Hospital cafeterias sometimes have a bad or poor reputation. Located inside hospitals, these cafeterias offer food that no one wants to eat unless they have no choice. Some hospitals, though, hope to change all that. When you check out some of the best medical center cafeterias across the country, you might feel a little better the next time you nee to visit a loved one or stop by the emergency room yourself.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats children of all ages and offers amenities designed to make patients and their families feel more comfortable. It is also the location of Kay Kafe, a small cafe that is open to both staff and patients. The idea behind this on-site restaurant is that patients can dine with their loves ones and chat with hospital workers at the same time, which helps those kids relax and feel safer. ABC News ranked the hospital as one of the nine employers in the country with the best restaurants and perks.
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Huntsman Cancer Institute
Many know the Huntsman Cancer Institute, also called HCI, as one of the best cancer treatment centers in the United States, but this Salt Lake City hospital also offers some of the best food in the country too. The Point is the on-site cafeteria, and this restaurant features every type of cuisine you can imagine. There are different kiosks and areas inside that sell Mexican dishes as well as other international dishes and areas for ordering simple dishes like a burger and fries. It also offers dishes at prices that all guests can afford.
Bistro on the Hill
Farm to table cooking is a trend sweeping across the country, but this is also a trend that you probably don’t expect to come across at a hospital. Bistro on the Hill is a cafe located inside Fauquier Hospital in Virginia that grows its own fruits, vegetables and other ingredients. If the chefs need another ingredient they do not have, they take steps to find those ingredients from local farmers and suppliers. Since everything served is so fresh, the menu at this cafeteria changes from season to season.
Mercy Hospital
Mercy Hospital is actually a chain of hospitals with locations in several states, but its hospital cafeterias rank among the best in the country. These cafeterias offer the type of food that you expect to find in a four star restaurant like salmon blackened with Cajun spices and then slow roasted. Another popular dish is a seared chick breast stuffed with walnuts and apples. Its extensive menu is available both to patients staying in the hospital as well as their guests.
Hospitals are more than just a place to go where you feel sick. Some of the nation’s top chefs now work in those facilities to update their menus for patients and visitors. These restaurants may change the way you feel about going to the hospital. The most delicious hospital cafeterias in the United States offer amazing dishes that taste great and use local ingredients.
