For years, Fordham University has endured scrutiny in the media for being the college with the “worst food in America.” With its once-maligned menu now boasting bizarre, but beloved, dishes and immersive dining experiences, the Ram Café has become the hottest ticket on campus.
The catalyst for this change stemmed from the recent developments in the Fordham dining scene. The Marketplace dining hall in the recently remodeled Joseph M. McShane, S.J. Campus Center at the Rose Hill campus has been a welcome start, finally giving Bronx natives more dining options and tickling their taste buds.
Meanwhile, over at the Lincoln Center campus, students are left with limited food options, thanks to the plethora of bars and restaurants in midtown Manhattan and the upper west side. While their counterparts at Rose Hill are indulging in gourmet dining experiences, Lincoln Center students are forced to fend for themselves in a gourmet wasteland of the fast food joints on 8th Avenue and bars in Hell’s Kitchen.
“If I wanted to see a ‘ram calf,’ then I’d go to the Bronx Zoo. I’m only dining at the Ram Café.”Mark Ara, vice president for feeding the hungry
“I never thought I’d see the day when someone actually liked the food here,” Brock Lee, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25, a self-proclaimed vegan advocate and outspoken critic of the Ram Café’s culinary offerings, said. “I never thought I’d see the day when I’d actually look forward to using my meal swipes, but now I can’t get enough!”
When walking into the revamped space, the first thing visitors will notice is the décor — gone are the days of drab linoleum floors and fluorescent lighting. Exposed brick walls adorned with colorful graffiti murals give the space an urban-chic atmosphere, while sleek, modern furniture invites you to take a seat and stay awhile.
The vintage light fixtures cast a warm glow over the bustling dining area, creating an atmosphere that’s equal parts a trendy restaurant and a cozy coffee shop. The Ram Café is now the kind of place where you expect to see a well-dressed influencer hunched over a laptop, sipping CBD kombucha and tapping away at the next great American novel.
“It looks like a compost heap, but trust me: one bite, and you’ll be hooked.”Patty Melt, FCLC ’26
Familiar Ram Café favorites have also undergone upgrades. Freshens now boasts an expansive fruit orchard where students can pick their produce, a smoothie bar stocked with exotic fruits and superfood supplements, and a juice bar where they can watch as their custom creations are blended to perfection.
Meanwhile, Burger & Fries has been transformed into a hibachi extravaganza, complete with live performances from master chefs who flip and sizzle their way through a dazzling array of Japanese-inspired dishes.
Both the South Lounge and Student Lounge remain intact in their fluorescent-lit, crusted carpet state, ready to host extraordinary events.
The pièce de résistance, however, is the newly added 24-hour dining plan. Students can now indulge their culinary cravings at any time of day or night, whether they’re craving a late-night snack or a gourmet meal to fuel a marathon study session. It’s a level of convenience that borders on decadence, but hey, this is college dining at its finest.
These changes were spearheaded by the university’s newly appointed vice president for feeding the hungry, Mark Ara. Ara drew inspiration from unusual sources, including late-night infomercials and redundant tastes.
“We really wanted to put emphasis on the tilde,” Ara said. “If I wanted to see a ‘ram calf,’ then I’d go to the Bronx Zoo. I’m only dining at the Ram Café.”
Both the South Lounge and Student Lounge remain intact in their fluorescent-lit, crusted carpet state, ready to host extraordinary events.
Despite the visual overhaul, students reported that the food looked more or less the same. Platters of indistinguishable globs sit atop the serving line, their origin unknown, their colors muted and their textures unappealing. Rubbery eggs wobble precariously on their plates while wilted lettuce leaves sag sadly in their bowls. It’s a visual feast in the truest sense of the word — but not in the way one might expect.
As the old adage goes, however, looks can be deceiving. Despite its less-than-appetizing appearance, the food at the Ram Café is surprisingly delicious. The rubbery eggs give way to a creamy, flavorful center bursting with cheesy goodness. The wilted lettuce leaves once scoffed at, reveal themselves to be crisp and refreshing, with a zesty dressing that adds a much-needed kick of flavor. And those indistinguishable globs? Well, it turns out they’re actually a culinary masterpiece, with layers of complex flavors and textures that defy explanation.
Among the most surprising revelations is the newfound popularity of a previously unidentified and misshapen brown blob. Despite its questionable appearance, this enigmatic entree has won over even the harshest critics with its surprisingly delicious flavor and addictive texture.
“It looks like a compost heap, but trust me: one bite, and you’ll be hooked,” Patty Melt, FCLC ’26, said.
In a bold move to further elevate the culinary offerings at the Ram Café, a representative from university dining services wrote on a crumpled napkin that they will partner with the beloved halal truck — located on the corner of 60th Street and Columbus Avenue — which has long been a staple on the streets outside campus. Rather than simply bringing the halal truck to the students, they’re taking things a step further — by moving it inside the Ram Café itself.
It’s a move sure to delight students who have long enjoyed the flavorful and satisfying fare served by the halal truck, but with the added convenience and comfort of dining indoors.
As for the future of dining at Fordham University, only time will tell if the Ram Café’s newfound success is here to stay or just a flash in the pan. For now, students are enjoying every bite of the unexpected culinary delights that await them at their favorite campus eatery.
