The Best Restaurants in University City

A University City institution since 1983, this quirky, dog-themed spot was championing local and sustainable sourcing long before it was fashionable. The seasonal menu leans on Pennsylvania farms and pairs with a bar pouring regional wines.

Tucked inside the boutique Study hotel on the Penn-Drexel border, Co-Op takes a polished, vegetable-forward approach to mid-Atlantic cooking. Its seasonal menus make it a reliable choice for a parents-in-town meal.

This stylish restaurant and lounge inside the Inn at Penn is built for date nights and celebratory dinners. Settle into a plush banquette for oysters and cocktails or a full sit-down meal of carpaccio and trout.

A bright, refined room turning out polished American comfort food built around organic produce from nearby farms. Its Golden Hour happy hour draws crowds for well-priced cocktails and snacks like whipped ricotta and salmon tartare.

The University City outpost of Philadelphia's beloved Sang Kee name serves comforting Cantonese cooking inside the Sheraton hotel. It is a go-to for hand-pulled wonton noodle soups and its signature roast duck.

This moody, leather-boothed space brings both Shanghai and Cantonese dim sum to the heart of campus. Expect elevated small plates like truffle edamame dumplings, shrimp siu mai, and honey-vinegar spare ribs at lunch or dinner.

A pared-down noodle shop staying busy year-round with steaming bowls of shoyu, miso, and tan tan ramen. Beyond the noodles, the kitchen turns out izakaya standards like karaage and takoyaki.

A cozy Italian-American restaurant right on the Drexel campus, known for its wood-fired oven and reimagined red-sauce classics. It draws students, faculty, and visiting families for casual pizzas and hearty pastas.

An all-purpose Lebanese cafe and bakery serving everything from fresh-pressed juices and pastries to full mezze spreads. The namesake manakeesh flatbreads, topped with za'atar, lamb, or garlicky chicken, are the reason to visit.

Weekend waits are a rite of passage at this brunch favorite set in a striking Victorian building near 34th and Powelton. The kitchen is famous for its overstuffed challah French toast, tofu scrambles, and loaded tater tots.

A welcome Mexican addition to a corner of the city where the cuisine is underrepresented, earning praise since it opened. Days bring tacos, tortas, and chilaquiles, while dinner centers on sizzling fajitas and the shareable parrillada.