DIG restaurant opens second Philadelphia location on 36th Street

The national restaurant chain DIG opened its second Philadelphia location on Penn's campus on March 31.

DIG is a fast-casual restaurant that curates a locally sourced, seasonal, and "vegetable-forward" menu featuring a range of bowls, salads, and sides. Its second restaurant will be located at 36th and Sansom streets near the Penn Bookstore. 

Founded in New York City by its CEO Adam Eskin in 2011, the chain opened its first Philadelphia location in Rittenhouse Square in early 2020. Its new location in University City features an open kitchen and includes dining and seating space across two floors, as well as ample socialization and study space, according to Shop Penn.

On its opening day, DIG donated 100% of walk-in sales to the Eagles Autism Foundation, an organization that supports health care and research related to autism, according to Shop Penn. In addition, DIG has created incentives for walk-in visitors — such as complimentary sides and increased rewards points — through the month of April.

DIG's ingredients are either sourced from "close network of regional farmers and partners" or grown on their upstate New York farm called DIG Acres. 

“DIG possesses a strong commitment to sourcing food from local organic farms and has built a great deal of buzz everywhere they have opened a new location. We are thrilled that they have picked Penn and University City as their next venture,” Penn Executive Director of Real Estate Ed Datz told Shop Penn in October 2021.

Students at Penn reported feeling eager to try the new restaurant on campus.

"I’m really excited to try [DIG] because I love Sweetgreen, and [DIG] seems pretty similar," College first year Jess Silverstein told The Daily Pennsylvanian. "It is great to have another restaurant so close to campus." 

DIG is the second of a group of restaurants set to open in University City during 2022 — including Raising Cane's, Five Guys, and Amma’s South Indian Cuisine — after the Mexican-inspired food spot El Taco opened earlier this March.

“Penn is committed to bringing a vibrant mix of shopping, dining, and services to the neighborhood and is always looking to refresh with new popular concepts around campus,” Datz told Shop Penn in October 2021.