Zoe Berg, Photo Editor

A new dining option to satisfy students’ late-night cravings will soon be available in the Schwarzman Center’s Underground.

For the first time since the Schwarzman Center opened its doors in August, students, faculty and other members of the Yale community will be able to order food at Ivy beginning on March 29, for now many stick to the usual meals at www.spicekitchenandbar.com. Ivy, located in the basement of the Schwarzman Center next to Elm cafe, will have late-night snacks and meals available for purchase. But the new vendor will not accept dining swipes.

“We’re glad to share that our current plan is for Ivy to open this spring, on March 29 to be exact,” Schwarzman Center Hospitality Operations Director Stacey Hepburn-James said. “We can’t wait to welcome students back from spring break with this exciting new option!”

With most residential college dining halls closing at 7 or 7:30 pm — besides the Morse and Stiles dining halls, which both close at 8 p.m. — many students often look for late-night meal options on campus. Ivy will soon provide that option, offering late night dining and meals until 11 p.m.

Hepburn-James explained that Ivy, Elm and Commons, which she classified as the University’s “retail operations,” provide a dining experience unique from the buffets found in residential college dining halls.

Many students expressed excitement about this new dining option, which accommodates busy schedules and addresses late night cravings. 

“I feel like Yale Hospitality has done a great job providing this space, which will be a welcoming place to meet with classmates and friends whilst enjoying quality snacks, offering a simultaneous social and academic environment,” Valeria Daw ’25 said. 

Hepburn-James added that the Ivy will offer a selection of small shareable plates and “student favorites.” 

Like Elm, Ivy will accept Eli Bucks, dining points and credit cards. Lucía Amaya Martinez ’25 said that Ivy’s success will likely depend on the prices of its food, given that it will be competing with residential college butteries, which offer late-night snacks with subsidized prices. Caue Pascarelli ’25 raised a similar concern.

“I believe it’s a good initiative, especially for people of different backgrounds which are used to eating later, yet, since it is not subsidized by Yale and does not allow the use of meal swipes, it can be a deterring factor to some students, creating a space that does not benefit the whole of the Yale community,” Pascarelli said. 

Ivy will offer a number of snacks, meals and finger food featuring “globally-influenced flavors.” 

These dishes include signature tacos on house-made tortillas with either cumin-rubbed chicken or sauteed mushrooms, as well as pickled onions, pineapple, salsa verde, salsa roja, lime and avocado; beef sliders with caramelized onions, Cabot cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato and hand-cut Greek fries tossed in oregano, parsley, zaatar, feta cheese and sea salt.

“This week, our team has been giving out ‘golden tickets’ to students and staff who are at Commons or Elm,” Schwarzman Center Executive Chef Dave Kuzma said. “This golden ticket invites folks to enjoy a complimentary entree at Ivy until March 18 and take part in a feedback survey.” 

Kuzma also emphasized how the Yale Hospitality team wants to hear what students think so far. 

Kately Oca, hospitality guest experience manager at the Schwarzman Center, explained that students can expect Ivy to “pick up where Elm’s cafe options leave off,” as it serves food into the evening.

“The opening of this location will provide even deeper opportunities for students to work together on group projects or just hang out while enjoying delicious options from Ivy in the evening,” Oca said. 

The Schwarzman Center website does not yet show opening hours for Ivy, nor does it list a menu for the new food venue.

The website does, however, say that Ivy is intended to satisfy “late-night cravings” with a “dynamic open-prep area” that offers wings, sliders, sushi and more.

“The names Elm and Ivy honor the deeply rooted history of New Haven as ‘Elm City’ — Yale University’s home — while aligning to the Ivy League schools, of which Yale represents a storied and esteemed history of brilliant minds in academia,” Yale Hospitality Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications Christelle Ramos said. 

The Yale Schwarzman Center is located at 168 Grove St.