Food and Drink

College Park

The Board and Brew: College Park, short walk from UMD campus. Decent eats, great single origin coffees, evening brews, and the only place we know with a board game sommelier to advise you on a choice of games. Indoor and outdoor seating.

The Hall CP: Main attraction is proximity to campus – right behind The Hotel @ UMD – and the expansive rear patio. Bar, pizzeria, and event spot created by the brother of “the Under Armour guy” (a former UMD football player). The food isn’t memorable, but on a nice evening it can be a very nice place to hang out with friends.

Northwest Chinese: Small place in downtown College Park that’s consistently rated as one of the best local eateries. Not your standard American Chinese fare.

Vigilante Coffee: With shops in College Park and Hyattsville, many locals regard this hip roaster as their go-to coffee spot.

Made in Maryland: A new coffee shop that is very close to the university. They also have selection of pastries and work from local artists.

South Campus Market: To the uneducated eye, it is just a university market and a convenience store. But it is also a place to get the best value/quality ratio double cheeseburger in the entire DMV area. You have to get double cheeseburger with american cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and ketchup.

Bagels ’n Grinds: A local favorite for bagels and coffee. They also have a variety of sandwiches and salads.

Tacos a la madre: It is slighly far from the university but it is worth the walk. Their birria tacos are a must try.

Nearby

The strip from College Park to Hyattsville has become surprisingly interesting for eats and drinks in recent years. You could even muster a brewery crawl via the College Park Trolley Trail bike path.

The beer (and more) trail. In order of distance from the UMD campus.

Denizens Brewery: In the new Riverdale Park Station development, next to Whole Foods. Hip local brewery. Co-owner Julie Veratti and her wife started the brewery in 2014. She later ran (unsuccessfully) for Lieutenant Governor, and then was appointed by Pres Biden to the Small Business Administration. The beer’s not bad, either. Outside tables by reservation online.

Burton’s: In the new Riverdale Park Station development, next to Whole Foods. It’s the kind of respectable-but-not-staid place we might take a visiting speaker. Also, best place in the area for taking food allergies seriously.

Town Center Market: One of our favorite local hangouts. Next to the Riverdale Park commuter rail station. Quirky liquor store with a popular outdoor beer garden (mix of open and covered/heated), and an impressive range of craft beers on tap. And they encourage customers to bring in take-out food.

2Fifty Texas BBQ: Same block as Town Center Market. Since opening a couple of years ago it has leapt to the top of lists of best places for BBQ in the DC area. And that’s not damning with faint praise. Recommended to order ahead, as they’re so popular they often sell out.

Busboys & Poets: Restaurant, bar, and lefty bookstore. It’s where some UMD grad students were surprised to find Noam Chomsky when they showed up late one evening a few years ago (true story!).

Franklin’s Brewery & General Store: The best combination brew pub and toy store (really!) you will ever encounter. This local favorite is credited with starting the local renaissance 20 years ago. Their big outdoor seating area (‘’Quarantiki Bar’’’), opened during the pandemic, may be back by late March.

Streetcar 82 Brewery: Named after the trolley line that is now a bike path, this small brewery is run by some Gallaudet U grads and is the only brewery we know that gets quieter over the course of the evening, as the number of ASL speakers increases. Good outdoor seating. No food.

Maryland Meadworks: There’s more to mead than you thought! They team up with the bakery next door for weekend brunches. Another local favorite.

Also, do not forget that the nation’s capital is a surprisingly short (~15 minutes) Metro ride away! Here’s a google maps link for a non-exclusive list of amazing places! The list does not even include the museums!

Planet Word Museum

Planet Word is the hottest new addition to the Washington DC museum scene. And it’s all about language! It was designed in consultation with lots of language experts. Nab a free ticket if you can (or try a walk up and hope for the best), and head to the museum that will leave you feeling that it’s cool to be a language nerd!

Adapted from the guide Colin Phillips prepared for the Maryland in-person satellite event in HSP2022!