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  • 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.

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  • 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.”

  • Missing Di Bruno’s on the Main Line? Carlino’s has your back — and has for decades

    Missing Di Bruno’s on the Main Line? Carlino’s has your back — and has for decades

    As the Main Line contends with the recent abrupt closure of Di Bruno Bros. markets in Ardmore and Wayne, a homegrown Italian-specialties purveyor — just as storied as its South Philly-rooted counterparts — remains open for business.

    On the day before Valentine’s Day, shoppers at Carlino’s Market on County Line Road tucked heart-shaped macarons and chocolate-dipped cannoli into baskets already full with marinara sauce, freshly packed chicken cutlets, and imported cheese. Regulars stopped by for their pre-weekend deli orders, and shoppers took refuge from the cold amid aisles of dried pasta and prepared foods.

    Carlino’s is an Ardmore institution, founded in 1983 as a small, family-owned pasta shop serving Lower Merion’s Italian community. In the decades since, the market has grown into a suburban powerhouse, supplying Ardmore, West Chester, and the surrounding towns with prepared foods, baked goods, and high-end groceries seven days a week.

    The Carlino’s brand has started to transcend its Ardmore roots: In recent years, the family-run operation has expanded its wholesale business to hundreds of grocery stores, from New York to Delaware and as far as Texas. Even as the company grows, its second- and third-generation leaders remain grounded in its origins as a mom-and-pop shop.

    Carlino’s Market general manger Bruno DiNardo (left) restocks cookies, pastries and treats, all homemade, at Carlino’s Market in Ardmore on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

    From Abruzzo to Ardmore

    Carlino’s was founded by Nicola and Angela Carlino, who left Abruzzo in 1968 to move to the United States with their two sons, Pasquale (“Pat”) and Carmen. In Abruzzo, the Carlinos tended to olive groves and grape vineyards and raised livestock on Nicola’s family farm. They left in search of better opportunities for their sons, landing in Ardmore, where Nicola initially worked as a bus driver and groundskeeper at Mitchell Prep, a private school, while Angela sold cookies, fresh pastas, and sauces out of their home.

    When Mitchell Prep closed in the early 1980s, Nicola and Angela decided to take a chance on a family business. They opened Carlino’s Homemade Pasta in a former barbershop on East County Line Road in South Ardmore — at the time, an Italian American enclave. Residents in search of a taste of home regularly patronized Carlino’s, and the family started wholesaling some products to local restaurants and casinos.

    According to Pat Carlino, 63, now the company’s CEO, it’s easy to take the Philly area’s formidable Italian-food scene for granted. But when his parents opened Carlino’s in the 1980s, Pat said, you could barely find marinara sauce in the grocery store. No one knew what tiramisu was, or how to tell the difference between high-quality Parmigiano Reggiano and grocery-store sprinkle cheese. Mention of ciabatta would prompt blank stares.

    Carlino’s was “an education to the public,” he said.

    Customers look over some of the homemade soups, salads and ready to go meals available at Carlino’s Market in Ardmore on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

    As time went on, the store expanded, subsuming other houses on its block, and shifted to a retail focus. The family renamed it Carlino’s Market and expanded offerings to include baked goods, pizza, sandwiches and wraps, imported meats and cheeses, and groceries like sauces, olive oils, and coffee. By the mid-1990s, Carlino’s selection and specialties — handmade ravioli, freshly stuffed sausage, garden-grown bruschetta on house-baked bread, tiramisu cake, and more — attracted savvy customers from as far as New York City and Washington, D.C.

    A growing business

    The Carlinos opened a second market, on Market Street in West Chester, in 2007. Angela, aka “Mama Carlino,” died two days after the second store opened. (Many of Mama Carlino’s recipes, the backbone of market’s origin story, have been recorded in two cookbooks, including a 2023 volume compiled and written by granddaughter Nadia Carlino.) Nicola Carlino died in 2020.

    In 2022, Carlino’s began wholesaling its sauces, dry pastas, and pestos — which you can now find at other small, local retailers like Riverwards Produce and Kimberton Whole Foods, as well as large grocery chains like Wegmans and Giant. Carlino’s products are available in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Florida, Texas, New York, and Massachusetts, and will soon be on shelves in California and the Chicago area.

    Pat declined to share specifics about the company’s business model, though he said future growth will be in wholesaling and the grocery market, not retail. (Many former patrons of Di Bruno’s now-shuttered suburban outposts said the company grew its retail presence too hastily, diminishing its quality).

    While Carlino’s business is growing, Pat said his core customers are still people he knows — “people that I grew up with.”

    Carlino’s also remains a family operation. Pat and his wife, Laura, are the company’s top executives, and their children — now the third generation of Main Line Carlinos — help manage marketing, wholesaling, importing, and manufacturing.

    Talking about Carlino’s products, a word Pat comes back to regularly is “clean.”

    Before influencers and foodies popularized the idea of “clean eating,” Carlino’s was doing it, Pat said. Nicola cooked with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs he grew in his Ardmore garden. Pat said Carlino’s continues to rely on fresh produce, organic flour, and high-quality olive oil and French butter.

    “Things that are trending now, we were doing 40 years ago,” Pat said.

    “You can pick up anything and it’s clean,” he added, just like how your grandma would make it (or at least how a Carlino grandma would).

    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.

  • Here are 8 restaurants offering happy hour deals in (and around) Cherry Hill

    Here are 8 restaurants offering happy hour deals in (and around) Cherry Hill

    From strip mall diners to high-end steakhouses, South Jersey’s restaurants are abundant and ascending in the Philly region’s culinary scene. If you’re looking to dine out for a bargain or enjoy a pre-dinner snack, these eight restaurants in and around Cherry Hill are offering happy hour deals, from $3 tacos to $7 martinis.

    Steak 38

    Looking for charming service, a nostalgic vibe, or perhaps a Caesar salad made tableside? Cherry Hill’s Steak 38 is known for all of the above, and the restaurant even made the Inqurier’s list of the most thrilling places to get a steak in and around Philly. Happy hour is Tuesday through Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. Though the Caesar salad with a show is not on the happy hour menu, try $9 appetizers like prime rib egg rolls or bleu cheese chips. Sangria is $10 per glass, and all draft beer is $2 off. See the menu here.

    515 Route 38 E., Cherry Hill, N.J., 08002, www.steak38restaurant.com

    Monterey Grill

    Monterey Grill is an upscale American restaurant serving steaks, seafood, and classic steakhouse sides. Grab a glass of house wine for $8, select draft beers for $6, or a cocktail for $10. Happy hour bites are priced at $12, including salmon sliders and angry cashew shrimp. Happy hour is available Monday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the bar area. See the menu here.

    558 Fellowship Rd., Mt. Laurel, N.J., 08054, www.montereygrill.com

    Farm and Fisherman Tavern

    Farm and Fisherman brought farm-to-table dining to Cherry Hill in 2013 and has been serving up fresh, seasonally-inspired dishes ever since. The restaurant’s unique, herby cocktails even prompted The Inquirer to ponder if Philly’s most interesting drinks program was happening in a South Jersey strip mall. Happy hour diners can snack on P.E.I. Mussels for $8, “line cook fries” (fries with cheese sauce, pickled serrano peppers, and chili butter) for $5, and veggies with a homemade ranch for $5. Draft beers and glasses of wine are $2 off, and martinis (vodka or gin) are $7. Happy hour is Monday through Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. See the menu here.

    1442 Marlton Pike E., Cherry Hill, N.J., 08034, www.fandftavern.com

    Kaminski’s Sports Bar and Restaurant

    Locals have called Kaminski’s the closest thing Cherry Hill has to a neighborhood bar. The South Jersey watering hole has been a destination for brews, sports, and bar food for more than 50 years. Happy hour takes place at the bar, Monday through Friday, from 3 to 7 p.m. Try a flatbread or burger sliders for $9 or pepperoni rolls or fried pickles for $7, among other options. Drinks are discounted, too. See the menu here.

    1424 Brace Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J., 08034, kaminskisbarandgrill.com.

    Randall’s Restaurant

    Randall’s Restaurant at the Legacy Club prides itself on serving upscale classics with modern twists. Get $2 off draft beer, $7 featured wines, and $12 featured cocktails during happy hour, which takes place Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Featured bites include chicken wings for $12, braised short rib arancini for $6, and clams casino for $9. See the menu here.

    300 E. Evesham Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J., 08003

    Tortilla Press

    Merchantville’s Tortilla Press describes itself as “a favorite spot for locals to enjoy classic Mexican dishes.” During happy hour, try $2.99 tacos, $6.50 pork sliders, or $7.50 chicken flautas, among other choices. House margaritas are $6, sangria is $6.50, domestic draft beers are $4, Mexican bottled beers are $5, and draft Modelos are $5. Happy hour takes place every day from 3 to 6 p.m. and is all day on Tuesdays.

    7716 Maple Ave., Merchantville

    Il Villaggio

    Il Villaggio is an old-school eatery that serves up traditional Italian lunch and dinner dishes, seven days a week. During happy hour, diners can enjoy $6 off bar food, $2 off draft beers, $3 off cocktails, and $3 off wines. Bar menu specials include the crab cake sandwich with parmigiana truffle fries and the beet salad with arugula, pistachios, and goat cheese. Happy hour takes place at the bar area only, Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.

    211 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J.,

    Treno Pizza Bar

    Haddon Township’s Treno Pizza Bar is home to hand-tossed, artisan pizzas, scratch-made pastas, and seasonal cocktails. Happy hour offers a sampling of Treno’s Italian flavors, from $7 Aperol spritzes and $13 blood orange martinis to $6 garlic knots. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. See the menu here.

    233 Haddon Ave., Haddon Township, N.J., 08034, trenopizzabar.com

    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.

  • Philly bars open past 2 a.m.? A new push for late-night bars amid FIFA World Cup

    Philly bars open past 2 a.m.? A new push for late-night bars amid FIFA World Cup

    A new push to let Philadelphia bars stay open past 2 a.m. is being mounted by local trade groups and bars as the largest global sporting event arrives in the city in June.

    The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, which represents restaurants, bars, and other hospitality businesses, wants state lawmakers to create a temporary permit that allows Philadelphia bars to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will come to Philadelphia and 15 other cities in North America from June 11 to July 19.

    “When we’re trying to attract tourists from all over the world to a destination in the United States to enjoy the World Cup, we want to make sure that Philadelphia is offering at least the same amenities as the other host cities,” said Ben Fileccia, senior vice president for strategy for the restaurant and lodging association.

    Many of the most popular U.S. host cities allow bars to serve alcohol past 2 a.m., including New York, Miami, and Kansas City. Other popular international destinations, such as Mexico City and Toronto, also allow it.

    Philadelphia officials did not immediately return a request for comment.

    Any changes to bar closing times would have to come from new legislation, as the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board does not have the authority to change the liquor code to allow bars to sell alcohol after 2 a.m., said PLCB spokesperson Shawn Kelly.

    The crowd cheers and celebrates USA’s first goal against the Netherlands in the World Cup at Brauhaus Schmitz bar in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday Dec. 3, 2022.

    Philly’s chance to prove 4 a.m. closing times work

    Fileccia said this permit would allow bars to take advantage of the estimated 500,000 soccer fans expected to stay in Philadelphia for the six matches being played at Lincoln Financial Field.

    Zek Leeper, co-owner of Founding Fathers sports bar in Southwest Center City, does not see this just as a way to earn more revenue with a surge of tourists coming to Philadelphia.

    “This is our chance to prove that 4 a.m. nightlife can work in Philadelphia. Setting up a temporary license also allows the city and state to pull it back, depending on how it goes,” Leeper said. “With the amount of tourists this year, when is this opportunity going to come up again to justify giving this a try?”

    It doesn’t hurt that an estimated 1.5 million people, including the half million soccer fans, are expected to stay overnight in Philadelphia this summer as the city also hosts America’s 250th celebration and the MLB All-Star Game.

    Leeper and other local bar owners feel confident that the crowds will show up for late-night matches. “We host soccer games from leagues around the world, and those fans are committed. They have consistently shown up whenever the game is on,” Leeper said.

    Steve Maehl (left) of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin laughs as Philly Seagulls President John Fitzpatrick and Dan Peck of Brighton, England (right) look on during the supporter meetup, to kickoff the summer series weekend, at Fadó Irish Pub in Phila., Pa. on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

    Philadelphia soccer fans are already known to work deals with local bars to open as early as 7 a.m. Leeper said upward of 50 people will pack into the bar at sunrise to watch games. While there are no games being played in Philadelphia past 9 p.m. during the World Cup, at least eight of the group stage matches in June will be broadcast on the East Coast starting at midnight or 11 p.m.

    With a 90-minute match, plus halftime and added time, there could be a handful of cases where bartenders have to face down a packed crowd of fans and ask them to leave before the final whistle, Leeper said.

    There’s also the element of international tourists coming from cities that do not have a 2 a.m. cutoff, such as London and Tokyo, leading some visitors to find ways to late-night party outside of licensed establishments, Fileccia said.

    Philly bars were allowed to close later during the 2016 DNC

    Lawmakers allowed bars to stay open until 4 a.m. during the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Bars and restaurants with contracts or association with the convention could apply for $5,000 special-event permits to serve alcohol past 2 a.m.

    Fileccia said the details for a similar permit in 2026 are not available yet, as the effort is just underway. But he and others at PRLA want to bring the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, and other stakeholders to the table to find out the best resolution, he said.

    Fans react to the Eagles play the Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl LIX, in a bar near Frankford and Cottman Aves., Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Philadelphia.

    Will there be enough interest in late-night partying?

    With millions of tourists in Philadelphia this year for the international and national events, there will be increased foot traffic throughout the city, but will there be a late-night crowd to meet the moment?

    That is the question Chuck Moran, executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverages and Taverns Association, is asking despite his support for temporarily keeping bars open later.

    “The one thing that I’ve been hearing across the state is that ever since COVID, the late-night crowds have left,” Moran said. “There could also be issues with finding staff who want to work till 4 a.m. in a bar.”

    Moran said he would rally behind the cause but would look to other measures to maximize revenue for local restaurants and bars, such as allowing liquor-license holders to operate a “satellite location,” letting them serve liquor at a second establishment under their original license. That would open the door to partnerships with restaurants without liquor licenses, Moran said. State Rep. Pat Gallagher, a Philadelphia Democrat, introduced a bill to do just that last June.

    No legislation on keeping Philly bars open later has been introduced yet, but Fileccia hopes to get the ball rolling with lawmakers in the coming months before the first match in Philly on June 14. Even with the window closing on getting new rules passed, Kelly said the PLCB turned around special-event permits in less than two weeks before the start of the 2016 DNC.

  • A six-story Hyatt Studios hotel is planned for the Broad Street Diner site

    A six-story Hyatt Studios hotel is planned for the Broad Street Diner site

    The Broad Street Diner’s days may finally be coming to an end.

    Although demolition permits were issued for the building at 1135-43 S. Broad St. in 2022, it has remained in business.

    But on Tuesday, plans for a six-story Hyatt Studios hotel were posted on the Philadelphia Planning Commission’s website, indicating that the project is moving forward.

    It will be subject to the advisory only Civic Design Review process on March 3.

    The proposal includes 105 hotel rooms and 42 underground parking spaces. Hyatt Studios is a recently launched extended-stay brand of the larger hotel chain.

    The plans are credited to Philadelphia-based architect Plato Studio, led by Plato A. Marinakos Jr. The document submitted to the planning commission was rife with errors, including mislabeled street names and neighboring developments.

    The architect’s plan highlights the project’s proximity to SEPTA’s Broad Street subway line.

    “The hotel will benefit from direct subway line access connecting guests to major sightseeing destinations, entertainment venues on South Broad Street near [Pattison] Avenue and Center City,” the plans say.

    The Hyatt Studios hotel will require approvals to move forward from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

    A sign outside the Broad Street Diner in South Philadelphia in 2022.

    Maria Petrogiannis, head of development for MR Realty Associates, which owns the property, was not immediately available for an interview.

    Her father, Michael Petrogiannis, is a longtime owner of beloved eateries in the region, including the Mayfair, Melrose, and Country Club diners.

    The Broad Street Diner’s demolition permits were issued at the same time as the Melrose Diner at 1501 Snyder Ave. on the West Passyunk Avenue corridor. But the Melrose was demolished in 2023, after 67 years in business at that location.

    Today, its site sits vacant, hemmed in by a chain-link fence, and is a frequent subject of nuisance complaints from neighbors.

    A planned apartment building for that site, which MR Realty said would include a new version of the Melrose Diner, has not materialized.

    In a 2025 interview, Maria Petrogiannis said the hope was that the apartment building and replacement diner on West Passyunk would be completed by the time the hotel project came to fruition, giving workers a site to move to when the South Broad Street eatery was razed.

    Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Pattison Avenue.

  • Northern Liberties now has TikTok-famous Dominican smashburgers topped with queso frito

    Northern Liberties now has TikTok-famous Dominican smashburgers topped with queso frito

    Philly’s burgeoning smashburger scene just got a little more crowded, thanks to a New York City-based Dominican restaurant with a huge social media following.

    El Sazón R.D. — home of lower Manhattan’s viral queso frito-topped smashburger — has opened a location in Northern Liberties at 1030 N. Second St. It replaced smoothie shop Essex Squeeze, another NYC import.

    Owned by cousins Edwin Collado and Ari Valerio and their friends Glenn Almanzar and Michael Tsang, El Sazón R.D. has created a takeout empire out of adding queso de freír — salty and melty white Dominican frying cheese — to a set of distinctly American comfort foods: smashburgers, crinkle-cut fries, and deli-style egg-and-cheese sandwiches.

    The first El Sazón R.D (which roughly translates to “the Dominican flavor”) opened in 2024 in New York’s Chinatown, where it built a following among the city’s content creators. Almost immediately, Almanzar said, videos of influencers taking exaggerated bites of towering double cheeseburgers racked up millions of views.

    @jnov__ El Sazón📍 83 Baxter St, New York, NY #smashburger #nyceats #dominican #nycfood #foodreview #dominicanfood #chinatown #manhattan #foodtok #cheapeats #foodreview ♬ original sound – Johnny Novo

    Within two years, El Sazón opened three more locations: one in Tribeca, a second location in Tribeca and another in the East Village, the latter of which is a full-service bodega that also serves cheesesteaks alongside platters of chicharrón and pernil with all the fixings. The shop’s Philly location, its first outside New York, soft-opened two days before February’s record-setting snowstorm and deep freeze. Neither, Almanzar said, slowed business.

    “We’ve been selling out of stuff. That’s how busy we’ve been,” he said.

    Valerio, who grew up in the Dominican Republic’s countryside, is the chef of group, whose menu is inspired by Valerio’s relationship with his 78-year-old uncle Bijo. When he was 13, Valerio said, his uncle allowed him to set up a grill in front of his corner store and sell sandwiches.

    “I was his first customer. I was the one who told him could make money doing this,” said Almanzar, who is from the Lower East Side and would visit the D.R. on family vacations.

    El Sazón R.D co-owners Ari Valerio (left) and Glenn Almanzar (right) pose inside the restaurant’s first Philly location. The other three are in New York City.

    To open El Sazón R.D, Valerio and Alamazar partnered with Collado and Tsang, who own SET, the thumping Asian-fusion bar known for bottomless margarita towers that started in NYC and expanded to Philly in 2020. As for uncle Bijo, everything on the menu had to get his stamp of approval.

    “He’s very old-fashioned,” said Valerio. “We’d do these early-morning tasting sessions and he’d get on me about making sure I was measuring all my ingredients exactly right.”

    Deep-fried cheese, please

    El Sazón’s Philly menu only has four distinct food items on it, but it pulses with tastes of the Dominican Republic.

    The restaurant’s smashburger starts with a Martin’s potato bun slathered with “chimi” sauce, a tangy mayo-ketchup mixture ubiquitous across Latin America. The condiment is a nod to the Chimi, a popular Dominican street food sandwich that involves spreading mayo-ketchup onto rolls of crisp pan de agua piled high with beef and a cabbage slaw.

    El Sazón R.D’s Dominican smashburger comes with American cheese, a slice of queso frito, pickles, and “chimi” sauce, also known as mayo-ketchup.

    “People always ask us why our mayo-ketchup tastes different than when they make at home,” bragged Almanzar. “There’s nothing special about it, but at the same time, you can’t recreate it by squirting mayo and ketchup packets together. It’s about balance.”

    Valerio smashes a Pat La Frieda beef patty onto a flat-top grill with a meat press, spreading out the edges so they become lacy with a slight crunch. The key to perfecting the queso frito, he said, is to deep-fry the slices for exactly 45 seconds at 350°F. A moment longer and the cheese turns rubbery, not unlike a Wawa mozzarella stick that’s sat on the hot tray for too long.

    The result is a $10 smashburger that is hefty and satisfying. The fried cheese adds dimension, its saltiness mixing with the acidity of the chimi sauce and pickle slices to dress up an otherwise plain burger patty. To Almanzar, that’s the point.

    El Sazón R.D. co-owner Ari Valerio squirts mayo-ketchup onto a burger bun. Valerio, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, first started cooking at his uncle’s bodega.

    “With a smashburger, it’s not about the burger itself but what you put on it — the fried cheese, the sauce,” he said.

    Popularized by chains like Shake Shack, the smashburger has overtaken the plump pub burger in the past decade on menus around the country. The slim and crispy patties are cheaper and quicker to make, and, since precise temperature isn’t a factor, easier to cook. This year, Philly is also poised to get a Harlem Shake and a 7th Street Burger, two other New York City-based smashburger chains. They’ll join a scene already saturated with local iterations with cheffy flourishes; think burgers topped with chili jam, Yemenite-spiced mayo, and pickled green tomatoes.

    El Sazon R.D’s loaded fries come topped with cubes of queso frito and fried salami.

    El Sazón also sells loaded crinkle-cut fries layered with two hefty squirts of mayo-ketchup, cubes of queso de frier, and fried salami chunks that pop in your mouth like blistered cocktail sausages. It’s yet another play on Latin American street food, said Valerio: Vendors selling salchipapas — French fries topped with hot dogs — are a staple across Peru and the Caribbean, he said.

    Also on the menu: Beef, chicken, vegetable, and salami and cheese empanadas made fresh daily by another one of Valerio’s cousins. The turnovers can be served as is or taco-style, wherein the empanada is sliced open and lined with pico de gallo, pickled onions, and drizzles of chipotle aioli.

    Eventually, Almanzar hopes to extend El Sazón’s Philly hours until midnight or later on weekends to capitalize on bar crowds seeking something filling, cheap, and a little comforting.

    “That’s our kind of food,” he said.

    The empanada taco at El Sazón R.D.

    El Sazón R.D., 1030 N. 2nd St. Ste. 201, elsazon-rd.com. Initial hours: noon to 9 p.m. daily.

  • Where to break your Ramadan fast around Philadelphia

    Where to break your Ramadan fast around Philadelphia

    Ramadan marks a time of spiritual renewal for Muslims, a time to practice patience, gratitude, charity, and abstinence. This year, the observance began Feb. 17 and ends March 19, following the lunar calendar. Muslims observing Ramadan fast from sunrise to sunset, refraining from food and drink (even water). They often gather for suhoor, the predawn meal, and iftar, the meal at dusk that breaks the fast.

    Suhoor, can range from hearty traditional stews to a quick bowl of cereal. At sunset, iftar is traditionally observed with dates, fresh juices, fried snacks, and other festive favorites. While meals can be enjoyed at home, many Muslims plan gatherings to start and end the fast together.

    If you’re looking to dine out this Ramadan, here’s a list of Philadelphia-area restaurants open during early suhoor hours and offering iftar specials. While most of these establishments serve halal meat, check our guide to halal hot chicken and other eats for more options.

    This list will be updated. Offering suhoor or iftar? Email us.

    Lagman soup with chewy, housemade noodles is one of the standout Uzbek specialties at Plov House in Northeast Philadelphia.

    24-hour restaurants with suhoor favorites

    Plov House

    This Northeast restaurant is open 24 hours a day in a city where all-night restaurants have become endangered, according to Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan. Expect halal Uzbeki homestyle dishes, including beef or lamb puff pastries, pilaf piled high with stewed meats and carrots, fried meaty turnovers, and crepes filled with cottage cheese and strawberry jam for your early morning feasting.

    9969 Bustleton Ave., 267-571-1111, instagram.com/plov_house_philadelphia, open 24 hours, seven days a week

    Liberty Bell Diner

    While traditional dishes are enjoyed during suhoor, classic American breakfast foods are a favorite, too. At Liberty Bell Diner, one of Philly’s few remaining 24-hour diners, you’ll find pancakes, omelets, and waffles around the clock.

    8445 Frankford Ave., 215-331-4344, thelibertybelldiner.com, open 24 hours, seven days a week

    Four Seasons Diner

    This cozy 24-hour diner on Cottman Avenue offers cinnamon French toast, eggs any way, golden brown pancakes, and omelets. You could even end the predawn meal with a slice of strawberry cheesecake or chocolate fudge cake.

    2811 Cottman Ave., 215-331-0797, fsdiner.com, open 24 hours, seven days a week

    Makkah Market

    In West Philly, this 24-hour market and kitchen offers a 25-seat dining area for sit-down suhoors and iftars. Since 1996, Makkah Market has been a staple in the neighborhood with Egyptian and Moroccan chefs cooking up meals to fill takeout boxes.

    4249 Walnut St., 215-382-1821, makkahmarketpa.com, open 24 hours, seven days a week

    At left is the haneeth and mandi duo, (lamb, chicken, and rice) beside the mixed grill, (lamb, chicken, beef, and fries) at Malooga, Chestnut Street in Old City, Philadelphia. A second location is in Narberth.

    Where to find iftar menus in the Philly area

    Yes Yasmine Kitchen

    Every Thursdays during Ramadan, this pop-up offers take-home meals featuring djedj zitoune chicken (or cauliflower), black seed and black salt focaccia, Moroccan carrots, and an assortment of stuffed and chocolate-dunked dates. Weekly rotating meals are halal, with vegan options available for preorder on Tuesdays for pick-up on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Orders ($65 per person) can be placed online.

    instagram.com/yesyasminekitchen

    Malooga

    Old City’s Yemeni restaurant offers a $9.99 iftar special, which includes soup, two samosas, and three dates with any main dish. The special can be added to any dine-in order, from 5 p.m. until closing.

    134 Chestnut St., 267-822-2327, maloogacatering.com, Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday to Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (The kitchen closes 30 minutes before closing time.)

    Wah Gi Wah

    This Pakistani restaurant in West Philly is offering Ramadan iftar boxes with appetizers, entrées, and naan. Items include chicken biryani, kabobs, or tandoori, along with salad, rice, and chana. Packages range from $9.99 to $19.99, depending on your options. Catering packages are available for $9.99 to $14.99.

    4447 Chestnut St., 215-921-5597, wahgiwah.com, Sunday to Thursday noon to 10 p.m., Friday to Saturday noon to 11 p.m.

    Alamodak Restaurant & Hookah Bar

    Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Alamodak Restaurant in North Philly hosts a Ramadan iftar buffet. The buffet items rotate, but customers can expect chicken mandi, maqluba, appetizers, soup, and sweets. There are also vegan and vegetarian options. Adults pay $26.99 on Friday and Sunday, and $30.99 on Saturday. Kids under 10 years pay $10. On Feb. 28, there will be a Ramadan tent set up with music and seating from 10 p.m. to midnight.

    161 Cecil B. Moore Ave., 267-641-5926, alamodakrestauranthookahbar.com, Thursday to Sunday 4 p.m. to midnight

  • After 96 years, Pat’s King of Steaks is changing how it makes cheesesteaks

    After 96 years, Pat’s King of Steaks is changing how it makes cheesesteaks

    Like Major League Baseball installing the pitch clock or Apple dropping the headphone jack from iPhones, a small shift can have a major impact.

    The same is true of sandwiches: After 96 years, South Philadelphia landmark Pat’s King of Steaks has made two subtle but significant tweaks.

    The stand at the crossroads of Ninth, Passyunk, and Wharton is now offering seeded rolls, from longtime supplier Aversa Italian Bakery, alongside the plain hoagie-style rolls Pat Olivieri first used when he introduced the steak sandwich in 1930.

    An O.G.-style cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz on top at Pat’s King of Steaks in 2024.

    Owner Frank Olivieri said his father, Frank P. Olivieri, didn’t want seeded rolls “probably because his father [Harry] and his uncle [Pat] beat it into his head that he could not change the recipe whatsoever for whatever reason. But since my father unfortunately passed several weeks ago, I thought maybe it’s time to change up a little bit,“ he said. ”Seeded rolls are something that I do when I make them at home for myself.”

    Pat’s announced the “new school” seeded-roll option on Instagram as a limited-time offering, but Olivieri said it likely will be permanent. (Across the street, Geno’s still offers plain rolls only.)

    The second change — subtle but more significant — is happening on Pat’s grills.

    Since Pat’s began offering cheesesteaks in the 1950s, cooks layered the sliced cheese over the beef and let residual heat do the melting on the sandwich. Now, the cheese is melted into the meat and optional onions on the grill before everything gets mixed and goes into the roll.

    Pat’s is credited with inventing the steak sandwich in 1930.

    Olivieri said his father resisted melting cheese on the grill out of concern for maintaining the cooking surface. The new method produces a more integrated bite, with cheese distributed evenly. (Traditionalists, he said, can ask for the classic layered technique.)

    He said the updates reflect customer requests, not competitive pressure. Many newer shops favor seeded rolls and grill-melted cheese, arguing that the crunch and cohesion improve texture. Pat’s has adopted those elements — with limits.

    While newer operators often finely chop their steak, Pat’s remains committed to its sliced, or “slab,” style.

    “There’ll be no banging on the grill,” Olivieri said.

    Other additions have appeared. Two years ago, Pat’s started to offer chicken cheesesteaks and Cooper Sharp cheese — the darling of the new-gen shops. Pat’s still offers American, but Olivieri said he plans to phase it out. “It’s kind of redundant,” he said.

    John’s Roast Pork has caved: Cooper Sharp cheese is becoming a cheesesteak option

    The shop has tweaked things before.

    In the late 1970s, Olivieri said, he and his mother, Ritamarie, began offering mushrooms and peppers after hearing customers ask for them. His father didn’t notice at first.

    “He was looking at one of the invoices and said, ‘When the hell did we start selling mushrooms and peppers?’” Olivieri recalled. “I said, ‘Three weeks ago, Dad.’ He goes, ‘Oh, are they selling?’ I said, ‘Yes.’”

    They stayed.

    Still, Olivieri sets some boundaries. “I draw the line at pepperoni,” he said.

  • I’m a food reporter who’s fasting for Ramadan. Here’s my guide to observing and celebrating in Philadelphia

    I’m a food reporter who’s fasting for Ramadan. Here’s my guide to observing and celebrating in Philadelphia

    Every year, Ramadan seems to catch me by surprise. Maybe it’s because the month-long holiday’s start date fluctuates 10 to 12 days following the lunar calendar. Or maybe it’s my disbelief that another year has come and gone. No matter the reason, Ramadan always comes back around when I need it the most.

    For many Muslims, the holy month is one of spiritual renewal. It’s a month where we get to practice patience, abstinence, gratitude, and charity. This year, the month of observance runs from the evening of Feb. 17 to March 19, which means no food and drink — yes, even water — for about 12 to 14 hours for 30 days.

    The key is good food and community before and after fasting. And in Philadelphia, that’s easy to find.

    Here’s my guide to observing and celebrating Ramadan in the city I call home.

    Falafel’s at Cilantro.

    What does it mean to fast for Ramadan?

    My day begins at 4 a.m. with suhoor, the meal that begins the fast. Typically, I roll out of bed and grab the first thing I can eat (a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, most days) and chug half a liter of water. Once the athan, or call to prayer, chimes on my phone close to 5:40 a.m., I abstain from eating and drinking until after the sun goes down.

    After sunset, I break my fast with a date — a spiritual tradition rooted in teaching by the Prophet Muhammed — then dinner and lots of water.

    Growing up, this end-of-fast meal, iftar, started with a quick snack that was followed by prayer and dinner. Now as an adult, I’m making my own traditions and breaking my fast all in one go, then praying afterward.

    Muhammad Williams and Nyeem P. eat the iftar meal at Masjidullah in Philadelphia in March 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly feast, called iftar.

    Where can you celebrate in community in Philadelphia?

    This year, I’m meal-prepping to save money, making jars of oatmeal and smoothies to start my fast and keep me full and stocking frozen marinated meats to pull out and cook before the athan signals the end of the fast.

    But there are days when walking into the kitchen, let alone cooking, feels impossible. Thankfully, Philadelphia has a range of halal dining options I can rely on — I’m ordering hot chicken sandwiches or falafels for a quick solution.

    Philly’s Muslim-owned restaurants are also celebrating with holiday buffets — think chicken mandi and maqluba at Alamodak or chicken briyani and goat korma at Wah Gi Wah — and special additions, like soups, samosas, and dates.

    There are 24-hour establishments to gather with friends for suhoor — consider Plov House in the Northeast for fried meaty turnovers and sweet crepes or Liberty Bell Diner for pancakes, omelets, and waffles around the clock.

    Tables filled up around 3 a.m. at the 24-hour Plov House, where diners shared hot teas alongside plates of manti and shurpa soup.

    But they are not the only ones offering spreads of delicious foods to break fast in community.

    When I moved to Philadelphia, iftars hosted by mosques were my North Star for finding community. I discovered a blend of Philly natives and immigrants from the city’s Muslim diaspora, from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, breaking fast together at mosques, kitchen tables, and 24-hour diners across the city. Ramadan isn’t complete without a mosque iftar.

    You could also shake things up and embark on an all-night food crawl — a ritual that’s been a highlight of my Ramadan calendar for four years now. Each year, my friends and I travel to New York City for one night during the holiday month, exploring the city’s late-night food scene from iftar to suhoor.

    Last year, I realized that it was possible to crawl in Philadelphia, too, even if Philly has only a few establishments open past midnight and a handful of 24-hour diners left. But, as we found out, Ramadan brings a different kind of energy to the night.

    What to do if you get invited to an iftar?

    I’m a social butterfly, so hosting iftars is something I’m quite good at. I love gathering my community to yap and munch. (Pro-tip: Take it easy and host a potluck — unless you’re insanely talented like my mom, who can still whip up a spread of perfect dishes for over 30 people while fasting.)

    Gulab jamun and gajar ka halwa on a plate.
    Gulab jamun and gajar ka halwa are favorites for the holiday.

    One question I hear from my lovely non-Muslim guests: What do I do if I get invited to an iftar? The answer is simple. Eat, a lot. The joy of Ramadan hosting is spending time with loved ones over good food. Seeing my guests enjoy food and company makes the day’s fast worth it.

    If it’s a potluck, bring a dish you love to share. That’s what my very cool friend Kelsey McKinney did for an iftar I hosted last year. (Yes, I was fangirling that Philly’s very own gossip queen came to my potluck!) A competitor on The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off, McKinney baked a spiral pastry that looked like the sun and tasted like herby olives in buttery, flaky puff pastry.

    “I could have rolled up with like a bag of delicious pistachios, and it would have been fine,” McKinney wrote. “But the bar for myself is so high! I wanted to bring something celebratory to the Hot Girl Iftar!”

    Just remember: Don’t bring alcohol, and use halal ingredients.

    And for any kitchen-shy non-cooks, you can’t go wrong ordering a platter of viral crispy shawarma sandwiches from the TikTok famous Falafel Time or an assortment of laddoos, gajar ka halwa, and gulab jamun from Philly’s many mithai (South Asian sweets) shops.