Three weeks of World Cup excitement in Philadelphia came to a close on Saturday, but not before an announced sold-out crowd of 68,324 sat through 100-plus degree temperatures to watch France move on to the quarterfinals following a 1-0 defeat of Paraguay.
When the final whistle blew, it capped Philly’s first-ever hosting of the men’s World Cup in what was just the second time it’s been played on U.S. soil. Over the course of those weeks, Philadelphia became the world’s playground as our parks were used as staging grounds for thousands of fans, bars and restaurants catered to people from all over the world, and city landmarks received global attention.
The moments the World Cup brought were innumerable, but we compiled a list of the Top 10 takeaways as the lights move away from Philadelphia Stadium and continue at FIFA’s Fan Festival at Lemon Hill, which will keep the party going as the tournament inches closer to a thrilling end at New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
Party on the Orange Line
SEPTA pulled out all of the stops — literally and figuratively — getting thousands of fans to and from Philadelphia Stadium courtesy of both local and express trains on the Broad Street Line that ran frequently and, for the most part, safely and efficiently, with scores of transit police and other officials at the stations.
But while SEPTA deserves a job well done, the heroes are the fans who routinely brought the party on the rides to and from the stadium. For just $2.90, fans heading down were subjected to singing, drums, flag waving, and a whole lot of hugging and high-fiving, whether you wanted it or not. The pre-party might have been at FIFA’s Festival or Stateside Live!, but it was also on many of the matchday trips southbound to NRG Stadium.
On the eve of the FIFA World Cup Group C match between Brazil and Haiti, this fan left a Spanish and English soccer jersey at Rocky’s feet on the Art Museum steps on June 18.
Rocky statue became World Cup lore
World Cup fans not only embraced Philly culture but also embraced our city’s sports culture and its superstitions. No proof of that was bigger than how nations took to the curse of placing a team jersey on the Rocky statue. Ecuador kick-started the notion, and their team lost, causing the planner of the moment to make a public apology.
The Ecuadorian team jersey on the Rocky statue was made by a fan who wanted to bring good luck to his team. That fan later issued a public apology after Ecuador’s loss.
Still, news of our city’s statue went viral and has now become a fan phenomenon, regardless of sport, worldwide.
Members of the Ivory Coast national soccer team react to fans during an open practice at Subaru Park in Chester on June 12.
A second home for the Ivory Coast
The love affair of the Ivory Coast needs to be studied because for the two weeks that the team took up residence at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington and trained at WSFS SportsPlex and Subaru Park in Chester, they became family. People cooked special meals for the team, fans were buying their signature bright orange jerseys, and they were yearning for autographs at team training sessions.
In return, Ivory Coast advanced to the knockout rounds by winning both of its matches in Philadelphia, against Ecuador and Curaçao. Always remember that the team earned its first-ever trip to the knockout stage via a path forged through the Greater Philadelphia Region.
France’s Kylian Mbappé, reacts after a foul by Paraguay’s Andrés Cubas during the first half Saturday’s round-of-16 World Cup match at Philadelphia Stadium.
Red, white, and blue on July 4
It wasn’t the red, white, and blue of our nation’s colors, but it was somewhat symbolic that those were the colors of the two nations that faced off in Philly’s final game on a day that celebrated America’s independence.
On one side, there was France, a nation whose efforts in America’s independence are well-documented, which arrived with a team viewed as one of the best in the world, with arguably the world’s best striker, Kylian Mbappé.
On the other side sat Paraguay, a nation the U.S. men’s national team has beaten twice in less than a year: first in its Group D opener, then in a friendly last November at Chester’s Subaru Park.
A fan heads for shelter as rain falls at Lincoln Financial Field during a World Cup match between France and Iraq on, June 22.
Singing (and shopping) in the rain
Sure, it was hot, muggy, and wet, but France’s first match in Philadelphia, against Iraq, won’t soon be forgotten. Two storms, one right after the other, soaked Philadelphia Stadium and caused a delay of more than two hours. But while some actually decided to leave, believe it or not, the fans who stayed sang, cheered, and found ways to stay cool and dry.
How? Well, how about ravaging the concourse levels for food, drink, and memorabilia, leaving many concessions out of food and drink by the time the game resumed, and the official FIFA store on the main concourse looking like it got hit by a tornado?
It’s tough to put into words how to describe all of the vibrant colors on display during the three weeks of the tournament. Fortunately, a team of Inquirer photographers not only attended every match, but also were around town capturing moments showcasing the rabid fandom and excitement the World Cup delivered.
There to help
They wore neon green, light purple, and dark blue. They were comfortable being in the backdrop, but seemed ready to step up and support at a moment’s notice. In addition to the familiar faces of fan service representatives on any given Eagles gameday, the thousands of FIFA volunteers scattered both in and out of the stadium and at the FIFA Fan Festival brought a level of comfort simply by being there.
But the great part is that to many of them, it wasn’t just a job. They, too, seemed to be soaking in Philly’s moment in soccer’s sun, or dancing during the rains that fell for some of it, too.
Fan service representatives Robin “Miss Robin” Carter (left) and Maura Jacquinet were dancing in the rain during the delay for the June 22 match between France and Iraq.
And when you remember that mostly unpaid volunteers did much of the work, often through six- to eight-hour shifts, a special hat tip is due to those who helped make the event memorable for hundreds of thousands in attendance.
Fans pack the Broad Street Line ahead of the World Cup game between Brazil and Haiti on June 19.
Brazil vs. Haiti was a vibe
Probably the one match in Philadelphia where the game didn’t matter, the party started the night before with Brazil fans taking over bars, restaurants and the steps of the Art Museum in advance of their match against Haiti. The next day, whether it was on the train, in the parking lots, or once inside the stadium, both Brazilian and Haitian fans alike decided to make the game one big party.
A fan looks on with delight during Brazil’s match against Haiti on June 19.
Money was no object in Philly
In what amounted to the most expensive edition of the FIFA World Cup to attend, ever, fans still found a way to pack Philadelphia Stadium. In all, five of the six matches held in Philly were announced as complete sellouts of 68,324 in attendance. Only the match between Ivory Coast and Ecuador didn’t deliver a sellout crowd, and the margin was just 50 people. The average get-in ticket for a group-stage match on secondary market sites in Philly was $703, according to Front Office Sports.
“It’s been an expensive summer,” said Susan Richman, who attended two matches in Philly with six other family members. “I think all in all we’ve spent close to $15,000 [on tickets]? But for us to say that we’ve attended the World Cup in America is something that personally, I’ll always remember.”
Brazil fan Maninhu and Haitian fan Greguity met at the World Cup match in Philly between Brazil and Haiti. Both said they’ve become “best friends” in the process.
Fans becoming friends
One of the things that this tournament has conveyed is that humanity isn’t gone, as much as our social media algorithms would love us to believe. The colors that have mattered throughout the World Cup have had nothing to do with the color of someone’s skin, or where they’re from. The colors that have mattered have been the ones on the jerseys that have passed through Philadelphia Stadium, ones that have allowed us to ask questions of others, to get to learn more about them, their culture, their nation’s history.
Fans play a soccer game at the base of the Art Museum steps ahead of the FIFA World Cup Group C match between Brazil and Haiti on June 18.
It’s why money was no object to be in that moment, why a bucket list was fulfilled. In the end, that commonality undoubtedly found that strangers become friends, and friends become family, using sport as a connective tissue. In the end, that just might be the greatest takeaway from the three weeks in which the world’s greatest game made a pit stop in Philadelphia.
“This is wonderful for Philadelphia and wonderful for America, welcoming everybody into this beautiful country,” Ivory Coast native-turned-Philadelphian Ahmadou Dia told The Inquirer recently. “The World Cup, the football itself, brings every country, every single person, together regardless of color. It doesn’t matter what you look like, because on the field or in that stadium, we’re family.”
Honorable mentions: The turf laid down at the bubble field at Fan Festival … The Bank of America charm bracelets everyone went wild for at Fan Festival … The VFA-11 and VFA-81 flyover at Philadelphia Stadium on July 4. … Free rides on the Broad Street Line after the game … Ghana and Paraguay fans remaining in the stadium for over an hour after their matches to soak it all in … Lines of fans outside team hotels … The rooftop terrace at Stateside Live! on any given matchday.
Global investors last week drove the dollar to its highest value in more than a year, as the appeal of the U.S. artificial intelligence boom and the prospect of higher interest rates eclipsed doubts about President Donald Trump’s erratic policymaking.
The greenback’s more than 5% gain since the end of January has quieted — for now — talk of the “Sell America” trade that emerged following the president’s April 2025 global tariffs announcement. At that time, financial markets, spooked by Trump’s plan for the highest import taxes since the 1930s, sent U.S. stocks, bonds, and currency sliding in an unusual trifecta of losses.
Foreign investors remain wary of the unpredictable U.S. president. But eager to capitalize on the historic AI boom, they have piled into fast-growing technology stocks such as ASML Holding, a maker of semiconductor equipment that is up nearly 125% over the past year, and they’ve bought dollars to do so.
New Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh fueled the dollar’s rise this month by vowing to “unambiguously” curb inflation, reassuring markets at his public debut that he would ignore the president’s demand for lower interest rates. With inflation still above the Fed’s price stability target, rates may head higher, drawing in more foreign capital.
“You might hate the U.S. government, but if you love the opportunity presented by U.S. companies, you’re going to come here,” said Rebecca Patterson, former chief investment strategist for Bridgewater Associates, now with the Council on Foreign Relations.
The revived dollar has reversed a portion of the 12% decline from its January 2025 peak under President Joe Biden to its low ebb in January of this year. The currency traded last week at its highest mark since May 2025.
American tourists in Europe or Japan will find travel more affordable. But companies that depend on foreign markets, including technology giants such as Intel, Microsoft, and Qualcomm, could see earnings hit when they convert their overseas profits into dollars. U.S. exports, which have risen for four consecutive months, also could sag.
The turnaround at the Fed is the biggest force driving the dollar rally.
After the central bank cut its benchmark borrowing rate three times in the final months of 2025, investors began this year anticipating additional monetary easing.
But the energy price shock from the Iran war, coupled with the effects of tariffs and the surge in AI-related spending, aggravated inflation. Prices, excluding volatile food and energy costs, were up 3.4% in May from one year ago, according to the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge.
The Fed’s policymaking committee made clear this month that after five years of above-target inflation, higher interest rates may be needed to cool off prices. Nine of the 18 members of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee projected at least one rate increase this year. Only one official forecast a cut.
“Foreign investors continue to invest in America in a pretty big way,” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial. “But certainly momentum now, I think, has more to do with the kind of definitive shift in monetary policy that we’re seeing.”
Higher U.S. interest rates would mean more expensive mortgages and business loans for Americans. But they would deliver higher returns for investors, especially compared with what is available in other developed markets. The European Central Bank raised its main policy rate this month to 2.4% while the Fed’s benchmark holds in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%.
Given the weak state of the euro-area economy, which contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter, the ECB has little room to raise rates further while a majority of investors expect a U.S. rate hike at the Fed’s September meeting, according to CME Group’s Fedwatch, which tracks prices in the Fed futures market.
The increasingly healthy U.S. economy is catnip for foreign investors. The Commerce Department last week said growth in the first three months of the year hit an annual 2.1% rate, up from its initial 1.6% estimate. The pace may be quickening, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which forecasts a 2.5% rate for the April-June period.
After a weak 2025, hiring has strengthened. Employers through the first five months of this year created an average of 114,000 jobs per month, more than 10 times last year’s anemic pace, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“We’ve had very resilient economic data. So not only are we getting the hawkish Fed, but we’ve got what appears to be a restrengthening of the U.S. economy,” said Marc Chandler, chief market strategist for Bannockburn Capital Markets in New York.
Some foreign markets this year, notably including Japan’s Nikkei index, have outperformed their U.S. counterparts. But U.S. stocks have a long history of outperformance. Over the past 20 years, an investor would have earned an annual return of 9% vs. just 2.4% in the rest of the world, according to a J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management analysis.
In a recent speech, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent touted the U.S. attributes that attract global capital: “the deepest, most dynamic markets; the preeminent role of our dollar; and an ecosystem of innovation that has pushed the boundaries of the possible for two and a half centuries.”
The broad “Sell America” trade, which Bessent derided earlier this year as a “false narrative,” faded as Trump dialed back his most extreme tariff plans and backed off his threats to the central bank’s independence and U.S. short-term rates began rising.
In a sign of the dollar’s endurance, its use as a global payments currency has actually increased since Trump unveiled his tariffs to 51% of all transactions from 49%, according to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, which operates a secure financial messaging network.
Yet even as foreign financial institutions and individual investors load up on dollars, global central banks are edging away. For the past four years, as geopolitical risk flared, including from an unpredictable United States, central banks seeking an alternative to the dollar purchased unusually large amounts of gold.
As the price of gold roughly doubled over the past two years, the metal’s share of central bank reserves topped that of U.S. Treasurys. Gold now accounts for 27% of the assets central banks use to backstop their currencies compared with 22% held in U.S. government securities, the European Central Bank said this month.
Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the heaviest buyers of gold have been located in areas facing the greatest conflict risk, including China, Poland, Turkey, and India, the ECB said.
The embrace of gold is part of a slow shift from the dollar. Over the past 20 years, the greenback’s share of reserves has dropped to around 57% of the total from more than 66%, according to the International Monetary Fund.
“All the central banks are just saying, ‘Do I have too many dollar assets, generally, given the risk around the U.S.?’” Patterson said.
Overseas anxieties about the disruptive U.S. administration were highlighted by the president’s January demand for the U.S. to control Greenland, a NATO ally. But the dispute was shelved and, in hindsight, the episode marked the end of the dollar’s relative decline.
Foreign investors, however, are troubled by the deteriorating U.S. government fiscal situation. Since the 2020 pandemic, Washington has incurred unusually large amounts of red ink.
The federal budget deficit for the current fiscal year is expected to exceed $1.8 trillion or nearly 6% of the economy, a level historically seen only during war or financial crisis, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
With the $31.6 trillion U.S. public debt now larger than the economy, Washington’s annual interest bill hovers around $1 trillion. Some foreign investors worry that borrowers will demand higher returns, hurting the value of the U.S. securities they own. Earlier this year, AkademikerPension, a small Danish pension fund, sold its $100 million Treasury holdings, citing worries over the U.S. public debt.
The use by multiple presidents of punitive export controls and financial sanctions — plus emerging restrictions on the most advanced AI models — also has foreign governments reluctant to deepen their reliance on the United States. The dollar’s recent rise, as a result, should be viewed with caution.
“Even though financial markets are reacting in the normal way that we would expect them to based on the fundamentals of the economy and interest rates, this is still not an accurate barometer that trust in the U.S. has been restored writ large,” said Matt Swinehart, a managing director at Rock Creek Global Advisors in Washington.
Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has promised “white-glove treatment” for families and schools affected by a facilities master plan that will close 17 schools and modernize 169 over the next decade. And he appointed a Philadelphia School District veteran to lead the charge.
Shakeera Warthen-Canty, formerly assistant superintendent of school operations and management, was recently named head of the new School Transition Office, tasked with implementing the $3 billion plan remaking schools across the city.
Warthen-Canty and four other employees will work in the new office, which will also pull in as-needed help from departments across the district — school safety, transportation, student placement, facilities, and more.
“We know that this is going to be a big task, but it’s going to be met,” said Warthen-Canty, who’s spent decades in the district as a teacher and principal. “We know there have been some challenges, but we want to make sure our communities and families know that we have a place where you can get answers.”
Warthen-Canty officially assumed the new role Wednesday ahead of the 2026-27 school year, which Watlington has designated as a planning year for schools affected by closures and other major shifts.
Experts in their communities
Initially, the office will focus on schools closing, merging, and undergoing major renovationsin the 2027-28 school year; other projects are slated to happen in subsequent years.
Watlington announced the office’s formal launch at Patterson Elementary in Southwest Philadelphia, a school set to undergo a $45 million renovation as it grows from a K-4 to a K-8. It will take in some students from nearby Tilden Middle School, which is slated to close.
The transition office will be key as the complex work moves along, said Warthen-Canty. Patterson is slated to get 13 additional classrooms, a new gym or cafeteria, and an elevator.
“Some of the pieces of what that looks like, what elements need to be there, we need the Patterson team to work alongside of us,” she said.
Folks on the ground “know their communities, they’re experts in their communities. And that’s a part of the planning,” she said.
System-wide, how many projects can be completed and in what time frame is not assured.
The district will allocate $1 billion of its capital budget over the next 10 years to complete some of the projects, but it’s also banking on $2 billion from philanthropic and state sources — money that’s not guaranteed.
And while Warthen-Canty believes the facilities plan will ultimately expand opportunity and better position the district to advance students’ academics, she knows some of its transitions — particularly the closures — will be tough.
“My heart goes out” to affected families and schools, Warthen-Canty said. “Even people that are being co-located or merging, those are major changes.”
Part of the work, Warthen-Canty said, is going to be convincing families in schools where those major changes are happening that should they shouldremain in the district.
In the case of the school system forcing families to leave their schools and go elsewhere, “we want to make sure that there’s extracurriculars in these schools they’re going to. We’re increasing the art and music,” Warthen-Canty said. “What are the resources we can put in place so that we’re ensuring that when the students get there that they’re going to have that well-rounded education, increased opportunities?”
Yolanda Welch, owner of All Day Hoagies, walked down West Girard Avenue to grab lunch. It was just a couple hours before the start of another World Cup match in Philly, but near the FIFA Fan Festival, Brewerytown’s main drag was nearly empty.
“Normally, I’m not able to do this,” Welch said, as the lunchtime rush usually keeps her too busy to leave her post.
She had free time on Thursday, she said, because the regular midday crowd had thinned ever since the FIFA Fan Festival arrived at Lemon Hill, about a half-mile away.
City officials have estimated that hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to the monthlong World Cup watch party, which started in mid-June and is set to run through mid-July. But last week some Brewerytown business owners said they had yet to reap the benefits.
In nearby Fairmount, some bar managers said they had seen a soccer-fueled boost in business. But several other neighborhood shop owners said they were only breaking even, with the slight increase in tourist traffic offset by a sharp drop in regular customers. Parking restrictions and street closures have kept many locals away, business owners said.
Temporary parking restrictions near the FIFA Fan Festival are keeping some customers away, said local business owners.
A World Cup let-down for some in Brewerytown
Many Philadelphia business owners said they had high expectations for the World Cup: Some near the Fan Festival stocked up on inventory and even hired extra staff.
“I ordered all kinds of soccer stuff to put in ice cream,” said Welch, who owns the hoagie shop and I Scream for Ice Cream. “I bought a whole [World Cup] banner.”
As of Thursday, Welch said she hadn’t seen enough soccer fans to justify putting out the merchandise or unfurling the banner, which still sat in her car.
Business is down precipitously at All Day Hoagies, which usually goes through 200 rolls a day. Since the World Cup began, the number has dropped to 125 or fewer.
Every night, a handful of people cancel their Baby’s reservations, saying they are worried about parking, Kim said. Staff has tried to dispel misinformation on social media, and lends temporary parking passes to diners, but uncertainty remains.
Josh Kim, owner of Spot Gourmet Burgers, watches World Cup programming from his Brewerytown burger joint.
Some businesses are faring better than others, even if they aren’t seeing crowds of soccer fans every day.
Josh Kim, owner of Spot Gourmet Burgers in Brewerytown, said international tourists have made special trips to his restaurant for one thing: American cuisine.
“When people go to Italy, they want pasta and pizza,” Josh Kim said. “When they come to America, they want burgers.”
June 19 was a particularly busy day for him: After the Brazil-Haiti match in South Philly, Spot’s sold 200 burgers in less than an hour, he said.
But no other recent days have been as lucrative, and Josh Kim said he worries it could take a while for regular customers to return to Girard Avenue once the World Cup games — and the restrictions — are over.
Josh Kim, owner of Spot Gourmet Burgers, points out a temporary residential parking permit sign on Girard Avenue. He said parking confusion has hurt business in the neighborhood during the FIFA Fan Festival.
“Consumers are habitual,” Josh Kim said. “If [they] break that habit, they no longer think about going to Girard Avenue. … They’ll go up Ridge.”
On Boathouse Row, across the street from the Fan Festival, Cosmic Café and Ciderhouse has seen steady business, manager Sachael Sciarretta said. About 30% of the cafe’s regulars drive there, and he said he hasn’t seen them since the festival began. But business from soccer fans has made up for the loss.
Fairmount bars and restaurants seem to have been among the biggest World Cup winners. On Thursday afternoon at the Black Taxi, an Irish pub a few blocks from the festival, almost every seat was filled — several by customers donning soccer jerseys.
Regulars and soccer fans eat and drink at the Black Taxi Irish Pub in Fairmount on Thursday, June 25.
“Foot traffic has been great, and the neighborhood is buzzing,” said manager Neil McKernan, who estimated that sales are up 30%.
In the dining room, the Trainor family enjoyed a meal before walking to the Fan Festival to watch the 4 p.m. match between Curacao and Ivory Coast.
It was the first time that Kelly Trainor, 42, of Glenside, had been to the Fairmount watering hole, and she brought along her three young children.
“We can’t afford tickets to the game,” Trainor said. “So this is the next best thing.”
The Trainor family, of Glenside, enjoyed refreshments at the Black Taxi before attending the FIFA Fan Festival.
Back in Brewerytown, where the business corridor was quiet, some owners said they wished they could have been more involved in the festivities. Josh Kim, of Spot Gourmet Burgers, said perhaps organizers could have allowed local restaurateurs to sell from food trucks outside the fan entrance.
“If we were able to activate this corridor, it would have been a lot different,” Kim said.
“Why didn’t they work with the local businesses so we could make the money?” added Welch, of All Day Hoagies. “Because we ain’t making none.”
If you’re a regular visitor to the Jersey Shore, catching up with your longtime favorite foods, chefs, and restaurants can often tell a wider story about what’s been happening in your favorite beach towns. The economic pressure of rising real estate prices has made the arrival of a sweet little BYOB like Joy & Salt on Long Beach Island a test case for the future of the small operator. The saga of ongoing attempts to revitalize Atlantic City’s Tennessee Avenue development? It just got a fresh boost from the comeback of a talented local chef. A new gem for stellar soul food, a growing audience for deep-crusted pizza, the rise of fancy iced coffee (with everything but the taste of coffee), and sage advice on how to choose the right pasta shape all added a tasty helping of color to this week’s fresh batch of restaurant reports from LBI to Margate.
The burrata with fresh basil and plain cheese pie at Queen City Crust in Beach Haven, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
I also delve into the Ventnorian controversy over a classic sub shop that’s been remade into an artisan sourdough bakery and touched a nerve with locals who fear their community is becoming too bourgeois. Then again, when something is as good as Florida Cuts is, perhaps it’s not simply change for the sake of trends but actual progress.
Next week: new options from Cape May to Ocean City.
The outside of Queen City Crust in Beach Haven, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
LONG BEACH ISLAND
Joy & Salt Cafe
With a temporary sign, and an understated location at an intersection near the ocean where drivers slingshot on and off the causeway to Long Beach Island, you could easily miss Joy & Salt Cafe. But it’s worth a stop at this low-key newcomer to Ship Bottom, a collaboration between two veteran chefs hoping to claim one of the few remaining corners of the island and make what partner Jordan Miller says is “a last-ditch effort for the charm of an old-school BYOB.”
Miller and his business partner and co-chef, Jimi Savianeso, make up for the understated location with genuine hospitality and hands-on scratch cooking. The duo met cooking on the line years ago at local favorite Black-Eyed Susans. With years of fine dining experience behind them, they are opting for a more casual approach to this diner-space and channeling good local ingredients into food they simply like to eat.
James Savianeso, chef and co-owner of Joy & Salt Cafe, working in the kitchen in Ship Bottom, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.The grilled ahi tuna sandwich at Joy & Salt Cafe in Ship Bottom, N.J., on June 18, 2026.
That could mean a flavorful chowder made from just-dug whole clams, a slice of locally fished grilled tuna on brioche glossed in house-made Japanese barbecue sauce, or a bountiful chilled shrimp cocktail tossed in a saucy Mexican-style marinade (the secret? fresh tomato juice and orange soda). The duo routinely cook fresh-off-the-boat seafood specials for dinner sourced from the nearby docks, but the menu’s default is a homey Italian touch that comes natural to Savianeso, whose North Jersey upbringing imbues his red sauce and sausage and peppers with a nonna-esque magic. That is especially evident at lunch, where Savianeso’s chicken cutlet parm drenched in super-creamy vodka sauce may well become LBI’s sandwich of the summer.
Joy & Salt Cafe, 816 Long Beach Blvd., Ship Bottom, N.J. 08008; 609-342-0794; joysaltkitchen.com
Ellis’ Chicken & Crab Cakes
Takeout can be tricky when determined diners are waiting in lines up to two hours for a seat at one of the Tide Table Group’s roster of popular restaurants on Long Beach Island (Parker’s Garage, Bird & Betty’s, Black Whale, Ship Bottom Shellfish) and in Manahawkin (Mud City Crab House, the Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House). They’ve addressed that conundrum with the creation of Ellis’ Chicken & Crab Cakes, a convenient destination for some of their greatest hits, collected in the fast-casual confines of a crisply rehabbed former antiques shop in Beach Haven that doubles as a boardinghouse for many of the company’s summer workers.
The name offers a good clue as to the specialties: the fried chicken is the same crackle-crusted, buttermilk fried bird from Parker’s Garage. The crab cakes comes in two styles, the somewhat bready OG cakes from Mud City or the baked variation from Parker’s which I far preferred, not only because they’re gluten-free, with tapioca starch for binding, but because they’re made from sweet lump crab bound with a béarnaise sauce flavored with tarragon and Old Bay. The super-plump peel-and-eat shrimp offer a worthy, non-fried option. But this kitchen’s best assets are all about the crisp. Don’t leave without a side of deep-fried green tomato tots covered in creamy drizzles of zesty pimento cheese.
Ellis’ Chicken & Crab Cakes, 208 N. Bay Ave., Beach Haven, N.J. 08008; 609-342-1100; ellislbi.com
Queen City Crust
Jersey Shore pizza has been trending toward thicker crusts in recent years, rising from the cardboard-thin rounds that have long been the boardwalk prototype to heartier, pan-baked pies with flavorful slow-fermented doughs and borders that snap with crispy cheese edges. Bakeria 1010 and Squares & Fare are two outstanding examples I’ve enjoyed in Ocean City and Somers Point, respectively. Long Beach Island has also gotten into the Detroit-style pie action with Queen City Crust, a former pop-up sensation that is now in its third year as a standalone storefront in Beach Haven.
Hot honey pepperoni pie Queen City Crust in Beach Haven, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Owner Troy Sambalino, who spends his offseason running the service pass at Jean-Georges in Manhattan, says the Detroit style, which involves a slower, lower-temp prebake followed by a hot flash to finish pies to order, is ideal for beach locations with the technical limitations of a standard oven. But he still manages to crank out 200 pies on a busy Friday night, good enough to earn him the No. 1 spot in a 2025 ranking of 55 Shore pizzerias by NJ.com.
Sambalino has a patient approach to his dough, which, after a two-day cold ferment, has both an impressively airy interior and a bottom that forms a delicate crisp against the olive oil-lined pan. Mozzarella and tangy cheddar are his cheese combo of choice, with the cheddar tucked near the edges forming a toasty crisp. One 10-by-13-inch pan can easily feed two to four people, but I appreciate that Queen City also sells its pies by the slice so you can taste a variety of toppings. From the cup-and-char pepperoni drizzled with hot honey to sausage with crunchy banana peppers, basil-topped puddles of milky burrata laced with bright tomato sauce, or a fusion pie of breaded chicken bits streaked with spicy Asian barbecue sauce, these pies offer hearty satisfaction when your teeth sink into their crusts.
Queen City Crust, 13504 Long Beach Blvd., Beach Haven, N.J. 08008; 609-661-7769; queencitycrust.com
Guapo’s Coffee House
As I steadily caffeinated during my restaurant research missions up-and-down the Jersey Shore, my encounters with confectionary-sounding coffee drinks that included “dulce de leche, “dot cake,” and “banana bread” in the titles made it clear that running a cafe in 2026 is as much about thinking like a pastry chef as a barista.
The Salty Dog iced coffee at Guapo’s Coffee House in Beach Haven blends salted caramel-sweetend espresso with whipped cream turned blue with spirulina. It’s become a viral hit.
In general, I’m not a dessert coffee fan. But the reason I returned multiple times to Guapo’s in Long Beach Island is because their specialty drinks still taste like they also actually include coffee. Even owner Sammy Jo Alvarez’s most viral and colorful drink, the Salty Dog (named for her pup Guapo), still delivers a toasty undertow of the house blend of Ethiopian and Colombian beans, roasted to a medium hue by Yellow Dog Roasters in nearby Manahawkin. The secret to making creatively flavored drinks that still have coffee integrity, says Alvarez, a longtime local bartender before launching her roof deck-topped cafe in Beach Haven four years ago, is balance and focusing on natural ingredients. All the add-in ingredients here are made in-house, from the sea salted caramel syrup to the top layer of fresh whipped cream (aka “cold foam”) that she turns sky blue with organic spirulina. “Basically, it looks like a day at the beach inside a cup — and people love it.”
Guapo’s Coffee House, 106 N. Bay Ave., Beach Haven, N.J. 08008, 609-661-3504; guaposcoffee.com
The gochujang carbonara and Oaxacan meatballs at the Iron Room in Atlantic City, N.J. The Iron Room is hidden behind a door at Bar 32.
ATLANTIC CITY
Nana’s Good Eats
If there’s a 20 minute-plus wait for your food at Nana’s Good Eats, it’s for a good reason: nothing hits the fryer before you order from this cheerful soul food hub, located on the pedestrian pavilion of Atlantic City’s Tanger Outlet mall. The wait is absolutely worth it, because Nana’s serves up some of the most delicious fried whiting I’ve had in recent memory, a huge portion of plump and lemon-scented fresh fillets sealed inside a delicate cornmeal crust, just as owner Samantha Prescott’s grandpa Dennis McDowell, a professional chef, taught her as a little girl. (“Most parents lead with how to tie your shoe, but my grandpa started by teaching me how to stir a pot of grits so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.”) Prescott’s cooking chops are also evident in her succulent fried jumbo shrimp, as well as every side I sampled. The mac and cheese retained the almost fluffy texture of perfectly cooked cavatappi while a balanced five-cheese sauce remained creamy, not broken or greasy. The tender braised collards were infused with the whiff of smoked turkey wings and a perky finishing tang.
The OG banana pudding at Nana’s Good Eats in Atlantic City, N.J.Owners Rahman and Samantha Prescott at Nana’s Good Eats in Atlantic City, N.J.
Prescott’s talent as an entrepreneur, meanwhile, answers all that savory goodness with the sweet indulgence of her first endeavor, Nana’s Good Puddin’. Prescott brought the customization concept of Cold Stone ice cream to the world of pudding in a popular dessert business she opened in 2020 in the Hamilton Mall, which she has since closed and merged into the Atlantic City Good Eats location. The build-your-own options here are vast, with 30 different base puddings (from classic flavors to white chocolate, pistachio, or Oreo cream), crunchy cookie add-ins and various different crumbles. I chose the OG banana pudding and was impressed by its banana-flavored intensity, but also by the meticulous manner in which it was constructed to order, with multiple layers of creamy pudding, crunch and vanilla wafer cookies being patiently added until, at last, it was finally handed over and I dove in spoon first.
Nana’s Good Eats, 122 N. Michigan Ave., Atlantic City, N.J. 08401; on Facebook
The Iron Room
Do you believe in do-overs? The reboot of chef Kevin Cronin’s Iron Room, Atlantic City’s favorite hidden gastropub — now in its third incarnation and second location — might be the spark that finally gives the Tennessee Avenue development some momentum. First, you have to find it. True to its speakeasy roots (the original Iron Room was located behind a liquor store) this restaurant is tucked into an enclosed back alley patio accessed through the rear door of another establishment, Bar 32 Chocolate & Cocktails. A tall green wall on one side of the 50-seat al fresco space faces an awning-covered bar where some of the best cocktails I sipped this summer — a smooth but potent Manhattan; the mezcal-washed Storm Queen — are served in antique crystal coupes inherited from Cronin’s grandmother while a retro acoustic soundtrack sets a mellow mood.
The Oaxacan meatballs at the Iron Room on Thursday, June 11, 2026 in Atlantic City, NJ. The Iron Room is hidden behind a door at Bar 32.
The small plates emerging from the shipping container kitchen are pure fusion fun, with bold flavors that resurrect some established Iron Room hits, including a thick-cut hunk of candied Nueski’s bacon, truffled udon mac and cheese, and a tamari-charred hanger steak fanned over brussels sprouts. Cronin’s new creations are equally bold. The spicy Oaxacan chorizo meatballs glazed in red salsa and shavings of Bar 32 chocolate were a favorite, along with the barbecue sauced boneless Korean-fried chicken and a rich pasta carbonara blushing with Korean gochujang spice. I would have loved the shrimp toast had the top layer of crustacean paste not been turned an unappetizing gray by the addition of black garlic. Next time, I’d consider preordering one of the menu’s large-format specials: a spatchcocked whole barbecue chicken with sides; a “big ass whole snapper” with tostones, or the Ron Swanson special (a rib eye, deviled eggs, and a flight of Lagavulin) that was also an old Iron Room “iykyk” draw. Hopefully, this time it will take.
The Iron Room, 121 S. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City (enter through Bar32 Chocolate, and head to back alley through back door); instagram.com/ironroom_ac
Bar 32 Chocolate & Cocktails
There’s no dessert served at the Iron Room by design. The separate and independent bar that fronts it has that course covered. Nicole Callazzo’s revamp of the project formerly known as Made Atlantic City Chocolate Bar has kept the original concept’s ambitious bean-to-bar chocolate production in place as the anchor for the chocolate-themed sweets menu. While there are more sophisticated chocolatiers in the region, the quality of Callazzo’s small batch chocolates made from ethically sourced cacao, which can take up to five days to make, is satisfying in a straightforward way. You can sample a little bit of several specialties on a tiered platter, which brings multiple shades of chocolate bars, double fudge brownies, chocolate mousse, and various bonbons. Try it while sipping a martini infused with the bar’s own 60% cocoa chocolate. The baked-to-order brown butter cookie skillet is also a popular choice here, if you have an extra 15 minutes to wait. But I’d return especially for one of the Bar 32 whiskey flights, which pair three different pours of Michter’s (or Whistle Pig) whiskey with different chocolates for $40. Considering the quality of the spirits, it’s a fair deal.
Bar 32 Chocolate & Cocktails, 121 S. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City, N.J. 08401, 609-248-6960; bar32chocolate.com
“A little bit of everything” at Bar 32 on Thursday, June 11, 2026 in Atlantic City, NJ. Bar 32 offers bean-to-bar chocolate, handmade desserts, and craft cocktails.
Moments at Scannicchio’s
Some places are all about the food. Others revel in quirky ambiance. You can get a bit of both at this Atlantic City sibling to Scannicchio’s, one of my favorite old-school Italian haunts in South Philly. The AC experience offers the split personality of two adjoined spaces: the charming intimacy of a dark corner barroom lit with Christmas lights, and a bright sports bar lounge next door where a DJ spins retro hits for a handful of dancers while spillover dinner crowds sup at high-tops in the glow of large TVs.
The corner dining room of Moments at Scanniccho’s in Atlantic City is darker and more intimate than the neighboring lounge.
A tender and massive double-cut pork chop Siciliana buried beneath a zesty gravy of cherry peppers, onions, olives, and mushrooms was the hands-down highlight of our meal. The big menu also showcases several familiar favorites from the South Philly original (clams casino, a stuffed artichoke, the sausage and figs app), although it was not cooked with the same consistency and finesse. Even so, we enjoyed the experience. And I’ll especially treasure the moment our larger-than-life server (who had a bear hug for every one of the restaurant’s many regulars) offered a memorable logic for his general preference of pasta shape with entrees: “Why should I waste calories twirling spaghetti when I can just get straight to it with penne? Stab and eat! Stab and eat!” Such wisdom alone is worth the visit.
Moments at Scannicchio’s, 2647 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City, N.J. 08401, 609-344-5338; momentsatscannicchios.com
The halibut entree at Rustico in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
VENTNOR
Rustico
Few restaurant couples have been able to create evocative dining experiences in small BYOB spaces through DIY design as deftly as Tanya and Petar Petrov. A veritable lemon grove on the ceiling of their debut Italian hit last year, Martina’s, conjured a glimpse of the Amalfi Coast on Atlantic Avenue. This year, they’ve turned to a closer source of marine inspiration — the bay beside their Ventnor home — for the makeover of Petar’s former Cafe Velo into Rustico, a naturalistic dinner cove that wraps diners in plastered wall montages of foraged driftwood, sea moss, and rocks. The menu is still decidedly Italian. While some Ventnorians have complained to me about menu overlap between the two restaurants, the fact that waiting lists can exceed 300 names for those hoping to get into 48-seat Martina’s means there is a legitimate demand for 80 more seats at Rustico (plus 28 more outside), where devotees can order the tried-and-true arancini, linguine with vongole, and chicken Parm.
The octopus dish at Rustico in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.The inside of Rustico in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
The chicken Parm was the least compelling thing we ate at Rustico. An unconventional starter of grilled octopus curled over a platform of sweet potato turned out to be delicious, the potato’s soft sweetness contrasting the texture of the meat while balancing the savory tomato sauce. That dish is a legacy of Cafe Velo’s early days, when the tiny kitchen would cross-utilize ingredients between the popular breakfast and dinner menus. Rustico, which expanded both its dining rooms and kitchen, has capacity now to undertake ambitious specials like broiled lobster and linguine feasts for two (very limited nightly). A soulful short rib and shiitake ragù was a hearty winner over fresh pappardelle made by Haddon Township’s Severino, whose owner is the Petrovs’ neighbor.
Fresh seafood also remains a strength, with entrees like blackened ahi tuna with red bliss potato hash and hollandaise. A moist and meaty halibut set over two-toned purees of cauliflower and carrot was also fantastic, a special-turned-standby from chef de cuisine Lorenzo Hernandez. Of course, I ordered at the very moment this kitchen ran out of halibut. Luckily, Petar had a spare portion in the fridge at nearby Martina’s, and he retrieved it just in time for this busy kitchen not to miss a beat: “That’s the beauty of having two restaurants so close,” says Petar. “Stuff happens!”
Rustico, 6525 Ventnor Ave., Ventnor City, N.J. 08406, 609-727-0499;rusticoventnor.com
The inside of Florida Cuts in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Florida Cuts
Cookie Till of Steve & Cookie’s bought the half-century-old Florida Cold Cuts & Liquors deli in 2022 and began to reshape it to her vision. What was a gradual makeover the first few years, most notably upgrading the sandwiches and bottle selection, became a wholesale change this spring when Till removed “cold” from the name and replaced the classic sub shop format with an artisan sourdough bakery turning out a lineup of grab-and-go sandwiches built on two kinds of focaccia and sesame-speckled semolina baguettes. The longtime tuna salad and Italian hoagie crowd is not pleased: “Cookie really took a good thing … and turned it into something nobody needed,” a reader wrote me in a direct message on social media.
The ham and butter baguette at Florida Cuts in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
I loved the old corner shop’s house-baked tavern ham sandwiches as much as anyone, but I disagree. What makes a smart restaurateur like Till so invaluable is her willingness and wherewithal to take risks to do things differently. Till has a track record of creating top-notch progressive concepts people simply didn’t realize they needed until she made it happen, from a craft coffee shop in Ventnor No. 7311 to an interactive organic farm with a philanthropic mission at Reed’s Farm. There are plenty of places to get a classic sub on Absecon Island, but there is nothing like the new Florida Cuts, where lead baker Santina Renzi (a longtime key contributor at Her Place Supper Club), consultant Jon Taus, and sourdough specialist Victoria McHugh are working with Till’s partner Kim Richmond to create stellar loaves made from flour milled from local grains that result in bread with integrity and flavor. They’re used for original sandwiches that are largely outstanding, from the minimalist focaccia laced with mortadella, ricotta, and pistachios (all crackly crust and lush stuffing richness), to the freshly house-roasted turkey layered with Steve & Cookie’s signature “ugly tomato salad,” Gorgonzola, and crispy shallots. The tuna salad fragrant with lemon zest and crunchy peperoncini rings is a sleeper hit, while the ham and butter on a sesame semolina loaf can compete with Philly’s best.
Owner Cookie Till at Florida Cuts in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.The soft-serve sundae with Steve& Cookie’s blueberry pie at Florida Cuts in Ventnor City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
My one disappointment was the cutlet sandwich, which didn’t have nearly enough Caesar salad inside. But there were so many consolations: a fridge case stuffed with local farmstead cheeses; focaccia flatbread topped with butter-poached clams; warm rounds of fresh-baked sesame tahini cookies; shelves stocked with quality spirits and affordable natural wines. There’s also soft-serve now, offered as a sundae layered with Cookie’s famous blueberry pie. Now I definitely need that, even if I didn’t know it before I walked in the door.
Florida Cuts, 7301 Ventnor Ave., Ventnor City, N.J. 08406; floridacuts.com
MARGATE
Tideline
The scene at Tideline on the bay behind Margate City, where full restaurant service is offered on deck to 30 moored boats and 12 Jet Skis at a time, could make anyone have yacht envy. But this splashy yearling from the family behind Tomatoes — an unabashed gesture to the city’s ever more ritzy denizens — has room on its multifloor 240-seat bar complex for everyone else to linger, nibble, imbibe, and observe. One of the area’s most spectacular bay perches for sunset views is an undeniable bonus. Given the swanky setting, the food from chef Carlo Marsini’s kitchen is a notch better than it has to be, from the generously stuffed truffled cheesesteaks and chicken Italiano cutlet sandwiches to the shot glasses stuffed with fried soft-shell crab halves dunked into an avocado green crema sparked with poblanos.
The lobster Cobb salad at Tideline in Margate City, N.J., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
I’d definitely return for the generous lobster Cobb salad and a Dockside cocktail of watermelon juice spiked with Tito’s. But don’t get too ambitious. The items we ordered from the large plate section, chicken kebabs and a $32 coffee-rubbed pork chop, were incinerated by the grill chef. The drink menu has a danger zone, too, with a cocktail called Liquid Asset. It’s made with trendy Clase Azul Gold tequila and a chile pepper but what’s spicy is the price tag of $1.1 million. That’s because this drink comes with a 39-foot speed boat. That may be the stuff yacht club dreams are made of for some, even if there’ve been no takers yet. But unsurprisingly, this land-loving mezcal fan wasn’t even tempted.
Tideline, 9317 Amherst Ave., Margate City, N.J. 08402; 609-350-6717; tidelinemargate.com
The events over the last several weeks — from the World Cup to the Fourth of July and America250 celebration to the forthcoming Major League Baseball All-Star Game — continue to show us the dedication of our first responders. Not only do Philadelphia’s police officers and firefighters (with a lot of help from outside agencies) continue to do their “day” jobs — patrolling their precincts and battling blazes — but they’ve done yeoman’s work at these community events. To them, I say, thank you.
Make no mistake — they are getting paid for it. Much of the pay is overtime pay — which (thankfully for us taxpayers) is covered by the event organizations — FIFA, MLB, or America250 and supplemental funding from the state. However, the overtime is part of the officers’ final pension calculation, and pensions are covered by me, the taxpayer — and not FIFA or anyone else. I’d love to see how much pensions have been inflated because of the overtime from these events.
Bryan Andersen, Philadelphia
Erased history
As we learned in Donald Trump’s first term, there are facts and alternative facts. Now, we are blessed with alternative history. The biggest blemish in our nation’s history, slavery, is being turned into a footnote so that we do not “disparage Americans past or living.” George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and, in fact (if I can use the word “fact”), 12 of our presidents were enslavers. Since slavery was legal, I fail to see how this information disparages them. They were acting within the laws of their time, regardless of the morality of their actions. Germany has preserved Dachau and Buchenwald to show the world the horrors of their past and to learn from it. We have Trump’s whitewashed, sanitized version of American history, a Disney on Parade edition of our past. Why not just remove one of the f’s from Jefferson’s name while you’re at it? Facts are stubborn things, said John Adams, and part of Trump’s legacy will be his outlandish attempt to erase our history.
Jim Lynch, Collegeville
. . .
I visited the Second Bank of the United States on opening day. I was eager to see whether Moses Williams was removed from the Peale’s Museum exhibit.
Williams was born into slavery in the household of Charles Willson Peale, who painted the portrait of Thomas Jefferson. It was infuriating that slavery was erased from Jefferson’s history and sanitized in Williams’ story. Williams’ success is not “a testament to perseverance.” It is a testament to the paradox of slavery and liberty. Peale was a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He voted for the 1780 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery.
Peale could have manumitted Williams at any time, but he was not freed until age 27, one year earlier than mandated under the 1780 act.
It should be noted that Williams did not use his earnings to purchase his wife’s freedom. He married Peale’s family cook, a white woman.
Faye M. Anderson,Philadelphia
Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.
After a three-hour-plus rain-and-lightning delay on Saturday night, the One Philly: Unity Concert for America for the nation’s 250th birthday finally resumed on Sunday morning.
Shortly before midnight, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway grounds that had been evacuated earlier in the evening due to severe weather were reopened and thousands of diehard concertgoers made their way to the front of the stage.
There DJ Aktive hyped up a crowd — younger, on average than at the earlier hour — that was a mix of Philadelphians and visiting World Cup soccer fans by spinning records by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Journey. (Yes, Journey.)
Then at 12:44 a.m., Mayor Cherelle L. Parker — last seen on stage with Gov. Josh Shapiro four hours earlier — came out, led the crowd in a “Ain’t no party like a Philly block party because a Philly block party don’t stop” chant, and introduced “the Legendary Roots Crew!”
Starting with a sly intro — a few measures of Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park” — the unparalleled Philly hip-hop and Tonight Show house band then put on a musical master class. Rapper (and singer) Black Thought displayed his trademark staggering breath control as he led the band (who were accompanied by DJ Jazzy Jeff) in a 20-minute nonstop workout that pulled from a century of Black music, including the band’s own rich 30-year catalog.
It was busy day for the Roots, as well as a logistically challenging one. Before taking their positions on stage in front of the Art Museum, the Philly hip-hop crew were scheduled to headline the pregame festivities at the France-Paraguay World Cup match in South Philly.
And after the Roots, it was time for the all-Philly guest list. (Christina Aguilera, from Pittsburgh, the scheduled headliner, did not perform.)
First up was Kathy Sledge, who now performs the hits she scored with her siblings as Sister Sledge under her own name.
Kathy Sledge from Sister Sledge performs with the Roots at One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway early Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Philadelphia.
She was accompanied by a team of dancers, and on “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” a couple of eager-to-boogie dudes brought up on stage from the crowd.
The showstopper, of course, was “We Are Family,” which with Questlove keeping the beat and sousaphone player Damon Bryson moving along with the dancers, played out as a wee-hours-of-the-morning singalong.
This year’s July Fourth pre-fireworks concert on the Parkway was managed by the City of Philadelphia, after in previous recent years being produced by Wawa Welcome America, a nonprofit established by the city. The Inquirer has reported that the city is due to pay Philly-based ESM Productions about $15.5 million for the show, considerably more than the total of $6.6 million that constituted the budget for Wawa Welcome America’s entire slate of events in 2024.
Stars from the city that ‘raised a nation’
Sledge was followed by the full complement of the State Property crew, which meant not only Beanie Sigel and Philly Freeway, but also Peedi Crakk and Chris and Neff, the duo formerly known as Yung Gunz, who provided the high point of their Roots-backed set with their ageless rap classic “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop.”
“I’m loving the energy tonight, I’m glad we came back,” said the next guest, Meek Mill. “I was headed out of town, and I had to double back.”
With the Roots backing him, and Questlove in particular locked in, it was at once the most tightly disciplined and casually freewheeling Meek performance I’ve ever seen.
That went for throwback tracks like “ImaCQ Boss” and “House Party” as well as an especially epic “Dreams and Nightmares,” before which the rapper asked the crowd to light up the night, which they did, with phones and flames.
Last but not least was the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith, who came bounding out shortly after 2 a.m. in a red Phillies cap and jacket to join the band and Jazzy Jeff, his musical partner Jeff Townes, with whom he was catapulted to stardom in the late 1980s.
Will Smith performs at the One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Philadelphia.
Smith has had a rocky time of it since he set his career back significantly by slapping Chris Rock on the Oscars in 2022, and his relatively joyless 2025 comeback rap album Based On a True Story didn’t help matters much.
But on the Parkway, Smith was in his element and back on form.
“Every dream I ever dreamed I dreamed in these streets,” Smith said. He then got into Semiquincentennial mode.
“And this city didn’t just raise me. It didn’t just raise us. It raised a nation. Two hundred fifty years ago, it all began here. So Happy Birthday, America!”
And with that, Smith, Townes, and the Roots did the song everybody wanted to hear, in this season in 2026: “Summertime.”
International superstar opening
Before the storm drama, the One Philly: Unity Concert for America celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday got going with an international superstar opening act.
British pop-rock vocalist Seal went on at 5:45 p.m., dressed in a yellow jacket, just as the sun dipped low enough to provide a sliver of shade and some relief for the red, white, and blue crowd gathering in front of the stage.
British singer Seal performs at One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Philadelphia.
Seemingly unbothered by the heat, the London-born singer of Nigerian and Brazilian descent demonstrated that he knows how to play to a Philadelphia crowd. His second song began with the instantly recognizable “doo, doo, doo-doo doo-doo’s” of the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle.”
In fine, smoky voice, he finished his version of that 1976 hit and quipped: “I know you want it to be ‘Fly, Eagles, Fly,’ but you not going to get it. Not in this lifetime.”
For Seal’s mellow, sultry summer afternoon set, he was backed by a band that included West Philly native Gail Ann Dorsey, who previously toured frequently with David Bowie.
Fast-paced country
Louisiana-born country singer Jordan Davis — who was a late add to the One Philly concert lineup — has scored a number of country hits in recent years.
His music leans slightly toward rock and roll, taking a page out of arena-sized star Eric Church’s playbook. His slick 40-minute set was fast-paced, with hits like “Tucson Too Late,” and “Turn This Truck Around” coming in rapid succession as if Davis was worried that if he slowed down, Philly hip-hop and R&B fans would start to wonder what this country guy was doing singing in their city on its big July Fourth celebration.
Jill Scott gets in the groove — and then an evacuation
The evening found its groove after comedian Wanda Sykes introduced Jill Scott, the first hometown hero to take the stage, which pictured her on a video screen image framed by the purple outline of the Liberty Bell.
The crowd — complete with a contingent of French fans fresh from their team’s World Cup victory in Philadelphia earlier in the evening — filled out the area in front of the stage.
Jill Scott (left) and Tierra Whack on the stage at One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Philadelphia.
The size of the crowd, though, seemed several magnitudes smaller than the 300,000 that had been projected in advance to attend throughout the night. In fact, it was much more comfortable and less packed than during the years Jay-Z staged his Made in America festival on the Parkway, which was capped at 50,000.
Scott, who now lives in Nashville, seemed delighted to be back in her hometown. Looking radiant in a blue chambray dress and matching denim hat, Jilly from Philly thanked “the city that made me, the love that grew me, and the reason that I’m how I am right now.”
Fronting a funky eight-piece band — “This is live music,” she reminded the core at several junctures — Scott sampled classics from her catalog such as “A Long Walk.” She also shouted out Girls High and Temple University and also fondly recalled seeing Frankie Beverly & Maze perform at the Robin Hood Dell East as a girl.
She also sang a snippet of Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” and thanked “these streets, hip-hop, a dollar cheesesteaks that kept me going.”
Scott’s set really caught fire when she called out “North Philly, baby!” And brought out Philly rapper Tierra Whack for a deliriously fun pas de deux on “Norf Side” from Scott’s new album, To Whom This May Concern.
At that point the crowd was looking ahead to three more hours of music before the 250th birthday fireworks scheduled for about midnight.
But instead, attendees were asked to leave the premises because of imminent severe weather.
The One Philly show was shown on NBC10 and streamed live on Paramount+.
DEAR ABBY: After a tumultuous breakup, I reconnected with two men through friends. I’ve known and liked them both for years. One lives in Europe; the other lives here in New York. Both are wonderful, respectful and caring, and I feel beyond lucky. Both say they are in love with me and want to pursue a serious future. Call me crazy, but I love them both for different reasons. How do I possibly choose?
Do I choose the romantic European dreamer who makes me believe in magic but may eventually annoy me with his dreams and lack of action, plus the citizenship challenges? He’s fun, romantic, spontaneous and lets me embrace all of me. I feel so alive and loved, but I’m unsure if it would fade once kids and real life are in the picture.
Or do I build a safer future with the brilliant and calming stateside friend? He is deeply empathetic, hardworking, introverted and creative. I worry that we are only friends at our core and that I could grow bored or tired of his deep emotions. What is most important in a life partner? I’m terrified to choose the wrong one. I like who I am with for different reasons when I’m with each of them.
— FACING A BIG DECISION
DEAR FACING: I’m trying to imagine being lucky enough to be in your position. How do I choose? Hmmmm. I can spend my life with a romantic European dreamer who doesn’t always follow through, knowing there may be citizenship challenges. What if I have kids with this adorable Peter Pan (with a sexy accent)? Whoa! The responsibility could be completely on my shoulders.
Or should I choose to spend my life with an empathetic, hardworking, creative man (who I assume DOES follow through)? Oh, what a hard choice to make. If you plan on having a family, one would hope you’d opt for the love and stability this one would provide.
Of course, how this plays out is up to you. I know whom I would choose, but perhaps my values are different. Continue seeing both of these suitors and let them know you are seeing them both. If you do, in time, your decision may come more easily.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: I am a student in high school. If I study hard now for my future, will happiness be guaranteed in the future? Is it meaningful to study if you only get stressed in the present and when you grow up in the future? I’m not sure if studying will guarantee happiness when I grow up. If I keep studying like this, will I be really happy later on?
— DEFINING HAPPINESS IN S. KOREA
DEAR DEFINING: Happiness means different things to different people. What is important to me and makes me happy may not do the same for you or anyone else. I know that students face a lot of pressure to succeed, but the end result is usually worth it. You will be better able to provide for yourself and your family, if you decide to have one. However, there are no guarantees.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Someone from the old days is back in the picture. There’s no need to rush to conclusions, favorable or otherwise. Let the connection unfold at its own pace. Time will reveal what’s important here.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). As you check a balance or consider a purchase, feelings come up. That’s because although money is just math, using money is life — and life is emotional. These feelings tell you what you really value and what you don’t want to lose.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You think of someone and decide to reach out. No agenda. No occasion. Just a simple reminder that they’re on your mind. These small acts rarely make headlines, yet they are often the very things that keep people connected.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). There are pleasures that take from life and pleasures that improve life. How do you know which is which? Sometimes a little of a bad thing is good, and too much of a good thing is usually bad. Today, the best pleasures won’t end when the moment does.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Inspiration isn’t just a feeling. For you it has practical value. One idea leads to another, and soon you’re changing your world. Today, recognize opportunity and move quickly to either learn more or seal the deal.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You find yourself returning to the same pursuit, even after interruptions, delays and distractions. The attraction isn’t the outcome alone. Something about the process keeps calling you back. The endeavor itself is the prize.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When stuck, don’t look back. It doesn’t matter how you got stuck. It only matters that you get free. Once free, you can assess how to avoid getting stuck again. But until then, work on wiggling your way out.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you try to make sure everyone else is happy, it shouldn’t come at the expense of your own good time. If there’s a way to do both, you’ll find it. If there isn’t, choose your fun over theirs for once.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Here’s a common mistake in relationships: You assume you know the other person. You know a side of them — the side you bring out in them on a normal day. And because you pursue deeper knowledge, you’ll be among the rare ones.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Something isn’t going according to plan. Instead of fighting the direction it’s taking, start looking for what might be useful about this turn of events. The benefit isn’t obvious yet, but it’s definitely there.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Since you never can quite tell how others are going to react, you may as well show up the way you want to, pursuing your own delight and reflecting your own values. See who gets it.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’ve been wondering about something, which is pleasant enough. But this story doesn’t start until you want something badly enough to be inconvenienced by it. You’re nearing that tipping point. Once you cross it, there’s no going back.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 5). It’s your Year of the Koi, the persistent freshwater fish known for swimming upstream against strong currents. The obstacles that once defined your limits will become the basis of your great strength. More highlights: More laughter, play and spontaneity than you’ve had in years. A mentor helps you make money with your project. One courageous act begins a defining adventure. Sagittarius and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 1, 20, 15 and 5.
An unscheduled and dramatic light and sound show — this one produced by nature — interrupted Philadelphia’s July Fourth extravaganza Saturday night, forcing crowds to evacuate the Parkway three hours before the man-made fireworks show was scheduled to start.
People were told to leave the area and seek shelter midway through the One Philly: Unity Concert for America. But city officials were not quite ready to call it a Semiquncentennial — a year in the planning — and two hours later the city announced the event would resume with a shortened schedule and the fireworks finale. This time, the manmade kind.
Forecasters had been warning for the last two days that potent thunderstorms were possible Saturday night, as so often happens when a heat wave begins to break down.
July Fourth marked the third consecutive day that the temperature had reached 100 in Philly, tying a record set in 1963 and 2011, and the atmosphere on Saturday, congested with water vapor, was exhibiting clear evidence that it was about to pop. A severe-storm watch covered the entire region.
Earlier, declaring a measure of independence from steaminess that made the atmosphere feel like sweat itself, hundreds of thousands in the region celebrated the day 250 years ago when rebellious colonists gathering in Philadelphia announced to the world they had formed a fragile new nation.
From a ceremonial burial to a patriotic pet parade, for a day at least, anxieties over divisiveness, a national identity crisis, historical controversies, AI, or the state of the economy and the world yielded to an air of celebration robust enough to compete with the heat.
About the only serious clouds during the day were the ominous storm forecasts, but the day belonged to the sun, albeit a hot one.
It was a day to savor the fact that the nation has been able to withstand a Civil War; two World Wars; a Great Depression; and a Cold War nuclear stare down with the Soviet Union, whose life span it has exceeded by about 180 years.
And as the festivities got underway, a ceremony on Independence Mall, where the Declaration of Independence was read on July 4, 1776, suggested the United States plans to stick around for a while. That would be the burial of the national time capsule, to be opened in 2276.
“I know that we’re here for a burial,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, but “this one is about hope … about believing that the generations who come after us will build a stronger nation.”
One piece of evidence that people were ready to make a patriotic day of it was the fact that by 11 a.m., the wait to visit Independence Hall was seven hours; two hours just to enter Independence Square. Maps became impromptu fans for people waiting to see the Liberty Bell. Yet the crowds were enduring it all with a remarkable equanimity on a day when people evidently were primed to savor a remarkable occasion.
The daytime events included the Celebration of Freedom event and the must-see Betsy Ross House Patriotic Pet Parade.
Josh Martin plays historic person Joseph Plumb, during a reading of the Declaration of Independence behind Independence Hall.
City officials were aware that the Unity Concert For America and fireworks might interrupted by a natural light show but they were determined to proceed come thunder or high water. Fireworks had been scheduled for 11:45 p.m.
They certainly weren’t factors in the time capsule event, where onlookers showed up adorned in red, white, and blue, along with Indy, a bald eagle. Tucked into the capsule were items from the three branches of government, all the territories, and all the states, including a whale bone from Maine and poems from Alabama.
“A time capsule is more than a collection of artifacts,” Parker said. “It’s a message from one generation to the next about who we were, what we valued, and what we believed was worth preserving.”
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker speaking at the Constitution Center.
What some people were on Saturday, even those enjoying themselves and not complaining, was certifiably hot.
(We will eschew saying hotter than a firecracker, but note that this publication used that phrase to describe the record July Fourth heat in 1966.)
British pop-rock vocalist Seal, who was the opening act at 5:45 p.m., did complain: “I know it’s hot, but it’s not hot enough.” Wearing a banana-yellow blazers, Seal, of Nigerian and Brazilian descent, proclaimed, “It’s only 105. I want it to be 110.”
Actually, it got only 101, and that was indeed hot enough for most folks.
Adorned in red, white, and blue, people gathered in the shade at the Independence Beer Garden across Sixth Street from Independence Mall, escaping some of the heat to sip beer with the World Cup displayed on a big screen.
Sandra Rahn, from Jacksonville, Fla., was among the escapees. She was taking a break from the sun to watch the game. Her Yorkie pup, Matilda, was cooling off alongside her, following the Patriotic Pet Show at the Betsy Ross House.
Rahn, her husband, and Matilda, arrived Wednesday to celebrate the country’s 250th, attending as many outdoor events as they could so Matilda could be part of the festivities.
“Everybody’s excited and outside; it’s been great,” Rahn said.
On Monday, they are to head home to Florida, where they hope to “cool off.”
For the record, at 3 p.m. the heat index in Philly was 103; in Jacksonville, 98.
And hidden in plain sight among those braving the serpentine line to visit Independence Hall were numerous time travelers from the Revolutionary era.
Aaron Patrick journeyed — like many Revolutionary War soldiers once had done — from Carlisle, Cumberland County, and donned a wool waistcoat and a black tricorn hat as he made his way through the line. Temperature check: about 93 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Everyone’s hot,” Patrick said. ”I’m just a little warmer than most.”
The outfits start with a linen shift for women or a linen shirt for men, said Abby Harting, a historical clothing expert. “It’s naturally cool, wicks sweat away — it’s perfect for a muggy, hot day, because the fabric does the same thing it did 250 years ago,” Harting said.
On top of the linen, the boys and men in the group wore a light wool waistcoat, while the girls and women wore a “stay,” which serves the same purpose as a bra, and another layer. Harting noted the women’s layers were designed to last for years and adapt to a person’s changing body.
She said their decision to dress up was a bit of “experiential archaeology,” and a great way to imagine what those in 1776 were experiencing — both mentally and physically — as they adopted the Declaration of Independence.
For Washington, D.C.-area couple Katelyn and Zachary Damm, their historical hobby started with the tricorn hat given to Zachary by his father-in-law. From there, they turned to Amazon to order their clothes.
The buffs prepared for their trip by reading about the era and studying the Declaration of Independence, Zachary Damm said.
“All of our freedoms date back to this day,” Katelyn Damm said. “That makes it special.”
The 18-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, sporting big blacked-out goggles and using a baby-dog stroller to move around, immediately stole the show at the Patriotic Pet Show. With his long fluffy blond hair waving in the breeze, Bruno’s confident smile told the crowd everything they needed to know: This veteran was here to bring home gold.
Not all the activities were of a festive nature. Striking Peco workers picketed outside the power company’s headquarters.
Outside the Liberty Bell, about 200 folks gathered in the yard next door at the President’s House to honor the nine people enslaved by George and Martha Washington in the 1790s. This year, attendees said the annual independence gathering, with its focus on freedom, truth, and remembrance, felt different.
“Over the last six months, since the president issued an executive order, they have tried to whitewash and bend history in a way that doesn’t tell the whole story of the country,” said Dawn Chavous, spokesperson for Avenging the Ancestors Coalition. “We are here because it’s important to not only remember, but protect and defend the history of America, which includes Black and African American history.”
Primarily, however, people went about the business of celebrating across the region.
In Doylestown, Gov. Josh Shapiro joined the Fourth of July parade, and, of course, people gathered for holiday block parties.
Danny Torres, who runs the barbecue business The Latin Grill, prepares Puerto Rican and Jerk seasoned chicken wings in a grill at a block party in the Ludlow section of Philly.
In Philly’s Ludlow section, Johanna Rodriguez and Michael Cunningham mixed fresh lemonade as they watched their daughter and son splash around in the swimming pool in the middle of their Jefferson Street block.
Rodriguez said the block takes Fourth of July seriously because it’s one of the only times everyone comes outside to enjoy the festivities and see each other in person.
“Obviously, having a block party with all the neighbors coming together is always the best,” Rodriguez said. ”Just hanging out and talking about the old days. It brings back the classic vibes.”
No one appeared to be complaining about the heat from the grill or the sun.
For the record, according to Thomas Jefferson, on the afternoon of July 4, 1776, at what is now Independence Mall the temperature was a pleasant 76 degrees.
Staff writers Maggie Prosser, Isabel Maney, and Michelle Myers contributed to this article.
