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Eating well in College Park has never been the easiest task to accomplish for the students of the University of Maryland.
Between Chipotle. Jimmy John’s and Noodles, the options are limited and it seems unavoidable to have a repetitive diet of basically fast foods.
Most girls who eat off-campus can be found at Jason’s deli eating the generic sandwich or salad, or Subway where the ham is actually turkey (you can’t make this stuff up).
However, there are some hidden gems in College Park where if you take a guy there you are sure to have a good meal and show an impressive taste in foods other than your generic burrito bowl.
One characteristic that most guys will find attractive about a girl is a good taste in food. Girls that know the right places to eat and foods to order are more fun to eat with and easier to connect with, which is where knowing the hidden food gems comes into play.
The hidden gem of the area directly off-campus is none other than Marathon Deli, located on Lehigh Road. Marathon Deli is a family owned Greek restaurant specializing in gyros, chicken sandwiches and other authentic Greek food.
“Marathon is my favorite place to eat in College Park,” said junior finance major Mac Posner. “The food is real and the service is impeccable, the owner is always handing out free food and soda refills.”
Marathon is a nice, quiet place where you can guarantee a delicious, filling meal while being in a genuine Greek environment.
Aside from Marathon, there are not many family owned restaurants that aren’t food chains located directly off-campus. However, if you have the means of transportation, a bit further down Route 1 there are other gems to be found.
For instance, Chef’s Secret may be the best-kept secret (no pun intended) in the whole College Park area.
Located on Greenbelt Road, Chef’s Secret is a gourmet Thai restaurant that definitely gives you bang for your buck. Every entre is freshly served and extremely flavorful, while the atmosphere takes the cake. It makes you feel like you are at one of your hometown Asian restaurants, except it’s such a secret that you can guarantee a quiet and peaceful meal every time.
“Best pad thai noodles I have ever had,” said senior communications major Mike Altman. “If you like spicy food this is the place for you.”
Going to Chef’s Secret is a nice place for a date if you’re looking for a calm and attractive environment. But what if you want to go somewhere fun and exciting to watch sports or grab a beer?
Buffalo Wild Wings is the best environment for this type of eating. Most College Park students are used to going to Cornerstone or Bentleys for the generic bar food. Yet, right down Route 1 is Buffalo Wild Wings, which has every type of sauce imaginable for your chicken wings, all types of appetizers and great deals on any given day.
“If a girl asks me to go to Buffalo Wild Wings I ask her to marry me,” said senior history major Jacob Kahn. “Plain and simple.”
Furthermore, meeting a girl that appreciates a cheeseburger is as valuable to some guys as meeting a Victoria Secret Model. Nothing says “I’m a respectable American female” like a girl who’s not afraid of a big, juicy burger.
However, guys can respect the fact that many girls want to eat healthy, so maybe taking a guy to Five Guys isn’t always the best move. That’s where Bobby’s Burger Palace saves the day.
Taking a guy to Bobby’s not only shows off your solid taste, but allows you to sit in a funky, clean environment where the burgers are cooked a little more gourmet than your average beef patty.
“The LA Burger with sweet potato fries is heaven on a plate,” said senior criminal justice major Jon Rogoff. “The place is cool and leaves me satisfied every time.”
All in all, the options are limited if you want to eat good in the neighborhood.  However, if you look around and try the right dishes at the right places, there’s no reason you can’t take a guy on a successful date around here.
People who can eat together are happy together, it’s a simple concept that goes unrecognized all too often. Nothing beats a girl who isn’t afraid to try something new, and if you go to these places you not only will impress your date, but you’ll actually get to enjoy a meal instead of eating Dominoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.