White Dog Cafe - A New American Bar Experience in Philadelphia

Review – White Dog Café (Philadelphia) White Dog Café, located near UPenn, is a beautiful and inviting restaurant with a cozy yet elegant atmosphere —perfect for a nice lunch or dinner with friends or family. The interior is spacious, stylish, and full of character, with plenty of seating and a warm vibe. I ordered the ribs with rice, which were amazing —tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The truffled fries were another highlight: crispy, aromatic, and seriously addictive. Everything felt fresh and well-prepared, showing real attention to detail in the kitchen. The staff was excellent, friendly and professional, and the service was smooth despite how busy the place can get. The only downside is that prices are on the higher side, though the quality and overall experience justify it. Conclusion: White Dog Café is a fantastic spot near UPenn that combines great food, attentive service, and a charming atmosphere. A bit pricey, but well worth it for the quality and experience. ⭐ Overall rating: 9/10 Best: the ribs and truffled fries. Worst: prices on the high side. Price: elevated, but fair for the quality and setting.

Glad I stopped in for a hearty breakfast! The restaurant has a fun, quirky atmosphere with lots of small rooms, which makes it feel like a maze and gives each table a bit more privacy. There were also dogs around, which added to the charm. I ordered the steak and eggs—the portion size was generous and the steak was cooked perfectly. The staff were chatty, friendly, and made the experience even better. I’d definitely come back again.

We began our long weekend in University City with lunch at the White Dog Cafe. The bright and ample space, set in three Victorian brownstones, was very comfortable, easy to converse in and the decor really embodied a sophisticated rustic charm. We began our meal with cocktails and an Artisan Cheese Plate which was accompanied by fruit, nuts, pickles, crusty bread and the most delicious strawberry and apricot spreads. The cheese selections were unique and very tasty! Definitely a must have as an appetizer or a nosh with cocktails. For our mains, we selected the Spicy Lamb Bolognese and the Impossible Patty Melt. The lamb ragu was very flavorful and the pasta was perfectly cooked. The Impossible Patty Melt was well cooked and the star of the show was the smoky onion jam and spicy pickles. This was a perfect intro to the foodie scene in and about the University City area. The staff was warm and friendly and the overall vibe makes it easy to linger long after the meal is done.

Weekend brunch. Unrivaled in its uniquely quirky and whimsical interior decor and architectural structure which dates back to the 1800s and is a period original. Nice selection of well-composed starters and mains including Shepherd's Pie, Monkey Bread, salmon toast with everything bagel creme fraiche. Didn't have a coffee and tea menu but the server kindly helped furnish a little impromptu latte. The tuna avocado tartar was creamy and fresh with the toasted crostini and radish slices as nice textural contrast. The deviled eggs were nicely seasoned with fried shallot shreds as a welcomed crunch element.

We live about an hour away and learned about this place while in Zambia, Africa. A student actually learned about White Dog in a sustainability class so we had to check it out for ourselves and we are so glad we did. The service was top notch. We were treated so well - we learned all about the history and just felt really valued by the manager and waitress. The food was amazing - unique and absolutely delicious. I had one of the best turkey clubs with waffle fries that I dipped into a bisque, as suggested by the waitress, and so good! The atmosphere was just so cool. We are definitely returning and everybody needs to pay White Dog a visit!

We were visiting from out of town and White Dog was recommended to us by a friend, we decided to stop in for a late lunch and had a delicious ham, cheese, and egg croissant with tomato soup and we also had the mushroom soup. The food was excellent and the service from Flo at the bar was phenomenal. Highly recommend! We will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia. Great value for the food as well and easily large enough to share. The history of the restaurant and quality ingredients added to the experience and the atmosphere was cozy and fun. Each room is unique and inviting. ***Edit to add... We came back a 2nd time for happy hour on Sunday night and the Cinnamule was amazing. Just the right amount of cinnamon and bite and the brussel sprouts were phenomenal. I could have easily eaten a 2nd order. The glaze on the sprouts was the perfect sweet and tangy flavor with a little crunch from the bacon and crispy edges of the brussel sprouts. To finish the night we had one of the best espresso martinis. Quinn at the bar made the evening quite enjoyable and we were pleased with all our drinks and the service was top notch! We enjoyed visiting with Paul the manager who even recognized us from our previous visit. Kudos to an attentive staff for exceptional service!

***UPDATED***We were in town from Houston, Texas for a medical conference and White Dog was recommended. We walked from our hotel & found it located in historic brownstones. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the days special, a ham, egg, and cheese on a croissant roll with a side of an amazing tomato basil soup! And it was all farm to table! Flo, our bartender was very attentive and even took us on a tour of the many different rooms that all have unique themes! We highly recommend this location and will be back when the next time we are in Philly! We decided to come back two nights later for their happy hour and it did not disappoint! From the Lancaster CO-OP Brussel Sprouts, the Freebird Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich, to the Truffle Fries this bar and restaurants food has not disappointed! On top of the amazing food we enjoyed their Cinnamules, Spicy Apple Cider Margarita, and finished off our nights with their signature Espresso Martinis! This place has it all! Atmosphere, tasty food, and wonderful drinks!

It’s been a number of years since my last visit to the White Dog but it was a wonderful experience. Friendly staff and an amazing atmosphere filled with unique details that you’ll enjoy with your friends. Farm to table selection, we had the lunch specials of soup and sandwich. Mushroom soup was excellent, served with a dollop of cream and a slight hint of sherry which I really enjoyed. I had the country ham, cheese and egg on sourdough bread, requested the eggs scrambled which they did for me. It came with a side salad with a nice lite vinaigrette. Themed rooms for seating in this charming historical row home near U Penn. Looking forward to visiting again.