By Staff
Oct. 5, 2016: We are one month into the new school year, and Bronxville residents have no doubt noticed the swarm of Bronxville School students in town for lunch. At lunchtime, many local eating establishments have lines out the door or tables filled with young people talking, laughing, deciding on orders, and enjoying time together.
For Bronxville students, lunch in town is a time to catch up with friends and have a tasty, quick meal within their budgets, which are somewhere between $4 and $7.
MyhometownBronxville wanted to find out how often and where kids are eating lunch and what they are having, so we reached out to some parents and students to find out. This is what we learned.
Some students go out to lunch every day, while others go out once or twice a week. Parents have different views about lunch in town. One parent we spoke with said that she encourages her children to go out every day "so they get fresh air and walk around." Other parents see it as a privilege earned by completing household chores and other important tasks, while still others have concerns over the cost of lunch in town or the ability of kids to get back to school on time.
Most students are focused on lunch that is quick, good, and inexpensive. All the parents we spoke with want their children to eat healthy lunches. As one parent said, "A fruit or vegetable would be nice." Another parent said, "I'd like to see more whole fruits, apples, bananas, and oranges offered at the popular restaurants."
Here are some popular destinations for the students. Park Place is known for being "fast and good." The students we spoke with enjoyed their mini bagels and soup in particular. Park Place also offers some of the healthy items on the parents' list, including fruit cups, salads, and yogurt parfaits.
Some students enjoy Starbucks. For example, the Starbucks Frappuccino is popular with some of the students we talked with, but parents might think of this as more of a dessert than a lunch (e.g., chocolate chip Frappuccino). But Starbucks also has a nice selection of sandwiches that students enjoy.
Stillmeadow Gourmet is known for being delicious and healthy. They have also come up with a special "grab-and-go" menu for students, with many delicious meals for $5 to $7. Click here to see Grab n Go menu:
http://files.constantcontact.com/051828e8001/ba95c8c1-a140-46ed-a77d-8c9675ed3b86.pdf
Dobbs & Bishop is popular for its mac and cheese, which it serves on Tuesdays and Fridays. In fact, in the second or third week of school, Dobbs & Bishop offered mac and cheese FREE to middle schoolers one day and had a line out the door. They also sell grilled cheese and soup.
Pete's is seen as a "good value" with "fast and friendly service." Chicken tenders with fries and a side of buffalo sauce is a favorite and costs about $7. As one student said, Pete's is "fast and has plenty of seating for me and my friends."
Il Bacio is known for its $4 slice of pizza and drink. It is also fast, and kids can either sit in the restaurant or mingle outside and eat and talk. Some students have the Il Bacio gelato for dessert.
Grilled cheese was mentioned as a favorite at Lange's, along with the $3 chicken fingers.
The Bronxville Diner is new in town and kids have been spotted eating a quick lunch there as well. The diner has an extensive menu.
Finally, dessert is not forgotten on the lunch trip to town. Time allowing, students will be found in Häagen Dazs, Topps, Candyland and Candy Rox for an after-lunch treat.
Pictured here: Students eating in town during their lunch hour.
Photo by N. Bower
