Penn is bringing an array of local eateries to its new Food Hall at 34th and Walnut. In June 2017, the University announced that the former Moravian Food Court at 3401 Walnut Street would close to make way for a modern food hall populated by high-quality, small-format food and beverage operators.

The new food options will satisfy meat eaters and vegans, organic juice lovers and ice-cream fans alike. Five out of seven popular local eateries signed on for the new Penn Food Hall: Goldie, Kensington Quarters, Pitruco Pizza, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, and the Juice Merchant.  Continue Reading

We have compiled some exciting news and updates from local restaurants and coffee shops.

Renata’s Kitchen Now Offers Catering

Renata’s Kitchen

Renata’s Kitchen has been serving brunch and dinner at 46th and Baltimore since Fall 2015, and this fall, the popular restaurant has released a new, “organized” catering menu. The restaurant has done some catering in the past, but the new menu serves the purpose of bringing this additional service to the front, especially around the holiday time.

“… our catering menu is just the start, we’re happy to accommodate special requests, or themed parties,” writes Renata’s co-owner Katie Aiq. “We did an order recently for a client specializing in Chilean food – possibly my favorite day at work ever. Don’t be shy, even if you’ve never seen us do anything like it before, we can probably work something out.”  Continue Reading

Just Salad Facebook photo.

A new casual, healthy dining option is coming soon to the 3700 block of Spruce Street. A “fast casual” restaurant, Just Salad, has signed a lease for 3728 Spruce Street, a 1,600 square feet of space on a popular retail block, according to a recent announcement by Penn Facilities & Real Estate Services. Renovations to the space are currently underway, and the restaurant is expected to open in early 2018.

The new restaurant will offer seasonal salads, wraps, grain bowls, and smoothies and will include a seating area with a couple dozen chairs and café tables, a bar counter, a pickup station, and a tea station.  Continue Reading

West Philly just got another Asian fusion restaurant, Daleng, and this one is family-owned and operated. The restaurant opened last weekend at 47th and Walnut, down the street from West Lofts. It serves classic and new dishes from across the continent with protein options of beef, chicken, pork, and fish, along with vegetarian choices.

The menu features Thai dishes such as spicy Tom Yum chicken and Pad Thai, Korean Tang Tang chicken, Cambodian beef Kroeung Stir Fry, Singaporean Mei Fun, and Vietnamese Banh Mi. Vegetarian offerings include eggplant veggie curry, pad thai with tofu, and an assortment of fried rices.

Beverage offerings currently stand at bubble tea, Vietnamese iced tea, Hong Kong milk tea and a variety of fruit smoothies. According to a sign posted in the window, the restaurant has applied for a permit to serve alcoholic beverages such as liquor, beer, and wine.  Continue Reading

Mariposa, the cooperative grocery store at 49th and Baltimore, has implemented two initiatives aimed at making a positive contribution to the neighborhood: On September 20, it announced a 10 percent discount program for qualifying low-income shoppers, and back in August it raised its minimum salary from $10.75 to $13 per hour.

The 10 percent discount emerged from a sense among Mariposa’s leadership that many of the store’s products aren’t accessible to all its neighbors. Hillary Wickline, Mariposa’s marketing coordinator, said the organization knows that even with government assistance, healthy food can be out of reach.

“We just want to make sure that we’re creating a welcoming space within this environment and not serving just a group of people with a steady income of, like, $50,000 a year or something like that,” Wickline said.  Continue Reading

New apartment building at 43rd and Sansom.

A combination small grocery store and restaurant featuring shawarma and other Middle Eastern treats has been proposed for the ground floor space of the new apartment building at 43rd and Sansom.

Called “Alrayyan Supermarket,” the proposed business would feature groceries, a kitchen serving a fairly extensive menu and a lounge for dining at the space located on the southeast corner of the intersection., according to a presentation before the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee late last week.

“It’s a grocery store and not a dollar store or frozen food place that does nothing for the neighborhood,” said Ron Patterson, the lawyer for the outfit seeking approval.  Continue Reading