New Dining Hall at William Paterson University Boasts Beautiful, Modern Design and Extensive, Chef-Inspired Menu

William Paterson University’s Wayne Dining Hall has been entirely renovated and reimagined, with a menu sure to please a wide variety of tastes. Featuring 10 themed stations—mini-restaurants of their own—with chef-inspired creations and fresh, made-to-order meals ranging from the traditional slow-roasted to globally inspired, plant based and allergen-free, dining on campus is officially next-level.

The modern facility features an inviting, colorful interior with a wall of windows, USB charging ports, and a selection of seating options including restaurant-style booths and high-top tables designed to support community engagement. Each food station in the dining hall includes open concepts that allow visitors to interact with kitchen staff while their menu selection is being prepared.

At the entrance is a hydroponic garden where rows of fresh herbs and lettuces are grown and utilized in the various menu items. Behind the salad bar, the produce used in the dining hall is on display in a wall of extra-large, glass-door refrigerators, making the food itself part of the facility’s fresh and colorful design aesthetic.

The dining hall is open to students, faculty, and staff, and since its debut, according to WP Director of Hospitality Manny Kohli, the dining hall has seen an increase in foot traffic from all groups. There has subsequently been an uptick in students signing up for campus meal plans, and, for the first time ever, the University started offering a meal plan for employees due to demand. Cash and card payment options are always available for visitors who do not have a campus meal plan.

What you’ll find at the new Wayne Dining Hall:

Iron Skillet, a made-to-order breakfast station in the daytime hours that converts to an “action” station of street-inspired cuisine at dinner. Think tacos and kebabs

Trattoria, featuring hand-stretched pizzas, calzones and pasta dishes prepared in the wood-stone oven, which will be used at times to roast whole chickens, veggies, and more. Gluten-friendly pizza is also available.

Root, the made-to-order spot for plant-based cuisine for guests who have chosen a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. Thanks to the presence of Root, every station in Wayne Dining Hall will include a vegetarian option.

True Balance, a lunch and dinner station created to support those guests with food allergies, where complete meals—soups, salads, entrees, and sides—are created free of the top 8 food allergens. The station will never include self-serve options to help ensure there is no cross-contamination with allergen-containing foods. Guests who are highly allergic are encouraged to contact the on-site manager to request a packaged selection that was not prepared alongside other foods in our kitchen.

Proof, a bakery with sweets and treats prepared fresh by the in-house baker and pastry chef promising to offer interactive guest experiences such as “pipe your own cupcake.” An on-campus custom cake-ordering service launched in the spring semester will be expanded through Proof, with additional offerings for customization and allergen-free creations.

Global Kitchen, highlighting a rotating variety of international foods ranging from Chinese to Indian and everything in between. Aramark and WP hospitality leaders hope to educate students through food by introducing them to new cuisines, and hope to remind our diverse campus community of their favorite tastes from home.

Under the Hood, a grill featuring hand-pressed burgers, hand-cut French fries, and handmade falafel where all options will be made fresh to order and daily/weekly specials will be offered.

Salad bar with raw and grilled vegetables, as well as prepared options such as pasta salad and tabouli.

Deli station with chef-inspired creations on daily and weekly specials, as well as traditional sandwiches and healthy grab-and-go snacks like fruit and granola.

High-tech, touch-screen barista that can brew anything from a double espresso to a latte or a macchiato.

Menus will be modified based on popularity, as well as through student surveys and requests. Through Aramark’s “Be Heard” platform, available through a QR code at each table, students can submit instant feedback to managers. 

With a seating capacity of 530, both the University and Aramark hope the new Wayne Dining Hall will become a hangout on campus for resident and commuter students alike, as well as faculty and staff.

A schedule of activities, entertainment, and community engagement programming is in the works to include a “Recipe from Home” campaign—wherein students submit their favorite recipes and help kitchen staff cook and serve the food—as well as trivia nights, live chef demonstrations, and special offerings during big sporting events like the World Cup and Super Bowl.