Root & Sprig is set to open its largest restaurant location to date in University City this spring.
The fast-casual dining restaurant will open at 421 Curie Blvd. on the ground floor of the Perelman School of Medicine’s Kelley Research Building. Root & Sprig was developed to provide nutritious meals and comfortable service within healthcare facilities, and the Penn location will be the brand’s first with a fully designated dining space.
“We created this concept in 2019 specifically for people in medical field — students, doctors, physicians, nurses, researchers, administrators,” Root & Sprig Co-Founder and Vice President of Finance Maryrose Galvez told The Daily Pennsylvanian. “We saw a need for restful and more joyful environments within hospitals, schools, with service that’s a lot more attentive — something you could get in a full service dining experience, but in a fast casual setting.”
Root & Sprig currently operates a location at Penn’s Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs. According to Galvez, the University City space was designed as “a place to gather students and administrators.”
“We’re incredibly excited about our partnership and upcoming location at Penn,” Root & Sprig Co-founder and CEO Dan Guaricci wrote in a press release. The new space will allow the company to offer “chef-inspired meals alongside a space designed for rest, conversation, and connection,” he added.
Founded by “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio and hospitality group One Goal Hospitality, Root & Sprig operates fast-casual dining concepts primarily in healthcare and research settings.
Colicchio — a James Beard Award-winning chef and longtime head judge on “Top Chef” — wrote that the concept aims to improve dining options in healthcare and educational environments.
“Many school and healthcare systems fall short in delivering nutritious meals and attentive, compassionate service,” Colicchio wrote in the release. “A meal should do more than simply meet basic needs — it should nourish the body and support overall well-being.”
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According to the release, the restaurant’s menu will include breakfast items, wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups, and açaí bowls as well as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Specialty coffee, smoothies, and teas will also be available.
Galvez explained that the Root & Sprig menu evolves over time based on customer preferences and seasonal ingredients.
“The guest is always considered in every single step of the process, from creating what food we're going to serve you to how you're going to feel when you’re sitting in our space.” Galvez told the DP. “Our menu is based on what guests want to eat and what’s available for the season, always keeping in mind that we would like to serve something delicious and fresh.”
The new location will also offer grab-and-go options, catering, delivery, and coffee subscriptions according to the release.
“At Penn, we’re dedicated to curating a blend of dining and retail experiences that enrich both our campus and surrounding community,” Penn Executive Director of Real Estate Ed Datz wrote in the release.
The restaurant will join over 65 dining and retail locations across Penn’s retail district.
