Sebastian’s Cafe

This little gem was a hidden treasure for me (since I work across the street at a college).
I knew this place would be a delight because:
a. I love cafeteria food
b. I love college cafeteria food
c. It was Friday when I went, everything tastes better on a Friday
I got a slice of pizza which tasted like your average college pizza. Not too great, not too bad, I ate it. But, listen friends, the kicker was the fish, potatoes, and vegetables. The fish was amazing! Squirt (I hate that word) some lemon over it, crack some sea salt and you have a delicious lunch.
I was a little disappointed that they only have Coke products. I took my walk over to Sebastian’s Café craving a Mountain Dew. I know, it’s not the best beverage to have, but there are a lot worse choices I could have gone with. My body is thankful for the water that I drank instead.
If you’re looking for a nice university dining hall (and you have proper identification and/​or work at a college where you can eat there) do it. You may be disappointed, but I wasn’t.

Whenever you walk into a school of public health to get food, keep in mind that you have walked into a school of public health. There are signs all over the place that say «TAKE THE STAIRS» or «WASH YOUR HANDS» or «EAT HEALTHY.» And healthy is pretty much what you get at this cafeteria.
For breakfast, they have the usual breakfast affair (eggs, sausage), as well as a fruit/​cereal bar. For lunch, there is a burger/​fries/​pizza/​American station (okay, not so healthy), an Indian food station, a salad bar, and a quick grab-​n-​go sandwich area. The salad bar is my favorite, and at 45 cents/​ounce, it’s a pretty good deal and a cheap way to load up on protein.
In the end, Sebastian’s does what it’s supposed to do: provide healthy meals at affordable prices to the students/​staff/​faculty at the Harvard School of Public Health. They do not seem to rotate their offerings that much, so it gets repetitive quickly if you eat here often. But at least it’s pretty healthy.

Varied and healthy selection of lunch items amid a sea of greasy pizza joints and take-​out places in the area (lots of natural/​organic/​fresh type items, a good rotation of choices). Not just for HSPH people, we hospital folk are allowed to dine here too. They have a daily Indian station, grill, salad bar, etc (they even have flavored water via ‘soda’ fountain, which I thought was so cool).
However, it’s a bit small and can get very crowded during peak hours, and it tends to be on the pricey side ($ 4.25 for a plain turkey burger with no cheese?!? No thanks!). Just be smart about what you get…

Sebastian’s Café is the cafeteria at the Harvard School of Public Health.
The Heart of the Plate section is really great. It always includes tofu and either fish or chicken for protein. It also includes a whole grain or legume dish and a vegetable dish. The roasted greens and roasted tomatoes are always delicious, as is the quinoa.
There is also an Indian food buffet, which is tasty, and the salad bar has a good selection of vegetables. I especially like the pakoras and the lentil chips (not sure what they are called).
I do wish they had healthier hot breakfasts: less meat and potatoes. I also wish that they had more whole grain bread options for their to-​go sandwiches.
I am glad they have been phasing out the sugary beverages and replacing them with sparkling waters. Keep it up! I think Sebastian’s is a great option for the Longwood Medical Area.