You know you’re hungry, just thinking about what you want to get for your lunch. Maybe pizza, burgers, salad, or maybe a couple of light snacks. As you walk down the stairs your thoughts keep you moving, imagining the food leading you out of the building and into the New York style pizza scented air. But where are you going to go? How do you know what’s going to fill you up until the end of the day?
Students at the iSchool love their lunch time, and frankly, they want the food they eat to be good. Based on the reviews of experienced students and generous iSchool teachers, this article is about where to go when you need to eat.
Surrounding the iSchool are plenty of delicious and well rated dinner restaurants, food stores, delis and fast food restaurants. However, there are also bad ones, whether it’s their quality, service or taste. Gathered in this article are the people who will point you in the right direction, and who knows, maybe it might be what you go to eat next!
TRADER JOE’S
Straight from the A C and E train station, you find yourself standing in front of the store, watching people walk in and out, bags occupying their hands. You peek inside to see what’s so crazy about a grocery shop, expecting something small and boring. But to the people in iSchool, it’s a part of their daily lives.
Take it from one student, Nadia Micle, who thinks that the snacks there are superior and says that “[her] favorite snack is the plantain chips.” Nadia likes to choose to go to Trader Joe’s when she’s tired of going up and down the stairs all day and just needs something close to the school that can satisfy her relaxation, time and hunger.
However, According to Mr. Fitts, his go to from trader joes is salad, if he had to choose. He believes that it’s not the best option, being that he would rather bring his food from home. While he tries different options at Trader Joe’s, it is not the best option for wanting a fulfilling meal.
Similarly, Ms. Mangano looks for a close and cheap alternative to expensive (even if tasty) and far restaurants, but agrees that trader joes lacks variety, she says, “i just wish they had more options… they are limited, you know, there’s only so many chicken wraps…” and overall, both would rather have more options with better quality.
CHIPOTLE
After visiting the big city TJ’s, you feel your stomach start to growl again and figure you can walk some more to discover what else surrounds the iSchool. After a block or so, you stop by a nicely sized restaurant with a huge line that almost reaches the door. What was the hype? You try to put your foot inside without bumping into someone and take in the whiff of meat cheese, chicken and yummy goodness.
Chipotle is loved by so many at the iSchool including the freshman who was mentioned previously, Nadia. Nadia also thinks that chipotle is the number one option to go to lunch. Other than Nadia, another student, Emma Ulloa agrees that chipotle is a great option for lunch as well.
However, a review on Yelp contradicts both statements, claiming that the burritos and quality seem to lack in a well known establishment. For example, Tim O. states “There was a hair in the corn that ended up in my burrito bowl.” or “Came to this place for lunch, the service was not good. Employee didn’t give the proper portion of the items in the burrito. Also receipt didn’t give itemized charge” written by Bo C. or even “The service,on the other hand was horrible. Good thing there wasn’t a tip involved. And I’m a good tipper!” written by Grace S.
While to some students chipotle is a quick and easy choice, you may want to rethink how you want your quality to be, and in the end, your burrito too.
WINGSTOP
After filling your stomach– and avoiding the burritos– you find a group of your friends walking in front of you, walking towards a– what seems to be another restaurant. Well, you’ve already gotten this far, so you go in.
A classic to the students at iSchool, chicken in sauces with or without bones, while far, students say it is truly delicious. “It’s never really that crowded, so I say the service is an eight out of ten.. Their food is bomb, so I say ten.” says Alliyah Taylor.
Overall, when students were asked about wingstop, they all said that they liked it– no complaints. Maybe the distance was a bit of an annoyance, but it’s not a deal breaker.
‘THE’ DELI
Behind the iSchool, lies a teeny tiny deli. You haul all your bags with you, your friends picking up the food that trails behind you like Hansel and Gretel’s story. You squeeze through the front door and your face is already faced with the menu. You’ll be saying lots of ‘excuse me’s’ and ‘thank you’s’.
The Avenue A deli is a small but comforting one, being one of the most-eaten-from places between the students interviewed. Besides a nice variety of options to choose from, the deli provides lit up menus above the cashier, which is a bit of a neck discomfort and gives the lack of space.
Aaliyah complains that the service is at quite a low rating, claiming that the time it takes to receive their order can feel like a lifetime. Emma agrees, “…they take a long time” in addition to the service, a review on Grubhub says “It was really poorly cooked dry bread, overcooked hashbrown and eggs. Coffee wasn’t good either. Bad.” But don’t let the review by Vincent bring you down because students usually go for something more simple to avoid “bad options” and find that it’s cheap and nearby to the school, that way they won’t need to tire themselves so much.
You grab an Avocado toast and get onto your last destination…
MC DONALD’S
Your legs wobble by the time you reach the fast food restaurant. Another crowded, tiny, and frankly, dirty room.
At least according to the students, that is. While it’s cheap, yummy, and a desperate call for a full stomach, its service averages out to a 3/10 by students. The wait time is extremely long, employees: rude, and distance: longer than ever.
Students still go because of the advancements such as the app which continues to give you points the more you buy, the fried, addictive taste, and generally, being able to go with friends who have energy that day.
Overall, if you’re looking for cheap, good tasting, and have some time for yourself, then it could be your next lunch stop.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
A few other places students recommended were the pizza place– self explanatory to what they sell–, which might be more on the pricey side if you go to the one next to essen. Speaking of essen, another great option would include quick service, as mr. fitts says, and great quality food.
In the end, you are stuffed by the end of lunch and you walk all the way back to the ischool. You push one foot after the other up and up the stairs wishing you had stayed inside to avoid the mountain of the iSchool stairs.
And yet, you still can’t pick where you want to go for lunch tomorrow!
