There are a lot of great places to eat within a mile of DVC that are not fast food. Many local businesses thrive on college students looking for places to eat between classes and after school.

One nearby local favorite is Giant Chef Burger. The restaurant serves “diner-style” food, from burgers and sandwiches to an extensive list of breakfast items. Most of the items on their menu include enough food to feed two. Despite their name, Giant Chef is known for their breakfast, which is served all day. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day except Friday and Saturday. I ordered the mini chicken fried steak smothered in gravy with my choice of hash-browns and an egg over easy.

Another great local favorite is Los Panchos, located at 5872 Pacheco Blvd. in Martinez, less than two miles away from campus. This place is perfect for the on-the-go student, as its food is always served to go, with only with a few chairs available outside.

Los Panchos’ super burrito was humongous, and filled with more meat than other taquerias I’ve been to. It is my favorite spot for carnitas. Don’t let the prices fool you – tacos may cost three dollars, but each was packed full of meat and larger than a normal taco.

You can also try Los Panchos at the DVC bookstore, where they serve a selection of chorizo and egg, chicken and carnitas for $3.45 to $5.25 with an addition of chips and a drink for two dollars more. They are popular for lunch and usually sell out by 2 p.m.

Jo Sushi is another favorite amongst students – I saw more than a few dining there for lunch. I had a bento box with teriyaki salmon and the “Jo roll.” The salmon was well portioned with a light teriyaki dipping sauce, and the roll was filled with fried chicken and cream cheese. I also ordered the spicy scallop roll, which wasn’t too spicy and had a hint of lemon.

Jo Sushi serve standard Japanese cuisine, but I did see that they also serve a chicken katsu, which is a deep fried panko-covered chicken cutlet with curry sauce. It’s not a common dish found in Japanese restaurants, so I’m looking forward to trying it on my next visit.

These are just a few of the great restaurants available within walking distance of DVC.