Reading this menu
The tables below cover the stations at The Forge in Founders Commons whose menus change. Each item carries diet labels in brackets. [V] means vegan, with no animal products. [VG] means vegetarian, which may include dairy or egg. [GF] means made without gluten-containing ingredients. It is not certified, and it is prepared in a shared kitchen. [H] means halal-certified meat. Station cards and the dining app also list the nine major allergens for every recipe: milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish and sesame. Peanuts and tree nuts are named in the item text below whenever a dish contains them.
The Pantry station cooks without any of the nine major allergens or gluten. It uses its own equipment and its own purple utensils, and its menu is listed separately. If you have a severe allergy, talk to the dietitian before relying on a label. The process is on dietary accommodations.
Every day at The Forge
- Breakfast, 7–10:30 a.m. on weekdays: scrambled eggs [VG][GF], tofu scramble [V][GF], oatmeal with a toppings bar [V], the waffle station [VG], and fruit and yogurt.
- Grill: burgers [H], grilled chicken [H][GF], black bean patty [V] and fries [V][GF], from 10:30 a.m. to close.
- Deli: made-to-order sandwiches and wraps, with gluten-free bread on request.
- Salad and soup: about 40 toppings, plus two soups a day, one of them always [V].
- Pizza and pasta: cheese [VG], pepperoni, and a rotating vegan pie [V].
- Bakery: cookies, bars and one daily dessert. Anything containing nuts is shelved apart from the rest.
Lunch and dinner, Monday–Wednesday
| Day | Meal | Global station | Plant station | Soup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 12 | Lunch | Chicken shawarma bowls [H][GF] | Falafel with tahini [V] (sesame) | Tomato basil [V][GF] |
| Mon 12 | Dinner: 1893 Night | Pot roast with root vegetables [GF]; rye bread | Mushroom and barley stew [V] | Split pea [V][GF] |
| Tue 13 | Lunch | Pork carnitas tacos [GF] | Sweet potato and black bean tacos [V][GF] | Chicken tortilla [GF] |
| Tue 13 | Dinner | Bibimbap with beef or tofu [GF] (soy) | Tofu bibimbap [V] (soy, sesame) | Miso [V] (soy) |
| Wed 14 | Lunch | Butter chicken [H][GF] (milk) | Chana masala [V][GF] | Lentil [V][GF] |
| Wed 14 | Dinner: Regatta Night | Lake-style fish boil: whitefish, red potatoes, onions [GF] (fish) | Corn and potato chowder [V][GF] | Clam chowder (shellfish, milk) |
1893 Night serves a version of the cafeteria menu from the Porter Manual Training School’s first year, reconstructed from a ledger in the university archives. The dining team has added seasoning the original cooks did not use.
Thursday–Sunday and the Millrace theme nights
| Day | Meal | Global station | Plant station | Soup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 15 | Lunch | Chicken pho [GF] | Vegetable pho with tofu [V][GF] (soy) | Pho broth, both versions |
| Thu 15 | Dinner: Cast-Iron Supper, 4–6:15 p.m. rush | Skillet chicken and gravy; cornbread baked in cast iron [VG] | Skillet ratatouille [V][GF] | Beer cheese (milk, wheat) |
| Fri 16 | Lunch | Philly cheesesteaks (milk, wheat) | Seitan cheesesteak [V] (wheat, soy) | Minestrone [V] |
| Fri 16 | Dinner: Friday Fish Fry | Beer-battered cod, rye bread, coleslaw, potato pancakes (fish, wheat, egg) | Battered cauliflower [V] (wheat) | Clam chowder (shellfish, milk) |
| Sat 17 | Game Day Brunch, 9:30–1:30 | Brats on pretzel buns [H option]; cheese curds (milk) | Plant-based brats [V] (soy, wheat) | Chili, beef and three-bean [V] |
| Sat 17 | Dinner, 4:30–7 | Pulled pork sandwiches [GF without bun] | BBQ jackfruit sandwiches [V] | Chili (both) |
| Sun 18 | Brunch, 10–2 | Pancakes and a Belgian waffle bar [VG]; ham [GF] | Vegan pancakes [V]; hash browns [V][GF] | Chicken and wild rice [GF] |
| Sun 18 | Dinner | Roast turkey and stuffing | Lentil shepherd’s pie [V][GF] | Butternut squash [V][GF] |
The Thursday supper starts early so people can eat and still reach the Foundry pour by 6:30. The Friday fish fry continues a Founders Commons tradition that predates the dining hall’s current name.
Pantry station this week: herb roast chicken, rice, steamed green beans and roasted potatoes at every lunch and dinner. Monday adds turkey meatballs, Wednesday a Pantry fish boil with cod, and Saturday a Pantry brat. Brunch every day includes allergen-free pancakes and sunflower-seed butter.
Specials at the other venues
- Ironworks Food Hall: the rotating stall is the Millrace Week stand, serving brats, cheese curds and cider donuts all week. Mobile ordering is available, and a meal swipe covers the brat combo from 2 to 5 p.m.
- Library Café: maple oat latte and pumpkin bread [VG]. The pumpkin bread contains walnuts.
- North Market: $9 Forge Bowl snack boxes with summer sausage, cheese, crackers and an apple. Preorder by Friday at noon.
- Engineering Express: the Thursday-evening cider stand at the Foundry pour, $2 a cup, with proceeds going to the campus food pantry.
- Health Sciences Coffee: apple cider donuts on Monday through Wednesday, while they last. They usually run out by 9:40.
Fictional information
UW–Porter Falls is a work of parody. The Forge, its stations, these menus, the theme nights and every allergen label here are invented. Never use this page to decide whether a real food is safe for you to eat.