Restaurants to take your family to during HawkFest.
With HawkFest weekend quickly approaching, many of us may be scrambling to plan for our family’s arrival. One of the most pressing questions we’ll need to answer is where to eat.
HawkFest is one of the few chances students get to go off-campus and be treated to a nice meal, but finding a restaurant that will please the whole family isn’t always easy.
Here are a few suggestions for popular, family-friendly restaurants located near campus that everyone can agree on.
El Limón Taqueria
El Limón is a Mexican restaurant with a wide variety of dishes on the menu, from basics like nachos and quesadillas to more original items like tacos dorados and tortas.
The restaurant advertises authentic Mexican food, right down to the Mexican soda bottles.
The diverse menu will appeal to both the picky eaters and risk-takers in the family, with their tacos on homemade tortillas being a safe choice for everyone.
The closest location to campus is the Ardmore restaurant, at 61 West Lancaster Ave. There are also seven other sites, giving you flexibility with your travel time.
Prices vary depending on the dish, with $2.75 per taco and larger entrees ranging from $6.50 to $12.95.
Winnie’s Manayunk
Winnie’s Manayunk is a great spot for a brunch-loving family. The restaurant offers a combination of sweet and savory meals, from crème brûlée french toast to avocado toast.
While brunch is served daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Winnie’s also has a dinner menu, with kale salad and baja fish tacos among the options.
Winnie’s location on Main Street makes it a convenient choice for our Manayunk residents to take their families. For students who live on-campus, it is only about 15 minutes away.
The higher prices put Winnie’s out of budget for most college students, but a special occasion like HawkFest is the perfect opportunity to try it out.
The “crowd favorites” on the menu range from $12 to $14, but classic choices like pancakes, waffles and french toast each cost $9.
Chickie’s and Pete’s
For families looking to get a true taste of Philadelphia but have already had their fair share of cheesesteaks, Chickie’s and Pete’s is an alternative. Their famous crab fries are a must-have for anyone visiting the city.
In addition to the fries, the restaurant serves classic American food, including burgers, wings and pizza.
The closest spot is in Drexel Hill, around 20 minutes from campus. However, there are locations throughout the Philadelphia area, giving you an excuse to head into Center City and sight-see along the way.
Prices vary between dishes, with a classic cheesesteak costing $8.95 and a traditional “Pete-zza” that could serve the whole family for $11.95.
More expensive entrees, including lobster and crab, are in the $15 to $25 range. An order of crab fries with two sides of the special cheese sauce is only $5.95.
Hope’s Cookies
If your family is known for having a big sweet tooth, you may want to skip dinner and go right to dessert.
Hope’s Cookies serves both homemade cookies and ice cream. There are 22 cookie flavors, with timeless classics like chocolate chip and seasonal specials like pumpkin.
Customers can also opt for ice cream in a cup or cone or an ice cream sandwich made with two cookies of your choice.
Hope’s Cookies is located at 1125 West Lancaster Ave. in Rosemont, Pa., just under 20 minutes from campus.
Additionally, if your family prioritizes convenience, the shop shares its space with a Snap Custom Pizza, making it a prime destination for dinner and dessert all at once.
Customers can order a dozen cookies or individual cookies, as well as ice cream and milkshakes, which vary in price. Most individual items come in under $5.
These options will serve as great alternatives to Larry’s Steaks, Landmark Americana and the City Avenue restaurants that we’ve all been to many times.
HawkFest is a good chance to venture outside of the campus shuttle route and find your new favorite restaurant.
