Shell Café – WashU Medicine

Take me here using Metro Transit

Shell Café is the newest 5 Star addition to Washington University’s GDA-certified sustainable dining options. Like Bon Appetit’s nearby Farmstead Café, Shell offers a healthy, plant-first menu with locally grown food for students, staff, workers and patients. The made-to-order menu of sandwiches, bowls, salads and more is perfect for lunch on the go (in compostable containers). Local eggs, produce, dairy and bread are staples of a seasonal menu that changes daily.

Shell sources items not commonly procured locally (particularly by large institutions) like grains, rice, sausage and other products offered by Farmstead Foods. It’s also a regular at WUSM’s farmers’ market. These efforts are a big part of the School of Medicine’s campus-wide 2023 sustainability goals, which include procuring nearly a quarter of its food from within a 200 miles. Items with local ingredients are marked “Farm-to-Fork” and the “Humane” label indicates foods meeting WUSM and Bon Appétit’s third-party standards for animal welfare. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items are labeled and nutritional information is available, upholding their goal to provide accessible meal options.

Shell earns particularly high marks in chemical use, energy and waste diversion. They use GreenSeal and EcoLogo certified cleaners, efficient EnergyStar ovens and refrigerators. They donate food whenever possible, and vegetable trimmings find new life in soups and sauces. They’ve recently started composting customer’s leftovers and commercially compostable service ware in addition to kitchen scraps. Recycling and compost bins are clearly marked thanks to Washington University’s Sustainability Department.

Find the café on the first floor of the McDonnell Sciences building on WUSM’s Central West End campus, a short walk from the Metro Central West End transit center.