Loving Hut

***CLOSED***
Vegan Tree (same owners and pretty much the same menu) opened in Loving Hut’s space. It appears as though Vegan Tree already has a listing of its own on Unilocal

Vegan food on South Street? And it actually TASTES GOOD??? Believe it.
The Loving Hut is constantly staffed by bubbly and friendly people. The food is prepared in front of you and it’s fast. I have never had anything here that was subpar.
Also, I can’t seem to take my eyes off of the hypnotizing television program that is playing in the corner, translated into 75 languages for your convenience. Odd.

Vegan fast food. Totally. But remember its location — for one day, you will find yourself walking South Street and in need (need!) of bubble tea. When that day comes, this is your place.
The service is always great, but the food is okay. I don’t go out of my way to go here, but when I do go, it’s usually for a bubble tea (and I’d love to get a milkshake sometime!) and a cute dessert — like one of those weird green rice bar things. They’re good. A little weird, but good, and cheap. Also good for hanging out for a while with a friend, because there’s usually lots of seating open and you can stay for a while.

Best Mango Bubble Tea I’ve ever had — and I am no stranger to Bubble Tea! The atmosphere was very cute — I had a meeting on South Street so I sat in here for two hours doing some business on my laptop. The service was wonderful!

The food here is merely mediocre. It’s decent enough for the price, and if I want a cheap vegan lunch I’d go here again, but this is by no means a culinary destination. My Loving Hut Wrap was bland and largely tasteless. The Fried Vegan Drumsticks were overcooked, unappetizing and cardboard-​tasting – wouldn’t order them again. The «Fried Vegan See Food» was much better. The spring and summer rolls were all right, but you’d get much better for the same price in any close-​by cheapie Chinese/​Japanese joint. The Guru Curry rice was quite good, although it tasted more Thai than Indian.
I will say, however, that all the precious vegan preachyness (not to mention the creepy tv channel) was off-​putting – and I’m a vegan. My friend, who was vegetarian, said she felt uncomfortable and like she wasn’t «good enough» because she wasn’t vegan – understandable with signs saying things like «These talented and beautiful people are vegan, why aren’t you?» (over a wall of cheesy celeb photos). The tv channel that had a digitally animated lamb talking about global warming and asking people not to eat it? Um. I’m not sure a restaurant’s décor ought to make you roll your eyes.
Blackbird Pizzeria is just down the street, MUCH more delicious, and not nearly as embarrassing or annoying.

There was a strange Vietnamese channel on the big screen TV and the volume was mad loud… However, the Loving Hut Wrap was delicious and cheap and the service was quick and quiet. Definite revisit.

After viewing a potential home in the neighborhood, I turned the corner to south street and see what’s in my new ‘hood. A vegan restaurant — score! Everyone in here was so warm and unassuming. Everything on the menu sounded really fabulous. From a vegan burger to vegan noodles and veg, I was very pleased by both the flavor and the price. So cheap!
I cannot help but comment on the way the proprietors and staff promote veganism here. It is so the opposite of what you expect — NOT pushy, NOT in your face, NOT rude. Instead, they have a message they want to spread, and are willing to talk about it with anyone who’ll listen.
As an on-​and-​off vegan, I am so happy to come to a neighborhood where I can easily practice what I aim to preach.

Vegan burger = YUM! Way cheaper, fresher, and less greasy than Govinda’s. Only gave 4 stars because the internet (which isn’t password protected) is a little slow and the Loving TV is bizzar-​o. Still, a refreshing alternative to Moaz when you want cheap and vegan on South St.

Apparently I hold the belief that I should reward myself for accomplishing even the most minor of tasks. After grocery shopping, goin to the cleaners… I should congratulate myself for doing stuff I’m supposed to be doing anyway? Yes. It’s for this reason that I now find myself with a strange Loving Hut habit. It’s is on the way home…
I stop in for a mango bubble tea, or a smoothie, or that fozen mocha drink that is refreshkin’ as Popeye might say… Then there’s also those not-​too-​greasy spring rolls with the pineappley sweet-​n-​sour sauce, or the freshy summer rolls. I’ve also tried the Loving hut Sandwich. It’s definitely tasty and bahn-​mi-​ISH, like, reminiscent… except with a sweet sauce and a roll that’s all wrong.
I certainly agree with other reviewers who’ve termed Loving Hut, «Vegan fast food.» I’ve heard tell that other Loving Huts have more extensive menus. See, I’d check that out. If there were Loving Huts all up and down the highways, I’d hit up that drive-​thru. I’ve long since given up most other fast food, but vegan fast food… yeah… I like feeling like I’m getting away with something.
I just sat here for a moment, staring off into space for a moment, imagining a world where the glowing yellow «L» of Loving Huts were lighting up the sides of roads everywhere… and inside diners must watch «Loving TV,» the channel that promotes veganism and plays continuously in the restaurant.
Loving TV is where infomercial-​style, blonde anchor-​people sit at a news-​desk but report copy that begin with phrases like, «The Supreme Master Ching Hai, in her gracious wisdom…»
(Shakes head) Whoa. I snapped out of it. So, as others have mentioned, Loving TV is the very peculiar part of the scene, and, for me it tends to be kinda fascinating. There are also reading materials to peruse as you wait for your order. My favorite is a pamphlet called, «The Beaver Defenders,» because I am mature.
The ladies who work here are some of the sweetest, smiliest people ever. This South Street Loving Hut is good for a sit, a snack, and a smile, then. That’s my blurb. Oh, and don’t forget crazy olé Loving TV.

Any place in the neighborhood where I can get vegan «fast food» (soy drumstick anyone?) gets 5 stars in my book. I love the whole vibe of this place — vegan apps, burgers, platters, milkshakes and desserts plus the flat screen broadcasting mantras of peace, compassion, and other hippie-​dippie concepts.
So far I’ve had the spring rolls and the vegan ice cream. Both were very yum. WIth everything on the menu pretty much under $ 10, I’ll be back for more asap.

With a quaint coffeehouse vibe, tantalizing vegan eats, and smiles all around Loving Hut overs a plenty to love. Although there’s also some things on the other side of the coin.
When I first saw Loving Hut I was drawn to the welcome feeling of young women painting happy pictures on the windows. And then reading the menu and seeing the promise of a vegan banh mi and a mocha espresso drove me in further. The hut is in a spot that used to be a failed internet café and as a result the wi-​fi carries somewhat well for an extra plus.
As I waited for my sandwich I was a bit stricken by vegan propaganda that was playing on the TV monitor. I have plenty of friends who are vegan, and I love the deliciousness that vegan recipes can yield. But listening to it while I was trying to enjoy an espresso and catch up on a book was a bit discouraging.
When the banh mi arrived I first marveled over its size. overall, it was somewhat decent. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a vegan big mac as Christopher R. did, but it has nothing on the veggie banh mi goodness of Fu Wah. The mocha on the other hand was pretty refreshing.
After checking over the website I couldn’t help but marvel over how over the top some of it is. While I love the concept of an International vegan chain that’s on the rise, saying things like «the fastest way to stop 80% of global warming is to use animal free products» is a bit extreme. While I might agree and do very much acknowledge the benefits that such a thing yield, saying it can stop 80% of global warming is on the level of ManBearPig (
). Its also kind of staggering that they can yield such «facts» before revealing that they have one (or more?) locations in the United States.
But overall, with a good variety of veggie eats to try on menu, good coffee, and a roomy welcoming interior; Loving Hut is a spot where I can a portion of odd with all of its good.

Loving hut was a LOVELY experience. The Loving Hut was delicious from start to finish. I walked in and ordered a mango bubble tea — it was delicious! The tea tasted great, the bubbles were yummy and tapicoa-​ey. The food we followed up with was great too — I ordered a noodle dish (Chow Mein) that was delightful — and my friends soups, cheesey bread, and curry were all equally wonderful. I recommend the bubble tea highly, as well as all the food that we tried. All of it was great — I look forward to trying it all in the future. The restaurant itself is not very sit down formal-​ish. More of a café. Well lite, interesting asian channels playing on large tv’s. The service was pretty awesome. And there are some funny signs all around. All in all a great experience.

Cheap vegan restaurant run by a cult with spots around the world. Think more Falun Gong and less Branch Davidians.

I think the best thing that I can say about The Loving Hut is that the pro-​vegan notes to customers that are precariously positioned all over the restaurant are absolutely adorable.
As for the food, it is ok. We went on the recommendations of other Unilocalers and ordered the summer rolls and curry, as well as the roasted veggies. All were pretty tasty, but also pretty unremarkable. Basically, we weren’t displeased, but we also didn’t see anything else on the menu that really jumped out at us. What I can say is that all of our food seemed very light and we were very happy about that. For some reason, a lot of veg places tend to go greasy and heavy.
I’m hoping they look toward phasing out their faux «meats» and reduce the amounts of tofu. If I’m going to eat vegan, I’d rather just get more vegetables and legumes that are protein rich, rather than supplement with soy, etc.

Loving Hut is great! My boyfriend and I usually get it once a week! Our favorites are the Quinoa salad and summer rolls! The Loving Hut Sandwich is pretty awesome, too!

No cheese on my cheesy bread? Maybe it was a mistake.
Anyway, the lady who took my order was really sweet and I’d like to go back to try some of their entrees soon.

Well, it’s healthier than Gianna’s.. .and it’s takeout. I don’t know, I’ve gotten food there a couple times. I’m not super impressed, but the fact that it’s vegan makes me happy.

«Mostly Loving» *
*See below for important caveat
Welcome to vegan fast food — hardly a novel concept in Philadelphia, a city strong in vegan pursuits and growing stronger by the deep-​fried day.
Loving Hut offers the quick-​draw Asian version of the trend: spring rolls «with vegan ham,» tofu and dampened sweet chili sauce wraps, cans of Coke, something rice, something noodle, and some vegan cake slices I will never try. In terms of quality it’s really not very different from airport food courts, minus the important distinction that it’s vegan and one imagines, much, or at least marginally, healthier.
What IS novel about Loving Hut is the overt social and political messaging about vegan values.
On paper I love the idea. In practice it makes for a somewhat weird eating experience.
Rather than CNN, or sports, you get their … let’s call it Loving TV (for all I know that is what it’s called) … programming that loves the planet at the expense of your nausea.
Over rolls and wrap, I was treated to save-​the-​planet visuals and blaring audio including a «news» report on Toxic Algae (have a taste of the spring roll!); something that apparently caused a person on a very hot beach to have lost all their limbs (zoom on isolated, limbless person, then enjoy your delicious sandwich!); and then, back to more luscious algae bloom shots while you take your last bites.
Enjoy your meal?

Ok, so a little back story on the Loving Hut. .. it was founded by Supreme Master Ching Hai, a spiritual leader and entrepreneur from Taiwan. .. look it up. I’ve heard some people say its a cult – I don’t really see what all that fuss is about. The important thing to know is, this is one solid vegan restaurant. It is a chain, in the sense that there is at least one in many major cities (two in San Francisco) – it is not a franchise. The Philadelphia Loving Hut’s menu is unique to only Philadelphia. That being said:
The food is great. Refreshing, and delicious. I recommend the chow mein – its very filling for the price – and be sure to try their apple pie for dessert: D
The menu could use something SPICY – but that’s just my personal preference. I’ll be going back there, I’m sure of it.

After a few intriguing glances at the menu, I finally had the opportunity to stop in at Loving Hut. As much as I dig the concept, the food was less than exceptional.
My companion and I started with the summer roll. It was, as expected, a typical summer roll except for the addition of veggie ham. The peanut sauce was a bit too sweet for my preferences, but otherwise fine.
I then proceeded to the sandwich, which was basically a banh mi. On this sandwich were the following items: iceberg lettuce, white onions, soy protein in peanut sauce, cilantro, grain mustard and a 1000 Island/​sweet mayo of some kind. The sweet mayo was described as «special sauce» on the menu, which was apt, because the sandwich tasted distractingly like some kind of vegan Big Mac. That’s not a hyperbolic description. Go get the sandwich and tell me that, except for the absent flavor & texture of dead gray grade F meat, it doesn’t taste exactly like a Big Mac, to the point where you’re confused about whether that was their intention or just some unforeseen consequence of their sandwich construction.
Service was incredibly friendly. The interior is minimalist.
I would not object to coming here again but I would also not insist upon it.