New York City smashburger chain to replace Hummus Grill

7th Street Burger is set to open a location in University City by the end of the calendar year.

The New York City-based fast food chain will open at 3931 Walnut St., a location which was occupied by Hummus Grill until the restaurant closed in May. 7th Street Burger will bring “its signature smashburgers, crispy fries, and simple, quality-driven menu” to University City, according to a release.

“It just felt like a natural right progression to expand down to Pennsylvania and Philadelphia,” 7th Street Burger’s marketing manager Sarah Milner told The Daily Pennsylvanian, calling the area “a really exciting market.”

The University City location is expected to open “late fall, early winter,” according to Milner. 

“University City had just an incredible energy and walkability, and it had that diverse mix of students, employees, young people, and residents,” Milner added. “It made the area really appealing to us because we just feel like that’s our ideal consumer.”

Milner said that 7th Street Burger hopes to be engaged with the Penn community.

“If there’s a moment where students are gathering and coming together for an organization, a moment, an event, we see ourselves being involved and hope the students can turn to us as a food partner,” Milner said.

7th Street Burger was founded in New York City’s East Village in 2021 and has been rapidly expanding across the Northeast region since. The chain is set to open two locations in Philadelphia — one in Fishtown and one near Rittenhouse Square — in early August.

“We do aim to be your local burger shop,” Milner said. “I think that is a part of our ethos and a part of our brand. We’re simple and we're straightforward and we're made to order.”

The restaurant will be the newest addition to Penn’s retail district — joining Enerjuicer, which opened in Franklin’s Table this spring, and Port Coffee Co., which recently opened its first Pennsylvania location at 4013 Walnut Street.

Hummus Grill, which had served the West Philadelphia community since 2008, officially closed its doors on May 14. Offering dishes such as shawarma, kebabs, and hummus, the restaurant was a popular destination for Penn students.

Hummus Grill’s closure follows several in the area, including Pod and Ochatto Hand Drawn Noodles, Japanese Cuisine, and Bubble Tea. 

Last year, the DP spoke to local restaurant owners who attributed business turnover in the area to increasing rent prices and a drop in retail consumption.

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