White Dog Cafe

Fair food, high prices… Welcome to the Main Line! Lunch was just ok, my soup was good. Be ready to pay. Nice décor, more like a country club, again, perfect for the Main Line. Nice selection of salads and sandwiches. I will go back and feel like I never left my backyard.

I’ve been here a lot visiting mostly for special occasions. The food is always very good and well prepared with attentive and knowledgeable waitstaff. I love the food choices and the quality not to mention the kitschy doggie ambiance. Why not five stars? Always very busy. Longish waits. Hoity-​toity atmosphere. Tight parking. I’ll go back. It’s really very good. Especially for special occasion brunches.

nice food, loves the menu, original and well presented plates.
BUT the service: how many times can you interrupt people conversing to check that «everything is all right?» !!! Stop doing that! It’s rude! I was so stressed by it, I left after the entrees to go elsewhere to discuss.

My wife and I ate there today. We were seated in the bar area at a table. and waited about 5 minutes for our server. It was worth the wait, the coffee was excellent and the hot apple cider. Our waiter Ed was very informed of the menu and did a nice job. We got the hummus sampler which was excellent, especially the red beet hummus! Grapefruit and pomegranate salad and apple gorgonzola salad were both delicious. My wife is vegan and had the cauliflower steak with spinach and lentils. I had calamari which was ok. Overall great experience, décor is awesome and unique. Here is a pic of our salad.

Fabulous décor sets the stage for a special meal. Had the NY Strip which was cooked to a perfect Med-​rare. Our server was excellent. My friend wasn’t as enthusiastic about her chicken dinner, thus the 4 stars instead of 5.

I don’t write reviews unless something is unquestionably bad, or remarkably good. This review is solely based off of service quality at the bar, so I cannot comment on table service, which may be very different, I hope.
We arrived and were not greeted by the host/​hostess. We proceeded to seat ourselves at the bar and waited two minutes to be «greeted» by one of the two bartenders, operating a basically empty bar. We were two of four people sitting at the bar. I wouldn’t even really call it «greeted», more like «what do you want?». We asked for menus and got them. We then decided on what we wanted to order and had to literally stare at and flag down a bartender to place our order.
We ordered cabernet and were served pinot noir, which we didn’t even know until our second round was poured and we were informed that we had been drinking pinot noir. We then ordered cheese. I was asking questions about the cheeses, which the bartender was desperately unprepared to answer. The overall feeling was that he didn’t want us there.
The cheese came out, along with calamari that we ordered. The crostini were half soft, stale and a little soggy, as if they had been sitting under or to the side of a refrigeration unit, or that some liquid had dripped into the ramekin and sat there, maybe they don’t dry their ramekins when they come out of dish. Food was decent otherwise. I’m not really concerned about the food at this point.
Every time we needed something, the bartenders were fraternizing with servers in the service window, looking at checks, polishing glasses, etc. I realize that there is work that needs to be done, but when we are 2 out of four people at the bar, and no one really in the restaurant, I feel like the service should have been right on point. We felt that because we were not wearing blazers with pocket squares and shiny shoes that our service didn’t matter. One of the bartenders was also OPENED MOUTH COUGHING on and around the food.
After we paid the tab, we got up to leave. There were now 3 bartenders standing directly in front of us. I stood to put on my jacket. Paused. Looked at all 3 bartenders, waiting for a goodbye or a «have a good night», or a nod, or a wave, or eye contact, or anything… but nothing. I purposely stood there looking at them for 10 seconds and nothing. Really?
I won’t say I’ll never go here again, because it’s a cool little spot and I love the décor, but the bar really needs to step up their service game. I felt like this was an extremely amateur performance for an establishment that appears to be high-​end.

My team at work had our holiday lunch here. This place has been on my radar for a while. It did not disappoint.
First of all, the service is tremendous. Our waiter talked to us like he had absolute command of the menu with a great sense of humor. Presentation was near flawless in general.
We all sampled the antipasto appetizer and enjoyed the flavors. The truffle mushroom soup was simply exquisite and worth the return trip alone.
Out of a group of 5, three of us got the burger. I was not one of them as I went for the fish tacos. Everyone raved about the burger. But I did not feel as if I missed out since my tacos were bursting with flavor.
Did they miss? Let’s just say the ice cream for dessert did not suit my tastes. I probably should have held out and went to Handel’s up the street.
But the rest of my meal was worthy. White Dog is a solid choice all around.

It was a nice place to sit and talk with friends. The décor was very cute and comfortable! The appetizers were very delicious and plate presentation was quite nice and portion was perfect. However, when I received my entrée, I was shocked. I ordered the yellowfin tuna sandwich with roasted vegetables on the side with sweet potato fries. The roasted vegetables weren’t roasted. They served me straight up kimchi (fermented Korean cabbage side dish). I was completely shocked and asked the waitress if this was supposed to be there and she claimed that it was roasted vegetables — um, that’s fermented. Overall, the place was great, but I wouldn’t recommend the tuna fish sandwich. It wasn’t what I expected. The service was great overall.

I’ve been here several times and every time has been wonderful. The last time was for my birthday, and they really made it extra special. I had pistachio crusted salmon with coconut rice, and it was heavenly. I’m still dreaming about it. We also had a black pepper short rib pasta as an appetizer that was one of the best dishes I’ve ever had (it was a special). All of their food is on point, and I recommend stepping out of your comfort zone to try something – especially if it’s on special. Some of their best dishes are there one week and gone the next. Drinks are also delicious – I love their version of a cosmo. The décor and ambiance is beautiful. You will not be disappointed in this little main line gem.

I have been coming to white dog for years now ever since I went to Villanova and they haven’t stopped improving. I came in for lunch with a girlfriend last week and was seated in the front, which I call the dog lounge because the walls are covered with puppy paintings. This place is so cute and unique, but I have to say the library with the hanging books is my favorite. They have a beautiful wooden bar too if you’re coming with an intimate group or solo!
I had the Cobb Salad with chicken and a side of truffle fries, and my friend had a chicken sandwich that came with fries. Both were great, as was the hot bread with house made butter than came before. I also had the white grape fall Bellini which was phenomenal — tasted like my childhood literally! I think there was welches white grape in there. So good. She tried the Here I Go Again cocktail and was impressed as well, they have a great cocktail menu here that’s always changing.
Anyway, love this place and will continue to frequent it for lunch and dinner dates, it’s probably my favorite main line restaurant! Especially for lunch. Highly recommend!

Wow, wow, wow. Absolutely divine. Everything was expertly crafted. I had pork ragu and had never had it before; I am so glad I did because it was a delightful experience. Incredibly rich and delicious I also had a bite of my companions mac and cheese, and it was very tasty too. It was packed on a Tuesday night at 6:45, so make sure you go early or have a reservation.

A cool place in Devon. Pricey but the food is delectable. The Arctic Char was tender and moist like the chef knows how to cook a fish. The mushroom soup was a winner as was the pear bread pudding. My companion loved his 12 oz ribeye. Good beer selection.

Okay, all I can say is wow! From the rock salt/​honey butter to the soup to the main meal, this was excellent all the way around. Service was exceptional and I really liked the paintings of dogs that adorned the walls. It sounds strange but the lighting and motif really make it work. I went with the char fish special which was amazing. The go-​to soup was crazy good as well. I can’t think of one thing I would have changed. Good choice.

Love this restaurant décor, it reminded me of the fixer upper show for some reasons. Now, let’s talk about the food. I ordered the valasso salmon and truffle Parmesan fried which were both great. This dish has a sweet Thai coconut rice with a Thai red curry sauce with crusted salmon. Need I say more. If you like a Thai food, you will like this dish. My husband had the pork chops and the candied butternut squash with pistachio. Both turned out very good (I had few bites of his and wished I ordered it myself). To finish the night, I ordered chocolate bar and coconut which was surprising good, considering I don’t normally order chocolate often.
Overall, nice food + good service + lovely décor = awesome experience.
P.s: they seems to have a great happy hour and to be safe, make reservations to secure a spot. This place is quite popular.

OK, so I might have to update my review and be nicer about White Dog Café this time. After a bad experience about a year ago, I finally found the courage to give it a try.
I came here for Sunday brunch with a group of ladies. I came in through (what I consider to be) the front door. Little did I know that it was actually the side door, and I received blank stares from one of the staff until I asked where to check in. As if I was coming in to do something else.
Anyway, our table wasn’t ready yet and so we hung around the front entrance (or side entrance if you’re like me). It was cramped, I was in the way…
Things got a lot better once we were seated. Our server was incredibly nice and funny. I like sarcasm in case you hadn’t noticed, and this guy had plenty. We received a complimentary bread basket and a cheese platter — I now realize it’s not entirely clear to me why this was but no complaints!
I ordered the pancakes with Gala apples. It was OK. Pancakes usually sound better than they taste to me. Also, and this may come across as arrogant, I always find farm to table menus rather uninteresting and I feel I could cook the menu myself.
All in all, a pleasant experience thanks to the server. But nothing too special.

We made reservations to have a romantic dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary at White Dog. We didn’t realize that it was restaurant week, so it was abnormally busy. The hostess was very apologetic about the wait and they offered free champagne cocktails to waiting patrons, which I thought was a nice touch.
Dinner was amazing from start to finish. I loved that you could pick the types of cheese for the artisan cheese plate. I had the filet mignon and it was better than I’ve had in even some reputable steakhouses. It was cooked exactly how I requested and so delicious. We ordered a few sides to go along with our meal, which were all delicious. The mac n cheese was decadent and I would highly recommend it.
We ordered the «Cookie Jar» for dessert. It came out in the most adorable cookie jar shaped like a dog with a personalized message for our anniversary. My husband and I loved the personal touch and even other diners were commenting on how fun it was!
We loved our visit and will definitely be returning!

Truffle fries were crispy and golden salted perfection, we finished our first order and quickly put in for a second. My avocado turkey burger was a stand out, very moist with out tasting greasy. I loved the seasonal menu, I felt like I would have been pleased with a number for items on the menu. I sat on the patio in the breezy summer air, great atmosphere, plenty of glass and interesting dog related items. Staff was very friendly and quick with the jokes. The bread was really good but the butter was the star of the show. Overall a really good meal but I am going to hold that last star until I get a chance to visit a few more times.

Had a business lunch here today; it was everyone’s first time. What an interesting restaurant! The décor is unique — very shabby chic with dogs and birdcages and such everywhere. We were seated in a corner, out of the way, which was conducive to our gathering. The menu is not huge, but offers a vast enough variety to satisfy the tastes of most individuals.
Our server, Jose, was attentive and very patient, and showed an appropriate sense of humor. Our water glasses stayed full and our empty plates were promptly cleared. And our plates were left empty, indeed, as everything was delicious!
We each had the «award-​winning» Kennett Square mushroom soup, which was positively delectable. For our main course we all tried something different: kale salad, endive salad, chicken sandwich, and tuna tartare. I had the blackened swordfish tacos, garnished with some greens on the side. YUM! Three tacos didn’t look like much at first, but it was the perfect amount of food, considering I also ate the soup and one of the rustic bread rolls. Speaking of which, the butter is sweet — and totally delicious. For dessert, one person had the seasonal pumpkin ice cream, another had the «flower pot,» and I had the adorable little apple pie.
I personally appreciate how the restaurant sources from local food providers, and everything tasted as fresh as they claimed. For this reason — plus the high quality and the location — I think they’re able to justify the prices, though that might be off-​putting for some. Despite that, I highly recommend trying this place.

White Dog Café has multiple locations. One thing to make sure is you are looking at the correct menu of the location you are wanting to go to. Although it’s the same, the menu’s are slightly different with different happy hour times and deals.
Came here during happy hour since the regular menu price’s seemed pretty steep. This location’s happy hour is from 4−6pm. We came with just 30 minutes left and after we ordered our first round of drinks and food, our server was gracious enough to squeeze in 2 more rounds of happy hour priced drinks by being attentive and quick. Major props to service here.
All along the walls inside, there are European style dog portraits of different breeds. This continues even inside the bathroom. Not sure what the story is with all the dogs and the name but this place screams dog lover. The furniture inside is mixed — standard tables, some individual couch/​tea time chairs, high top long tables, and the bar. It’s got a fancy home feel with a bar in the middle.
Drink selections were great and so were the food. Great place to come for happy hour and order a bunch of appetizers and relax tapa style. I honestly don’t think there’s a dish you can go wrong with here. On my visit, I had the cheese plate, fries, fried pickle (long ways cut), and mac and cheese. The cheese plate comes with various jams, nuts, and bread. The fried pickles… wish they were sliced into chip style, mac and cheese — pasta was cooked beautifully and the cheese was nice and rich.
Definitely a great place to go for happy hour!
GO GO GO GO!!!

The place had tons of parking. Beautifully decorated. Spacious seating and a coat check. Came with my friend without reservations and we had a wait of 40 minutes. This place is fully packed for Sunday Brunch.
The space we were seated was shabby chic and cute. Reminds you of an Alice in Wonderland tea party for 2. Lol. Coffee is really good. Taste almost like la Colombe coffee. The pound cake and scone served with preserves and whipped butter is amazing. That butter is so good, I can’t believe it’s butter. Lol. I got the mushroom soup and it was presented very nice but maybe served too fast. It was delicious. I almost wanted to lick my bowl. Lol. My friend got the salmon potato thing and it was delicious. He also got the roasted romaine lettuce with bacon and that was good too. I got the 3 egg Lancaster omelette. Huge portions and so good. The truffle fries were really good too. I enjoyed everything that was ordered.
Our server was Ann (I think). She was fast. Checked-​in with us to see how we liked our food. Refilled our coffee. Very efficient.
Loved the food. Would definitely come back but with reservations this time. Reservations are a must for this place. They have a parking lot, coat check and a great group of hostess, food runners, wait staff. Everything was superb!