This blog is an archived post written by Aliya during her 2nd year in the Environmental Management stream.
As much as I enjoy making my own food at home and bringing it to school, sometimes when you’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of university life there’s just no time! So, like many other students on Keele campus I sometimes buy food. York University’s Keele campus has over 50 food places that have a large array of dining options. From Indian cuisine, to Kosher and Halal certified, York offers a diverse range of fresh, bold and delicious cuisines. Get a taste of York’s food and culture as I share with you my favourite places to eat on campus. And if you’re a huge foodie like me, be sure to check out York’s food Instagram @yorkufood.
This Italian restaurant in the heart of York Lanes is my go to food place whenever I have a long day on campus. They offer freshly made pizza, pastas, salads, sandwiches and soups! Some of my favourite dishes to eat from here include: the grilled chicken panini and margherita pizza. The portion sizes are big enough to last me from lunch till dinner, where if I am on campus till that time I can always buy another dish. Cucinetta is halal certified and also has vegetarian options. So, if you’re craving some authentic and filling, Italian penne pasta or a hot sandwich, I would recommend the Cucinetta Italian cafe.
Although Qoola is advertised as a Yogurt Bar, this restaurant has more than just sweet and creamy frozen yogurt with fun and tasty toppings! Smoothies, waffles, wraps, salads and even soups are served here. When I’m hungry and decide to eat at Qoola, I usually go for a salad bowl. I normally get the kale and Quinoa salad which has peppers, edamame, chickpeas, arugula, chopped up almonds, pieces of chicken (optional) and a balsamic vinegar dressing to top it off. This salad is filling, healthy and pretty affordable for such a large bowl. You can find Qoola in York Lanes.
I love Booster Juice so much that I would have two smoothies a day in my first year! Booster Juice is my favourite snack place on campus. They make freshly squeezed juices, fruit and vegetable smoothies, as well as wraps and sandwiches. My go to smoothies are mango hurricane, no yogurt and with chia, the tropi-kale smoothie, no banana and with chia in the regular size! Whenever, I’m hungry but not so hungry for something heavy, I pick Booster Juice. Not only is it healthy but it is also fruity and the refreshing blends make you want more. I swear it's addictive! There are two Booster Juice locations on Keele Campus with one in the Curtis Lecture Halls and the other in the new Quad Residence. Check them out!
Let’s face it: We all love to eat out with our friends on a Friday night. And at York, Shopsy’s is my favourite place to do just that. From all day breakfast to salads and pastas, this eat-in pub is a pretty popular restaurant on campus. I enjoy eating a classic burger from here, with a side of fries and a nice cold fizzy beverage. The atmosphere is fun, exciting and if you’re like me and can eat breakfast any time of day, this place is your new best friend. Shopsy's is also in York Lanes.
Treats is a new food place on campus located in the Student Centre which I fell in love with right away. At this restaurant, I tend to get the grilled chicken wraps or quinoa salads. The wraps include, savoury grilled chicken, toppings of your choice and wrap of choice (whole wheat or spinach). The salads are very filling and contain healthy ingredients that will keep you fueled throughout the day. The quinoa salad comes with spinach, kale, peppers, corn, balsamic vinaigrette and chicken is optional. Treats also serves various other foods such as shawarma plates, wraps, sweet desserts such as cakes, pastries and more.
With diverse tastes from all over the world, eating on Keele campus is always an enjoyable experience.
