The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word REFECTORIES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
R
E
F
E
C
T
O
R
I
E
S
More clues leading to the result REFECTORIES
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "where food is served" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case where food is served = refectories.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does REFECTORIES mean?
REFECTORIES noun- A dining-hall, especially in an institution such as a college or monastery.