Penn Dining will expand its menu offerings for the academic year, including with the addition of a Mediterranean-inspired station at Houston Market.
La Plancha — a burrito station that was introduced to the dining hall in 2021 — will be replaced by a new station called Taverna. Executive Director Dining Strategy and Innovation Shazad Khan told The Daily Pennsylvanian that Penn Dining will also extend international menus and introduce plant-based offerings following student input and an annual review.
“We see lots of quick, authentic Mediterranean-based food that’s really popular right now and on trend in the Philadelphia area,” Khan said. “We want to make sure we can represent that.”
Khan added that Taverna will continue serving wraps, which La Plancha offered.
“That’s a big shift for us in Houston, but we think it’s going to be one that really will resonate well to students,” he said.
The dining location introduced a wider selection of healthy beverage options in fall 2025, including options such as orange juice, apple juice, and boxed milk.
Houston Market will also introduce Spruce Street Garden, a fully plant-based station, according to Khan. The concept will build upon Global Garden at 1920 Commons, which was introduced in the 2025-26 academic year and serves vegetarian meals that adhere to the Jain diet.
“It’s going to be a fully plant-based area, so that there won’t be any meat introduced in that section,” Khan told the DP.
This year, Khan said, Global Garden will expand its international focus to include Vietnamese, Korean and Mediterranean-themed weeks.
“We’re working to make sure that can work for both vegan folks and Jain folks, and folks who are vegetarian can also enjoy it,” Khan said.
Commons will also introduce a “fermentation bar,” which will include kimchi and various types of pickles. The station will feature the “the benefits of of pickling and fermentation,” including a “lot of really great health benefits for your gut,” according to Khan.
At Lauder College House, Penn Dining will introduce international cuisines for a week at a time.
“A lot of the cuisines really can be explored over a week’s worth of time, where folks can really get in, and students can see different dishes through a full spectrum to really kind of understand the flavor palettes and some of the traditions,” Khan said.
He added that the program will connect will PennCooks, a platform that pairs chefs with student groups to highlight cuisines and cultures. Previously, Khan said, PennCooks led to Penn Dining’s Latin History Month celebration, which included performance music and decorations, and a speciality cuisine.
At Hill House, Penn Dining is introducing “Fried Chicken Fridays.” The program will feature a different versions of fried chicken each week, including Indonesian fried chicken with sambal and honey.
Hill House will also work with local vendors to incorporate additional vegetables and plant-forward options into its menu.
According to Steven Green, Penn Dining executive director of operations and infrastructure, approximately 20% of the department’s produce purchases come from farms or artisans located within 150 miles of Penn’s campus.
At Falk Dining Commons in Steinhardt Hall, which serves kosher fare, Penn Dining will establish new Shabbat dining menus to “enhance the experience, make it more fun, but also more intimate at the same time to make sure that we're meeting tradition,” according to Khan.
The location will also include additional dairy-night options and more Israeli cuisine.
Quaker Kitchen will introduce “viral food moments to really stay on trend,” Khan said.
“With social media, TikTok, Instagram, there’s so many food trends that we’re exploring that come out really quick, like dot cakes and you know, you name it,” Khan added. “You might see something on TikTok today, and you might see it in Quaker Kitchen next week.”
Quaker Kitchen will also include additional beverage options, such as dirty sodas and natural antioxidant waters.
Across the changes, Khan said that Penn Dining’s goal is to balance culinary creativity with the needs and preferences of students.
“We know what we’re here for is to take care of you all,” Khan said. “What we’re interested in is what’s working and what’s not, what you’d like to see coming up, and what you’re really liking.”
