5 Ways To Dine at HPU

The Slane Student Center Café is HPU’s version of a classic college dining hall, but classic is still tasty, especially when talking about the build-your-own omelet station. The Café serves up breakfast seven days a week with options including waffles, bacon, fruit, oatmeal and bagels, but my favorite is the omelet bar. My regular order is an egg white omelet with spinach and cheese, but there are endless possibilities. While the omelet is delicious, the best part of the experience is seeing Miss Kristy’s infectious smile as she cooks for students. Every day, she greets me with a “Good morning!” and tells me to have a wonderful day. To complete my meal, I pair my omelet with a muffin or a slice of French toast. Breakfast at The Café gives me the fuel I need to power through my day.

HPU’s extraordinary take on a build-your-own Tex-Mex menu can be found at the Silver Line Diner. Me and my friends head here when we’re in the mood for a customized quesadilla, taco, burrito or bowl. The diner has a variety of bases, meats, toppings and sauces to choose from. Students can keep their creation simple or pile it high with toppings. When I’m craving a quesadilla, I order one with a spinach herb tortilla and top it with chicken, black beans, white rice and olives. The crispy tortilla and ooey-gooey cheese never disappoint. Each order comes with homemade tortilla chips, which pair extremely well with the diner’s house-made guacamole. Located on HPU’s North College Campus, the Silver Line Diner is a hidden gem and must-try food location.

Who said you can’t have dessert for dinner? Located beside the Wanek School of Natural Sciences, The Butterfly Café is always filled with students grabbing a meal with friends or studying over a cup of coffee and a pastry. The Mediterranean-inspired location is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it’s a great spot to grab a sweet treat. The Butterfly Café serves a variety of homemade gelato flavors, and the selection changes daily. There is always a new gelato to try, but The Butterfly Café always offers a lemon lavender flavor — my personal favorite. Other options include chocolate, vanilla, chocolate chip, strawberry, salted caramel, mint chocolate chip and more. Each flavor is creamy and sweet with every bite. I grab a cup of gelato on its own or order it as a side item with my meal. After ordering, I like to eat my gelato inside and listen to the café’s ambient music, or walk across to the Caine Conservatory, which houses hundreds of plants from around the world. Both locations are perfect for enjoying a cup of delicious gelato.

This list wouldn’t be complete without highlighting one of HPU’s fine-dining learning labs. 1924 PRIME is one of the two spots on campus where students can enjoy a gourmet meal while learning about proper dining etiquette. With just one magic meal swipe, students can choose from a variety of appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts. There are many appetizers, but a standout is the baked potato soup, made with bacon, chives and cheese. The creamy soup is my personal favorite and the perfect start to my meal at 1924 PRIME. Following the appetizer course, I often order the petite filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli on the side — a classic choice. The steak, potato and vegetable trifecta make for a standard but delicious dinner. And, of course, no meal is complete without something sweet. 1924 PRIME offers multiple desserts, including a brownie sundae, cheesecake, sorbet and more, but the chocolate torte shines as a rich and decadent ending to a great meal. Drizzled in raspberry syrup, the chocolate torte is my go-to and the perfect dessert option for chocoholics.

Looking for a late-night snack? The Ghost Kitchen serves meals on Sunday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. While this location has a rotating menu, one of my favorite offerings is mac and cheese week, which features a different mac and cheese dish every night. Some of the options include Philly cheesesteak, Reuben, buffalo and BBQ pork mac and cheese. My favorite is the Philly cheesesteak variation, which is creamy, cheesy and topped with beef, peppers, onions and potato chips for the perfect crunch-factor. Complementing the main dish is crispy potato chips seasoned with BBQ mesquite seasoning. If you’re looking for another cheesy option, the Ghost Kitchen also features nachos from time to time. I always make sure to finish off my meal with a chocolate chunk cookie, which is a dessert that is offered every night. The Ghost Kitchen is an under-the-radar option for students who want to use a standard meal swipe to get a unique and delicious meal.