On-campus food at Iona is a convenient, delicious and reliable way to enjoy food at a reasonable price between classes or during activity hour between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. The ideal spot to get on-campus food would have to be in the Vitanza Dining Commons, which is in the lower level of Spellman Hall. The dining hall offers a wide variety of food options representing different parts of the world and types of ways to eat food.
One of my personal favorite places to grab lunch is the “2mato Pasta” station, which serves pasta with sauce, protein and other toppings. If I were to make a suggestion of what you should all try, it would have to be my go-to combination of regular pasta with alfredo sauce, sausage, onions, mushrooms, olives, spinach and mozzarella cheese. The pasta is extremely flavorful and goes perfectly with any combination of ingredients. Honestly, it is a 10/10 place for pasta and a must-try meal at Iona for those who haven’t had it yet.
However, if you’re a fan of making, mixing and matching food ingredients, then I would suggest stopping by the salad bar and the deli as two other places worth your time. The salad bar is a perfect place for a nice, refreshing salad with protein and add-ons of your choice. Just like any deli you might find in New York, it is a traditional one, but with a lot more options and alternatives than most delis. The deli offers wraps, rolls, wedges and many more alternatives that can be paired with the deli meats, cheeses, vegetables and sauces they have available to make the perfect combination of your choice. Vegan meats and cheeses are also an option, making the deli station accessible to everyone.
Most students already know how good the deli station and salad bar are, but the “One Sushi and Tong” section of the dining hall specializes in a wide variety of Asian cuisine to Iona that deserves more recognition by the student body. The poke bowls that are offered by the station are some of my favorite food options offered by the university. The spicy tuna bowl is my favorite, which is essentially a bowl consisting of tuna, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce with a base of warm rice. The texture and flavor combinations amplify the taste of the dish tremendously and make it an immediate go-to choice for me when I’m deciding what to eat on campus.
The kitchen in the dining hall is also a great place for high-quality, good food, with the chicken tenders and fries being a popular choice for students. Vitanza is one of the dining halls that provides food on campus, so it’s best to get your money’s worth and try all the food that Iona has to offer for its students.
