Pod, a Japanese restaurant adjacent to campus and popular among Penn students, is set to permanently close its doors this week.
Owned by Philadelphia-based restauranteur Stephen Starr, Pod first opened in 2000 and will close on Feb. 22. The restaurant, located at 36th and Sansom streets, originally served sushi and Japanese dishes — including via conveyor belt — before shifting to a Pan-Asian-focused menu.
“POD will be closing on February 22, 2025. As we say goodbye to one of Starr Restaurants' first concepts, we are thankful to the city of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University City community for embracing POD for the past 25 years," Starr said in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
Since its opening, the restaurant has undergone several rebrands. In 2022, Starr reopened the restaurant as KPod and served Korean food. While the rebrand brought in new flavors and dishes, longtime customers expressed nostalgia for Pod’s original sushi menu, according to Eater Philadelphia. As a result, the restaurant gradually reintroduced sushi and other Pan-Asian items.
Like many restaurants, Pod struggled to recover after pandemic-related closures, losing some of its footing in the University City dining scene. Due to the seasonal nature of its campus location, Pod could no longer fill its 200 seats, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Starr Restaurant Group owns 19 other restaurants in Philadelphia and also has locations in New York, Washington D.C., and Florida.
A Penn spokesperson told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the location will be marketed.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate
