Hai Street Kitchen
125 S. 40th St.
Rated as one of the ten hottest new restaurants in Philadelphia by Zagat, Hai Street Kitchen & Co. just opened its second location this weekend in University City. The Japanese restaurant offers its famous Japanese burritos, an "American version of sushi,” says regional manager Patrick Hughes. He hopes the burrito form, paired with proteins, vegetables and Asian flavors, will make sushi more accessible to those who may be wary of it. With four more locations slated to open this year in Philly, the eatery’s tactic must be working.
Zesto’s
125 S. 40th St.
Watch out, Allegro—there’s a new pizzeria in town. Zesto Pizza and Grill may be small and quaint, but the slices are huge. And get this— the friendly staff even kept your drunk munchies in mind. They’re now open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. While the menu includes your standard selection of salads, pastas and sandwiches, don’t overlook the staple cheese slice. Bigger, cheesier and doughier, the hand–tossed, Neapolitan pizza, topped with their signature margarita sauce and cooked in a stone fire oven, is all you need.
Jake’s Sandwich Board
122 S. 40th St.
Finally you don’t have to haul ass all the way downtown to Pat’s or Geno’s for a good cheesesteak; Jake’s Sandwich Board just opened its second location here. It’s hard not to salivate while skimming its array of subs, from brisket to pork to turkey, all slow–roasted overnight. Gary Dorfman, the co–founder of Jake’s, let us in on a little secret: Starting next week, they’ll be open until 3am, so hopefully you’ll always have something to keep you company on those lonely nights.
Hello World
Rear of book store
In the back corner of the bookstore, where computer and electronic supplies used to be, now sits Hello World, a home decor store. They opened back in October, but have since not had much traffic from students. According to their employees, students tend to walk through but never buy; they weren't targeted for students before. Hello World plans to expand in the Spring with more student-friendly items now that it has started to figure out its audience. According to one employee, Brian, students should shop there instead of the “tacky, school-sponsored store” around the corner. But keep in mind the biggest con: no bursar.
