5 Places to Eat Around Campus

3836 Chestnut St  

Bonchon is a Korean restaurant known for amazing Korean fried chicken. The chicken is double-fried and brushed with their signature soy garlic sauce, giving you that crunchy and flavorful taste. If soy garlic sounds boring, you can instead opt for the spicy wings, which are equally delicious! I personally like to order half and half, i.e. half of the batch is soy garlic wings and the other half is spicy because then, you won’t get bored of just one flavor! I tend to switch from one flavor of wing to the other as a way to cleanse my palette. But their fried chicken isn’t the only popular food on the menu; in addition to the chicken, I usually order the fried calamari, pork buns, and Tteokbokki!

S 31st & Ludlow St

Though Cucina Zapata is not a sit-down restaurant, it is one of the best food trucks in the area. Though it’s located on Drexel’s campus, it’s a fairly quick walk from Penn’s campus. The truck’s signature Asian and Mexican fusion food is both delicious and cheap! You can get captain crunch fish tacos for only six dollars, which is totally worth your money! The tacos are filled with different flavors coming from a rich combination of sriracha and mayonnaise sauce, fresh, hand cut vegetables, and cooked fish that will definitely excite your taste buds. There’s always a long line, but you never have to wait too long for your food!

3801 Chestnut St 

Koreana is a lowkey Korean restaurant that can be difficult to spot unless there’s someone to guide you and recommend dishes, or you look it up yourself. It has a varied selection of dishes for very affordable prices! Some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes are bibimbap, tofu kimchi dolsot, and Galbi Tang. One of my favorite dishes is the squid dolsot (number D9 on the menu). It is delivered in a hot stone pot with fresh squid, vegetables, and an egg placed on top of the large portion of rice. The dish is pretty spicy but very manageable! It’s also important to note that it is a counter-service restaurant, which means that you order at the counter, you seat yourself, and then the food will then be delivered to you at the table. But that means that there are a variety of Asian snacks arranged in front of the counter for you to purchase as well!

3601 Market St

At Pita Chip, you’ll find authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Your plate will be filled with both vibrant colors and the bold flavors you’ve always wanted. The food is uniquely made, with a blend of spices that add a kick to the delicious ingredients! There are a diverse array of sauces and toppings you can pick from, and you can make your order unique for you!  The ordering process is similar to that at Chipotle. You get to pick the style: pita or a bowl (salad, rice, or a combination of both). Then from there, you get to go wild and get as many toppings as you would like! This place is reasonably priced; you can get a huge portion of food for only eight dollars! People who eat here tend to not finish their food in one sitting because of how much food they give you, so you know you will go home with leftovers!

125 S 40th St

Craving a delicious, warm bowl of ramen? This is the place for you! Terakawa Ramen serves authentic ramen noodles, enabling you to experience the unique Japanese ramen culture first-hand. Terakawa’s handmade ramen is prepared with the freshest ingredients. They let their broth simmer for a two day period, allowing for the flavors to extract from the pork bones. There are different styles of ramen you can order from: Miso, Shoyu, and Tonkotsu. However, if it’s your first time eating ramen at this place, I suggest that you order the Terakawa ramen which is the restaurant’s signature ramen. This is the perfect place if you’re feeling a little sick and you need something to clear up your sinuses!