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and see the array of MWBE restaurants offering delectable bites!
Supporting local businesses is affordable
The widest array of MWBE food options are at the low to medium end of the price spectrum. This means that supporting Black, Hispanic, and women-owned restaurants is very feasible for day-to-day meals, particularly for college students on a budget. On the flip side, pricier fine dining establishments are much fewer in number, reflecting a major barrier of entry in this space for historically marginalized groups: limited access to capital. In particular, the lack of Black-owned establishments offering dining at a premium price point demonstrates how racial divides permeate the food scene; investment and loans are harder to come by for these owners.
Popular cuisines to explore
Deeper reds denote higher ratings.
Many Black-owned restaurants specialize in dishes that fall under the Southern, traditional and modern American, and seafood categories. Consequently, there is more variation in consumer tastes for patrons of these cuisines. It is also notable that even though there may be fewer grab-and-go and casual options, these offerings are well rated (i.e., the cafes, juice bars, and plant-based establishments) and therefore are perfect for busy students and young adults.
International cuisines dominate Hispanic-owned restaurants in accordance with the variety of countries from which Latinx Philadelphians have immigrated. Mexican flavors appeal to many people who dine in the city, just as they are popular elsewhere in the United States. Considering that Philadelphia is a melting pot of rich cultures, Latin fusion restaurants are also emerging as a top pick for the more adventurous foodies.
The woman-owned category has the most variety by virtue of being the largest of the three demographic subsets explored, as well as its inclusion of non-Black and non-Hispanic owners. Cafes and Asian restaurants which are owned by women tend to be highly rated and relatively numerous in Philadelphia.
Top picks
We've researched, we've dined, and now we deliver.
48th Street Grille
Sentiment Analysis of Reviews
El Merkury
Sentiment Analysis of Reviews
On Point Bistro
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Sentiment Analysis of Reviews
The restaurants highlighted for each category above were based on a combination of factors that are of particular relevance for students – ratings, price point, location relative to University City, and variety of options. The sentiment analysis was performed on Yelp reviews for these three joints to extrapolate their distinguishing factors and learn more about consumer preferences (ie favorite dishes).
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