In the midst of all the renovations, some dining venues on campus have also started fresh.
Pitchfork Provisions—the popular dining spot near the Keohane and Edens dorms, was renovated and renamed to Café Edens this past summer. Although the Pitchforks menu remained the same, the dining area was renovated, wrote Rick Johnson, assistant vice president of student affairs, in an email Wednesday.
“The food has always been great since Pitchfork Provisions took over,” Johnson said. “The interior of the restaurant was old and did not match the quality of the food served.”
The food and proximity of Café Edens make it a popular option for late night snacks, said sophomore Kevin He, a Keohane resident.
“Overall, the atmosphere is definitely nicer,” he said. “The booths are great for eating with friends and the red chairs give a retro feel."
In addition to renovating the dining area, the name of the restaurant was changed as an effort to connect Edens with the rest of campus, Johnson said.
“It seemed like the new restaurant needed a new name to fit the look,” he added.
Café De Novo, which replaced the popular Law Refectory this year, also underwent much renovation. The new restaurant, operated by Sam Clowney and Chris Holloway, is under the same partnership as Café Edens and Bella Union.
Café De Novo features a more robust coffee program and a reasonably priced hot buffet for breakfast and lunch, wrote Director of Duke Dining Robert Coffey, in an email Monday.
The serene atmosphere and relative obscurity make Café De Novo one of the most refreshing eateries on campus, sophomore Kevin Lin said.
Coffey noted that both locations have seen an increase in customers compared to last year.
"Business is very strong at both Café Edens and Café De Novo," Coffey said. "I've heard many compliments from customers on the quality of food at both locations."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.