New Honeygrow location to open this fall

Move over Cup Noodles and Lucky Charms — kale smoothies and veggie stir-fries are coming to Penn.

Jen Denis, Honeygrow’s chief brand officer, estimated that the restaurant would begin serving sometime this fall, but she was unable to give an exact date due to construction and pending occupancy certificates. 

Honeygrow, a health food restaurant known for its custom salads and stir-fries, is opening at 3731 Walnut St., adjacent to Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, so students looking for a healthy meal after a workout won’t have to go far.

The Philadelphia-based restaurant, which relies on locally grown ingredients, first launched in Center City in 2012 and has since expanded to locations across the area. Customers can design their own meals or choose from the menu, which combines standard fare like kale and whole-wheat noodle salads with more adventurous options like smoked oyster stir-fry and kale mint smoothies.

Denis also confirmed that Honeygrow’s new store will boast the same menu as its other locations, including the famous custom “honeybar,” and will be open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

College freshman and Philadelphia native Mena Shanab, who has frequented Honeygrow’s Center City location, is especially excited for its arrival to campus.

“Honeygrow offers a lot of really good cheap, organic and locally grown food that I think a lot of college students will appreciate,” she said.

College freshman Libby Rozbruch is eager try the restaurant's “honeybar,” where customers design a bowl filled with their choice of wildflower, buckwheat or clover honey, fresh fruit, and topping options such as coconut shavings, candied cashews, honey granola and even homemade whipped cream.

Honeygrow hopes to offer affordable, healthy food to Penn students and the greater community alike, Denis said.

So finish up the two-month-old box of Lucky Charms under your bed — once Honeygrow opens, it’ll be all whole-wheat noodles and free-range chicken for Penn students.

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