Although it doesn’t seem true, our final days of in-person school were almost exactly a year ago. Online school has brought many changes, with one of them evidently being no students on campus. Consequently, fewer students are going out to eat near the school throughout the day. Since Garfield is surrounded by a variety of restaurants and many students were frequent customers last year, they inevitably have opinions on which are the best. When students were asked their preferences on Seattle restaurants, they gave a range of answers. What the Messenger concluded is that some food groups are essential to the Garfield diet, including Thai food, tacos, pizza, and sushi. Some students have grown up eating these foods with their families, and others just appreciate the accessibility of the many dining options the Central District has to offer.

Many students responded with their favorite pizza place.

The first recommendation was Pagliacci, which is widely known throughout Seattle because of its many locations. “This is one of the best restaurants I’ve been to and it’s only in Seattle,” a Garfield junior said.

Big Mario’s Pizza was another response. “They have generous slices, so it’s the best place to grab a slice on a Friday night,” freshman Isabel Dain said about this restaurant, which is located in Capitol Hill. “The staff are dope, service is quick, and there [are] lots of topping options.”

Another recommendation was Tutta Bella, a Neapolitan Pizzeria that serves wood-fired pizzas, with multiple locations around Seattle. 

Another favorite was Thai food. Lotus Thai, formerly known as Cherry Street Thai, is located within walking distance of Garfield and is a great local business to support. “It’s so delicious and my favorite thing to get is the garlic tofu fried rice! You can definitely make it back in time after lunch if you walk there,” sophomore Turner Snyder commented.

The most frequent responses were taco places.

Multiple students gave recommendations to Rancho Bravo Tacos, located in Capitol Hill, and Tacos Chukis. “Very good tacos that come out fast,” said Sophomore Vincent Johnson on Tacos Chukis. Uncle Ike’s Taco Truck on 20th and Tacos Chukis on 23rd and Union sit as two spots within walking distance of Garfield that students with less mobility during lunch hours may choose to go to. 

The last popular answer was sushi. Wabi-Sabi and Yo Zushi were two responses. “It has a great restaurant atmosphere and really good sushi, tempura and fried calamari,” sophomore Ellen Taylor said about Wabi-Sabi, located in Columbia City. Yo Zushi is a restaurant in Capitol Hill, located on Broadway.

Some honorable mentions were Dicks Drive-In, also located in Capitol Hill on Broadway, IHOP, located in First Hill on E Madison St, and Med Mix, located at S Jackson St and 22nd. 

The streets and neighborhoods of Seattle are filled with wide-ranging food options, and Garfield students know some of the best places around. With restaurants at 25 percent capacity and many places closed, it is much harder to go out for food than it was last year. However, supporting local Seattle businesses is essential, so take-out or outdoor dining are great options for trying out new restaurants right now. As vaccines roll out and in-person school becomes a very real possibility, all we can do is wait for more days of standing in line at Ezell’s and finally returning to the crowded Garfield hallways.