White Dog Cafe - University CityDoggone good!We dined here with friends & had a great experience. The restaurant has true character and, as dog lovers, we especially appreciated all of the canine nuances. The menu is creative and includes locally sourced items. The Kennett Square mushrooms (side dish) were fantastic. The Rhuby Red2 drink was delicious and addicting! The carafe of Sangria was a good deal. Fried pickles were the best I've had, & the hummus had a unique flavor with lemon & spices. I had the salmon for dinner, and it was delicious. The restaurant has some tables outside as well, which I think would be perfect for summer dining al fresco. Our server was friendly & very efficient and provided helpful and accurate recommendations. I would definitely recommend White Dog Cafe!6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial OccasionWe were celebrating m son's graduation from college and the White Dog Cafe was a perfect choice. My son graduated that morning and we went right from the ceremony to the cafe. It was a short walk over. Very convenient. The host greeted us and said congratulations. It was a festive atmosphere. The food is very good and we all enjoyed our choices. The hummus appetizer was delicious and a perfect portion for our party of 4.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMYummy and freshMy colleagues and I love coming here for lunch for birthdays, etc. I love the fresh food on the menu. The fried green tomato BLT, which was on the menu last summer, was exceptional and I hope they bring it back. Turkey burger is really something special. The bread pudding is always incredible. Service is good, but we don't always get bread. I love the ambiance -- but if you aren't a dog person you might feel uncomfortable. I will be back!!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMTip Top ServiceWe've been to White Dog many times, with two to over twenty in the party. This evening we were only three. Service is always good, but this time I especially want to commend our waiter. (Sorry I don't remember his name.) One member of our group had a number of dietary restrictions, and our waiter handled them beautifully - alerting us to ingredients that would be problematic, suggesting alternatives, and making substitutions. He was wonderful!6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMnew chef-new menuwe were surprised when we looked at the menu to find it different from the one we had seen on line and were informed by our very friendly wait person that the restaurant had a new chef and that the new menu had just been instituted the previous day-although everyone enjoyed what they ordered, I was disappointed to see the short ribs had disappeared from the menu-since that was what I had my heart set on before I came. However, I soon made another choice-My only complaint is that I think the restaurant is a bit pricey-While the mushroom soup is excellent, $9 for a cup of soup seems excessive
My vegetarian guest was very happy with the many options he had for dining6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food/preseatationWhite Dog has been around for many years and they serve excellent organic vegetables, fruits and meats/poltury/seafood. The servers are friendly, informative and very attentative without being annoying. For instance the other night we had a vegan creme brulee that was out of this world! I was very skeptical when our waiter told us of this vegan dessert but it turned out to be the best thing ever!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMI love the White Dog for theirI love the White Dog for their quality ingredients and the decor. I had a flatbread for lunch which had a pesto dressing with cheese, herbs and tomatoes. It was delicous.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMEat their amazing blueberry tart!White Dog Cafe is just lovely! Our group of 3 arrived earlier than expected but we were seated right away. Our server was helpful and knowledgeable about menu items. Everyone enjoyed the food. The cheese platter was delicious as was my hamachi crudo. The blueberry tart was amazing!6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGood is great, service okWhen we needed service the wait staff wasn't there (e.g. serving plates ourselves after trying unsuccessfully to flag down our waiter (or ANY waiter) for quite a while) , and when we didn't need service, he kept coming by every few minutes and interrupting our conversation.
This is the 2nd time I've been there and if not for the great food, I wouldn't return.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFun & FabulousI have been dining at White Dog since my student days. The food was always vet good but it has evolved into an art! All if the dishes are thoughtfully prepared, with fresh, fun & unusually interesting additions. The Chipotle Chocolate cake had a little pleasant kick to it, presented with a glass of white chocolate milk & sauce. This is the in spot @ Penn but fun any time with friends, a romantic dinner or lunch with clients. The service is professional & helpful.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious--But come for lunch!The White Dog Cafe is extremely good, and you truly are getting your money's worth by eating here. However, I would strongly recommend you come here for lunch/brunch, not dinner. The dinner selection is only okay; the lunch/brunch selection is fantastic.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMVegetarians DelightGreat spot for vegetarians. A little pricey and portions are small -- but the food is tasty and this location is so much better than the Wayne one, at least for the veg options. Very attentive service.
Recommend the chickpea fritters, tofu entree and fig salad.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food and ServiceThe food here is of a good standard, is well presented and appropriately sized. While the wine list is not overly extensive, there are annumber of nice wines, albeit slightly over priced. The service was attentive, without being obtrusive, and the setting is nice, yet casual. Overall a great place in the University area.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh food, good place to talkI have been to WD a number of times. This was a business lunch and I asked for good table to talk-and got it. That's a plus. The food is consistently fresh and interesting--as it was this time. We went the soup and salad route, I found the artichoke soup a bit underseasoned and more a puree than a true soup--but tasty. The salads, which included the daily White Dog salad, the roasted salmon the beets and swiss chard--were all excellent. Definitely a very nice place to have a very pleasant lunch.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food! Beautiful restaurant!We decided to go to this restaurant because we were staying at the Sheraton and it was one street away. What a pleasant surprise! The food was amazing, everybody enjoyed each course and all the wines by the glass that we tried were good (which is more than i can say for most restaurants). All the food is organic and local too! When we come back to Philly, we'll be sure to make a stop here again!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMLocally sourced foodBroad menu with vegetarian and gluten free options. Most ingredients are locally sourced. Nice wine and beer selection. Food was very fresh, and the service was good. Table was a little cramped but the ambience was otherwise nice. Was there with a group of 5.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved our meal!Wonderful setting, attentive and knowledgeable service, delicious, memorable food! The candles, the decor, the sidewalk view were all wonderful. This is a special place!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMReturn after a long timeStill lovely ambiance and good food and service -- as expected. And very generous treatment of birthday -- since you didn't know which of the four of us was celebrating, you put candles on all!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThis resetaurant has beenThis resetaurant has been here a long time but still delevers great food. Lunch portions were ample and very tasty and prices reasonable. Atmosphere quaint and welcoming.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMVery AccomodatingTravel plans forced a delay in making our scheduled reservation. Staff was most gracious in holding our table... Many thanks!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFor 30 years-I have thought it to be my favorite dining spot in Philadelphia. Great for pre-Annenberg bite to eat or just a great start to a weekend with brunch!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOut of town treatI was in town on business with a group of 9. I heard good things about White Dog so I made a reservation. It wasn't just good, it was fantastic. The whole experience from the ambiance to the food and service. All top notch. A very easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys great fine dining and associated beverages. It was easily worth the price! Enjoy.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's day brunchWe dined with my wife and 17 month old son for Mother's day. The food was really good. I had the french toast, and my wife the omelette with crab meat. I also had a side of the house-made sausage. Really good (my wife thought for the price her dish was a bit small)
We had an issue with the table we were sat at due to our table being so small and the height chair being crammed between our table and our neighbor's. My son could reach 2/3s of our whole table space and 1/2 of our neighbor's. We commented to the host who totally blew us off. I had to find a busser to assist me in spreading our neighbor's table away so our son wasn't annoying another customer.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food & great decorFOOD: good (even better than I remembered from our last visit 3 years ago)
DECOR: in the front is very homy (the restaurant is made of 3 narrow row houses). The back is an extension that lacks a bit of charm. We were seated in the back first but it was very cold with the AC so we asked for another table, in the front.
SERVICE: very good. Our server knew the menu well and he was very patient with us as it took us a very long time to pick our food (too busy catching up with our friends)5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMnewbieHas taken over #1 favorite in the city. Food was fresh, appropriately portioned and delicious! Being a cook myself...compliments to the chef!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMA long-time favorite in WestA long-time favorite in West Philly near Penn and Drexel.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellentThe White Dog Cafe is an excellent restaurant that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes food.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMMay tripAlthough this trip we took several of our sons friends to dinner my wife and I have had a very romantic dinner at White Dog...
The Service has been wonderful every time we have eaten there.., Lunch or dinner... Highly recommend!!!!5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMWhite Dog and the New MenuThe White Dog has always been one of the popular and excellent restaurants near Penn. For lunch faculty and administrators are everywhere with a few students who are being visited by their families. It is a great place to celebrate.
The new menu tends to be expensive -- more than the old. The food is excellent but pricy with limited selection (at least at noon). I found the waiters trying to up-sell menu items -- not what I expected at a place of this quality.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMFood is consistently outstandingFood is consistently outstanding with unique offerings. focus on local food procurement something that is meaningful to us.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMMy first time to White DogMy first time to White Dog Cafe, late on a Sunday evening so was quiet. Delicious, fresh food. Courteous, unhurried service.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMService was excellent. iService was excellent. i had the omelet and salad - bloody marys were delicious (love the $2 bottomless option.) Would definitely go back for brunch and try it for other meals.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMNeighborhood Gem!Healthy, organic cuisine that is delicious too! Enjoyed a fabulous brunch while visiting my son at Penn.
Ordered the goat cheese omelette while my son had the stuffed french toast. Decadent!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat friendly service. AttentionGreat friendly service. Attention to food and presentation is fantastic here. Nice variety and variety of portion sizes. Nice quiet street. I didn't eat outside but the outside seating area looks like it would be very nice on warm sunny days.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was all five of our firstThis was all five of our first times at White Dog for brunch and bottemless mimosas, and it was incredible! Our server was really attentive to making sure our mimosa glasses were full, which was much appreciated. The environment was perfect, and the food was delicious. Definitely a fun, "special treat" step up from other brunch places like Sabrina's or Green Eggs Cafes. Would definitely come back!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMA perfect place to take myA perfect place to take my son after his last class at law school. It has history and although the ownership has changed I thought it was as good as ever.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh and healthy Sunday brunchThree in our party had omelettes, all with very fresh eggs, vegetables and cheeses, accompanied by wonderful farm fresh lightly dressed lettuces. The other person had a more elaborate brioche dish, similar to eggs benedict, also excellent. Well prepared organic foods, locally sourced and tasty coffee. Portions generous but not excessive. A bit loud but worth it for a great Sunday brunch.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat time!I brought my mother and brother here for a nice dinner. It was great. It wasn't too crowded...it was Sunday night after all. Service was a bit slow, but otherwise, I give this place a great review.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!!Excellent place. Invited 5 friends to spend my Birthday eating wonderful "foody" meals. We had our own little alcove which felt like we had our own room!! Will definitely go back for a night with just the hubby!!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMUnderwhelmedI have heard so much about the White Dog Cafe for many years and FINALLY made it there. I was disappointed. The food was ok, but not great. Some of the same dishes were more expensive than a Garces restaurant and the atmosphere and taste didn't warrant it. I wouldn't go back. There are too many wonderful Philly restaurants to spend my money in and eat my calories. Maybe i waited too long to try it. The reviews from friends were from a few years ago. I guess things change and new restaurants take over.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional meal, ?? HH policyDined on Thursday night before the Annenberg. Has rigatoni lamb bolognese. Was fab. One of the best pastas I've ever had. The o ly annoying thing was that happy hour (prices) for drinks only applies to the bar, not the dining room. Makes no sense to me. However, as I said, the meal was excellent.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMHaving not been to White DogHaving not been to White Dog since the transition, I was pleased to find that the new menu is great and highlights the chefs versatility in using locally-sourced ingredients, which has always been the restaurant's primary focus.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I go there everyMy wife and I go there every Sunday for Brunch. It is a little pricey especially for dinner, but brunch once a week is affordable and the food is excellent. The only reason service gets 4 stars instead of 5 was that on this last visit there was an issue with their computer system and they had to bring the checks out writing by hand. The issue was that they were not prepared for this and made a lot of people wait a long time to get their check and especially if you wanted to pay by credit/debit card. I ran outside to an atm rather than wait. The waiter did not count the coffee and tea that we had ordered in the check. I am optimistic that this was a freak occurrence and will be going back next Sunday.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWent with my partner for EasterWent with my partner for Easter brunch and had an amazing meal in a wonderful restaurant! Can't wait to go back.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMfood is locally sourced andfood is locally sourced and delicious. the staff was very attentive and the environment is quirky and pleasant
highly recommended3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMfriendly, helpful, fun, interestingfriendly, helpful, fun, interesting takes on foods and then there is the five star use of the planet's stuff.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWent with group of 5. MushroomWent with group of 5. Mushroom soup and grouper were outstanding--burgers too. Service was attentive, but not overbearing. Server pointed out that an 18% gratuity was added to the bill so that we did not mistakenly tip more than we wanted. It was a little noisy. With a group of more than 4, you may want to ask for a round table.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMStill A LandmarkThe White Dog is still a fixture of Univesity . Everything we had was great as was the service.
Highlights were the mushroom soup, the beet salad and the pork loin.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMI've been thinking about theI've been thinking about the Salmon salad for a whole weekend! As always, high quality, delicious food, polite and smooth service, and great atmosphere for conversation.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMthe White Dog always has athe White Dog always has a great menu. Service is prompt and excellent. The small rooms provide a cozy atmosphere. It's one of our favorite places.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AM