Campus Life

Hidden Gems: Cafe Laura

Cafe Laura, located in Mateer Building on Penn State's University Park campus, invites guests to enjoy a variety of lunch menus and popular theme dinners that are open to the public. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Cafe Laura, located in Mateer Building on Penn State's University Park campus, is known for its themed dinners each semester, which bring students together to create a multiple-course meal for customers. But the venue also offers lunch during the week, with a rotating selection of meals designed and made by students.

Click through the gallery below to see what goes on behind the scenes in the kitchens before a meal service.

Ashia Kelly, a third-year student majoring in hospitality management, prepares some pizzas for the lunch service at Cafe Laura. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Lizzy Volz provides a tray of fresh broccoli for the salad bar area as students plan and prepare the lunch menu at Penn State's Cafe Laura. Volz is a third-year student majoring in nutritional sciences. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Penn State student Demetrius Dolinish prepares carrots for soup prior to the lunch service at Cafe Laura. As part of the lunch service, students develop recipes that rotate out over the course of the semester. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Chris Nemecek prepares plates of shrimp pasta during the lunch service at Penn State's Cafe Laura. The student-run element of Cafe Laura makes it a unique on-campus experience that provides students with skills for future careers in hospitality and dining services. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jeremy Rhinehart, a student majoring in nutritional sciences, provides guests with made-to-order salads during the lunch service at Cafe Laura. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Cafe Laura, located in Mateer Building, offers a wide variety of menu choices all planned, prepared and served by Penn State students. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Cafe Laura's lunches and theme dinners are open to the public throughout the semester. Each week offers a new, unique menu all prepared and served by Penn State's School of Hospitality Management students.   Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Ashia Kelly, a third-year student majoring in hospitality management, prepares some pizzas for the lunch service at Cafe Laura. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Lizzy Volz provides a tray of fresh broccoli for the salad bar area as students plan and prepare the lunch menu at Penn State's Cafe Laura. Volz is a third-year student majoring in nutritional sciences. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Penn State student Demetrius Dolinish prepares carrots for soup prior to the lunch service at Cafe Laura. As part of the lunch service, students develop recipes that rotate out over the course of the semester. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Chris Nemecek prepares plates of shrimp pasta during the lunch service at Penn State's Cafe Laura. The student-run element of Cafe Laura makes it a unique on-campus experience that provides students with skills for future careers in hospitality and dining services. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jeremy Rhinehart, a student majoring in nutritional sciences, provides guests with made-to-order salads during the lunch service at Cafe Laura. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Cafe Laura, located in Mateer Building, offers a wide variety of menu choices all planned, prepared and served by Penn State students. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Cafe Laura's lunches and theme dinners are open to the public throughout the semester. Each week offers a new, unique menu all prepared and served by Penn State's School of Hospitality Management students.   Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

Last Updated March 18, 2024

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