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The Refectory, Villanova, PA

The Refectory

4.6
4.6
981 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 p.m.
Booked 7 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Neighbourhood gem
The Refectory is a stunning New American restaurant located on Lancaster Avenue in Villanova. The menu features modern and upscale interpretations of American comfort classics such as homemade pastas, wood-fired flatbreads, a raw bar, craft cocktails and specialty homemade desserts. Our kitchen's philosophy is to keep it simple and straightforward, with a lot of thought and technique put behind each dish and ingredient.

The Refectory is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. We validate parking in the I-1 garage across the street. For parties of 9 or more guests, please contact the restaurant directly by calling (610) 519-5786 or by emailing info@refectorynova.com. Please call or email with any questions and we will return your message.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Cocktail Bar, Oyster Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (610) 519-5786
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Biff Gottehrer, Michael Murray
  • Private party facilities
    We offer several private and semi-private dining and event options. The private President's Dining Room accommodates up to 14 guests for a seated function, while semi-private areas of our dining room can be set up for guests ranging from 25-80. Inquire for restaurant buyouts. Contact our Event Director, Devin Simpson at devin@refectorynova.com
  • Neighbourhood
    Villanova
  • Cross Street
    Ithan Ave
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    PARKING GARAGE INFORMATION: Parking is only available across the street from The Refectory at the Villanova I-1 Parking Garage located on South Ithan Avenue. There are no timing restrictions for vehicles parked at the I-1 Parking Garage for guests dining at The Refectory. The rates are as follows: the 1st hour is free, two hours is $2, and up to four hours is $5. Currently, we do not validate parking. Upon entry, pull a ticket and park on any of the first 3 floors. A pay machine accepting cash and credit is located by the Main Pedestrian Entrance/Exit on Floor 2. The exit lanes only accept credit cards and do not accept cash. To get to the Refectory from the Parking Garage from Floor 2, use the pedestrian walkway across Ithan Avenue. The Refectory is located in The Commons, the stone mixed-use residential and commercial building on the corner of Ithan & Lancaster Avenue. Look for restaurant signage and call us at 610-519-5786 if you have any issues
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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What 981 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Western Suburbs

    Contemporary American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Refectory at Villanova offers "amazing food" and "exceptional service," making it a top choice for celebrations and casual dining alike. Guests praise the "beautiful decor" and "lively atmosphere," although it can get noisy during peak hours. With standout dishes like cheesesteak egg rolls and buffalo cauliflower, this campus gem is a must-visit.

1,149 Reviews
  1. Richard

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always excellent food and great service in a cozy, comfortable setting

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  2. Bonnie

    New York City

    13 reviews

    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Potato and Leek soup was excellent. A little noisy though. Hard to have a conversation
    The RefectoryResponded 5 days ago
    Thanks for the review, Bonnie! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our potato and leek soup. We appreciate your feedback about the noise level and will look into how we can make your next visit even more enjoyable. We look forward to serving you again soon!

    Is this helpful?

  3. bob

    VIP

    Atlantic City

    22 reviews

    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    we had a great time and a great meal. the place was full and it is a great place to eat before a Nova game
    The RefectoryResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great time and meal at The Refectory. We're delighted that you enjoyed the ambiance and food before a game. Your kind words mean a lot to us. We look forward to serving you again soon. Best regards, The Management Team

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  4. Debbie

    New York City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent atmosphere and food. We had an excellent time before a Villanova game.
    The RefectoryResponded 5 days ago
    Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had an excellent time before a Villanova game at The Refectory. It's great to know that you enjoyed our atmosphere and food. We strive to provide an exceptional dining experience for all our guests and your feedback is a testament to that. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best, The Management Team

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  5. Dorothy

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    So nice inside but waited 45 minutes for someone to help us - good long for a mid day lunch

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  6. Frank and Patti

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 16, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant was at about 1/2 capacity, not overly busy, but the staff was rushed to clear our table. I felt like we needed to get in and get out. The food was good, and the venue is lovely. It's a great place for parents to take their student attending the local college for a meal.
    The RefectoryResponded 6 days ago
    Thanks for visiting us at The Refectory. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed our food and found our venue to be lovely. We apologize if the pace of service seemed rushed. We're always working to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable dining experience for all our guests. Your feedback is valuable to us and we'll certainly use it to improve. We hope to welcome you and your student back for another meal soon!

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  7. Edwin

    Philadelphia

    14 reviews

    3.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    We’ve been to Happy Hours and they are always on point. A bit disappointed with a sit down dinner for six this time. Tables service was slow and seemingly untrained. They took app plates and flatware before we were finished (food was on the plates). Brought entrees we had no flatware. We literally had our flatware replaced five times with just a bread basket, entrees, and dessert (note to servers: always bring extra dessert spoons for those who didn’t order dessert to share or sample others). Food was just okay. Short rib while tender, lacked any depth of flavor, chicken parm was just okay. REALLY miss the hash brown app, so we opted for the garlic potato dish which didn’t come close. Cocktails and Mocktails were good. The ambience is nice and holidays festive.
    The RefectoryResponded on December 14, 2024
    Hello Edwin, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at The Refectory. We're sorry to hear that your dinner experience didn't meet your expectations. We appreciate your feedback regarding the service and food. We're always looking to improve and your input helps us do just that. We're also sorry to hear that the food didn't meet your expectations, we strive to provide a great dining experience. We hope you'll give us another chance to impress you in the future. Best wishes, The Management Team

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  8. bernadette

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were seated as requested at a quiet Our server Kevin was excellent., giving us sufficient time to catch up on our news and enjoy starters, entrees and dessert⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    The RefectoryResponded 6 days ago
    Hey, thanks for the fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your time at The Refectory, from the service to the food. We're especially glad to know that you found the environment quiet and comfortable. It's always our goal to provide an enjoyable dining experience for our guests. We appreciate your support and look forward to your next visit. Cheers! - The Management Team

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  9. Jeff

    Philadelphia

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Tasty food that was well prepared. Service was also great.
    The RefectoryResponded on December 14, 2024
    We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed our tasty food and found it well prepared. It's great to know that our service met your expectations as well. We're always working to provide the best experience for our guests at The Refectory. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to serving you again soon.

    Is this helpful?

  10. YumDeeDum

    Philadelphia

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 11, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service was good. Would have given five stars except the service was very slow. Our friendly server didn’t have time for us.
    The RefectoryResponded on December 12, 2024
    Thanks for the review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the food and service at The Refectory. We apologize for the slow service you experienced during your visit. We strive to provide efficient service and your feedback helps us improve. We're glad that you'd give us another chance to provide a better experience. We look forward to serving you again soon!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Refectory is rated 4.6 stars by 981 OpenTable diners.

The Refectory does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 p.m.
Booked 7 times today
Google Map for The Refectory

862 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Ithan Ave
  • Neighbourhood
    Villanova
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Cocktail Bar, Oyster Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    PARKING GARAGE INFORMATION: Parking is only available across the street from The Refectory at the Villanova I-1 Parking Garage located on South Ithan Avenue. There are no timing restrictions for vehicles parked at the I-1 Parking Garage for guests dining at The Refectory. The rates are as follows: the 1st hour is free, two hours is $2, and up to four hours is $5. Currently, we do not validate parking. Upon entry, pull a ticket and park on any of the first 3 floors. A pay machine accepting cash and credit is located by the Main Pedestrian Entrance/Exit on Floor 2. The exit lanes only accept credit cards and do not accept cash. To get to the Refectory from the Parking Garage from Floor 2, use the pedestrian walkway across Ithan Avenue. The Refectory is located in The Commons, the stone mixed-use residential and commercial building on the corner of Ithan & Lancaster Avenue. Look for restaurant signage and call us at 610-519-5786 if you have any issues
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Biff Gottehrer, Michael Murray
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (610) 519-5786
  • Private party facilities
    We offer several private and semi-private dining and event options. The private President's Dining Room accommodates up to 14 guests for a seated function, while semi-private areas of our dining room can be set up for guests ranging from 25-80. Inquire for restaurant buyouts. Contact our Event Director, Devin Simpson at devin@refectorynova.com
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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