College Park hasn’t always been known for their food, as Route 1 is primarily made up of fast food chains that can be found anywhere.
Aside from Chipotle, which is the second largest grossing Chipotle in the nation, many other restaurants fly under the radar because of their lack of originality.
However, recently some new restaurants have opened for College Park students and residents alike to go to and have the chance to try something a little outside the box.
One new restaurant is Ivy Noodles, located on Route 1 on the same side as famous bars Cornerstone and Bentley’s. Ivy Noodles serves authentic Chinese cuisine, and according to its customers, is a step up from other local places like Panda and Shanghai Café.
“It’s a little more expensive, but that’s because the portions are big and the food tastes real and delicious,” said senior business major Samuel Miller. “It tastes like the Chinese food you’d get at home.”
Besides the food, Ivy Noodles has attracted customers because of its newly decorated environment. With all brand new tables, carpeting and walls that light up, the place has an inviting aura and one that definitely caters to college kids.
In addition, further down Route 1 underneath The Varsity apartments, new restaurant, The Maryland Smokehouse, officially opened one week ago. It offers real, genuine barbecue food ranging from ribs to pulled pork sandwiches.
The Maryland Smokehouse opened in a key location in College Park, as it is attached to the newly renovated and highly populated apartment buildings. It competes with Bobby’s Burger Palace, Roti, and other restuarants on the same strip, but offers the only authentic barbecue cooking in all of College Park.
“The Memphis style pulled pork or pulled chicken is the best,” said senior government and politics major Andrew Taub. “They put coleslaw and sweet barbecue sauce on it and the sides are great too.”
Finally, Garbanzo is a third brand new restaurant that has only been open for a few weeks, but seems to be attracting a loyal customer base. Garbanzo serves Mediterranean cuisine including Kabob, Falafel, Schwarma and other foods of that nature.
Garbanzo offers the students who enjoy Roti, another Mediterranean restaurant on Route 1, a chance to eat that type of food in a location with a closer proximity to the south side of campus.
“I go there on almost a daily basis because it reminds me of the food in Israel,” said sophomore business major Matthew Bistrisky, whose parents are Israeli and raised him on home-cooked versions of Garbanzo’s menu items. “It’s filling and it’s spicy, unlike most of the other food in the area that’s pretty bland.”
Other restaurants such as Lime, which is a Mexican grille, and Looney’s Pub are also new to the area and continue to gain popularity. As these innovative restaurants continue to line Route 1, options for students are expanding, making College Park a college town where the food may be something to write home about.