CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly named Maria Portelli as Maria Portell.
The Pub at Overcup Oak, an on-campus dining location, will be open for a series of three pop-up events this February, per a Feb. 11 Vanderbilt press release.
The Pub is located on the third floor of the Sarratt Student Center and serves traditional Southern-style American food, such as burgers, hot chicken, quesadillas and fries on the student meal plan. Campus Dining originally closed The Pub in 2020, citing safety concerns due to COVID-19. Furthermore, the location, along with Local Java and the Iris Cafe, did not reopen in Fall 2021 because of “acute staffing shortages.”
“Our students have been vocal and passionate about their desire for The Pub to reopen as soon as possible, and we’re thrilled our staffing levels are nearly to a point where we can support it,” Maria Portelli, assistant director of Campus Dining, said in the press release.
The Pub pop-up events will be on Feb. 15, 17 and 22 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CST. Each pop-up will be limited to 300 attendees, and students must make a reservation on the “Order” tab of the GET app to attend. Reservations will open the day before each event. Junior Sanjana Padala told The Hustler that she anticipates attending the pop-ups.
“I definitely really missed the Pub. I’m excited for the pop-up events,” Padala said. “In my second semester of freshman year, I would basically go there for every meal. I would love for it to open full-time, if possible.”
At the pop-up events, popular Pub menu items will be served buffet-style. Campus Dining did not immediately respond to The Hustler’s request for comment about whether alcoholic beverages, which the Pub previously sold to students 21 and older, would be sold at the events.
The pop-up series comes after The Pub was reopened on Feb. 2 for seniors for a “100 Days Till Graduation” event hosted by Seniors Give Back. At this event, seniors received free Pub food and Vanderbilt merchandise.
Portelli stated in the press release that she hoped for a full reopening of The Pub to occur in the coming weeks. Campus Dining did not immediately respond to The Hustler’s request for comment about whether other dining locations, such as Local Java and the Iris Cafe, were slated to reopen in the near future.
