Denton eats: Eagle Landing

Eagle Landing is the newest addition to the University of North Texas’ dining services, making it the fifth dining hall on campus. It distinguishes itself from the other halls as the first standalone dining facility – meaning it isn’t connected to a dorm – that provides flavors from around the world. Eagle Landing boasts seven in-house restaurants that serve a range of homemade dishes utilizing fresh, local ingredients.

UNT’s chefs and dining faculty began developing the logistics for the dining hall about five years ago and recipes about four years after. By January of this year, Eagle Landing was ready for a soft opening for staff to anticipate capacity and use the new equipment. Now, with campus opening all facilities to full capacity and students returning to in-person classes, the dining hall sees about 5,000 visitors every day. As Derrick Cripps, senior director of UNT dining services, affirms, “[it’s] been a wonderful journey in the sense [of] . . . what we’ve gone through to kind of get to this point and seeing it used as it should be.”

Compared to other dining halls on campus, Eagle Landing is most known for its unique dining experience that allows visitors to watch their food prepared before their eyes. The seven stations available – Wood Grill Denton, Avenue A, La Mesa, Leaf, Bamboo Basil, Clark Bakery, and Cibo Fresco – each have unique features that enhance the quality of food available. Watching their burgers grill over Texas firewood and their stir-frys tossed in woks allows customers to truly indulge in the Eagle Landing experience.

Eagle Landing is the only dining hall on campus that is open seven days a week – from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.. It is located by the intersection of Maple St. and Ave. A between the G. Brint Ryan College of Business and the Highland Street Garage.