Pod Restaurant Near Penn Campus to Close In February After 25-Year Run
A local favorite in University City is closing its doors for good, according to philly.eater.com. Pod restaurant, a popular spot near the University of Pennsylvania, will serve its last meals on February 22.
When Pod Restaurant opened back in 2000, Pod turned heads with its modern look. The Rockwell Group created a unique space where people could grab fresh sushi from a moving belt while sitting in booths that changed colors at the push of a button.
“Pod was open for two decades pre-pandemic, host to countless celebrations and some of Philadelphia’s favorite memories with STARR Restaurants… When we reopened the space as Kpod, our customers kept asking us, ‘where’s the sushi?’ So, we listened and decided to transition the space back to its original conception – a Japanese restaurant and Izakaya,” said Stephen Starr to FB101.
Over time, the menu evolved. What began as a sushi place expanded to include food from all over Asia. They made a big change to Korean food in 2022 when it became Kpod, but customers wanted their sushi back so badly that Japanese dishes soon made a comeback.
Before shutting down, guests could snack on things like the Sunomono Seaweed Salad or dig into Snow Crab Croquettes. Pod Restaurant became more laid-back in 2023 as illustrated by a review from metrophiladelphia.com, quite different from its early flashy days.
Several well-known chefs, including Michael Schulson, kicked off their careers at Pod. Penn students made it their go-to spot – both for quick bites and special occasions. Being right next to campus made it perfect for college kids.
In its final days, Pod scaled back its once-bold atmosphere. This last change happened when customers made one thing clear – they wanted their sushi back.
