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Now open: Franklin's Table Food Hall at Penn

Omakase (the Japanese tasting menus) at a college food hall?

Franklin’s Table food hall, 3401 Walnut St.
Franklin’s Table food hall, 3401 Walnut St.Read moreUniversity of Pennsylvania

Penn's former Moravian Food Court — known for plebeian choices such as Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and A&W — soars higher on the food chain on March 12 with the opening of Franklin's Table Food Hall at 3401 Walnut St.

Spin-offs of homegrown food companies DK Sushi (Double Knot), KQ Burger (Kensington Quarters), High Street Provisions, Pitruco Pizza, Little Baby's Ice Cream, and The Juice Merchant are set up among cafeteria seating for about 170 people. Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Franklin's Table starts the day with The Juice Merchant (juices and smoothies, salads, and sandwiches) and High Street Provisions (Rival Bros. coffee, pastries, and sandwiches; initially, says partner Ellen Yin, it serves only coffee and pastries after 3 p.m.). The rest of the vendors sell lunch and dinner.

Few college food halls offer omakase, the Japanese tasting menus. DK Sushi is a fast-casual version of Michael Schulson's sushi bar, overseen by chef Kevin Yanaga, at Double Knot on 13th Street in Washington Square West. DK's menu includes rolls, sushi, sashimi, and salads, and you can buy by the piece as well as in a box. There's an eight-seat counter where Yanaga and crew will serve an express omakase: 13 to 15 selections for $35, served in 35 minutes.

Goldie, which Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook launched last year in Center City, sells a vegan menu of falafel sandwiches, falafel salad, fries, and tehina shakes.

Pitruco Pizza is a brick-and-mortar version of the wood-fired pizza truck. Its partners also run Enjay, the pizza service out of the Penn landmark Smokey Joe's. Initial menu includes pizzas and salad.

KQ Burger, based on Michael Pasquarello's meat-centric Fishtown bar-restaurant, sells three burgers, fried chicken sandwich, vegan mushroom sandwich, cheesesteak, and fries.

Little Baby's Ice Cream, rooted in Fishtown, sells ice cream (dairy and nondairy) and shakes.