Villanova's First On-Campus Restaurant, The Refectory, Now Open

VILLANOVA, PA — A new eatery from the people behind Zavino and Tredici is now open at Villanova University. The Refectory opened its doors on Friday, Sept. 20 at Lancaster and Ithan avenues within The Commons.

The Refectory is an American bar and grill, open to the University community and the public alike, and serving a comprehensive menu of classics seven days a week.

This is the university’s first full-service, on-campus restaurant and Zavino Hospitality Group is running the show.

Parking for The Refectory is available across the street, in a lot on South Ithan Avenue. The Refectory will serve dinner seven days a week to start, beginning at 4 p.m. daily, and will add lunch service Monday through Friday in the coming months.

The menu includes steakhouse standards and more, from large salads to hearty sandwiches, and a selection of sushi options.

Highlights include:

• Starters, such as Spinach-Artichoke Dip with warm tortilla chips and fresh tomato salsa and Crudite, chef’s selection of baby vegetables with mushroom duxelle and cheese dip, also available as a vegan dish
• Big-Bowl Salads, such as The Villanova Tomato Salad, a nod to Margate, NJ’s famed Steve & Cookie’s, with tomatoes, basil, gorgonzola, crispy shallots and sherry vinaigrette, and The Refectory Chop, with baby gem lettuce, green beans, chickpeas, provolone, radicchio, sopressata, bell peppers, pepperoncini, red onion, hearts of palm and red wine vinaigrette
• An extensive Raw Bar, including Oysters on the half shell with white cucumber mignonette and
• Hamachi Crudo with jalapeño, ponzu and micro shiso
• Osaka-Style Sushi such as Tuna & Avocado and Bikini Roll with green apple, peekytoe crab, avocado and mango salsa
• Sandwiches All Day, such as Crispy Chicken Sandwich with buttermilk fried chicken, baby swiss cheese, sliced tomato and house kale slaw and Cubano with roasted Iberico pork, ham, swiss cheese, dijonaise and Cuban bread served with a choice of Skinny Fries or House Slaw
• Entrees such as Dry-Aged, Bone-In Ribeye, Grilled Whole Branzino and Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with mustard tartar sauce, chervil and lemon
• Sides such as Grilled Asparagus with lemon-tarragon vinaigrette and parmesan cheese and Roasted Exotic Mushrooms with thyme, lemon and parsley
• Desserts such as Wildcat Blueberry Pie with vanilla gelato and whipped cream and Tiramisu Ice Pop with white chocolate and chocolate-espresso sauce

See the full menu here.

The Refectory will also offer a full bar with a selection of local, domestic and international craft beers. Wines ranging from the inexpensive to prestigious labels and cocktails program that includes favorites from sister restaurants Zavino and Tredici alongside new offerings will also be available. Cocktails will include the signature The Dodge, with vodka, grapefruit, rose syrup and lemon, and Wildcat, local Bluecoat gin with lemon, agave and blackberry.

"Villanova is excited about the addition of The Refectory to our campus and proud to be partnering with Greg Dodge and Zavino Hospitality Group for the University’s first full-service restaurant," said Ken Valosky, Villanova University Executive Vice President. "We believe this will become an iconic gathering place for all Villanovans."

The Refectory takes its name from the term used to describe a dining room for communal meals at academic institutions and monasteries. The restaurant features a central horseshoe-shaped bar, a dining room, and a vault room for private parties and special chef’s tastings.

In all, the restaurant comfortably seats more than 200 guests, including 18 seats in the bar area and plenty of standing room.

In addition to The Refectory, ZHG and Villanova will partner with Parliament Espresso & Coffee Bar, created by Elior North America’s premier dining and events brand, Constellation Culinary Group, on an adjacent grab-and-go café.

At Parliament, guests can choose from a small menu of prepared breakfast options, sandwiches, house-made pastries, salads and coffee drinks. Specializing in “seed to cup” offerings, Constellation sources their coffee beans from a family-run farm, La Virgen Coffee Estates, in Nicaragua.

Parliament will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week.