to the coffee shop:

  • Lower School students are not permitted to use the coffee shop. 
  • Middle and High School students may visit the coffee shop during free periods throughout the school day.
  • The Grind hours: 7:30–11 a.m., 12:30–4 p.m.

The Grind accepts cash, credit cards, and Lab IDs with funds loaded on them.