Food trucks, store fronts, and small restaurants are huge at Temple University. Everywhere you go, you'll see the trucks back-to-back on the streets and the endless line of Bagel Hut. Students all have different tastes in what they love to eat and drink. Below is a condensed list of the best spots to stop at. I highly encourage each and every place!
Pho Ha Saigon
Photo taken by Grace Shallow for the Temple News
There are a couple of places at Temple where pho is offered, but Pho Ha Saigon's main dish is pho itself! You can pick many different types of meat (or shrimp), choose one of the two noodle options, and add or remove many toppings. The food here is great for any day, even when it's hot out, because it is comforting and makes you feel that good type of full. Rice platters, summer rolls, appetizers, and vermicelli bowls are also on the menu.
Burger Tank
Photo taken by Brianna Spause of the Temple News.
One of the best fries on campus. No joke - a hefty bag of fries for $2.50 is every potato lover's dream. There are over 15 burgers to choose from, either single or double patty, including the Rizzo Burger (provolone cheese, garlic aioli, fresh basil, and roasted pepper) and the Texas Hold'Em (cheddar cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce, lettuce, and jalapenos). Some of these burgers are pescatarian or vegetarian which helps a lot! No single patty burger is over $6.50, which I think is a great deal especially at the size and juiciness of the meat. This truck constantly blasts music and has a nice line which justifies the beauty they're pumping out. Burger Tank also has salads and sides like sweet potato fries and onion rings.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
This is personally one of my favorite shops on campus, and it's also my family's favorite, too! Whenever my mom comes to visit, we always come to Potbelly and get the skinny pair. The skinny pair is a great option because you can pick from three different sandwiches and a soup of your choice. In addition to this menu item, there are also a lot of sandwiches, salads, and specials. The toppings available for the sandwiches are amazing and the four types of salad dressings are hearty and nice. To knock the ball in the park, Potbelly also offers shakes or smoothies that are crazy good. I recommend the oreo and banana smoothie, which I ordered for my brother and I on a complete whim!
Honeygrow
Stir-fry is the new trend these days! In the last year, Honeygrow opened up under Morgan North and hasn't disappointed. The endless amounts of combinations you can make with your noodle or rice stir-fry is awesome! The portions are pretty nice. What I love most about Honeygrow is that you can try something different each time you go, plus the drink options are local and unique! FYI: the price can get high sometimes so only go when you want to spend money, or go with your family and they can pay for it themselves!
The Creperie
Want a taste of France at Temple? Come to The Creperie! This food truck offers all different types of crepes, including some that are salty and others that are sweet. The menu options can satisfy any cravings you have, whether it be a snack, something for lunch, or a need for sugar after a savory meal. The best thing about this spot is that it can accommodate any diet. You can eat the crepes anywhere as the pouches you get with the food is meant to be held on-the-go
Tai's Vietnamese
Photo from Temple News' 2012 Lunchies Special
Tai's is one of the several restaurants that border Anderson and Gladfelter halls -- I call this area "the awnings" because all of the stores have red or striped awnings. Tai's is my favorite spot here because of the variety of food it serves, the bubble tea (I'm obsessed) and the wonderful personality of Tai herself! There are so many combinations of Asian-fusion cuisine, ranging from dumplings to rice dishes to fried noodles to pho. One of the best things to get here is pho and a bubble tea side. I also love the fried seafood noodles.
Crisp Kitchen
Another stir-fry place! Don't tell Honeygrow, but I prefer Crisp Kitchen over them anyday. Not only are the options more fresh to me, but there are some bases (noodles or rice) that Honeygrow doesn't offer. Plus, the sauces are smoother and have more of a savory after taste. I recommend the curry sauce. The portions are about the same, but sometimes I think the CK adds a little more to the bowl. It's great that this restaurant uses local and some organic ingredients, so it makes me feel good when eating it. Also, the icecream here is pretty awesome!
Cha Cha
Southside Diner
I only have a couple sentences for this joint. It is in the Morgan complex and might not be here any longer due to the shift from Sodexo to Aramark, but this spot is "the best" of the other options in downstairs Morgan. Though the service is often slow and they run out of food, the curly fries, grilled cheese, and fried ravioli is on the good side... for dining hall food.
Royal Tea
*Most of the spots on this list accept Diamond Dollars
