Living in Haverford: A Neighborhood Guide
The Main Line enclave is close to everything, but far enough away to be tranquil.
Haverford College / Photograph by Andre Jenny/Alamy Stock Photo
If Ardmore is the Main Line’s buzzy downtown, Haverford is its peaceful bedroom suburb. The easternmost of a string of four college towns (Rosemont, Bryn Mawr, and Villanova being the other three), Haverford itself has only a quaint shopping center near its Regional Rail station and the college — with its lovely arboretum and walking trails — as visitor attractions.
But that suits residents just fine. They appreciate that their community is serene yet so close to all the best the Main Line has to offer. Leigh Anne and Frank Ambrose, both realtors with Compass, moved to the area nine years ago because of its convenient location. “Many destinations are 10 minutes away, so shopping and dining are a quick drive,” says Leigh Anne.
White Dog Cafe / Photograph by Dan Heinkel
Haverford does have a few great places to eat within its borders, though. You can start your day and also have lunch at Green Engine Coffee Co., and the White Dog Cafe has an outpost in Haverford Square, the aforementioned shopping center. That shopping center has several distinguished tenants, including Stupp Luxury Fashion, PHD Jewelers, and the Merritt Gallery, featuring works by contemporary artists.
Merritt Gallery
Like many Main Line communities, Haverford has a swanky side and a not-so-swanky side. But the difference between the two isn’t all that great, according to longtime resident and retired management consultant Harry Landsburg: “Lancaster Avenue is the informal dividing line between the north side and the south side, and there’s a little more panache for living on the north side. But trust me, if you come out this way, the homes you see on the south side are pretty impressive.”
One hundred of those homes are in Haverford Reserve, a 209-acre mixed-use development built (beginning in 2009) on the site of the former Haverford State Hospital psychiatric facility. The project also gave the township nearly 200 condos, new athletic fields, a community recreation center, and 120 acres of parkland with hiking trails.
Published as “Living in Haverford” in the February 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
