Our Guide to the Best and Most Affordable Places to Eat in College Park
By Samantha Hooley
April 9, 2023
Image Credit: Samantha Hooley for The Campus Trainer
Sophomore marketing major Brett Newcomb was famished on his weekly walk home from his class in the Clarice Performing Arts Center to his Landmark Apartment.
Newcomb usually finds this walk unpleasant, but he rewards himself by getting his favorite sandwich, the meatball sub, from Potbelly, which is right across the street from Landmark.
“The best, most affordable restaurant is easily Potbelly,” Newcomb said.
Finding affordable restaurants can be difficult for some college students. When cooking is not an option, UMD students are in luck; Route 1 is full of options for both students and locals to choose from.
Some of Newcomb’s other favorite food places include Chipotle and Noodles and Co. Since Newcomb’s go-to cuisine is Mexican food, he goes to Chipotle a couple times a week, pretty much on par with how much he frequents Potbelly.
Sophomore nutrition and food science: dietetics major Elise Roen said her go-to pick is Mexican food. Her favorite place to get it is Taqueria Habanero on Baltimore Ave.
Roen said she enjoys going to Taqueria Habanero because it is affordable, has big portion sizes and is a sit-down restaurant, not just take-out. She gets the burrito with chicken and chips and salsa, but wants to try the fajitas next.
Since she is also a student nutritionist for University of Maryland dining services, she also focuses on places that offer healthier options, too. Cava offers options on the healthier side, according to Roen.
“I get a greens and grains base with chicken and lots of veggies,” Roen said with extreme emphasis on the veggies.
She also enjoys Italian cuisine, but she struggles to find a good Italian restaurant in College Park. She sometimes goes to Noodles and Co., who carries a variety of pasta dishes, but she said it is not always what she is looking for when craving Italian food.
When Roen ventures to Washington D.C. for Italian food, she goes to North Italia. It has many pasta and meat dishes, pizzas, as well as a variety of desserts, including Roen’s favorite, the tiramisu.
Aroy Thai is another restaurant Roen often goes to and one that Newcomb said he wants to try.
When looking for more affordable restaurant options, Roen said that she looks for options that are close to her Landmark apartment and have convenient mobile order options.
Another Potbelly-lover, sophomore finance major Jake Infantino, said he mobile orders from Potbelly frequently.
“They have lots of different sandwiches which allows me to try many different options, and mobile ordering makes it much easier,” said Infantino.
College Park has a wide variety of affordable restaurants for students. Aspects like cuisine, location and mobile ordering often impact students’ choices.
Newcomb usually finds this walk unpleasant, but he rewards himself by getting his favorite sandwich, the meatball sub, from Potbelly, which is right across the street from Landmark.
“The best, most affordable restaurant is easily Potbelly,” Newcomb said.
Finding affordable restaurants can be difficult for some college students. When cooking is not an option, UMD students are in luck; Route 1 is full of options for both students and locals to choose from.
Some of Newcomb’s other favorite food places include Chipotle and Noodles and Co. Since Newcomb’s go-to cuisine is Mexican food, he goes to Chipotle a couple times a week, pretty much on par with how much he frequents Potbelly.
Sophomore nutrition and food science: dietetics major Elise Roen said her go-to pick is Mexican food. Her favorite place to get it is Taqueria Habanero on Baltimore Ave.
Roen said she enjoys going to Taqueria Habanero because it is affordable, has big portion sizes and is a sit-down restaurant, not just take-out. She gets the burrito with chicken and chips and salsa, but wants to try the fajitas next.
Since she is also a student nutritionist for University of Maryland dining services, she also focuses on places that offer healthier options, too. Cava offers options on the healthier side, according to Roen.
“I get a greens and grains base with chicken and lots of veggies,” Roen said with extreme emphasis on the veggies.
She also enjoys Italian cuisine, but she struggles to find a good Italian restaurant in College Park. She sometimes goes to Noodles and Co., who carries a variety of pasta dishes, but she said it is not always what she is looking for when craving Italian food.
When Roen ventures to Washington D.C. for Italian food, she goes to North Italia. It has many pasta and meat dishes, pizzas, as well as a variety of desserts, including Roen’s favorite, the tiramisu.
Aroy Thai is another restaurant Roen often goes to and one that Newcomb said he wants to try.
When looking for more affordable restaurant options, Roen said that she looks for options that are close to her Landmark apartment and have convenient mobile order options.
Another Potbelly-lover, sophomore finance major Jake Infantino, said he mobile orders from Potbelly frequently.
“They have lots of different sandwiches which allows me to try many different options, and mobile ordering makes it much easier,” said Infantino.
College Park has a wide variety of affordable restaurants for students. Aspects like cuisine, location and mobile ordering often impact students’ choices.