clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
a bowl of poke Poi Dog [official photo]

Where to Eat Lunch in Rittenhouse

A dozen quick and delicious options for a midday meal

View as Map

Rittenhouse is one of Philly’s densest neighborhoods in terms of residents and offices. That means it’s also full of restaurants offering everything from fast food to fine dining. Luckily for the lunch crowd, as fast-casual eateries have grown in popularity, Rittenhouse is often their first landing spot. International flavors — Southeast Asian, Italian, Israeli — abound, as do vegan and vegetarian menu items. Throw away the sad desk salads and break out of the lunch rut with these 12 fast and tasty restaurants.

Read More

Poi Dog Philly

Copy Link

As a Hawaiian restaurant, Poi Dog is a rarity in Philly. Kiki Aranita and Chris Vacca started their business as a food cart and now sell their specialties — mochiko-furikake fried chicken, smoky pulled pork, and spam musubi — in a bright Rittenhouse eatery.

Poi Dog
Poi Dog
Caviar/Jen Woodruff

Revolution Taco

Copy Link

Creative takes on tacos fill the menu at Revolution Taco. Think: sweet and sour chicken, Korean-style beef, and roast duck in a scallion pancake shell. Vegan eaters will appreciate the barbecue cauliflower tacos.

Stock Rittenhouse

Copy Link

Fishtown’s much-praised Southeast Asian spot Stock also operates a second, more casual shop in Rittenhouse. Stop in for a banh mi, spicy peanut noodles, or bowl of pho.

Mark Corpus

Metropolitan Pizza & Cafe

Copy Link

Next to the long-running Metropolitan Bakery, the cafe offshoot sells pizza, sandwiches, salads, and soups. Try the grilled cheese sandwich with crushed almonds and lemon pesto.

V Street

Copy Link

Vegan lunch spot Wiz Kid merged with next-door neighbor V Street, but thankfully the cheesesteak with seitan, mushrooms, fried onions, and rutabaga whiz is still on the daytime menu. The meat-free, dairy-free restaurant also has top-notch takes on other sandwiches, plus cocktails.

wiz kid Justin Blasi

Korean restaurant Giwa serves up build-your-own bowls of bibimbap or barbecue along with barbecue-stuffed tacos, kimchi pancakes, and japchae. Start with the bulgogi in the signature bibimbap, which comes with cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, and broccoli.

Luke's Lobster

Copy Link

It’s a bit of an extravagance, but getting lobster for lunch can turn any ho-hum work day around. Luke’s flies in its wild-caught crustaceans from cold waters up north directly to its Rittenhouse eatery. Each lobster roll is dressed with lemon-butter, mayo, and a secret seasoning blend. Sides include a crisp poppy seed slaw and the cold case is full of sodas from Maine.

three rolls filled with seafood Luke’s Lobster [official photo]

Açai bowls are all the rage lately and Rittenhouse isn’t missing out on the action. SoBol’s photogenic, customizable offerings include açai, pitaya, and green bowls topped with fresh fruit and granola. They’re also gluten- and dairy-free and can easily be made vegan.

Dizengoff

Copy Link

This hummusiya from star chef Mike Solomonov serves the creamy hummus that helped put its sister restaurant Zahav on the map. The hummus, which comes with pita and pickles, is served plain or topped with the day’s offerings, which range from carrots to lamb. Wash it down with a “lemonanna,” a very tart, minty frozen lemonade.

Michael Persico

Pizzeria Vetri

Copy Link

Rittenhouse has plenty of pizza options, but this pizzeria serving Neapolitan-style wood-fired pies stands out. Bubbly, blistered crust gets topped with imported Italian ingredients like mozzarella, prosciutto, and San Marzano tomatoes. The salads are good too.

Pizzeria Vetri Pizzeria Vetri [official photo]

Everything on the short menu at this counter-service spot from the Zahav team is excellent, but save up those calories for the dairy-free, tahini-based shakes in flavors like Turkish coffee. Fortunately the lunchtime line for Goldie’s falafel sandwich, falafel-topped salad, and shawarma-spiced fries moves quickly.

Michael Persico

Alice Pizza

Copy Link

Italian import Alice (pronounce it like an Italian: ah-lee-chay) is known throughout Italy for its crisp, square slices that are sold by weight. Its first American outpost also has a bar, award-winning gelato, and pastries from Italian Market classic Isgro Pastries. The white pie topped with thin potato slices and rosemary is a must-try. Also in the neighborhood, Rione is another great option for a Roman-style pizza shop.

Poi Dog Philly

As a Hawaiian restaurant, Poi Dog is a rarity in Philly. Kiki Aranita and Chris Vacca started their business as a food cart and now sell their specialties — mochiko-furikake fried chicken, smoky pulled pork, and spam musubi — in a bright Rittenhouse eatery.

Poi Dog
Poi Dog
Caviar/Jen Woodruff

Revolution Taco

Creative takes on tacos fill the menu at Revolution Taco. Think: sweet and sour chicken, Korean-style beef, and roast duck in a scallion pancake shell. Vegan eaters will appreciate the barbecue cauliflower tacos.

Stock Rittenhouse

Fishtown’s much-praised Southeast Asian spot Stock also operates a second, more casual shop in Rittenhouse. Stop in for a banh mi, spicy peanut noodles, or bowl of pho.

Mark Corpus

Metropolitan Pizza & Cafe

Next to the long-running Metropolitan Bakery, the cafe offshoot sells pizza, sandwiches, salads, and soups. Try the grilled cheese sandwich with crushed almonds and lemon pesto.

V Street

Vegan lunch spot Wiz Kid merged with next-door neighbor V Street, but thankfully the cheesesteak with seitan, mushrooms, fried onions, and rutabaga whiz is still on the daytime menu. The meat-free, dairy-free restaurant also has top-notch takes on other sandwiches, plus cocktails.

wiz kid Justin Blasi

Giwa

Korean restaurant Giwa serves up build-your-own bowls of bibimbap or barbecue along with barbecue-stuffed tacos, kimchi pancakes, and japchae. Start with the bulgogi in the signature bibimbap, which comes with cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, and broccoli.

Luke's Lobster

It’s a bit of an extravagance, but getting lobster for lunch can turn any ho-hum work day around. Luke’s flies in its wild-caught crustaceans from cold waters up north directly to its Rittenhouse eatery. Each lobster roll is dressed with lemon-butter, mayo, and a secret seasoning blend. Sides include a crisp poppy seed slaw and the cold case is full of sodas from Maine.

three rolls filled with seafood Luke’s Lobster [official photo]

SoBol

Açai bowls are all the rage lately and Rittenhouse isn’t missing out on the action. SoBol’s photogenic, customizable offerings include açai, pitaya, and green bowls topped with fresh fruit and granola. They’re also gluten- and dairy-free and can easily be made vegan.

Dizengoff

This hummusiya from star chef Mike Solomonov serves the creamy hummus that helped put its sister restaurant Zahav on the map. The hummus, which comes with pita and pickles, is served plain or topped with the day’s offerings, which range from carrots to lamb. Wash it down with a “lemonanna,” a very tart, minty frozen lemonade.

Michael Persico

Pizzeria Vetri

Rittenhouse has plenty of pizza options, but this pizzeria serving Neapolitan-style wood-fired pies stands out. Bubbly, blistered crust gets topped with imported Italian ingredients like mozzarella, prosciutto, and San Marzano tomatoes. The salads are good too.

Pizzeria Vetri Pizzeria Vetri [official photo]

Goldie

Everything on the short menu at this counter-service spot from the Zahav team is excellent, but save up those calories for the dairy-free, tahini-based shakes in flavors like Turkish coffee. Fortunately the lunchtime line for Goldie’s falafel sandwich, falafel-topped salad, and shawarma-spiced fries moves quickly.

Michael Persico

Alice Pizza

Italian import Alice (pronounce it like an Italian: ah-lee-chay) is known throughout Italy for its crisp, square slices that are sold by weight. Its first American outpost also has a bar, award-winning gelato, and pastries from Italian Market classic Isgro Pastries. The white pie topped with thin potato slices and rosemary is a must-try. Also in the neighborhood, Rione is another great option for a Roman-style pizza shop.

Related Maps