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Category: Food

  • The best things we ate this week

    The best things we ate this week

    Country-style spinach pie at Madis Coffee Roasters

    I’ve been devoted to spanakopita since growing up in Metro Detroit, where Greektown was among my favorite downtown haunts. Philadelphia has great spinach pies, too, from Zorba’s Tavern in Fairmount to Stina near West Passyunk. But lately, I’ve become obsessed with the big round pans of spanikopita served at Madis Coffee Roasters, the fast growing local trio of modern cafes owned by the Navorsidis family. Their coffee is also excellent, by the way, including a well-balanced “Four Seasons” blend that’s become a regular in my house rotation of morning brews, as well as quality pour-overs of single-origin beans.

    But the spanakopita the cafes import from Greece is one of the main reasons I frequently stop at Madis’ spacious Curtis Center location beside Independence Hall for breakfast before heading into The Inquirer newsroom nearby. Unlike the vast majority of spinach pies made in the U.S., which feature ultra-flaky and delicate phyllo, these big round pies made by Rodoula in Athens are encased in crispy waves of thicker phyllo sheets that are typical of the more rustic country style, especially when shaped into rounds.

    An imported round spinach pie made by Rodoula in Athens, this one stuffed with extra feta, is warmed to a crisp and served at Madis Coffee Roasters locations across Philadelphia.

    I give credit to Madis for warming it correctly, since I’ve had other versions of the same pie elsewhere (at a local gyro chain) where the same pastry was hastily underbaked and chewy. At its toasty, tawny prime, a crusty wedge of this pie shatters beneath fork and knife around a luxuriously soft filling of spinach, leeks, and extra cheese — a particularly creamy blend of tangy sheep and goat’s milk feta. Straight from Athens to the cradle of Liberty, it’s the spanakopita breakfast of champs. Madis Coffee Roasters, 601 Walnut St., 3527 Lancaster Ave., 1441 Chestnut St.; madiscoffee.com

    — Craig LaBan

    The sea scallop crudo and burrata served at Emilia, the Italian restaurant from Greg Vernick, in Kensington on Friday, January 23, 2026.

    Scallops and burrata at Emilia

    When Greg Vernick and Meredith Medoway were previewing the menu at Emilia, their new Italian restaurant in Kensington, they seemed proud of a dish pairing scallops and burrata in a caper vinaigrette. “That surprises people at first because of the similar textures,” Vernick said. Oh, it’s a surprise, all right. What it lacks in crunch it more than makes up for in lusciousness. The kitchen thinly slices day-boat sea scallops from Viking Village in Barnegat Light, N.J., and fans them over a puddle of burrata cheese and a vinaigrette made of capers and Calabrian chili oil. Sea salt goes on top. And here’s a tip to get the most of it: Your Emilia meal will start with house-made focaccia, Italian breadsticks, and a slice of Mighty Bread’s sesame ciabatta. Put aside some ciabatta. After you finish the scallop, you’ll use it for mop-up duty. Emilia, 2406 Frankford Ave., 267-541-2360, emiliaphilly.com

    — Michael Klein

    The Clam Posillipo pizza from Wilder.

    Clam Posillipo pizza at Wilder

    To me, Valentine’s Day has always been about celebrating the things I already love about my life — my partner, my cat, and all the restaurants I depend on for date-night specialness — so I rarely want to go some place I’ve never tried before for the holiday. That changed this year when my partner and I went to Wilder for the first time and tried a pizza so good it has converted us to wannabe regulars.

    Wilder’s clam Posillipo pizza is a take on the classic Italian American dish (and Frank Sinatra favorite) wherein littleneck clams are steamed in a light, garlicky tomato sauce. For the pizza version, Wilder sprinkles briny Taggiasca olives, breadcrumbs, and parsley atop a vibrant tomato sauce. The clams’ contribution wasn’t fishy — they created an experience more like eating a pie by the beach in the summer: fresh and a little salty, with a delectably doughy crust. Wilder, 2009 Sansom St., 215-309-2149, wilderphilly.com

    — Beatrice Forman

    A mango calamansi danish from the Sir/Mom Tour pop-up at Small Oven Pastry Shop.

    Mango calamansi danish from the Sir/Mom Tour pop-up at Small Oven Pastry Shop

    It’s still gray and cold out, but a limited-time pastry offering helped me briefly forget. As part of their “Sir/Mom Tour,” chef Mike Strauss of Sidecar Bar & Grille (and formerly Mike’s BBQ) and his wife, Eylonah Mae Strauss, staged a Point Breeze kitchen takeover last week, sharing their love of Filipino cuisine with a slate of specials served at chef Chad Durkin’s Porco’s Porchetteria/Small Oven Pastry Shop and Breezy’s Deli. I went specifically for the mango and calamansi danish — a burst of citrus and sunshine that sold out both days. The silky yellow custard encrusted in golden flaky pastry with small bites of fruit laced throughout made for a gorgeous pick-me-up. I hope we see another collab soon, but given the Strausses live in the Philippines — where they run Sugaree Gelato Bakery Cafe in Bacolod — I expect a long wait. Small Oven Pastry Shop, 2204 Washington Ave., 215-545-2939, smallovenpastryshop.com.

    — Emily Bloch

  • Tired Hands Brewing turned its original Ardmore outpost into a private event space as it navigates the future

    Tired Hands Brewing turned its original Ardmore outpost into a private event space as it navigates the future

    Tired Hands Brewing’s Ardmore Brewing Company brewpub has been turned into a private event space, for now, as its owner navigates the future of the beer company.

    Tired Hands’ Kennett Square taproom and bottle shop is permanently closed, owner Jean Broillet confirmed to The Inquirer on Feb. 19. Tired Hands’ Beer Park in Newtown Square also will not reopen this summer as the property’s owners are looking to redevelop it, Broillet said.

    Tired Hands’ Ardmore Fermentaria and Fishtown restaurant and brewpub St. Oner’s remain open for business. The brewing company’s MT. Airy Biergarten is a seasonal operation scheduled to reopen in the spring.

    Broillet said the decision to shift to private events at the Ardmore Brewing Company location was born out of a number of factors: having two Tired Hands locations in Ardmore was confusing for customers; ongoing construction in Ardmore created a “prohibitive environment” for doing business; and the changing landscape of brewing has prompted Tired Hands to begin reimagining parts of its business model.

    The changing face of Ardmore, and of Tired Hands

    When Broillet opened the first Tired Hands location, the BrewCafé, in 2012, he said there was little by way of interesting, high-quality food and drink in Ardmore. At the time, he said, Tired Hands’ craft beer and artisan meats and cheeses stood in stark contrast to the Wawas and Irish pubs the area was accustomed to.

    Now, that era is a distant memory as Ardmore blossoms as a culinary destination on the Main Line.

    Ardmore “went from zero to 60 really quickly in terms” of dining and entertainment options, Broillet said. He added that Tired Hands was a catalyst for that progress.

    In 2015, Broillet and business partner and wife Julie Foster opened the Fermentaria at 35 Cricket Terrace, just blocks from Tired Hands’ first location at 16 Ardmore Ave.

    The Fermentaria was a major expansion for Tired Hands. It offered food options that extended beyond the BrewCafé‘s sandwich-and-salad-based menu, like steak frites and baby back ribs. It also quadrupled Tired Hands’ production capacity.

    At the BrewCafé, Tired Hands’ brewers were able to produce 1,000 barrels of beer annually. At the time of its opening, Broillet anticipated that the Fermentaria would increase production to 4,000 barrels per year.

    Tired Hands opened St. Oner’s in Fishtown in 2020.

    In the years that followed, Tired Hands opened the seasonal Biergarten in Mount Airy, the Kennett Square taproom, and the Beer Park in Newtown Square.

    In 2021, Broillet stepped down from daily operations after allegations of sexism and racism at Tired Hands proliferated on social media, including claims that women were held to different standards than their male counterparts and that employees were berated or publicly humiliated for mistakes. Broillet returned to his post at the helm of Tired Hands a year later.

    Broillet said that “lots of valuable lessons, worldly lessons, were learned during that process” and that Tired Hands is doing everything it can to “prevent that from ever happening again.”

    Ardmore Brewing Company, located at 16 Ardmore Ave. in Ardmore. Owner Tired Hands Brewing has transitioned the brewery into a private events space.

    Changes in Ardmore, closure in Kennett Square

    Though opening a second Ardmore outpost helped grow Tired Hands’ footprint on the Main Line, having “two of the same company” also made things “pretty confusing for people,” Broillet said.

    In efforts to iron out the confusion, Tired Hands rebranded its BrewCafé last spring, renaming it the Ardmore Brewing Company, upgrading its interior, and adding more food and cocktail options while cutting down its beer list.

    “The confusion was still there,” Broillet said.

    Broillet also brought on a culinary team that had extensive experience with private events. They began to host a handful of events at the brewery — retirement or birthday parties, for instance — which were a success.

    At the same time, major construction had created a “prohibitive environment for us to do business here on Ardmore Avenue,” Broillet said. Construction on the mixed-use Piazza project and Ardmore Avenue Community Center are ongoing, both of which are proximate to Ardmore Avenue and the businesses that operate there.

    The brewery shifted to exclusively hosting private events in the last few months, a decision Broillet said he “couldn’t be happier” with.

    The brewery owner said the Ardmore Avenue location will be open to the public again in the future, but did not specify in what form.

    The taproom and bottle shop in Kennett Square will not reopen.

    Broillet said he opened a Tired Hands outpost in Kennett Square, in part, to have a presence near his family members who lived there. Though it was a “fun” chapter, Broillet said it no longer made sense to operate in Kennett Square, where Tired Hands already has a strong network of distributors that can get their beers into people’s hands without making them trek to the bottle shop.

    What comes next?

    Broillet offered assurances that Ardmore Brewing Company will open up to the public again but said specifics aren’t clear yet. Tired Hands also plans on expanding its Mount Airy footprint with a permanent restaurant space.

    For brewers across the country, the specter of people drinking less alcohol looms large. Sales of craft beer fell 4% in 2024, and there were more brewery closings than openings in late 2024 and early 2025, the first time in 20 years such circumstances occurred.

    Brewerytown’s Crime & Punishment Brewing shuttered last April, with its owners citing a shifting culture around alcohol among the reasons for its closure. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, a Philly-area craft brewing pioneer, abruptly shuttered all of its locations in September.

    Broillet said that though the changing dynamics of the industry remain on his mind, Tired Hands was not “acutely a victim of that downturn.” Sales had been down slightly over the past few years, but Broillet attributes that more to having two locations in Ardmore than to the state of the industry. He’s bullish about Tired Hands’ ability to distinguish itself and sees excitement in the changes.

    “Those sentiments have a way of just propelling you forward,” Broillet said.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • Reese’s grandson accuses Hershey of degrading chocolate, making it ‘not edible.’ Is he right?

    Reese’s grandson accuses Hershey of degrading chocolate, making it ‘not edible.’ Is he right?

    The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups went viral after penning an open letter to Pennsylvania’s Hershey Company on Feb. 14. But it was far from a valentine.

    Brad Reese, 70, accused the confectionery manufacturer of hurting the brand his grandfather H.B. Reese began a century ago, cutting corners with its chocolate quality. Within the week, Reese’s post has sparked discussions about brand integrity, ingredients, and legacy.

    In a LinkedIn post, Reese said Hershey’s assortment of Reese’s products (including the valentine heart-shaped ones he had recently sampled) include different, cheaper ingredients, swapping milk chocolate for compound coatings and peanut butter for peanut butter créme.

    “How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality, and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese wrote.

    Reese isn’t wrong. Several Reese’s products today — including the valentine’s hearts and the Easter egg-shaped versions — use chocolate-flavored coatings that cannot be legally called “milk chocolate,” a term that’s regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. It’s unclear exactly when the swaps occurred.

    The flagship Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups continue to list milk chocolate and peanuts as the first two ingredients.

    Still, the product line’s variance represents a shift across the candy industry as cocoa prices continue to rise, driven by a combination of factors, including climate-sparked changes in supply, tariffs, and labor shortages, the New York Times reports. Chocolate companies, including Hershey’s, have responded by making cost-effective ingredient swaps. The Times reported that several chocolate-forward Hershey’s candies no longer listed milk chocolate among their ingredients during last Halloween season.

    Hershey doesn’t deny the swaps, but is defending its quality.

    The company said in a statement Wednesday that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are made the same way they’ve always been, with house-made milk chocolate and roasted peanuts, but that ingredients for some other Reese’s products can vary based on demand.

    “As we’ve grown and expanded the Reese’s product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to make new shapes, sizes, and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for, while always protecting the essence of what makes Reese’s unique and special: the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter,” the company said.

    A package of Reese’s Hearts is shown on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Pablo Salinas)

    A government database last updated in 2023 shows changes to the ratio of peanuts and milk chocolate used in Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs over the years. Three years ago, the egg chocolates had more peanuts and milk chocolate than anything else. But the current formula lists sugar and vegetable oil first — and no milk chocolate.

    Reese said he thinks Hershey has gone too far this time.

    He picked up a bag of Reese’s Mini Hearts for Valentine’s Day, but threw them away after sampling.

    “It was not edible,” Reese told The Associated Press. “You have to understand. I used to eat a Reese’s product every day. This is very devastating for me.”

    Reese’s grandfather, H.B. Reese, spent two years at Hershey before leaving to form his own company, H.B. Reese Candy Co. in 1919. The company manufactured about 12 types of chocolate, made with ingredients that included real cocoa butter, fresh cream, and freshly roasted peanuts.

    He invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928. They were a hit and had wrappers included the slogan: “Made in Chocolate Town, so they must be good.” H.B. Reese died in 1956. His six sons eventually sold his company to Hershey in 1963.

    Now, Reese is waging war.

    He redesigned his personal website to take on Hershey’s ingredient swaps. The lead photo on the homepage shows an orange cap with the phrase “MAKE REESE’S GREAT AGAIN” stitched on the front. He says the website is devoted to “protecting Reese’s brand integrity.” It includes a list of news coverage his LinkedIn call-out has received to date.

    “Right now, the REESE’S story is diverging from what’s inside REESE’S products. And that divergence puts REESE’S and the legacy behind it, at risk,” Reese said on LinkedIn. “As the grandson of the man who created REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups, I’m not asking for nostalgia. I’m asking for alignment. For truth in REESE’S brand stewardship.”

  • Taking Amtrak? Now you can order Parc’s spaghetti bolognese on the train

    Taking Amtrak? Now you can order Parc’s spaghetti bolognese on the train

    Now you can order Parc en route to New York or D.C. Amtrak is rolling out dining experience with new dishes from Philly mainstays Parc, Pizzeria Stella, and Buddakan, in partnership with STARR Restaurant Group. But you’ll have to book a first class ticket on the NextGen and FirstGen Acela trains to enjoy these favorites on board.

    The three-year-old collaborative menu has been updated with a rotating selection of seasonal dishes for lunch and dinner services.

    The options include: lasagna al forno, saucy lasagna with rich ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, from Pizzeria Stella. There’s also spiced black pepper marinated tenderloin topped with wok-tossed herbs, red finger chilies, and crispy Chinese crullers from Buddakan, or Parc’s rich, slow-simmered spaghetti bolognese with crunchy garlic toast.

    STARR Restaurant Group is led by Philadelphia-based restaurateur Stephen Starr, who recently opened his 41st restaurant, Borromini, with mixed reviews. And while he’s an operator known for fanatical attention to detail and an assortment of over-the-top restaurants, it hasn’t stopped him from getting in some hot water on occasion — he is facing union-busting charges brought by the National Labor Relations Board.

    A server pushes a bar cart down the aisle of a business class car in a NextGen Acela

    Onboard, Amtrak aims to offer the same culinary expertise enjoyed at Starr’s restaurant portfolio across Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

    “Serving elevated offerings in Acela First Class in partnership with STARR Restaurant Group adds an exceptional touch to our customers’ experience onboard on our trains,” said Eliot Hamlisch, Amtrak’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, in a statement.

    Amtrak is also debuting two new dishes by executive chef David Gottlieb. There’s a caramelized apple bread pudding for breakfast and chilled harissa salmon for lunch and dinner.

  • Old City’s latest all-day cafe doses coffee, tea, and mocktails with kava and kratom

    Old City’s latest all-day cafe doses coffee, tea, and mocktails with kava and kratom

    A new all-day lounge in Old City is betting on kava and kratom — two controversial psychoactive plants — to pull crowds away from bars.

    Old City Kava Company opened in December at 40 S. Second St., across from a Fine Wine & Good Spirits and a honky-tonk bar. The lounge specializes in kava and kratom mocktails intended to boost mood and lower inhibitions, not unlike knocking back a couple of drinks. The establishment’s co-owners, Luca Kobza and Adam Lagner, believe the substances can open up a new social scene in Philly — namely, one that isn’t centered on alcohol.

    “We’ve had groups of people showing up who I otherwise believe would’ve been at bars … maybe having a cocktail and then regretting it the next day,” said Kobza. Customers have told them the space is a welcome change from bars and nightclubs, Kobza said.

    Old City Kava Company co-owners Luca Kobza (left) and Adam Lagner (right) met in college at the University of Miami and ran a kava bar in Naples, Fla. before moving to Philly.

    The 1,900-square-foot lounge is designed for lingering, with 60 seats between its bar, two-top tables, and plush jeweled-toned couches. The space has a small-yet-serviceable board game collection, plus a rotating display of contemporary art for sale from Kensington’s Vizion Gallery.

    Old City Kava opens at 10 a.m. daily, serving its kava and kratom-infused mocktails alongside drip coffee from ReAnimator, teas from Random Tea Room, and a selection of pastries from wholesaler Au Fornil. By day, it largely functions as a coworking space.

    The atmosphere shifts at night. Open till midnight on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends, the space feels cocktail bar-adjacent, with a menu of 16 kava and kratom-infused mocktails. They range from a kava-lemongrass-and-guava paloma to a kratom-kombucha-ginger beer mule and a matcha tonic shaken with kava and kratom. Lagner and Kobza have already hosted run clubs, singles events, and book clubs to highlight the spectrum of Philly’s sober-curious scene.

    The interior of Old City Kava Company at 40 S. 2nd Street.

    What are kava and kratom?

    Old City Kava sources kava — derived from the leaves of the piper methysticum, a large plant that grows in Hawaii and other South Pacific islands — from Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu and kratom from Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. They brew both as teas, adding roughly a tenth of an ounce to each mocktail.

    The lounge’s eight employees had to undergo 15 hours of in-house “kava-tending” training, which mostly involves learning how to educate first-timers. Lagner hated kava the first time he tried it.

    “It’s bitter, earthy. I was very off-put,” said Lagner. At the age of 30, he now prefers drinking it straight.

    Kava is traditionally brewed as a tea for religious ceremonies. Advocates say the substance can briefly reduce anxiety or stress.

    Kratom, on the other hand, comes from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree and acts like a caffeine-esque stimulant in small doses and a sedative in larger ones. Users treat it as a catchall to self-soothe pain, depression, and anxiety.

    Adam Lagner making Old City Kava Company’s Lemongrass Paloma, which swaps alcohol for kava.

    A visit to the lounge starts with a kava-tender offering samples of pure kratom or kava tea, the latter of which makes your lips tingle with a mild numbness. Despite having no real relationship with one another, kava and kratom often come as a package deal in kava bars across the U.S., which have exploded in popularity as an alternative to traditional bars during a time when fewer young people are choosing to drink.

    Both substances are contentious, having raised public concerns about addiction and other risks. Neither is currently regulated by the Food & Drug Administration, but the FDA announced plans last summer to schedule kratom as a controlled substance after an uptick in reports of synthetic kratom addiction. Sold in tiny bottles at gas stations and smoke shops, synthetic kratom isolates 7-OH, a compound that can cause intense opioid-like addiction and withdrawal symptoms. Kratom is currently banned in seven states. In December, two Pennsylvania state representatives introduced a bill that would prohibit the sale of the synthetic variety.

    ‘It latches on and doesn’t let go’: 7-OH kratom is fueling addictions across Philly

    These laws and the FDA’s plan include carve-outs for the botanic kratom from the leaf — which Old City Kava uses in its mocktails. The varieties are fundamentally different, Lagner said.

    “A lot of people conflate the two … when they hear ‘kratom,’ they think of the products you’re seeing in gas stations,” he explained. “We serve natural kratom leaf tea how it’s been consumed safely for centuries in Southeast Asia. They’re much less potent in their natural form.”

    That may be true, but experts still have concerns about botanic kratom. According to Dr. Adam Scioli, chief medical officer of Wernersville, Pa.’s Caron Treatment Centers, botanic kratom is five to 20 times less potent than its synthetic counterpart. But it still carries an addiction risk, Scioli said, and can cause other health issues, such as nausea, high blood pressure, a racing heartbeat, and averse drug interactions, particularly when consumed with sedatives.

    “What concerns me most clinically is that kratom is often perceived as ‘natural and therefore safe,’” said Scioli. “History has repeatedly shown us that natural substances can still carry significant addiction risk, especially once commercialized.”

    A bar, but not

    Lagner, a Blue Bell native and La Salle High School grad, met business partner Kobza, also 30, when they were both students at the University of Miami. The duo would study together at kava bars on South Beach, and after graduating in 2018, opened their own, called Nektar Lab, in Naples, Fla.

    Lagner and Kobza sold their stakes in Nektar in 2022. They moved to Philly shortly after, where they found a far less vibrant scene than what they were used to in Florida, the kava capital of the U.S. (Philly has only one other kava bar, Queen Village’s Lightbox Cafe.)

    Adam Lagner pours a shot of creamer for Old City Kava Company’s Old City Red Eye, a coffee drink that includes kava and kratom.
    Lightbox Cafe brings kava, a relaxing South Pacific drink, to Queen Village

    “Most kava bars around the country are very grungy and tiny,” said Lagner. “And there haven’t been enough concepts [in Philly] to show people that this can be a nice alternative to the social scene that revolves around alcohol and can also fill gaps in some of the daytime third-space sort of sphere.”

    Old City Kava’s bestseller is the Old City Red Eye: kava and kratom tea shaken together with ReAnimator cold brew, oat milk creamer, agave, and vanilla syrup. “You would think the kava and kratom cancel each other out because, at face value, it’s an upper and a downer in the same drink,” said Kobza. “But in reality they complement each other. The kava takes the edge off the coffee … the [kratom] just adds a mild euphoria.”

    Kobza said first-timers shouldn’t have kava or kratom on an empty stomach, or try too many cocktails at once. (That’s what this Inquirer reporter did, and she ended up with a splitting headache plus lingering nausea.)

    The exterior of Old City Kava Company at 40 S. 2nd Street.

    Carissa Kilbury, 24, goes to Old City Kava weekly. Sometimes, she spends full workdays at the lounge, sipping a few infused drinks while at her computer. A slow drinker, Kilbury said she doesn’t feel much other than mild relaxation.

    “When I’m stressed at work, I feel a little bit less stressed, which is nice,” she said. “It feels like a bar without really being a bar. I like that vibe.”

    Old City Kava Company, 40 S. Second St., 215-402-7047, oldcitykava.com. Hours: 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. – 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

  • Philip Korshak returns to South Philly. This time, bagels aren’t on the menu

    Philip Korshak returns to South Philly. This time, bagels aren’t on the menu

    Philip Korshak, the poet-baker who left town after closing his cult favorite Korshak Bagels 2½ years ago, plans to return to South Philadelphia this spring with a new, deliberately modest venture:

    Korshak Picnic Provisions will be a corner shop built around grilled hot dogs, house-made sourdough biscuits, and the idea that food is community.

    “If I had to model this place after something, it’s Mr. Hooper’s store on Sesame Street,” Korshak said. “The weird little corner shop that’s always there.”

    It’s a former animal hospital at the southeast corner of 13th and Reed Streets, across from the old Faragalli’s Bakery and Columbus Square Park. He is targeting a May opening.

    Korshak impressed both the New York Times and Bon Appétit with his bagel shop, which opened in May 2021 at 10th and Morris Streets. But success came at a price. When he closed it in September 2023, he cited financial and personal strain.

    The shop’s popularity brought pressures that clashed with his ideals. Korshak resisted automation and expansion, wary of becoming something other than a neighborhood bakery. His staff was one of the first in the city to unionize at an independent cafe. (Korshak voluntarily recognized the union.)

    “The staff would prefer to continue,” he wrote in his farewell letter, “but the changes to the process in exchange for efficiency … are not changes I think … are on brand for Korshak Bagels.”

    Bagels by Philip Korshak, whose South Philly bagel shop became a gold standard before shuttering in 2023.

    He also wrote that the shop “simply can’t function economically. And provide a living wage. And work/life balance. And reasonable prices.”

    Korshak’s path back to Philly

    After closing Korshak’s Bagels, Korshak first lived in Seattle but relocated to Austin, Texas — his previous stop before Philadelphia. He had no real plans other than working on a memoir and “spinning my wheels,” he said.

    Then the phone rang last fall. It was Pat Duffy, a friend who owned the building where Korshak used to take his pet cat for veterinary care. “He said, ‘I’ve got this spot. The neighborhood misses you. It could use your vibe,’” Korshak said.

    Korshak initially demurred. “I told him I wasn’t in town and I wasn’t ‘doing the thing’ anymore,” he said. “But just to be thought of — in that world of absurdity and hope — meant everything to me.”

    Duffy walked him through the space over FaceTime. The building, which had been outfitted to become a takeout bakery, had little more than a plumbed floor and sinks. There was no ventilation hood or even potential for a sprawling production line.

    Which was exactly what intrigued Korshak.

    “What I already knew how to do wasn’t that interesting to me anymore,” he said. “What I don’t know yet, that’s compelling.” He moved back to Philadelphia on Dec. 20, settling in Conshohocken.

    The idea for a picnic provisions shop, anchored by hot dogs, came quickly. The corner sits near a bike path, a dog run, a playground, and softball fields. Korshak imagined it as a rendezvous point before or after the park: a place to grab a soda, a cookie, a sourdough biscuit with honey from Green Meadow Farm, or a couple of hot dogs “because dinner’s in a couple hours.”

    “I’m an old guy,” the Brooklyn-born Korshak, 58, said. “I’ve had a lot of hot dogs and a lot of picnics. I like both.”

    Korshak’s reasoning is more philosophical than nostalgic. “The hot dog appealed to me because it can’t really be fetishized,” he said. “You can’t put it on a ‘best of’ list in any meaningful way. It’s ubiquitous. It transcends nationality. For me, food is the connector — it’s not the end in itself. A hot dog almost refuses to be the end in itself. It’s silly, fun, quick.”

    Korshak Picnic Provisions will offer four styles of dogs, all grilled: a standard beef or vegan dog with mustard, relish, onion, or kraut; a Coney-style dog with chili, cheese, and onions (with vegan chili available); a Chicago dog with traditional through-the-garden accoutrements on a poppy-seed bun; and a Pacific Northwest dog topped with cream cheese, fish-sauce ketchup, and cabbage. Though he has not yet selected a supplier, he plans to use all-beef dogs.

    He plans to source buns from Mighty Bread Co., around the corner, shifting away from the labor-intensive, in-house production that defined Korshak Bagels. “It’s not about the hot dog I can make — it’s about what happens when we work together,” he said. “I love baking, but I’m not interested in running big production again.”

    Beyond hot dogs, Picnic Provisions will carry crisps, crackers, jams, honeys, sodas, candy, and seasonal produce. Korshak will keep much of the product line local. He said he is talking to Rhonda Saltzman of Second Daughter Artisanal Bakery and Carol Ha of Okie Dokie Donuts about stocking some of their products. He also envisions stocking non-edible picnic goods — kites, blankets, quilts — reinforcing the shop’s central metaphor.

    There will be baking, just not at former volumes. Helen Mirren, his pet name for his long-ferment starter, will inform a sourdough biscuit and a sourdough-spiked cinnamon roll. (Korshak has been testing at the former Conshohocken Bakery, run by longtime friend Danny DiGiampietro, who hosted his first bagel pop-ups.)

    This time around, he says, the sense of risk is different.

    “It’s all exciting to me,” he said of the new venture, which will have three employees. “The only thing that scares me is if this becomes bigger than it’s intended to be — but I don’t think it will.”

    The goal, he said, is durability rather than buzz. “A friend of mine talks about being ‘hot.’ You can only be hot for so long. After that, you’re judged against whether you were hot or not. But the things people truly love aren’t hot — they’re established. They become part of the common language.”

    “I’ve been around,” Korshak said. “Philly doesn’t exist anywhere else. The people here are the reason it’s the way it is. It’s unlike anywhere.”

    He said he found it “unbelievable” that his last name means something positive to Philadelphians. “How do you not keep trying to do something worthy of that?” he asked. “The goal isn’t accolades. It’s helping someone get through their day a little better — even if you never know about it.”

    Sounding more poet than proprietor, he returned to the idea that first drew him back: movement.

    “I’m incredibly lucky,” he said. “And if you’re not moving forward, you’re not moving at all.”

  • A style of chardonnay that’s bone-dry and tart

    A style of chardonnay that’s bone-dry and tart

    Chablis is a French white wine made with 100% chardonnay grapes, but its flavor profile is nothing like the chardonnay American wine drinkers are accustomed to. Where most Chardonnays are fuller-bodied and richer in texture than other whites, Chablis is lightweight and sheer on the palate. Where the majority of Chardonnays feature some overt apple-pear fruitiness and the distinctive pumpkin spice flavors of new oak, almost all Chablis wines are bone-dry, unoaked, and a little anemic in the fruit department. Most importantly, where most Chardonnays are on the softer end of the white wine acidity scale, Chablis is famously tart — so much so that it can taste unpleasant alone, needing to be partnered with salty foods in order to taste balanced.

    All of these qualities give Chablis an austerity whose appeal is a challenge to describe in positive terms, as with the ferocious bitterness of Campari or the beach-fire funk of an Islay single-malt scotch. Like these other drinks, Chablis tends to be an acquired taste that rarely appeals to the wine novice, but nonetheless retains its prestige from generation to generation as new converts discover its charms.

    What makes Chablis so distinctive is that it is grown in considerably colder conditions than is normal for the chardonnay grape — in a zone of northern France whose climate is a closer match to that of Nova Scotia than it is to California’s. Low ripeness in the fruit grown in Chablis amplifies acidity and minerality, while suppressing fruitiness and alcohol. While most Chablis is quite pricey, petit Chablis — or small Chablis — is the name used there for modest, entry-level wines like this one. It may not have the complexity or the long finish of a superior Chablis, but makes a solid introduction to this style that is a chardonnay for chardonnay haters. Brisk, cleansing, and as dry as the desert, with flavors of crabapples and goat cheese, it makes a marvelous match for any food you might squeeze some lemon on.

    Moillard-Grivot petit Chablis

    Moillard-Grivot petit Chablis

    Burgundy, France; 12.5% ABV

    PLCB Item #100048775 – on sale for $17.99 through March 1 (regularly $19.99)

    No alternate retail locations within 50 miles of Philadelphia according to Wine-Searcher.com

  • Savú, a two-level restaurant-bar in Washington Square West, aims for dining and nightlife under one roof

    Savú, a two-level restaurant-bar in Washington Square West, aims for dining and nightlife under one roof

    Savú opened earlier this month in Washington Square West with a clear pitch: dinner and nightlife under one roof — and a retractable one, at that.

    “The concept is really about bringing a little bit of Miami and New York to Philadelphia,” said owner Kevin Dolce, the restaurant’s managing partner and founder of Hi-Def Hospitality. “There are places that do dinner and places that do nightlife. We want both in the same space, consistently.”

    The second-level dining room, and the rear bar, at Savú.

    Savú occupies the two-level space that last housed Cockatoo, an LGBTQ-friendly bar-restaurant. Dolce said Savú is aimed at everyone. The first floor is anchored by an enormous rectangular bar for walk-ins at the center of the room, with seating wrapped around it. Lounge seating lines the fling-open front windows at 13th and Chancellor Streets, where DJs spin Thursday through Sunday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., shifting the mood from dinner to late-night. Cocktails stick to standards — espresso martinis, French 75s — alongside Champagne and bottle service.

    Upstairs, two additional bars designated for customers with reservations serve a dining room outfitted with banquettes and low lighting. When weather allows, the retractable roof will open, creating an indoor-outdoor feel rare among Center City restaurants.

    The ground-floor bar at Savú, in Washington Square West.

    Savú’s address — along the restaurant row that includes Barbuzzo, Double Knot, and El Vez — has turned over in recent decades. A midcentury diner called Dewey’s once stood there, followed later by Letto Deli. The building was razed in the mid-2010s and replaced with a modern structure that reopened in 2017 as Maison 208. That concept gave way in late 2020 to Cockatoo.

    Chef Maulana Muhammad’s dinner menu signals a push toward a higher-end night out: caviar bumps paired with fries and champagne, lamb chops, grilled branzino, lobster pasta, and ribeyes.

    Chef Maulana Muhammad at Savú.

    Muhammad, a graduate of the Restaurant School, has been around the block. She interned at the old Striped Bass and spent 12 years at the Four Seasons on Logan Square under chef Jean-Marie Lacroix and his team. Through the 2010s, she ran her own restaurant, Maulana’s Café, in the Philadelphia Design & Distribution Center in Wissahickon, and then worked for Constellation Catering just before the pandemic.

    After handling production that had her and colleagues cranking out 50,000 meals a day, she stepped away from the kitchen to help operate her family’s home healthcare agency.

    Kevin Dolce with customers at Taste Cheesesteak Bar in 2024.

    Muhammad joined Savú a year ago to build the menu, after her brother, who knows Dolce, mentioned plans for the restaurant. “I like simple, good food,” Muhammad said. “I love creativity, but I want people to feel full and satisfied. I don’t want them leaving and stopping somewhere else to eat.”

    Dolce has brought in chef Dominique Shields, founder and former owner of North Philly’s Pretty Girls Cook, to oversee weekend brunch, which starts Feb. 28 with such offerings as seafood grits with fried flounder and shrimp, pancakes with fried chicken wings and honey butter, and oxtail hash along with made-to-order omelets and classic egg plates with beef or turkey bacon. In addition to the 11 a.m.-to-3 p.m. brunches, there will be a Sunday Champagne brunch from 4 to 8 p.m. that will be a ticketed, entertainment-focused event upstairs. General admission will include a drink and booths will be reservable.

    Branzino served at Savú.

    Dolce, whose background is in financial consulting, got a taste for nightlife in September 2023 when he opened Taste Cheesesteak Bar on the ground floor of the Sterling, an apartment building at 1809 JFK Blvd. It was, and still is, one of the city’s few cheesesteak shops offering DJs and a full bar.

    Dolce has been on a tear of lease-signing. In 2024, he announced plans for Enigma Sky, a three-story Thai-fusion restaurant and lounge in the former Golf & Social at 1080 N. Delaware Ave., as well as Taste Taco Bar, under the Larry Fine mural at Third and South Streets, at the former Jon’s Bar & Grille. Last year, Dolce said he was also converting the former 7-Eleven store at 1084 N. Delaware Ave., next to Enigma Sky, into Finish Your Champagne, a brunch-driven concept. Citing delays with permitting and approvals, Dolce said Taste Taco Bar is expected to open for Cinco de Mayo, with Enigma Sky and Finish Your Champagne opening by the end of the year.

    Savú waitress Dominique Antes fixes her lipstick in a restroom at the restaurant.

    “Philadelphia is about to have a huge few years: the World Cup, the city’s 250th anniversary, the MLB All-Star Game, NCAA tournaments, PGA events,” Dolce said. “Millions of people are coming, and we want to grow alongside the city and be part of that story.”

    Savú, 208 S. 13th St., 445-223-4865, savuphl.com. Initial dinner hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday. Brunch (starting Feb. 28): 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Champagne brunch: 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

    Savú at 13th and Chancellor Streets.
  • Change comes to Pat’s Steaks | Let’s Eat

    Change comes to Pat’s Steaks | Let’s Eat

    Pat’s King of Steaks, where the steak sandwich was invented in 1930, makes two bold changes.

    Also in this edition:

    • “Girl dinner”: This $39 steakhouse feast has gone viral.
    • Ramadan: A guide to breaking the fast.
    • Coffee boom: Read on for news, including word of major coffee activity in Center City.

    — Mike Klein

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Kicking it new school at Pat’s

    It’s only taken 96 years, but you can now get a seeded roll for your steak at Pat’s King of Steaks. Frank Olivieri explains this and one other seismic shift at the shop that invented this storied sandwich.

    Where to break the Ramadan fast

    Hira Qureshi is fasting for Ramadan, and she shares her guide to fasting and celebrating. Above is the lagman soup from Uzbek standout Plov House in Northeast Philadelphia.

    ➕ Where to break the Ramadan fast around Philadelphia.

    Here’s a ‘girl dinner’ gone viral

    Kiki Aranita sat down for Del Frisco’s $39 martini/oysters/Caesar/fries bar special. It’s a ready-made “girl dinner” that social-media consumers are eating up.

    You still can buy Italian specialties in the burbs

    With Di Bruno Bros. gone from Ardmore and Wayne, Denali Sagner visits the homegrown Carlino’s Market to scope out its line of Italian specialty foods.

    Closings: Manakeesh Cafe and La Chingonita

    Manakeesh Cafe Bakery & Grill — home of fine Lebanese treats such as the qatayif shown above — has ended its 15-year run at 45th and Walnut Streets. Management cites a rent increase, and Andrew Kitchenman explains the family’s next steps.

    La Chingonita will wrap its four-year brick-and-mortar run in Fishtown with burrito offerings on Wednesday, Feb. 18 (burritos) and Friday, Feb. 20 (birria), from noon-6 p.m. or sellout. Rebecca Baez and Omar Martinez, who started the business in 2020 as a food cart, said they decided it was best “to prioritize our family, bow out gracefully, and end things on a high note.” They said the decision to shut down “did not come lightly, but we recognized that it was time to close this chapter with intention and gratitude, before burnout set in further.” They say they think they’ll do popups but have no plans to open another restaurant in the near future.

    The best things we ate last week

    Here’s what we enjoyed during our various local travels: Craig LaBan is delighted by the bise bele bath (above) — a comforting porridge from southern India — at Exton’s Malgudi Cafe. Also: Bedatri Choudhury enjoyed a goat with spicy scallop creole at a Honeysuckle collab dinner with New York’s Kabawa, while Jenn Ladd says she visited Bomb Bomb Bar and had what might be the best crab cakes she’s ever had. That’s high praise coming from someone who lived and worked in Baltimore. (To enjoy more of our “Best Things,” click here.)

    Craig, meanwhile, found “something magical about the mole poblano” for his review of Tlali, a modest Mexican BYOB in Upper Darby, where the Sandoval family is cooking its heart out.

    Beatrice Forman touts the smashburgers at the new El Sazón R.D. in Northern Liberties, which are topped with a pad of queso frito and tangy mayo-ketchup to bring Dominican flavors to an American classic.

    Scoops

    Chef Dominique Shields, founder and former owner of North Philly’s Pretty Girls Cook (at left with her staff when she was featured last year on the Fox show Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service), will oversee weekend brunch at the new Savú (208 S. 13th St.) as chef-in-residence. The brunch service starts Feb. 28.

    The Broad Street Diner will yield to a new six-story hotel, as Jake Blumgart found in new city documents. What could that mean for the Melrose Diner site, also owned by Michael Petrogiannis?

    Imminent openings include Mi Vida (the swank Mexican restaurant out of D.C.), coming to 1150 Ludlow St. in East Market on Feb. 22, and Bar Tacconelli, the cocktail lounge from the pizza family in the former Versa Vino at 461 Route 38, Maple Shade, on Feb. 25.

    Root & Sprig, Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio’s health-forward fast-casual restaurant, has been booked for the Shop Penn retail district in the Perelman School of Medicine’s Kelley Research Building (421 Curie Blvd.) later this spring. There’s also a location at the Penn Medicine Food Hall.

    Sports bar P.J. Whelihan’s will replace the shuttered Iron Hill Brewery in Newtown, Bucks County.

    Restaurant report

    Maddy Rose at the Landing has replaced the Landing restaurant on the Delaware River in New Hope, which closed in late 2024. It’s a second Maddy Rose location (after Jersey City) for Frank Cretella of By Landmark, who also runs the nearby Logan Inn, Hotel du Village, and Anzu Social. The open dining room faces the Delaware and the New Hope–Lambertville Bridge, with indoor dining, bar seating, and deck dining planned as part of a second renovation phase. Mediterranean-influenced menu includes dinner entrees priced in the high $20s (white bean ravioli, Bolognese), the $30s (roasted chicken, baby back ribs), and occasional gusts into the $40s and higher (dayboat scallops, prime rib).

    Maddy Rose at the Landing, 22 N. Main St., New Hope. Hours: 4-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday, noon-3 p.m. and 4-11 p.m. Saturday, and noon-3 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Reservations via OpenTable.

    Cake & Joe owners Sarah Qi and Trista Tang open their third location at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 1735 Market St. with free cakes for the first 100 people. The specialty coffee-and-dessert shop started in Pennsport in December 2020 and added a second in Fishtown in June 2023. The Center City location, open daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., features more grab-and-go options as well as a larger focus on Chinese food.

    Besides Cake & Joe, the Center City West coffee scene is broadening. Last week, Mahmood Islam and Samina Akbar opened a M.O.T.W Coffee (Muslims of the World Coffee) franchise at the Murano (2101 Market St.), next to Trader Joe’s, with Arabic baked goods alongside specialty coffee in chill environs. Two Yemeni coffeehouses are planned nearby: As I reported a few weeks ago, Haraz Coffee House is applying for zoning to open at 1822 Chestnut St., while Rittenhouse Ramblings says Jabal Coffee House has a deal at 1524 Chestnut St.; Jabal’s corporate website suggests a fall opening.

    Briefly noted

    West Chester Restaurant Week will run from Sunday, Feb. 22 to Sunday, March 1 with 30 restaurants offering multicourse menus priced from $40 to $60.

    East Passyunk Restaurant Week returns for its 14th year: Monday, Feb. 23 to Friday, March 6 at 21 participating restaurants with prix-fixes of $20, $40, and $60.

    Filipino stylings are on the menu Wednesday, Feb. 18 at Breezy’s Deli (2235 Washington Ave., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Porco’s & Small Oven Pastry (2204 Washington Ave., 4-8 p.m.). Owner Chad Durkin is collaborating with the visiting Mike and Eylonah Strauss — formerly of Mike’s BBQ and Sidecar Bar — who in 2023 moved to Bacolod City, Philippines, where they run Sugaree Gelato Bakery Cafe.

    Gilda in Fishtown will have help from Cantina La Martina for Gilda’s first-ever Tuesday service, on Feb. 24. Expect Mexican specialty drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and more with a Portuguese twist. Menus will be released on their Instagram accounts. It’ll be pay-as-you-go; dine-in or takeaway.

    At Amá, chef Frankie Ramirez’s Taco Tuesday special, Taco Novela, brings in a guest chef every month for a special weekly taco, with proceeds benefiting a charity. Juan Carlos Aparicio of El Chingon launched the series this week with a taco de lobster zarandeada (a full 1½-pound Maine lobster, charred cabbage sancocho, squink ink sofrito, and chiltepín mayo on squid ink corn tortillas, priced at $42). It will be repeated on Feb. 24. Esperanza Immigration Legal Services is the beneficiary.

    Cuba Libre in Old City is marking its first quarter-century with an open house noon-4 p.m. Saturday, March 7 (snow date, Sunday, March 8) with comp tastings of the restaurant’s original menu items plus rum tastings, cocktail samples, beer, wine, and sangria. No reservations, but those who register will get a $25 gift voucher.

    Convenience chain Sheetz is scouting Wawa territory hard for a new location— as in “a site five miles down the road from Wawa HQ” hard. Erin McCarthy shares the intrigue.

    ❓Pop quiz

    What new policy is in place at Philly dive bar Dirty Franks?

    A) Customers must be at least 25 to enter

    B) One additional hour of happy hour daily

    C) Free drink for anyone with Frank in their first or last name

    D) Non-U.S. beers only

    Find out if you know the answer.

    Ask Mike anything

    I saw a posting at the former Devon Seafood Grill on Rittenhouse Square with an estimated investment of $3.2 million. Any insight? — Woody R.

    Stephen Starr is developing a restaurant — concept is TBD — at the former Devon Seafood Grill at 18th and Chancellor Streets, as I reported nearly a year ago. What you’ve spotted in a window is a printout of a city commercial building permit. The “$3.2 million” cited is the estimated cost of the general work — just a fraction of the total budget, including major categories such as equipment, furnishings, and architectural and design work. Starr would not disclose the budget. It’s probably safe to say it won’t be $20 million, the sum he and partners invested in Borromini, which opened last year across the way.

    📮 Have a question about food in Philly? Email your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com for a chance to be featured in my newsletter.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

  • We tried a cocktail bar’s new Philly-themed menu, from the HitchBOT to the Crum Bum

    We tried a cocktail bar’s new Philly-themed menu, from the HitchBOT to the Crum Bum

    When Aaron Deary, partner and general manager of R&D cocktail bar in Fishtown, began formulating his “liquid love letter” to Philly in honor of our nation’s 250th anniversary this year, he set out to challenge his bartenders in a new and novel way.

    Seems appropriate, given that Philadelphia finds new and novel ways to challenge each of us every day.

    Typically the mixologists at R&D receive cocktail projects that are flavor-focused, but for the bar’s latest themed menu, “Ripoff & Duplicate,” Deary asked them to create 13 drinks based on the stories, legends, and places that make Philadelphia Philly — from the murder of a meddling Canadian robot to the city’s long history of choking in big moments.

    Bartender Eddie Manno makes cocktails at R&D.

    The concoctions are presented in a 10-page glossy magazine-like menu designed by Deary that features cheeky Philly tidbits, tips, and neighborhood recommendations.

    “We obviously had to put some funny things in there, too, because that’s our city and we wanted to show off some of the more ridiculous sides of Philadelphia that we all love,” Deary said.

    While the new menu is the first of its kind for the bar, Deary said they plan to do other iterations throughout the year featuring different Philly neighborhoods and events. So while a dumpster pool drink didn’t make the cut this time, there’s still hope yet.

    The Casting Bait (a tropical sour with Vietnamese gin, mangosteen, ginger, guava, and lime) at R&D.

    “There were a few of them that came up and ones that I was a wee bit too scared to jump into, but you never know, you might see them in summertime,” Deary said.

    Can Philadelphia’s stories be conveyed in a cocktail glass, and, if so, do they taste good? Inquirer food writer Kiki Aranita joined me at R&D last week to find out. We chatted about our experience the next morning. — Stephanie Farr

    Kiki Aranita, food and dining reporter

    Looking at some of the cocktail descriptions, I won’t lie — I was initially skeptical. There was nutmeg paired with watermelon, cream cheese paired with white chocolate. It takes a sort of mad genius (or 10 of them) to come up with those flavor combinations and have them be good.

    I believe the technical term is “wackadoodle.”

    Stephanie Farr, Philly culture columnist

    Agreed. What I loved was how the drinks were created. Aaron told us they came up with the Philly reference for the drinks first and then created different challenges for the bartenders to invent them. For the HitchBOT, the rule was to create a drink made with ingredients from each of the countries HitchBOT went to before being murdered in Philly. So there’s a gin from Holland, a German herbal liqueur, a Philly orange liqueur, and Canadian maple syrup.

    Longing for Awnings and the Art of the Choke.

    For the Art of the Choke, an ode to all the times Philly’s choked in major moments over the years, the rule was to create a drink using ingredients that spelled out J-A-W-N, so there’s Jamaican rum, artichoke amaro, watermelon, and nutmeg.

    The best analogy I can think of is it was like these bartenders were given amazing writing prompts and came up with great liquid stories.

    Kiki Aranita

    HitchBOT was made blue by blue Curacao. It was the most visually stunning of all the drinks, which showed shocking restraint in terms of garnishes and presentation.

    It’s one of the less sweet sours I’ve had and it had Jagermeister in it, which gave it a surprising, herbaceous balance.

    The Hitchbot (a blue sour with Dutch gin, Jagermeister, maple, and lemon).

    Stephanie Farr

    I think the Crum Bum was really interesting. It’s listed on a menu page that tells about Philly’s history with pretzels and baseball, but it’s a pretty clear nod to the infamous incident where KYW reporter Stan Bohrman approached a then-retired Frank Rizzo to ask why city police were acting as his private security detail. In turn, Rizzo called him a “Crum Bum.” I love getting to introduce that legendary Philly moment to people who haven’t seen it yet. And as I said, as a reporter, it’s good to be hated by the right people, and Rizzo is definitely someone you want to be hated by.

    Also that drink came with a sidecar of pretzels, and it smelled like pretzels and Philly and love. It was a little strong for me though.

    Kiki Aranita

    We had to ask for seconds of pretzels at this point.

    Stephanie Farr

    I mean, that is a Philly drink. I want all my cocktails to come with a sidecar of pretzels from now on.

    The Crum Bum, a tequila old fashioned with genever, burnt honey, pretzel and mustard spices.

    Kiki Aranita

    I have to say — a lot of the drinks sounded weird but didn’t taste weird. They were straightforward, balanced, and really lovely.

    Stephanie Farr

    As you noted, there was a lack of garnishes overall, aside from a few twists. Do you think that was the right call? I don’t know why I was expecting them to come with a Tastykake on the rim or something. That being said, I did not miss the garnishes once I dove into the drinks.

    Kiki Aranita

    I’m not a native Philadelphian … and I’ve never had a Tastykake. I’m glad my first one didn’t have to be shoved into a cocktail last night.

    No component was ever too much. Longing for Awnings, an ode to South Philly, had lingering spice (but not too much!) from serrano pepper and beautiful body from tomatillo (but also not too much! It didn’t taste like salsa).

    I also loved the Kompleta martini, which I found really smart and a great way of using Polish bison-grass vodka (not the easiest to find and rarely seen except in Polish restaurants) with Italian Nonino bitters. It tells the story of major immigrant groups coming to Philly in a really thoughtful way.

    The Kompleta Martini with bison grass vodka, Italian bitters, and Islay gin.

    We also found that embedded in all the Philly history, there were personal stories, the fingerprints of previous bartenders and bar managers who left their mark on R&D. For instance, Resa Mueller, who used to run the bar there — her citywide is a pet-nat and room-temperature gin. You can go and order that off this Very Philly Menu.

    Stephanie Farr

    And how about that menu? It’s beautiful and cheeky — part neighborhood guide, part Philly history, part urban legend and also still a menu.

    In a small guide to Bella Vista in the menu, for instance, it says to go to Angelo’s but “don’t pee on the street” and it also reads “Magic Gardens, mushrooms,” without any context. I’m pretty sure they don’t sell mushrooms at the Magic Gardens, so I can only assume what they’re talking about here.

    Kiki Aranita

    They self-deprecatingly describe these cocktails as gimmicky, but they’re really not. They lead with flavor and balance first, and gimmick second.

    Reading through the menu (it’s basically a graphic novel) and tasting through the cocktails that were odes to different neighborhoods (though unfortunately not mine), made me feel a lot of Philly pride. You really see how vast our bank of flavors, spices, produce, and dishes is.

    And in the hands of nerds, it was so much fun to see what they came up with.

    I do have to recommend for our readers, though, that they should not attempt to try all the cocktails solo. Bring a group. There are so many cocktails.

    Stephanie Farr

    I think the menu also illustrates how vast our stories are but also how we have a shared sense of culture as Philadelphians — moments we all remember and some we can never forget, like when Philadelphians caught babies thrown from the window of an apartment building fire, “unlike Agholor.”