Arcadia Dining, On and Off Campus

I’ll admit it—the most important part of college, for me and many others, is the food. You eat at least three times a day, not including the 8 a.m. coffees, late-night studying snacks, and protein bars in between classes. What you eat and where you’re eating are essential to having a good college experience. Thankfully, Arcadia has you covered.

The first place you eat on campus will probably be the Dining Hall. While it isn’t exactly glamorous, it’s most likely the place where you’ll spend the most time throughout freshman year. It has the widest range of options, including a sandwich bar, salad bar, dessert bar, and hot foods with a rotating menu every day. The Dining Hall is the perfect place to go when you’re starving and don’t feel like walking far to get food. 

If you don’t want to eat buffet-style, the Chat has the option to customize your meals—which can be bought using a meal exchange—on the spot. Meal exchanges give you the option to use a meal swipe for an entrée, side, dessert, and beverage in the Chat instead of in the Dining Hall. And for those times when you just need something quick before class, there is Easton Café, which is constantly full of students lined up to get their morning Starbucks.

But even with the variety Arcadia dining offers, sometimes you need to shake it up and get off campus. If you ask any upper class student at Arcadia where to get food nearby, you will probably get one of these answers: Michael’s Family Restaurant (open until midnight and right across the street); Queen Sushi (which is located in Keswick Village, but delivers to campus); and Humpty’s Dumplings (famous for their $1 dumplings on Wednesdays). While these restaurants are popular for a reason—usually their proximity and affordability—there are so many good places that are often overlooked.

My personal favorite is Bernie’s restaurant. Bernie’s is a five-minute drive from campus and has a wide-range of affordable and delicious options. There is a 15-foot center fireplace wall and an outdoor patio, which give the restaurant super cozy vibes. It’s the perfect place to grab a quick lunch or go out to a nice dinner with friends without breaking the bank.

There’s also Village Diner, a restaurant located in Keswick Village. It’s a further walk than Michael’s is, but going there is a great excuse to get off campus and kill some time. Grabbing brunch at Village Diner and then walking around Keswick Village is the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning. If you go, you definitely have to try the cinnamon-bun pancakes; my mouth waters just thinking about them.  

And for all you sushi-lovers out there, going to Nagomi at least once during your time at Arcadia is a must. Nagomi, a Japanese restaurant, is located right in Glenside and offers an all-you-can-eat sushi menu for just $20. 

It’s important to also note that any students who experience food insecurity have access to Arcadia’s free, on-campus food pantry throughout the school year. The Knights for Nutrition food pantry is located in Knight Hall, room 110. With all these options available both on and off campus, you will definitely never go hungry at Arcadia.