Hungry Hilltoppers will find themselves with more dinner options this semester.

Bon Appétit has extended the hours in South Congress Market to include evening dining hours.

Since the opening of Hunt Hall Café in 2009, South Congress Market, located in the Robert and Pearle Ragsdale Center, has been closed for dinner and on the weekends. This semester however, South Congress Market will be open from 5p.m.-8p.m. on weeknights.

General manager Michael Smith said that Bon Appétit began to offer evening dining in South Congress Market because New College students and graduate school students have evening classes, most of them in the library and Trustee Hall.

“It is closer, it’s just to accommodate to people,” Smith said.

Sophomore Mitch Harris agrees that it is more convenient because he lives in Dujarié, and Ragsdale is closer to him than Hunt.

Proximity and choices play a big role in where sophomore Jordan Cooper chooses to eat. Cooper was happy to hear that dinner was being served at Ragsdale.

“It was a good decision. [Ragsdale] gives a lot more variety for everyone to choose from,” Cooper said. “Plus, it’s closer to all of my classes.”

According to Smith, Bon Appétit has been paying attention to what the students want. This semester, a desert and ice cream bar were added to South Congress Market, in response to requests from students for more desert options.

Bon Appétit partnered with Blue Bell Ice Creameries because the ice cream vendor met Bon Appétit’s guidelines. Smith said that they are limited on who they buy from and Blue Bell is an approved vendor.

Freshman Cindy Montealegre and Carol Cabrera frequent the desert bar. Cubrera said that she likes that they serve Blue Bell because other ice creams “don’t taste the same.”

“I love it,” Montealegre said. “But I think the Starbucks one has better options.”

Also this semester, Bon Appétit is continuing the low carbon diet by offering food that is transported with minimal emissions. Smith said that the management company avoids buying any food that has to be flown or shipped in.

“Buying it local really helps,” Smith said.

Bon Appétit will highlight this idea with the Eat Local Challenge on Sept. 29. The menu will be created from food that is grown within 150 miles from campus, according to Smith.

“Bon Appétit is all about sustainability,” Smith said.

Being environmentally conscious comes at a cost.

“Some things cost a little more to purchase,” Smith said. “But they’re better for you.”