Bites Around the Block: A Walk Along Walnut
When in need of a quick, easy, and convenient many, many Penn students venture no further than the corner of 40th and Walnut. There are a few easy ways to make your familiar favorites new again without having to actually find some place new to eat. While this can easily be done with any popular campus eateries restaurants, I’m going to focus on a select few.
Between 39th and 40th on Walnut there is a trifecta of consecutive college eateries: Chipotle, Bobby’s Burger Palace, and Sweetgreen. For those who love salads, Sweetgreen is a staple; the ingredients are fresh and local. However, the usual combos and pre-set options, while reliably delicious, can get a bit boring after a while. A simple fix to the monotony is to try your usual salad as a wrap instead. This ensures you eat the perfect ingredient combo in every bite and makes your meal more portable. Another option is to opt for the special seasonal soup.
For those who are in the mood for something a bit meatier, Bobby’s is a go-to. The burgers are good–albeit not great–but they are consistent. The milkshakes are the ideal indulgence. For those looking for a nightcap, the mocha kahlua vodka milkshake is divine. And while ordering a salad at burger joint might seem a bit odd, the topless burger salads are a great alternative to your standard burger. Any burger can be served on top of fresh greens, which allows the flavor of the burger to come through without being masked by the buns.
And finally, there lies Chipotle, a true college campus standby. Although the burritos are a classic, the quality varies. The burrito bowl, on the other hand, puts each bite in your control, and oftentimes gives you more food. You can ask for tortillas on the side, free of charge, to turn your bowl into the real deal. And for those who could care less about a spring break diet, the quesarito is the end-all-be-all. The legendary quesarito (it’s on the secret menu) is basically a burrito with a quesadilla in place of the usual tortilla.