MHS Students Flock to Newly Open Café

by Callie Schweitzer

(October 20, 2005) On Monday, October 17, students entered Mamaroneck High School as they enter it on any other Monday: eyes half-closed, barely focused on the week ahead. However, this Monday, many eyes popped open when they saw a gigantic piece of white paper attached to a column reading, “CAFÉ OPEN 7AM-2PM.” Students hesitantly walked by the area before first period, few venturing to actually enter. However, by lunch, word had spread that the café was, in fact, open; students raced to get a glimpse of what could be their new hangout spot.

Modeled after local restaurant Cosi, the café truly has it all—from moderately-priced food to a welcoming atmosphere with intimate seating for catching up on homework to longer cafeteria-like tables for enjoying a snack with friends.

A lot of thought went into turning the old MHS library into the new café, as many student council members and school administrators will testify. “The committee traveled around to different schools in the county and looked at their menus, and then we compiled a list and made a menu that we thought was right for MHS,” reported Vince Minotti, the MHS health and physical education teacher who served on the food committee.

The company chosen through competitive bidding for the café (and for the Hommocks and Mamaroneck Avenue School) is Whitsons School Nutrition. “We knew that since this was an open campus we had to set this up much like either a college campus or a business to compete with the outside that the kids were going to,” commented Eldon Hart, who supervises all of the district’s food services.

The menu features everything from salads and fresh fruit to brick-oven pizza and bacon burgers. Two-dollar lunch specials include milk, vegetables, and fruit or juice. Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 10:30 am and lunch is served from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Drinks and snacks are available at all other times. In a hurry? Students can grab food-to-go such as bagels, muffins, cookies, or soup.

While frozen yogurt and cake are available, the food committee focused on healthy choices and followed state guidelines when it came to creating the menu. Students may be disappointed by not being able to pick up a Diet Coke or a can of Slice; there is no soda for sale. Mr. Minotti explained, “The soda issue is a state law.  New York and other states in the union are banning soda sales due to the increased obesity rates in the United States.”

In the four days since it opened, the café has been a hot spot for MHS students before school, during free periods, and during lunch. Junior Jon Morgenstern said, “I think it’s awesome. The café brings three places around school, C-wall, the library and the deli, all into one place.” Mr. Morgenstern admitted that he and his friends have even nicknamed it “Ruby’s” after the menu’s branding of “Miss Ruby’s Grill.” Sophomore Caroline Irving agreed, “I think that the new café is great! It has a great atmosphere and is really well-priced. While I think that I will go there during my frees, I may still take advantage of our open campus at lunch sometimes though.”

Helping fuel the café’s popularity is its location. Reaching the old cafeteria, open until this week, required a climb to the third floor of the Post Road building. Another underutilized lunchroom, now turned into a fitness center for PE classes, was in the basement of Palmer. The new café takes over the old library space and is smack in the middle of the newly renovated sections of the high school. The complete redo was funded as part of a $49.7 million bond passed in 2001; a grant from the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation will add further attractions, such as a mini-theater for performances.

Not only do people enjoy the comfort of having the café easily reachable within the school, but for high school students who are often short on lunch money, the café’s low prices should help it retain its popularity. The café offers a chicken cutlet for $3.25 while Fratelli’s Deli across the street sells it for $4.50. Even the reduction of 50 cents on the cost of a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich from the café versus the deli may cause students to change their mind before leaving the school.

Many students are also looking forward to using the café to their advantage in the winter when juniors and seniors tend to eat in their cars, and sophomores and freshman find their outdoor eating spots icy and uncomfortable. “It's definitely going to come in handy during the winter when it's really cold out, especially because it's a nice atmosphere and the prices are really reasonable,” commented sophomore Ben Roberts. “I think it's definitely a couple of steps up from the old cafeteria.”

Callie Schweitzer is a junior at Mamaroneck High School and a regular contributor to the Gazette.

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