Lunch at the Viking Commons

The Viking Commons is the newest section of our building

The Viking Commons is a new commercial kitchen and gathering space for the school. Completed and opened in August 2021, the commercial kitchen provides a nutritious lunch daily for the entire school community and the innovative communal space has expanded ways for Vistamar’s students, faculty, and staff to connect. As with all of our special programs, from athletics to field trips, lunch is provided to all as a part of coming to school -- there is no additional daily charge for lunch.

Community is important at Vistamar, and the Viking Commons provides a way for the whole school community to eat together each day. Our block academic schedule allows everyone to have lunch at the same time daily, making it easy for students, faculty, and staff to enjoy each other’s company and meet informally over a great meal.

Living a healthy and balanced life is one of Vistamar’s core values, and the Viking Commons supports this value. Healthful, nutritious, and delicious lunches are prepared from scratch daily onsite. Our food service partner takes a “wellness - first" approach, providing custom menus that are flavorful, provide variety, and also support local and sustainable agricultural practices. Hot entrees, a sandwich bar, and salad and soup bar are available daily. Allergens are noted on the daily menus and options for those with allergy sensitivities or special diets are offered each day, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free.

Design of the Viking Commons was a collaborative process. Originally envisioned by school leadership working together with the Board of Trustees, the year-long design and fundraising process incorporated the work of trustees, staff, parents, and the architect. The vision was to transform an office area and small commons area into an open-plan, state of the art kitchen and servery and a dynamic and inviting space to gather. The interdisciplinary project team worked diligently to maximize the positive impacts of the project while minimizing funding needed.  The Viking Commons was built through the generosity of our community, working together to fund construction entirely through donations.