After an extensive two-year renovation, Brittain Dining Hall is reopening Monday, Aug. 17.  

The facility's exterior and main dining area retain the same Collegiate Gothic architecture that has been a campus staple since its original construction in 1928, but the kitchen, service areas, and systems have all been modernized.  

“We are proud to bring historic Brittain Dining Hall back to its renowned place at the heart of the Georgia Tech experience. While preserving what generations of Yellow Jackets have loved about Brittain, we have significantly upgraded the facility to serve today’s students, employees, alumni, and stakeholders with greater variety, more options for guests with allergen needs, and innovative culinary selections,” said Ryan Greene, executive director for Dining and Retail Services. 

In designing the new space, Tech Dining wanted to preserve the structure's historic character — which has drawn comparisons to Hogwarts and landed it on Southern Living magazine’s list of the South’s most stunning dining halls — while providing diners with a revamped experience, featuring seven full-service stations outfitted with new state-of-the-art kitchen equipment as well as beverage and dessert options.  

Those include: 

• Smoothie Lab — A smoothie and acai bowl station.  

• Green Bytes and Slices — An expanded salad bar (relocated from the dining room to the servery), a made-to-order deli, and soup.   

• Smart Slice — A pizza station. 

• GT Fire Bowl — A new Mongolian concept.  

• Ramblin’ Grill – A full grill station.  

• Plant-Power Hive — A vegetarian and vegan station.  

• A full beverage station –  A station featuring soda, water, coffee and other drinks.  

• Soft-serve ice cream and a Dole Whip machine.  

Walking through the servery — the service area between the kitchen and the main dining room —  diners will notice expanded walkways, increased natural light, and the restored original terrazzo flooring. That flooring was crafted by the Institute’s ceramics department, founded in 1924 by the building’s namesake, Georgia Tech President Marion L. Brittain. 

In the dining room, restoration work preserves the cathedral ceiling and stained-glass windows originally designed by Julian Hoke Harris, Arch 1928, a longtime architecture professor at Tech. The building’s HVAC systems have been updated, and the wrought-iron lights originally made by the mechanical engineering department have been retrofitted with LED lights.  

Behind the scenes, Brittain’s main kitchen has received a complete overhaul. New kitchen appliances, water heaters, and an entirely new dish room will reduce water and energy usage while making the operation safer and more streamlined for employees. A new walk-in freezer has been added to the kitchen, while the previous outdoor unit has been relocated to the West Village Dining Hall.  

Lighter Fare 

When exploring the new offerings at Brittain, diners will not find a fryer at any of the stations. Instead, items like French fries will be baked at the dining hall, offering a more health-conscious approach. The expanded space will allow for the introduction of new dishes, cuisines, and menu rotations to keep up with demand.