Happy Hour at White Dog Café University City: Patio Bites & Seasonal Sips

There are few better ways to ease into an evening than a relaxed happy hour with friends. White Dog Café in University City absolutely delivered! Tucked on a surprisingly quiet stretch of Sansom Street, this spot offered not only delicious bites and drinks, but also a serene sidewalk patio that felt like a mini escape.

We grabbed a table outside and couldn’t have picked a better setting. The weather was perfect, the block was calm, and it made our happy hour feel like a secret neighborhood gem.

I enjoyed two cocktails that evening which worked perfectly with the progression of the meal. The Pawjito was a refreshing, herbaceous rum drink with mint and lime, and the Dirty Dog Martini, made with Faber Vodka and spiced pickle brine, garnished with a green bean paired so well with the Oysters on the Half Shell and White Dog Burger. Both drinks were bold and balanced, and come on, their names adorable how could you not want to try them! Only the Dirty Dog Martini is on the happy hour menu.

One of the best parts about happy hour here is that you can try a little bit of everything and everything seemed reasonably priced. Their happy hour menu is seasonal, and we picked off of the spring menu.

The Oysters on the Half Shell were fresh and briny with a punchy mignonette and cocktail sauce. I preferred the mignonette sauce but I always do. These were so refreshing that we ended up ordering them twice! If you’re set on getting the oysters and only think you’ll have one cocktail, get the Dirty Dog Martini. The pickling brine really paired nicely with the oysters (the truffle fries too).

While the Sandy Ridge Deviled Eggs were good, I’m not sure I'd order them again. We ordered SO much food and there were other items that were more memorable. Like the Beet & Arugula Salad! That was light and flavorful, with creamy Shellbark Hollow goat cheese and the polenta croutons. I could eat this every day.

Another item I could eat every day are the Fried Pickles. I loved that they were thin spears, that remained super crispy even as we tried other dishes. And the garlic spicy mayo concoction was the perfect dipping sauce. Highly addictive. If anyone from White Dog Café is reading this, please give me the recipe (I promise I’ll keep it a secret)!

For our “mains” we had the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare and White Dog “Double Cheddar” Burger (with truffle fries). How many times can I say the food was good! I’d order both of these again. But be warned the burger is MESSY. I wouldn’t personally eat that on a first date.

Even though we were full, we couldn’t resist trying their Lemon Sour Cream Cake and Strawberries & Cream Torte on the recommendation of our server, Adrienne. The cake was bright and tangy, my personal favorite. While the torte was creamy and layered, just sweet enough to round everything out.

I have to take a moment to say a huge shout out to Adrienne. She was friendly and her recommendations all evening were on point. Whenever I don’t know what to order, I ask my server and hope for the best. She did not disappoint.

White Dog Café’s happy hour is a perfect mix of charm, quality, and value (and sitting outside makes it even better). Between the quiet street setting, the delicious drinks, and the shareable plates, it’s ideal for catching up with a friend or winding down solo. We'll definitely be back, probably to re-order the Beet & Arugula Salad and those Truffle Fries. What catches your eye first on their menu?