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Author: Beatrice Forman

  • Enough with the holiday bars

    Enough with the holiday bars

    ‘Tis the season of spiked hot cocoa in novelty glassware and donning Christmas sweaters before waiting in line to take Instagram photos.

    The holiday bars are back, baby. And this year, they’re making me feel like the Grinch.

    Holiday bars typically run from the weekend after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, and Philly has no shortage of them. This season brings pop-ups that serve cocktails inside snowmen-shaped mug, a mini-golf course with a greased North Pole, and a slew of Santa impersonators looking to make some extra cash.

    And cash they will make: Holiday pop-ups can give bars and restaurants an extra leg up during what already is the busiest time of year, with the most successful — such as New York City’s Miracle on 9th Street — spawning lucrative franchise opportunities. Sometimes, however, they yield more coal than Christmas magic, like when drunk St. Nick impersonators spill into the street at the end of the annual SantaCon bar crawl.

    Philly is in festive mode: The holiday bars are here.

    Holiday bars have always struck me as late-stage capitalism holly jolly-ified, because they commodify something as simple (and cheap!) as the joy of drinking with your friends in December.

    Despite this, I have a soft spot for them. I love taking in the slightly tacky displays and sipping on a sugary cocktail from a novelty glass that I’ll pay extra to take home. There’s also something magical about the tipsy train ride home that comes after, where my friends and I crack enough jokes to turn an overrated experience into one we end up doing annually.

    Christmas lights hang from the bar inside the Emo Christmas pop-up inside foundation at 699 N. Broad Street.

    This season feels different to me . One bar has ruined it for the rest by stripping away the whimsy and up-charging for something more nefarious: A holiday bar distilled down to its barest elements — gimmicky cocktails and Hobby Lobby discount-bin decor held together by a barely-there theme. There’s no sentiment behind the displays of miniature nutcrackers and colorfully wrapped (empty) gift boxes, just profit motive.

    The batch’s most egregious offender is the Emo Christmas bar pop-up that runs through Dec. 28 at Foundation., an event space beneath the Divine Lorraine on North Broad Street. It’s hosted by Bucket Listers, an New York City-based company that puts on limited-run events in cities across the U.S., from a Christmas Bar co-signed by Mariah Carey in Los Angeles to a murder-mystery dinner series in Miami.

    In Philly, Bucket Listers’ track record is mixed: When I attended their cereal-themed pop-up bar in March, plastic bowls of resin Fruit Loops fell from the photo wall. But I had also won putt-putt at this year’s Christmas collaboration with Libertee Grounds (the second of Bucket Listers’ three holiday pop-ups), where the mini-golf course was decked out in Philly-centric holiday decor, like a sleigh covered in Philadelphia Parking Authority tickets.

    The Taking Back Christmas welcome cocktail (left) and the I’m Not Okay cocktail (right) sit in front of an Emo Santa Claus at the Bucket Listers’ Christmas pop-up at Foundation.

    So when I learned before Thanksgiving that Bucket Listers was hosting an Emo Christmas pop-up, I was undeterred by any red flags. I love Christmas, and I spent high school on the outskirts of a clique of emo teens, cool enough to partake in My Chemical Romance listening sessions but not cool enough to vape with. If I was going to love a holiday bar, it should’ve been this one.

    A poser bar that preys on nostalgia

    I paid $57.20, after fees, for two Friday night tickets to Emo Christmas. The cost included one welcome cocktail per ticket, but, as I would later learn, any drinks or food beyond that would be pay-as-you-go.

    The only thing that’s punk rock about Bucket Listers’ Emo Christmas bar is that it doesn’t care about first impressions.

    The decorations feel half-baked, amounting to fake Christmas trees and a trio of full-sized nutcrackers that had black Sharpie smeared under their eyes to mimic eyeliner. Across from them stood a mannequin dressed as Santa, with swide-swept fringe bangs so you know he’s emo. Like everything else in the bar, he smelled lightly of kitchen grease.

    I was shut out of the city’s holiday bars. Here’s how to get a seat.

    Each Bucket Listers pop-up is clearly designed as Instagram bait, as evidenced by the influencers that post about each one. Yet the space is too dim to take any photos. The only lights in the room emanated from the Christmas trees or red-tinted neon signs with phrases that no one has ever uttered seriously, such as “happy holidays, you bastard.”

    Christmas stockings hanging on the wall at the Bucket Lister’s Emo Christmas bar Philly pop-up. One honoring Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker has his name misspelled.

    It’s clear the space was decorated by posers. The back wall is covered in Christmas stockings labeled in chicken-scratch with the names of so-called pop-punk greats: Brendon Urie, Pete Wentz, and my personal favorite, Tavis B., a misspelled bastardization of Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker.

    I cringed, and cringed again while skimming the food and drink menus, which read as a list of poorly constructed puns. There’s the Panic! at the Pizza Bites (deep-fried pockets of sausage and cheese) and the Blink Wing82, which come in sets of six with either Buffalo sauce or dry rub. The most unfunny is the Still Into-fu, a tofu hoagie on a long roll named after “Still into You,” a pop love song from Paramore.

    My friend had already sent of photo of the menu to be flamed by her groupchat. “The obvious choice is Panic! At the Disco Fries,” she read from her phone. “BlinkWing182? All the Small Wings is right there.”

    An unexpected silver lining was our bartender. A true elder emo, he led with apathy, dodging questions about what’s good on the menu and the decorations with a shrug and a simple answer: “I don’t know. I just work here.”

    Buffalo cauliflower, pizza bites, and a slider from the Bucket Lister’s Emo Christmas Bar pop-up in Philly. Tickets start at $16.00 and do not include food or drink beyond a welcome cocktail.

    The bartender’s eyes roll while squeezing black food coloring into the aptly named I’m Not Okay, a vodka-club soda cocktail zhuzhed up with a whisper of blackberry. By the time he got to my Mezcal Confessional, he was was over it, leaving out the orange bitters to serve me a clear glass of mezcal spiked with brown sugar.

    Not that it mattered. Both drinks tasted like rubbing alcohol despite being made with completely different spirits. That’s a first — a Christmas bar where the drinks aren’t sweet enough. We toasted to the bartender’s commitment to the bit while an overdramatic ennui overtook me.

    I felt like I was taken for a ride, and not one on Santa’s sleigh.

    Christmas trees decorate the dimly lit seating area inside the Bucket Listers’ Emo Christmas Bar pop-up at Foundation.

    Emo Christmas preys on nostalgia. All holiday bars are designed to do this. Maybe the decor reminds you of a favorite window display from childhood or a scene from your guilty-pleasure Christmas movie. Or perhaps the peppermint espresso martini recalls the Schnapps you downed on your first pre-Thanksgiving Blackout Wednesday. The anticipation of it could even feel like waiting for a turn with mall Santa.

    I usually don’t mind paying extra for an experience like this. When done right, these bars conjure feelings that are more difficult to come by in adulthood: whimsy, silliness, glee.

    I came to Emo Christmas in search of all of those things. I left with none, only a check for $82.00 and a shriveled-up Grinch-sized heart.

  • South Philly’s latest coffee shop has luxury Vietnamese coffee and a year-round roof deck

    South Philly’s latest coffee shop has luxury Vietnamese coffee and a year-round roof deck

    The largest U.S. outpost of the popular Vietnamese coffee brand Trung Nguyên Legend is open in South Philly.

    Packer Park residents Estelle Nguyen and husband Vandy Doopened their Trung Nguyên Legend franchise at 113-117 Washington Ave. late last month. The couple transformed a one-story cabinetry showroom into a 5,000-square-foot cafe with two floors and a year-round roof deck, where customers can sip on citrusy espresso tonics, frothy Vietnamese egg coffees, or strong phin pour-overs, paired with a small array of European pastries (macarons, eclairs, mille-feuille) delivered daily from an off-site bakery.

    Founded in 1996, Trung Nguyên is one of Vietnam’s largest coffee brands, known for turning robusta beans from the country’s Central Highlands region into a well-regarded line of ground and instant coffees sold internationally.

    Hot Vietnamese Egg Coffee served over a pool of warm water at Trung Nguyên Legend’s Philly location at 113-117 Washington Ave.

    Not every Trung Nguyên coffee shop is as massive —or luxurious — as the new Washington Avenue outpost. The chain operates 1,000 locations across Vietnam, China, and Europe, the majority of which are grab-and-go stores. Legend stores, however, are the brand’s version of a Starbucks Reserve, with more seating and higher-end touches like interactive coffee services.

    Most of Trung Nguyên’s U.S locations are Legends. The first franchise opened in Southern California in 2023, with six outposts across Portland and Texas following soon after. Nguyen and Do’s location is the only one on the East Coast, a fact Nguyen brags about.

    “I wanted to do something gorgeous,” said Nguyên, 52.

    Under her careful supervision, baristas at the first-floor counter crouch down to ensure that the amount of cold foam is level across matcha, sesame, and tiramisu lattes. Nguyen folds napkins printed with the Trung Nguyên logo into perfect equilateral triangles. As she greets customers, Nguyen promises tours of the rooftop lounge to people she hopes will become regulars.

    The coconut matcha at Trung Nguyên Legend on Washington Avenue in South Philly.

    Nguyen and Do, both Vietnamese, moved to Philadelphia in 2005 to become big-time entrepreneurs: Together, they own a South Philly daycare, a wedding planning business, and Asian Palace, a Chinese restaurant at 2001 Oregon Ave. that doubles as a banquet hall.

    The Trung Nguyên franchise, Do said, is the couple’s first venture that pulls directly from their culture. Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee exporter, known for strong coffees brewed through phins, slow-drip coffee filters that help retain the heat and intensity of coffee grounds. The country’s coffee shop scene is also somewhat different; shops generally stay open past 10 p.m and gladly let customers linger.

    Trung Nguyên instant coffees, phin filters, and other merchandise available for purchase at the Vietnamese coffee chain’s South Philly Legend store.

    “We’ve lived in Philly for over 20 years,” said Nguyên. “We didn’t see any spot like this where you could hang out with coffee and dessert.”

    The final result is a Trung Nguyên unlike any other in the U.S. The couple paid a sum “in the low six-figures” to sign a franchise agreement in February 2024, Nguyên said, and invested “significantly more” to add a second-floor dining space to the former showroom.

    The size was Nguyen’s idea, like most everything else in this Trung Nguyên. (Do, her husband, mostly nods in agreement while snapping photos of his wife at work.)

    “This is all me, honey,” Nguyen said. “I wanted a pop.”

    Vandy Do and Estelle Nguyen posed for a portrait at Trung Nguyên Legend Coffee World Philly on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    The space is decorated in tones of black, beige, and brown — Trung Nguyên’s signature colors — with grand couches and plush fabric chairs that Nguyen said she lobbied the company to include, breaking with their standard look.

    A 17-foot tree covered in fake fuschia flowers looms over the main staircase. It was another of Nguyen’s visions: After spotting a barren tree on the side of a South Philly road, Nguyen had Do cut it down, the branches hanging out of his trunk on the drive home. She spent roughly a week gluing strands of flowers onto the salvaged tree. Its stump sits on the cafe’s patio, surrounded by a plant wall and a water fountain.

    That, Nguyen said graciously, was her husband’s idea.

    The roof deck at Trung Nguyên Legend Coffee World Philly on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    Different coffees for different floors

    South Philly’s sprawling Trung Nguyên also offers a choose-your-own adventure element: Depending on which floor one visits, customers have the option to order coffee brewing experiments reminiscent of a high school chemistry class.

    “It’s like playing” with your coffee, Nguyen said.

    All of the store’s coffee beverages are made with Trung Nguyên-brand arabica and robusta beans — the latter of which is stronger with double the caffeine content. Baristas use both phins and a traditional espresso machine, depending on the order.

    Though there’s plenty of seating throughout, downstairs is mainly intended for to-go coffees. Customers can watch baristas prepare drinks with military precision. Nguyên said the most common orders thus far have been yuzu coffee — an espresso tonic spiked with fresh-pressed yuzu juice — and a “matcha cloud” with matcha-oat milk cold foam floated atop iced coconut water.

    Co-owner Estelle Nguyen pours condensed milk as part of the Ottoman Iced Milk Coffee service at Trung Nguyên Legend.

    Open from 3 to 9 p.m. daily (hours are subject to change as Nguyen hires more staff), the upstairs is the only level where customers can order Trung Nguyên’s signature Zen, Ottoman, and Legend coffee services, all of which include a 20% gratuity.

    Each service comes with percolating coffee that’s been arranged on a tray with the appropriate phins or kettles for the customer to finish the process, along with finishing accoutrements like milk and sugar, and an amaretti cookie — Nguyen’s personal touch. QR codes display instructions on how to create the perfect pour.

    Nguyen’s favorite service is the Legend. To get the perfect sip, customers must wait for grounds to finish passing through a phin before adding a thimble-sized serving of condensed milk to the brew and pouring the mixture over a glass of ice. Another option is the elaborate Ottoman service, a five-step process that involves transferring the coffee from a jug to a traditional Turkish ibrik to a petite teacup. The end result of this coffee theater tastes like a smoother, slightly bitter version of cafe con leche.

    The second-floor interior of Trung Nguyên Legend Coffee, where a 20% auto-gratuity is applied.

    Also available on both floors: creamy Vietnamese egg coffee, which became Vietnam’s signature drink in the 1940s after bartenders in Hanoi started subbing milk for whipped eggs to cope with a dairy shortage. Trung Nguyên’s version comes blended with ginger to neutralize the smell of the egg; it goes down easy, in layers of frothy foam and slightly sweet coffee. Do recommends trying it upstairs, where the drink is served hot over a bowl of warm water in order to retain its temperature.

    The concoction will run dine-in customers $8.34 for an 8-ounce cup. If they want to recreate the experience at home, they can purchase Trung Nguyên-branded products.

    “A lot of people told me I was crazy to sell $10 coffees and invest so much,” said Nguyen. “This is my big challenge.”

    Trung Nguyên Legend, 113-117 Washington Ave., 215-755-1953, trungnguyenlegendphilly.com. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily

    (left to right) The Yuzu Coffee, Vietnamese Egg Coffee and Tiramisu Latte at Trung Nguyên Legend in Philadelphia.
  • Tell us your favorite dive bars in Philly

    Tell us your favorite dive bars in Philly

    There’s magic at work in Philly’s dive bars. Some are great for the memories made in their low-lit, low-key backdrops. Some have a hard, regulars-only shell that melts away the moment you plant your butt on the barstool. Others feel frozen in time — portals to an era where beers were cheap, smoking inside was allowed, and strangers could become friends over a drink or three.

    But for several years now, Philly’s dives have felt in jeopardy, with the cost of a drink rising along with real estate prices. At least one strand of dive — the smoking bar — is decidedly on the way out, evidenced most recently McGlinchey’s closure, but also stalwarts like Grumpy’s Tavern and Buckets going non-smoking earlier this year.

    It’s made us think, Why wait to celebrate something until it’s gone?

    So The Inquirer is asking readers: What are Philly’s best dive bars, and what makes them special?

    Fill out the form below to tip us off to your favorite Philly dive. If your bar makes the list, an Inquirer reporter may follow up.

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  • Stephen Starr to face union-busting charges brought by the National Labor Relations Board

    Stephen Starr to face union-busting charges brought by the National Labor Relations Board

    The National Labor Relations Board is pursuing charges against Philadelphia-based restaurateur Stephen Starr and his company, Starr Restaurants, over union-busting allegations at his D.C. steakhouse St. Anselm, according to documents reviewed by The Inquirer.

    Filed on Nov. 20, the charges are the latest development in a nearly yearlong standoff between Starr Restaurants and Unite Here Local 25, a D.C. union that represents more than 7,500 hospitality workers.

    The NLRB’s case revolves around anti-union activity that Local 25 alleges occurred in February at St. Anselm, one of three D.C.-based Starr restaurants that sought a union at the start of 2025 and the only one where workers voted to unionize.

    The complaint consolidates a set of unfair labor practice (ULP) allegations Local 25 initially filed to the NLRB on behalf of St. Anselm workers, who said that Stephen Starr and a St. Anselm supervisor directly coerced employees with false information, made promises of improved benefits if they voted against unionizing, and threatened loss of revenue if they voted for it.

    In one instance, the complaint alleges, Starr “interrogated” a St. Anselm staffer about their union involvement during a one-on-one conversation.

    A delegation of workers pose in front Stephen Starr’s D.C. steakhouse St. Anselm before delivering their union petition in Feb. 2025.

    The ULP filings were submitted to the NLRB in June. After investigating, the board’s general counsel found merit in the accusations that Starr Restaurants, Starr, and the supervisor violated the National Labor Relations Act. It is now set to bring the charges before an administrative judge on Feb. 24, 2026.

    “We are aware of the complaint and strongly disagree with the allegations made therein,” a Starr Restaurants spokesperson for St. Anselm said in a statement. “We look forward to vigorously defending this case through the litigation process.”

    The spokesperson declined to address whether Starr spoke directly with St. Anselm employees about union efforts, citing pending litigation.

    Why top Democrats are boycotting Stephen Starr’s D.C. restaurants

    “It speaks volumes about what happened at this restaurant that, given the challenges that the NLRB is facing, that [general counsel] have chosen to act on this issue,” said Benjy Cannon, Local 25’s communication director, referring to the staffing shortages the agency has faced.

    A spokesperson for the NLRB declined to comment.

    A contentious dynamic from the start

    In January, workers at three of Starr’s seven D.C restaurants announced plans to unionize with Local 25: French bistro Pastis, Parc-inspired brasserie Le Diplomate, and St. Anselm, an outpost of the upscale Brooklyn steakhouse. The Starr workers, along with employees at two high-profile restaurants affiliated with Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, would’ve ultimately added 500 members to Local 25, if the drives proved successful.

    Nearly a year later, both union campaigns remain caught up in litigation.

    A picket line outside of Stephen Starr’s D.C. restaurant Le Diplomate is led by Unite Here Local 25 after Starr Restaurants challenged a unionization vote at St. Anselm.

    Relations between Starr Restaurants and organizers there turned acrimonious almost immediately. The Washingtonian magazine reported that Starr Restaurants hired anti-union consultants from the American Labor Group to meet with St. Anselm staff. Other employees there told online publication Eater that Local 25 organizers had ambushed them at their homes and pressured them to sign cards that indicate they want to vote for union representation.

    Only workers at St. Anselm voted to unionize in February. Local 25 lost the union election at Pastis by a margin of 20 votes, and Le Diplomate’s election has been suspended indefinitely as of March.

    Stephen Starr’s D.C. restaurant workers bring their pro-union protest to Philly

    Starr Restaurants has yet to recognize the St. Anselm union and filed an objection to the results with the NLRB in February, alleging that Local 25 organizers unfairly influenced the outcome through a campaign of bullying and intimidation. The case remains open.

    What workers say

    Working conditions at St. Anselm have been a mixed bag, according to Ana Reyes, who has been a line cook at the steakhouse since 2022. The fast-paced workplace allowed her to make enough money to help put her youngest daughter through her freshman year of college, Reyes said in Spanish through an interpreter. But, she said, management often ridiculed employees who didn’t speak English, telling them to learn the language if they wanted to get questions answered about pay or scheduling.

    Greg Varney (left) and Ana Reyes, both with Unite Here Local 25, outside Starr headquarters at 134 Market St. as they work to unionize.

    Reyes, 43, told The Inquirer that she wanted to join Local 25 for respect: “Whether we speak English or not, we deserve to be respected because we’re doing the work they don’t want to do.”

    About two weeks into the union drive in February, Reyes recalled, Starr personally asked to meet with all morning-shift staffers. During the meeting, she said, Starr was “surprised to learn that we didn’t get raises each year … and promised to look into it.”

    “He made a lot of promises about sick pay, about vacation pay,” Reyes said. She added that nothing has changed to date.

    One host at St. Anselm spoke to The Inquirer on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. About four months into working there, she said, Starr asked to chat with her alone, pulling her aside in a near-empty restaurant to ask questions about any problems she had and her involvement in the union.

    Craig LaBan: Stephen Starr’s Borromini should be a showstopper. Instead, it’s a shrug.

    “I certainly felt cornered and uncomfortable,” she said. Starr “ultimately told me that supporting the union was [quote-unquote] delusional, and that if I voted no, it would be in my own best interest.” The host departed St. Anselm a month later for a full-time customer service job.

    Dennis Asaka, a St. Anselm bartender, doesn’t recall Starr making any promises about improved wages or benefits when he sat in on a voluntary informational meeting led by the restaurateur.

    In late 2024, however, Asaka recalled a new server at St. Anselm, asking to join him for Bible study at his Baptist church in Arlington. After attending a second meeting, Asaka said, the server invited him to her house to discuss their faith. There, Asaka said he was instead met by several coworkers who pressured him into signing a union card. Asaka declined.

    “I felt like I was kind of blindsided and just kind of used a little bit,” Asaka said.

    Cannon denies the union ever engaged in such conduct: “We don’t believe that there were any labor laws broken.”

    Stephen Starr (right) talks with Erik Battes, Starr Restaurants’ executive vice president of food and beverage, during at a menu-tasting for the Italian restaurant Borromini, in Philadelphia, July 1, 2025.

    What happens next?

    Unfair labor practice charges are common, said Rutgers University labor and employment law professor James M. Cooney, and cover a variety of tactics that employers or unions can use to interfere with union elections, from retaliation and coercion to promising incentives. Once a ULP is filed, a regional NLRB will launch an investigation. If the board believes there’s merit, they will issue a complaint.

    After the hearing, both parties can appeal the administrative law judge’s decision with the NLRB at the federal level, which can decide to uphold and or reject the decision. There’s no punitive damages on the table in most ULP complaints, Cooney said, only an admittance of wrongdoing.

    The five-member federal NLRB has been in a bureaucratic standstill since January, when President Donald Trump fired board member Gwynne Wilcox. The move left the independent agency without a quorum, forcing the NLRB to leave hundreds of cases in limbo.

    Regional NLRB offices were also unable to work on cases while employees were furloughed during the most recent government shutdown. The agency can also expect to lose 10% of its staff in 2026 as it faces a 4.7% budget cut.

    So, why then did the NLRB decide to wade into union drama at one D.C steakhouse?

    Because the charges are “old school, really in-your-face-type labor violations,” said Cooney.

    “These violations appear to be really egregious that the board just couldn’t overlook them. It’s true that the board isn’t moving on a lot cases, but this one may be easier for them to prove,” Cooney said. “Everybody knows you can’t threaten workers for supporting a union, and you can’t make promises. This is labor law 101.”

    Former President Joe Biden waves to the crowd gathered outside Stephen Starr’s Rittenhouse Square restaurant Parc, where he dined for lunch with his family in April 2023.

    Starr is a registered Democrat who has donated thousands of dollars to campaigns for politicians including Tom Wolfe, Barack Obama, Sen. John Fetterman, and Hillary Clinton, according to OpenSecrets.org. His restaurants are common stomping grounds for D.C’s political elite, including former President Joe Biden.

    In June, Local 25 called for a boycott of Starr’s three buzziest D.C. restaurants (all currently uninvolved in union efforts). To date, 88 members of Congress signed on, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, and Sen. Chuck Schumer.

    Cooney does not think the NLRB’s complaint has partisan motivations. “The board has been historically apolitical” at the regional level, he said.

    How Stephen Starr built Borromini, his biggest Philly restaurant yet

    Regardless, the stakes of the proceedings are high for all parties, including employees.

    If St. Anselm is forced to recognize the union, Asaka said he’d quit. “I have [health] insurance that includes dental and medical. I have a 401(k) plan. I have commuter reimbursement … I have paid vacation. Those are things that don’t really happen in restaurants,” he said. “I have everything I need.”

  • Philly is in festive mode: The holiday bars are here.

    Philly is in festive mode: The holiday bars are here.

    With the winter holiday season seeming to start before Thanksgiving turkey has even been served, it’s easy to feel like the Grinch. But if there’s one thing that can cure those early holiday blues, it’s over-the-top decorations and a novelty cocktail.

    Luckily, these Philadelphia-area bars have already begun to their deck their halls (or booths) with garlands, nutcrackers, and more string lights than we can count.

    One tip: Regardless of which holiday bars you chose, plan ahead and snag a reservation. The only thing worse than a stocking full of coal is waiting in the cold for a seat at the bar.

    I was shut out of the city’s holiday bars. Here’s how to get a seat.

    Tinsel — the annual pop-up holiday bar that takes over 114 S. 12th St. — returns for 2025.

    Diamond and Pearls at Suburban Station by the Wine Garden

    Wine Garden co-founders Nazaret Teclesambet and Favian Sutton are taking over three rooms inside Suburban Station through Dec. 31 for a luxe limited-edition holiday bar, not unlike last year’s at the Divine Lorraine. This go-round, the theme is diamond and pearls: Think gold-mirrored walls, grand Christmas trees, and enough bows and pearls for a tea party. Guests can sip on spiked hot chocolates rimmed with crushed candy canes, bourbon and apple cider holiday punches, and marshmallow-topped espresso martinis, among other cocktails. General admission is $14.64 per person for a 90-minute reservation. A $42.39 VIP ticket includes a welcome glass of sparkling rosé and a mini vintage cake. All other food and drinks are pay-as-you-go.

    1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 215-625-0988, instagram.com/winegardenwest

    Ever Eve in the Back Bar by High Street

    Unfortunately, Santa cannot call in favors to get you a table at High Street, one of Philly’s first-ever Michelin-recommended restaurants. The big guy, however, does recommend you spend $5 per person to snag a reservation at High Street’s holiday pop-up inside the Franklin Residence’s grand lobby. Ever Eve in the Back Bar runs Saturdays only through Dec. 27, and features a cocktail partnership with specialty spirits purveyor BOTLD alongside a menu of upscale bar snacks like crispy oysters, brown butter shoestring fries, and deviled eggs topped with trout roe.

    834 Chestnut St., 215-625-0988, highstreetonmarket.com

    Cocktails from a partnership with BOTLD will be served at Ever Eve in the Back Bar, a holiday pop-up from High Street taking over the lobby bar inside the Franklin Residences on Saturdays through Dec. 27.

    Harper’s Garden

    Dining at this indoor-outdoor restaurant near Rittenhouse Square is far more low-key than most of the city’s holiday bars — mostly because it’s not marketed as a holiday bar at all. Instead, diners can spend two hours inside one of Harper Garden’s private heated outdoor cabins, which can seat four to six people. Something about eating warm bowls of pasta under woodsy garlands screams cozy.

    31 S. 18th St., 267-886-8552, harpersgardenphilly.com

    Harry’s Jingle Bar

    There’s something about snow on the beach, at least according to that one Taylor Swift song. For a dose of holiday spirit down the shore, shoobies can check out the Jingle Bar inside Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille. The beloved holiday pop-up bar inside the Montreal Beach Resort will run through Dec. 31 this year, with some new additions, like outdoor fire pits overlooking the ocean and a $90 Christmas tree cocktail tower that comes with six libations of your choosing.

    1025 Beach Ave., Cape May, N.J., 609-884-2779, harryscapemay.com

    The Blue Christmas from Harry’s Jingle Bar in Cape May, N.J. is a sweet coconut cream martini garnished with a candy cane.

    Holly Jolly Bar at Juno

    Juno’s Holly Jolly Bar is a collaboration with events company Bucket Listers that converts an outdoor summertime hot spot into a winter wonderland — with a roof. From Nov. 26 to Dec. 28, Juno’s patio will be draped in rows upon rows of string lights and ornaments designed as Instagram bait. Don’t expect any Mexican inspiration on the menu beyond a winter marg and some sangria. Tacos and ceviches have been swapped for giant french fries, chicken tenders, and a charcuterie-inspired snack board. Tickets cost $22.50 for a 90-minute seating and a welcome drink. All other food and beverage is pay-as-you-go.

    1033 Spring Garden St., 267-639-2892, junophilly.com/holly-jolly

    Holiday Rewind at The Prime Rib

    Is nostalgia on your Christmas list this year? The Library Bar inside The Prime Rib at South Philly’s Live! Casino and Hotel has transformed into a swanky-yet-quirky holiday pop-up with drinks inspired by classic holiday movies ranging from Elf to Die Hard. Guests can sip on an Ovaltine espresso martini and spiked sea salt caramel eggnog, among other cocktails, while cozying up by the fireplace through Jan. 10.

    900 Packer Ave., 267-682-7500, philadelphia.livecasinohotel.com

    Prime Rib inside the Live! Casino & Hotel at 900 Packer Ave. has been transformed into a cozy living room for Holiday Rewind, a pop-up inspired by nostalgic Christmas movies.

    Jingle Jawn at Libertee Grounds

    Philly’s first minigolf bar has also partnered with Bucket Listers to overload their course with a hefty dose of Philly-ified holiday spirit. From now through Jan. 31, guests can play nine or 18 holes of holiday-themed putt-putt with decor like a greased North Pole, snow globes, and a golf cart covered in Philadelphia Parking Authority tickets (of course). Libertee Ground’s seasonal menu features a standout tomato soup and grilled cheese duo alongside several holiday cocktails, including a cranberry and cinnamon mule and an orange-plum punch made with Stateside Vodka. Those looking to tee off can expect to pay $20 for nine holes of minigolf, plus a cocktail in a souvenir cup.

    1600 W. Girard Ave., 267-324-3487, liberteegrounds.com

    McGillin’s Olde Ale House

    It’s a gift from Santa himself: A walk-ins only holiday bar. Every holiday season, McGillin’s covers itself in floor-to-ceiling Christmas decorations. (That’s roughly 1,200 feet of lights and 1,000 feet of garlands for number-crunchers.) Holiday barflies can expect a lineup of festive drinks that include an eggnog martini and a spiced rum hot apple cider. Just around the corner from the bar at Sansom and Juniper Streets is holiday pop-up shop that sells McGillin’s merch (stocking stuffers, anyone?). The shop is open noon to 6 p.m. daily.

    1310 Drury St., 215-735-5562, mcgillins.com

    All 18 holes of mini golf at Libertee Grounds have been updated with string lights, ornaments and other holiday decor for a collaboration with Bucket Listers that runs through Jan. 31, 2026.

    Miracle on 8th Street at Craftsman Row Saloon

    It takes roughly 60,000 ornaments and 20,000 lights to transform Craftsman Row Saloon into the Miracle on 8th Street, its annual holiday pop-up bar best known for over-the-top milkshakes. This year’s shake lineup includes the seasonally confused Pumpkin to Talk About — blended pumpkin ice cream topped with a whole slice of pumpkin pie — and Santa’s cookies, a chocolate chip cookie dough variety rimmed with chipwiches. Reservations are recommended for Miracle on 8th Street, which runs through mid-January.

    112 S. Eighth St., 215-923-0123, craftsmanrowsaloon.com

    North Pole on South Street at Bridget Foy’s

    For the first time since its 1978 opening, Bridget Foy’s will transform into the aptly titled North Pole on South Street, a Christmas bar that will run from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4. The devil (or Santa) is in the details: The bar’s new Instagram account shows footage of craftsmen freezing tiny nutcrackers into custom ice cubes for a lineup of cocktails that includes a peppermint tea-infused negroni and honey-chili margarita floated with aperol. Reservations also include access to several holiday-themed photo backdrops.

    200 South St., 215-922-1813, bridgetfoys.com

    A line-up of holiday cocktails wrapped in scarves and topped with ornaments from Craftsman Row Saloon at 112 S. 8th St.

    The Lodge at Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest

    Take in views of the ice skating rink and the Delaware River from the lodge inside the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, a festival of all things festive that runs from Nov. 28 to March 1. Guests can choose to warm up inside the pop-up ski lodge or sip spiked hot chocolates and ciders around private fire pits or cabins available for rent.

    101 S. Columbus Blvd., 215-925-7465, delawareriverwaterfront.com

    Tinsel

    Annual pop-up bar Tinsel runs from Nov. 28 through January with the same over-the-top shtick in new dressing. Sip on cocktails in novelty cups (that you can take home!) under a blinking neon Santa tracker, oversized ornaments, and illustrations of pop culture’s wackiest holiday characters. This year’s naughty beverages include punch served in an adult juice pouch and a duo of festive red and green shots.

    116 S. 12th St., 215-398-1685, facebook.come/Tinselphilly

    Regulars at Evil Genius Beer Co. helped decorate the bar for the holidays by painting gingerbread houses and cutting paper snowflakes.

    Twas an Evil Christmas at Evil Genius Beer Co.

    Evil Genius regulars secured their spot on Santa’s nice list by painting larger-than-life gingerbread houses and cutting hundreds of paper snowflakes for the bar’s Twas an Evil Christmas holiday pop-up. Ornaments and wrapped presents hang from the ceiling while guests can sip on the brewery’s signature holiday saison Santa! I Know Him!, a 7.5% ABV Belgian-style brewed with rose hips, dark candy syrup, and chamomile.

    The brewery is hosting a 0.5K (a run around the block) on Dec. 3, where $30 scores runners free beer and a Santa Hat. All proceeds will go toward buying Christmas gifts for families in need.

    1727 Front St., 215-425-6820, evilgeniusbeer.com/our-taproom

    Señor Grinch Pop-up at Taqueria Amor

    This Manayunk Tex-Mex restaurant will dress up for any occasion, and the winter holidays are no exception. Taqueria Amor has transformed into its signature Señor Grinch pop-up for the sixth year in a row, playing classic holiday movies via projector every evening through New Year’s Eve, no reservations required. Taqueria Amor’s very-merry cocktail lineup includes a shot that purportedly tastes just like a gingerbread cookie and several margaritas the color of Rudolph’s nose or the Grinch.

    4410 Main St., 267-331-5874, taqueriaamor.com

    Thousands of string lights hang from the facade of Taqueria Amor at 4410 Main St. in Manayunk for their Señor Grinch holiday bar pop-up.

    Uptown’s Little Workshop at Uptown Beer Garden

    Santa’s workshop is taking over Center City’s Uptown Beer Garden through the end of 2025, and with it comes inflatable elves, oversized nutcrackers, snow globes, and fire pits for s’mores. All of the pop-up’s holiday cocktails are served in souvenir cups, including the Polar Espress-o — a peppermint bark-flavored cold brew martini — and the Apple Spice and Everything Nice, a caramel apple mule.

    1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 267-639-4493, uptownbeer.com

    Walnut Wonderland at Walnut Garden

    This popular Rittenhouse Square beer garden is winterized through Dec. 31 and features a 22-foot tall Christmas tree alongside plush life-sized penguins, a playhouse pulled by reindeer, and lots of neon lights. Also included inside Walnut Wonderland: make-your-own gingerbread house and s’mores kits for $9 each, plus $12 holiday drink specials that include a maple whiskey sour and a banana-flavored vodka and hazelnut liqueur number that’s meant to taste like banana bread.

    1708 Walnut St., walnutphl.com

    Santa greets guests at Walnut Garden at 1708 Walnut St., which is offering table side s’mores and gingerbread house decorating kits this holiday season.

    Yule Lodge at Butcher Bar

    Spend the winter inside Butcher Bar‘s heated covered patio, which looks kind of like a man cave inside a contemporary ski cabin. Butcher Bar’s seasonal cocktails make up for the macho decor. This reporter’s favorites include the Die Hard is a Christmas Movie (rye whiskey, sweet potato, marshmallow, toasted almond bitters) and the Christmas in Paradise (citrus almond spiced rum, mango, lime, herbal liqueur topped with a teeny drink umbrella).

    2034 Chestnut St., 215-563-6328, butcherbarphilly.com

  • It can take two years for a restaurant to get approved for outdoor dining. One Philly councilmember is trying to make it easier

    It can take two years for a restaurant to get approved for outdoor dining. One Philly councilmember is trying to make it easier

    Philadelphia City Council is taking yet another crack at streamlining the city’s complex and drawn-out permitting process for outdoor dining.

    At-large Councilmember Rue Landau introduced legislation Thursday to expand the “by-right” areas where sidewalk cafes can exist without a special zoning ordinance. The proposed bill, if approved, could hasten the daunting permitting process and dramatically increase the space available for outdoor dining.

    Currently the law allows sidewalk cafes to be licensed in certain areas that are largely centered on Center City and smaller commercial corridors in East Passyunk, the Italian Market, Manayunk, and other neighborhoods throughout the city. Restaurants outside those corridors must ask their district Council member to get legislation approved to authorize a sidewalk cafe license. The step can add months to a process restaurateurs say is already lengthy, confusing, and costly.

    All restaurants seeking sidewalk cafes must submit copies of plans to Philadelphia’s Streets Department and Department of Licenses and Inspections separately for approval before securing a $1 million insurance policy and paying an annual $227 licensing fee, according to the application’s website. Approvals and disapprovals should be ready within 30 days of applying.

    In reality, restaurant owners said, the process often involves thousands of dollars to keep an architect on retainer, as both departments can take months to review plans. And in the interim, at least one restaurant owner alleged, businesses can be fined for having tables and chairs outside while they wait for a decision.

    The sidewalk cafe at Gleaner’s Cafe at 917 S. 9th Street, one of the addresses covered under current outdoor dining legislation.

    Landau believes the new legislation stands to remove one hurdle from a system that is overall in need of reform.

    “The ordinance process alone takes many months, and is just one part of a lengthy and convoluted process,” Landau said in an interview Wednesday. “Currently, it takes approximately between 18 and 27 months just to put a couple of tables and chairs outside of your business.”

    Sidewalk cafes are different from streeteries, which occupy parking spaces and require a $1,750 licensing fee alongside myriad approvals from different city departments, depending on the structure. Both face similar challenges.

    Sidewalk cafes and streeteries proliferated during the pandemic, allowing many restaurants to keep serving patrons as COVID-19 limited indoor dining. At their peak, there were roughly 800 sidewalk cafes or streeteries operating in Philly. That number fell drastically after 2022, when the city made streeteries permanent and announced a web of since-revised regulations that many restaurants could not keep up with, often requiring businesses to consult engineers and architects to build structures that the city might request to be torn down only months later.

    Restaurant-goers dine at tables and chairs on a sidewalk outside Parc.
    Philly needs to fix its controversial ‘streetery’ outdoor dining program, city controller says

    There are just 28 active streetery and 287 active sidewalk cafe licenses in Philly as of November 2025, according to L&I’s business license dashboard.

    “The current outdoor dining licensing process in Philadelphia is characterized by complexity and high cost, which pose significant barriers for businesses seeking to utilize outdoor dining opportunities,” City Controller Christy Brady wrote in an August 2024 report on the licensing systems.

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    What would the proposed law change?

    Landau’s proposed legislation would increase the number of streets in Philly where sidewalk cafes are considered “by-right,” which means business owners would not have to call on City Council to preapprove their tables and chairs.

    Landau held more than a dozen listening sessions with community members in eight Council districts, she said, and worked with the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association to consult over 100 Philadelphia restaurant owners before drafting the legislation.

    From Sept. 2024 | Bob & Barbara’s must take down its new streetery for South Street repaving after spending $50,000

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    The proposed bill still follows the tradition of councilmanic prerogative, allowing each district Council member to select which streets receive the “by-right” designation for sidewalk cafes. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier included the entirety of the 3rd District — encompassing the majority of West Philly — while others carved out several streets. Councilmembers Cindy Bass and Brian O’Neill have yet to designate streets, Landau said.

    The bill will then go to the streets subcommittee for a hearing, Landau said, where blocks can still be added.

    “There’s plenty of time for councilpeople to get some skin in the game,” Landau said. “We don’t want to be exclusive here.”

    Bass, who represents the 8th District — which includes parts of Mount Airy, Germantown, and West Oak Lane — and O’Neill, who represents Northeast Philly in the 10th District, could not be reached for comment.

    The now-dismantled outdoor dining area at Booker’s Restaurant and Bar at 5021 Baltimore Ave., which some once considered to be one of the most beautiful streeteries in Philly.

    How do restaurant owners feel?

    The proposed legislation is cold comfort for Jeremy Page, general manager of the West Philly brunch institution Booker’s. The restaurant’s application for a revamped sidewalk cafe has languished with L&I since he filed in April, Page said.

    While Booker’s sits squarely within Gauthier’s district, the restaurant won’t be spared any red tape. It already secured the necessary ordinance and spent $2,000 on an architect to draw up plans for six outdoor tables.

    “I was very surprised I had to do that. Nobody tells you,” Page said. He said he was heartened by Landau’s legislation. “It feels like someone finally sees what’s going on and is locking in to make a change.”

    Setting up the new outdoor space was bittersweet: Between 2020 and September 2025, Booker’s had a 33-seat sidewalk cafe enclosed with wooden slats that staff would decorate with string lights, flowers, and garlands. It was lauded by some as among the city’s most beautiful outdoor dining arrangements.

    From 2021: Booker’s is one the most beautiful streeteries in Philadelphia

    When the city announced its new outdoor dining regulations in 2022, the structure was no longer compliant, Page said. But Booker’s kept the structure up for three years as it searched for a workaround, incurring roughly $10,000 in fines until Page said he finally tore down the covering in September. It has been replaced by simple tables and chairs.

    The change resulted in a loss in business that forced Booker’s to let go of five staff members, Page said.

    El Chingon at 1524 S 10th St. It took two years for the Michelin-award Mexican restaurant to get a sidewalk cafe license.

    “I miss it so much,” Page said. “It’s extremely impactful when you are getting fined for something that was legal at one point and then, all of a sudden, is not legal anymore.”

    Carlos Aparicio recalled a similar experience. The owner of South Philly’s El Chingón, now a Michelin-recognized restaurant, spent two years going back and forth with different city departments until his 12-seat sidewalk cafe was approved in fall 2023.

    During that time, Aparicio told The Inquirer, he was hit by fines and told by an L&I officer that the agency would remove his tables and chairs. After that, he started hiding the furniture at his house during off hours.

    From 2023: Someone has been mass reporting illegal sidewalk cafes in Philly to 311. Some people want user FD22 to stop.

    “It was very confusing and upsetting,” Aparicio said. “We’re not doing anything bad. We’re not selling drugs. We’re not trying to do anything but build community.”

    El Chingón is just one block outside East Passyunk Avenue’s by-right area. Aparicio estimated he spent $10,000 after securing his zoning ordinance to retain an architect, an engineer, and a lawyer to help him navigate the permitting process.

    It’s experiences like these that incense Landau, she said.

    “All the restaurants that we spoke to, they all said that the city does not waste any time to fine them or tell them what it’s doing wrong, but it’s not there to help them in a positive way,” Landau said. ”We must cut red tape to make it easier for restaurants to do a very simple thing: put some tables and chairs outside.”

    Staff writer Anna Orso contributed to this article.

  • Is there a difference between a Michelin star, Bib, and recommendation? Yes, but all are good for Philly restaurants

    Is there a difference between a Michelin star, Bib, and recommendation? Yes, but all are good for Philly restaurants

    Tuesday night had Philly seeing stars — three, to be exact.

    Three Philadelphia restaurants won coveted Michelin stars at the Northeast Cities award ceremony at the Kimmel Center, the city’s first after announcing in May that the prestigious restaurant rating system was finally going to include Philly.

    The ceremony also honored restaurants from New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston, which also made its Michelin debut as the gastronomic guide has expanded rapidly around the United States in recent years. Anonymous Michelin inspectors were dispatched to Philly months ago to scout, dining in secret and often visiting the same places repeatedly to ensure consistency.

    And while Michelin tends to be synonymous with stars (and, yeah, tires), there are other ways to earn recognition. Thirty-one other Philly restaurants — including three cheesesteak shops — earned Michelin honors below the star level. These included 10 Bib Gourmands and 21 recommendations.

    What’s the difference between a Michelin star, a Bib, and a recommendation? And who won top honors? We explain.

    What is a Michelin star?

    A Michelin star is the most prestigious honor a restaurant can earn from the Michelin Guide and typically recognizes fine dining restaurants.

    Restaurants do not apply to be inspected, nor can they be nominated. Anonymous inspectors visit restaurants repeatedly throughout the year — often on different days and at different times — and rate them on the following criteria, according to the guide’s website:

    • Quality of ingredients
    • Harmony of flavors
    • Mastery of culinary techniques
    • Consistency across menu and time
    • How a chef’s personality is reflected in the food
    Thomas Keller high-fives the the Michelin Man during the announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.

    Restaurants can earn up to three Michelin stars. One star is a restaurant that is “worth a stop,” according to the guide, for top-quality ingredients. Two stars is a “worth a detour,” while a three-star restaurant is “worth a journey” for cooking that feels like art. Three-star ratings are rare. Only New York City’s Sushi Sho hit the star maximum on Tuesday.

    Stars are awarded annually, and restaurants can gain or lose Michelin stars over time, kind of like experience points in a video game. They can also be a big boost for business: Chefs told Eater that one Michelin Star is worth a 20% jump in sales, while other chefs have reported three stars can increase them up to 100%.

    Which Philly restaurants earned Michelin stars?

    Provenance, Her Place Supper Club, and Friday Saturday Sunday all earned one Michelin star at Tuesday night’s ceremony.

    Chefs Chad and Hanna Williams took over Friday Saturday Sunday in 2016, transforming the old Rittenhouse Square restaurant into a James-Beard Award winning tasting experience that mixes Caribbean, Asian, and soul food references. “The long, narrow, lively, and warmly run restaurant is up a steep flight of stairs — and those stairs will seem even steeper when it’s time to leave,” Michelin said of the restaurant, which plans to expand. “Expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food.”

    Friday Saturday Sunday, run by chef Chad Williams and his wife, Hanna, earns a star at the Kimmel Center on Tuesday.

    Her Place Supper Club is another multicourse menu, only this one was born from the dinner parties chef Amanda Shulman threw in her college apartment while a student at the University of Pennsylvania. Shulman is known for explaining the inspiration and makeup of each dish as it’s set in front of diners, which Michelin wrote contributes to a “a real communal feel.”

    Chef Nich Bazik’s Provenance is the youngest Philly restaurant to receive top honors, open for a year in August. Bazik oversees an elaborate, seasonal 20- to 25-dish tasting menu that combines French and Korean flavors often inspired by his wife, Bazik said at Tuesday’s ceremony. Provenance is a “high-wire, high-stakes performance defined by precision,” Michelin wrote.

    Provenance sous chefs Zac Cohen (left) and Nicholas Piwinski present a collection of canapés to guest at the Headhouse Square restaurant on Oct. 17, 2024.

    What is a Bib Gourmand?

    The Bib Gourmand celebrates restaurants “that serve exceptional food at great value,” according to the Michelin Guide’s website. It was first announced in 1997 as a more budget-friendly companion to the stars.

    Previous honorees range from Katz’s — the iconic no-frills Jewish deli on Manhattan’s Lower East Side — and a counter-service-only sandwich stand in Atlanta, to small taquerias, dim sum restaurants, and the occasional hole-in-the-wall.

    Like Michelin-starred restaurants, Bib Gourmand awardees can use the designation in their marketing. In some cases, the honor has saved restaurants from closing.

    A trio of cheesesteaks from Angelo’s Pizzeria, which earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand on Tuesday.

    Which Philly restaurants earned a Bib Gourmand?

    Ten Philly restaurants took home a Bib Gourmand on Tuesday night. Naturally, three of them were cheesesteak shops. Here’s the full list:

    • Angelo’s Pizzeria
    • Dalessandro’s Steaks
    • Del Rossi’s
    • Dizengoff
    • El Chingón
    • Famous 4th Street Deli
    • Fiorella
    • Pizzeria Beddia
    • Sally
    • Royal Sushi & Izakaya
    Cemita clasica, remolacha, and al pastor tacos at El Chingón, which earned a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand on Tuesday.

    What is a Michelin-recommended restaurant?

    Michelin-recommended restaurants are simply “establishments serving good food,” according to the guide’s website. They are judged on the same five signature criteria as starred restaurants.

    “A restaurant in the Recommended selection is the sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal,” said Michael Ellis, the former international director of Michelin Guide books, in the post. “It means that the inspectors have found the food to be above average, but not quite at star or Bib level.”

    In other words, shoot for the stars and hopefully fall among the recs.

    The Philadelphia chefs acknowledged at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.

    Like restaurants with a Bib Gourmand, those that earned recommendations can also use the notation as a marketing tool. Admittedly, the designation used to be a bigger deal before 2020, when Michelin digitized the guide. Before, recommendations were listed in bound red travel guides that the tire company first used as a sneaky promotion to nudge people to take more road trips (and thus, buy more tires).

    Recommended restaurants are not precluded from earning stars later on. In fact, insiders think of it as a watchlist for establishments that might get a star in the future.

    The hot tamales from Honeysuckle at 631 N. Broad St., which is now a Michelin Guide recommended restaurant.

    Which restaurants did Michelin recommend in Philly?

    Michelin recommended 21 restaurants in Philly. They are:

    • Ambra
    • Forsythia
    • High Street
    • Hiroki
    • Honeysuckle
    • Illata
    • Kalaya
    • Laser Wolf
    • Laurel
    • Little Water
    • Mish Mish
    • My Loup
    • Pietramala
    • River Twice
    • Roxanne
    • Southwark
    • Suraya
    • Vedge
    • Vernick Food & Drink
    • Vetri Cucina
    • Zahav
    Honeynut squash with husk cherry, habanero, and pumpkin seed tahini at Pietramala. The vegan Philadelphia restaurant earned a Michelin Green Star for sustainability, as a well as a recommendation.

    Were there any other awards to take home?

    Yes. Aside from earning a recommendation, chef Ian Graye’s vegan Northern Liberties BYOB Pietramala also earned a Green Star for demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.

    There is no specific formula for awarding a Green Star, according to the Michelin Guide website, though criteria such as environmental footprint, the use of seasonal produce, resource management, and how food waste is treated are considered.

    Ian Graye, of Pietramala earned a Green Star award at the Michelin Guide announcement event at the Kimmel Center.

    “Chef Ian Graye seeks out foragers and small local suppliers for plants, herbs and fruits and also does his own fermenting and preserving,“ read the blurb included in the Michelin Guide for Pietramala. “His menu offers a selection of around 10 dishes designed for sharing — around three per person should more than suffice when ordering — and his cooking comes with a slight Italian accent.”

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  • Percy rebrands to all-day diner after mixed reviews

    Percy rebrands to all-day diner after mixed reviews

    Breakfast for dinner? Groundbreaking, at least in Philly.

    Just six months after opening, Percy — the swanky cafe-brunch-listening lounge-dinner joint hybrid from the team behind Forín — is now a permanent all-day diner, according to co-owner and general manager Seth Kligerman.

    The transition became official Thursday when the restaurant revealed a new (and cheaper) menu on Instagram that includes a 12-item all-day menu of revamped diner classics served from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., plus pared-down lists of breakfast and dinner-only options.

    The change embraces Percy’s “true identity,” Kligerman said, and comes after a spate of mixed reviews that called out how the restaurant’s brunch program outshone a dinner menu of $30-plus entrees that included a Thai curry, a lamb shank, and a Cooper Sharp-topped burger.

    Percy opened under the El at 1700 N. Front St. in May as the ground-floor anchor to Urby, a 200-unit luxury apartment complex. The restaurant earned fans and haters fast: Percy’s ¾-pound ricotta pancakes and babka French toast found an immediate following in Fishtown’s crowded brunch scene. And yet, Philly Mag food critic Jason Sheehan bestowed the title of “Philly’s most disappointing new restaurant” upon Percy in September, arguing the restaurant was “all vibe, with little else worth saying.”

    The reviews came with a silver lining, according to Kligerman. Percy was able to raise $4,000 for the Fishtown Community Library through a limited-run sale of shirts screen-printed with Sheehan’s headline.

    Plus, a bit of constructive criticism didn’t hurt.

    “I’m really grateful that we were able to spin something negative into something so positive,” Kligerman said. “We don’t have the runway that [larger restaurateurs] have, where they can collect a lot of data and open with a perfect concept … Now that we have the data from reviews, from the public, from our sales reports, we get to hit our stride.”

    Review | From Aug. 2025: Percy is a local brunch gem, but it’s no dinner destination yet

    Percy’s all-day menu leans heavily on what worked from its brunch. The cinnamon-crusted ricotta pancakes are still there, but customers can now order them until 9 p.m. along with other favorites such as the espresso-dulce de leche beignets, a roast pork croque monsieur, and a new mortadella club sandwich smeared with burrata and pistachio pesto.

    The biggest changes came for the breakfast and dinner menus, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. respectively. Breakfast’s star is the $11 Philly Grand Slam, a play on the standard diner breakfast with two eggs and home fries plus bacon, duck sausage, and a ricotta pancake for an additional charge.

    The $11 Philly Grand Slam from Percy has two eggs, toast, and homefries, with bacon, duck sausage, or a ricotta pancake for an additional charge.

    Dinner, too, got a makeover, swapping the Thai curry and lamb shank for a fried chicken Reuben and an elevated meatloaf served with a red wine jus, whipped potatoes, and purple cauliflower.

    The new menu nods to Tuckerton, N.J’s Dynasty Diner, where South Jersey-bred Kligerman grew up splitting disco fries and pancakes with his friends until their parents chastised them for running up against curfew. It also fills a hole in Philly’s breakfast-for-dinner scene, as the city’s diners continue to dwindle, with owners putting them up for sale or preparing for demolition.

    “When I think about Dynasty, I get that warm family feeling,” said Kligerman, 37, who now lives in Fishtown. “I want Percy to offer that.”

    The $26 pork cheek bourguignon at Percy, now served TV-dinner style on three compartment trays as part of the restaurant’s diner rebrand.
    As 24-hour diners dwindle in Philly, a few fight to remain

    TV dinner trays and cheap(er) eats

    Percy’s revamp also comes with a significant decrease in prices.

    Initially, all but the burger on Percy’s dinner menu cost between $30 and $40 per entree. Now the entire menu — save for the $31 half chicken with polenta — clocks in below $28. Most dishes had $4 to $6 shaved off, Kligerman said. The croque monsieur, for example, dropped from $24 to $17, while the burger had $3 knocked off, to now sit at $18.

    “We wanted to make sure the pricing allowed people to come back multiple times a week. And I think our opening pricing … definitely positioned us to be that one-day-a-week or special occasion-type restaurant,” said Kligerman. “Good diners are for everyone.”

    The plate-sized ricotta pancakes from Percy, which will now be available from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. as the restaurant transitions to an all-day diner.

    Good diners also have a look, he said: hard plastic cups that get constant refills, salt and pepper shakers on the table, and stacks of paper napkins. All of those elements have now been wrapped into Percy’s mid-century modern decor.

    Percy’s plating also reflects the change. All five dishes on the dinner menu will be served TV-dinner style, in compartmentalized trays with spaces for the protein, side, and a single bread roll.

    “It’s kind of playful,” Kligerman said. ”Everything is.”

    Percy, 1700 N. Front St., 215-975-0020, percyphl.com. Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday; 9 a.m. to midnight Thursday to Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

  • Lakeside glamping, a presidential home, and international eats in Lancaster | Field Trip

    Lakeside glamping, a presidential home, and international eats in Lancaster | Field Trip

    Lancaster, Pa., is technically a city, but it’s packed with the charm of a Hallmark movie town: strollable streets lined with boutiques, Instagram-worthy late-fall foliage, and — yes — even the occasional Amish couple riding in a horse and buggy just beyond the city limits.

    Located about 70 miles west of Philadelphia, Lancaster is where centuries of Amish and Mennonite farm traditions meet (and often support) an up-and-coming restaurant scene with some of the best farm-to-table food and cocktails in the United States. It’s a place where tourists can learn how to churn butter the old-fashioned way and then end the night at a Brooklyn-cool listening bar. That’s exactly what an Inquirer reporter did when she took a last-minute trip to Lancaster.

    To get your weekend started, take a 90-minute drive past picturesque farms on I-76 and U.S. Route 222, or hop on Amtrak’s Keystone line, which drops you at the edge of downtown.

    @pennsylvaniajunkie 📍Lancaster, PA is so much more than horse and buggies. Downtown Lancaster is so one of my favorite cities to walk, wine and dine, especially during the holidays. 🎄✨🥂 @Discover Lancaster COMMENT your favorite place to visit in Downtown Lancaster and TAG who you’re bringing along on your next LancLanc getaway. 🥰 📍Places featured in video ✨ C’est La Vie ✨ Ream Jewelers ✨ Shot and Bottle ✨ The Belvedere Inn ✨ Lancaster Central Market ✨ Details ✨ Plough Don’t forget to follow me for all things Pennsylvania travel, adventure and lifestyle. 💙 #lancasterpa #lancasterpennsylvania #lancasterpagetaway #downtownlancaster #downtownlancasterpa #pennsylvania #pennsylvanialife #pennsylvaniacheck ♬ original sound – Pennsylvania Junkie

    Stay: Red Run Resort or Lancaster Arts Hotel

    Hear us out: This upscale campground is 30 minutes outside of Lancaster by car, but it has the vibe of an all-year summer camp for adults. Red Run Resort’s 21 lakeside A-frame studios and cabins are homey yet luxurious, with spa-style bathrooms with soaking tubs, plush king-size beds, and private firepits. The campground also has an on-site pumpkin patch and occasional line dancing and bingo pop-ups, so guests don’t have to go far for a bit of countryside flair.

    The living room of one of the A-Frame cabins at the Red Run Resort in New Holland, Pa., which overlooks a lake. The upscale camp ground is roughly 30 minutes outside of Lancaster by car.

    If you’re looking to stay in the city, the boutique Lancaster Arts Hotel transformed an 1800s tobacco warehouse into a living art gallery, displaying $300,000 worth of art from local artists across its 63 guest rooms. It’s walking distance from downtown and earns bonus points for free parking and complimentary bikes to explore the city.

    📍 877 Martin Church Rd., New Holland, Pa. 17557 (Red Run Resort) ; 300 Harrisburg Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (Lancaster Arts Hotel)

    Caffeinate: Square One Coffee

    After checking in, fuel up at Square One Coffee, a local micro-roastery whose Ethiopian blend beat out more than 2,000 entries to win a Good Food Award for best coffee. Their flagship Duke Street cafe is a solid pick for both coffee snobs and “little treat” connoisseurs, specializing in single-origin espressos and aromatic lattes in flavors like orange blossom honey or Blue Zen, a sky-colored concoction of butterfly pea powder, jasmine syrup, and chamomile tea.

    Home baristas can detour to Square One’s Elizabeth Avenue warehouse for public tastings or an Espresso 101 class.

    📍145 N. Duke St., Lancaster, Pa. 17602

    Thrift: Basura, Space, BUiLDiNG CHARACTER

    Take your coffee to go and spend the afternoon exploring a trio of downtown Lancaster’s curated thrift and vintage boutiques. This reporter’s advice is to pack light, because it’s easy to bring an outfit (or two) and a suitcase full of tchotchkes home.

    Start at Basura for racks of salvaged denim and leather, colorful sweaters, and quirky tees before heading over to Space, which specializes in mid-century modern wares that feel like they were ripped from a Mad Men set. Then, close out your shopping spree by heading to BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, a vintage and artisan marketplace with 80-plus vendors selling everything from butterflies preserved in glass and the occasional fossil to old school suits and antique jewelry.

    📍106 E. King St., Lancaster, Pa. 17602 (Basura); 24 W. Walnut St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (Space); 342 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (BUiLDiNG CHARACTER)

    Just a portion of the pick-n-mix candy selection from Sweetish Candy at 301 N. Queen Street Lancaster, Pa., which has been importing Scandinavian candies since 2019.

    Pick-and-mix: Sweetish Candy

    Lancaster’s Sweetish Candy was importing Scandinavian sweets long before pick-and-mix bags were all the rage. Sweetish Candy owner Tyler Graybeal started selling Swedish treats in 2019 and now stocks more than 70 colorful candies for shoppers to dump into customizable bags and buckets. Graybeal’s selection includes still hard-to-find BUBS gummies, plus varieties of licorice tubes, pastel marshmallows, and chocolate eggs. This sugar rush doesn’t come cheap, though: Two pounds of candy cost $47.

    For snacks that don’t cause a toothache, Lancaster Pickle Company is across the street with barrels of assorted pickle chips, dill pretzels, and — yes — even half-sour lip balm.

    📍301 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603

    Stroll: Conestoga Greenway Trail

    This 2.6 mile out-and-back trail wraps a horseshoe around the scenic Conestoga River and has three access points with parking lots at Duke Street, Broad Street, and Conestoga Drive. The greenway winds its away around the water and through the trees, so it’s perfect for late-fall leaf peeping and serene nature walks. The river is a favorite of duck flocks, turtles, and deers stopping for a drink.

    Learn: James Buchanan’s Wheatland

    Built in 1828 as a prominent lawyer’s mansion, Wheatland changed hands several times before landing in 1848 with James Buchanan — then secretary of state and later, by many historians’ accounts, one of America’s worst presidents. Buchanan lived there until his death in 1868.

    Preserved by the nonprofit LancasterHistory, the home offers guided tours of Buchanan’s original furnishings and 19th-century décor. From Nov. 16 through Dec. 20, the tours take on a festive twist for Yuletide at Wheatland, exploring the family’s holiday traditions.

    📍 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17603

    Imbibe: Hi-Fi Izakaya

    Tucked in the back of noodle bar Issei is Hi-Fi Izakaya, a speakeasy-esque listening lounge where DJs spin vinyl jazz, soul, and pop records until last call. The space is sleek and sexy, with a cocktail menu that adds Asian flair to standard drinks, like a gimlet mixed with matcha syrup, a Thai iced tea-infused espresso martini, and an old fashioned made with aged Japanese whiskey.

    📍 40 W. Orange St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603

    Dine: Quips Pub

    Tourists dine at Passerine, the French-inspired farm-to-table brasserie that landed on the New York Times’ best restaurant lists in 2024. Locals head to Quips Pub.

    The cozy British watering hole has been serving oversize platters of crispy fish and chips and traditional bangers and mash since 1984. Regulars come by often, bartenders said, for hefty burgers and sarnies (British slang for sandwich), plus an extensive list of imported German, Irish, and English beers.

    📍 457 New Holland Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17602

    Rows of seasonal ice cream flavors from Fox Meadow Creamery in Leola, Pa.

    Indulge: Fox Meadow Creamery

    Fox Meadow Creamery’s Leola location is exactly halfway between Quip’s Pub and your cabin at Red Run, making it the perfect place to cap off a day of gallivanting in the city. Fox Meadow churns its ice cream on-site with milk from cows raised on the creamery’s dairy farm in nearby Ephrata, resulting in ultra-thick and and rich scoops.

    Fox Meadow’s flavors change with the seasons, so the late fall comes with vats of apple cream pie, pumpkin patch cheesecake, and venetian tiramisu ice creams, among others. And — before you ask — yes, they carry pints for you to take on the road.

    📍 193 E. Main St., Leola, Pa. 17540

  • What does Two Robbers’ pub burger actually look like? An investigation into Philly Reddit’s Burgergate.

    What does Two Robbers’ pub burger actually look like? An investigation into Philly Reddit’s Burgergate.

    A picture is worth a thousand words, or at least 974 Reddit upvotes.

    A photo of a sad-looking burger wrongfully attributed to Two Robbers — the homegrown hard seltzer-turned-hard soda brand with bars in Fishtown and South Philly — has been circulating on the r/Philly subreddit since last Wednesday, when user Seraphanarie posted a since-deleted photo of a flier they claimed their boyfriend found while walking in Fishtown.

    “Two Robbers Pub Burger,” the flier reads in bold all-caps font. “This is literally the burger that came out [on] October 10, 2025.”

    The heinous-looking burger in question: A barely-there beef patty so crumbly it doesn’t stick together sandwiched between a dry, unseeded bun. The scene is so dismal that the cheese is falling off the side of the burger, almost as if it’s trying to run away.

    “The people need to know!!” the Reddit post was titled, with a caption that said, “whoever posted this is doing the lord’s work.”

    A screenshot of a Reddit post from u/Seraphanarie of a flier with a photo of a disintegrating burger patty that alleges the burger was served at The Lodge by Two Robbers on Oct. 10, 2025.

    The burger in question supposedly hailed from Two Robbers Lodge, the beverage company’s cozy South Philly offshoot. Twin brothers Vivek and Vikram Nayar founded Two Robbers in 2019 as a bespoke hard seltzer brand before pivoting to canned vodka sodas in 2024. The company opened a futuristic tasting room in Fishtown at 1221 Frankford Ave. in 2023, and added the Lodge — a homey pub inside the former Hawthornes space in South Philly — earlier this year.

    Both locations are known for serving simple yet well-executed burgers, with the Lodge’s Pub Burger clocking at a sturdy 8 ounces of custom Pat LaFrieda dry-aged beef and ground chuck.

    So when the flier emerged, Philly’s Redditors, like us, wanted to know: What gives?

    Pub burger and fries from the Lodge by Two Robbers in June 2025. It features an 8 ounce patty made with a mix of dry aged beef and ground chuck.

    The post received close to 1,000 upvotes and over 170 comments, with Redditors poking fun at anyone who has high expectations of a burger from a seltzer bar.

    “This is what you get for ordering a burger at a craft seltzeria,” one user commented. Another said it looked like a burger they made at home: “It was horrible.”

    In actuality, the flier may be nothing but a ketchup-covered smear campaign. A reverse Google image search traces the photo back to a 2018 post on the meme aggregator 9GAG titled “Nasty Burger.” An Inquirer reporter could not confirm that a physical flier existed after several walks around Fishtown, and the original poster declined to comment, citing the “overwhelming” amount of attention they had received.

    The different, but equally notable, smash burgers served at Two Robbers’ Fishtown tasting room. They are Craig LaBan-approved.

    Two Robbers co-owner Vivek Nayar said he was in his car after a trip to the bank Wednesday afternoon when he was bombarded with texts from coworkers about the Reddit post. He started seething straightaway.

    “We immediately knew when we saw the photo [that] it wasn’t our burger. It wasn’t our restaurant,” Nayar told The Inquirer last week. “Just thinking about that picture makes me sick.”

    Less than a couple of hours later, Nayar had revived his own Reddit account, posting a passionate defense in r/philly.

    “I just wanted to come on here to tell you all, it’s not our f—ing burger and that photo wasn’t even taken at our restaurant … those aren’t our fries, that’s not our table, that’s not our plates,” he wrote. “Truly a DIABOLICAL move for someone to go out on [Reddit] and post this.”

    Nayar’s screed has been upvoted more than 2,500 times. The 35-year-old Olde Kensington resident — who claims he is “too old” for Reddit — said he was surprised by the positivity his post has received, with some users even going as far to wonder if Burgergate was just a masterful attempt at guerrilla marketing.

    “I wish I was that smart,” Nayar said.

    Defenders said that the Lodge’s burger “looks thicc” and was worthy of a visit.

    Burgergate is not the first time Two Robbers has polarized Philadelphia. As the Nayars prepared to open their controversial moss-green tasting room in Fishtown, community members took to Facebook to complain about the paint job. For months after, a rowhouse across the street had signs that read “I Hate Two Robbers” hung in the window. They’ve since been taken down.

    “I Hate Two Robbers” posters hung in the window of the rowhouse across from the canned cocktail brand’s Fishtown tasting room at 1221 Frankford Ave. for months after it opened it 2023.

    Nayar said he doesn’t view the incidents as connected. Fishtowners were just coping with perpetual gentrification. Whoever posted the flier is just a hater, Nayar said. He doesn’t care to investigate further.

    “It’s hard for me to blame people for piling on,” Nayar said. “If I saw a post like that and had nothing to do with Two Robbers, I would find it hilarious.”