The holiday season is here and many of you have already started looking for gifts and making holiday plans. According to national statistics, every $1 we spend at a local business, 65 cents is invested back into the local community. That’s roughly twice as much as big box stores. No big surprise there. Small businesses hook their success up to the success of the local community. Often they are our neighbors and friends.

At West Philly Local we are committed to helping local businesses and organizations succeed. We are also committed to telling residents about the community businesses that help make this a great place to live, work and shop. Please check out our annual “Shop Local for the Holidays” campaign page to see what our partners – local shops, restaurants, arts, fitness and other organizations – have to offer this holiday season.

If you are spending Thanksgiving Day in the neighborhood, here’s the hours for assorted local stores, cafes and restaurants. And here’s our story on what to do and where to stay in West Philly for the holidays in case you missed it.

Aksum (4630 Baltimore Ave) – Thursday: Closed; Friday: Open for dinner.

Cafe Renata (4305 Locust St) – Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday: Closed; Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. By the way, Cafe Renata will be serving complimentary mimosas with brunch on Black Friday and begin offering seasonal specials like: pumpkin french toast, cranberry chutney turkey club sandwiches and roasted butternut squash soups.

Earth Cup Coffee (45th & Pine) – Thursday: 7 a.m. – noon.

Green Line Cafe (all locations) – Wednesday: Close at 5 p.m.; Thursday & Friday: Closed.

Mariposa Food Co-op (4824 Baltimore Ave) – Wednesday: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Thursday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Milk & Honey Market  (4435 Baltimore Ave) – Thursday: Closed; Friday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Supreme Shop n Bag (43rd & Walnut) – Wednesday: 7 a.m. – 12 a.m.; Thursday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

The Fresh Grocer (4001 Walnut St)  – Thursday-Sunday: Open 24 hours.

VIX Emporium (5009 Baltimore Ave) – Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Thursday: Closed; Friday & Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Pitruco’s Salame pizza / Photo from Pitruco Pizza’s tumblr

Chowing down on a slice of pizza while downing gulps of beer—seems like the perfect match for a college bar. At least, that’s the thought behind the Smokey Joe’s and Pitruco Pizza partnership that launched three weeks ago.

A few weeks ago Nathan Winkler-Rhodes and Jonah Fliegelman—the boys behind the sought-after Pitruco Pizza food truck—began running Smokey Joe’s kitchen, serving their signature fare as Enjay’s Pizza (a play on their names, said Smokey Joe’s owner Paul Ryan). With Rhodes and Fliegelman at the helm, Smokey’s, located at 210 S. 40^th Street will now offer a revamped menu with pizza as the star and offered in seven small or large varieties including spicy, sausage and pepper, and tomato—plays (but not direct copies) off their Pitruco menu. Chicken cutlet, meatball and fried cauliflower hoagies are also on the list of options, in addition to salads, Italian vegetable plates, and pub starters like garlic knots and artisan fries.

Ryan was looking to serve pizza and turned to Pitruco after checking out foodie reviews. In turn, he said, the duo was looking to set up a brick-and-mortar shop for their highly rated truck, so they were on board when approached by Ryan. And so far, says the owner, the partnership is “terrific.”

“The reviews of the food have been great,” Ryan told West Philly Local. “I think it’s a great match for a college bar.”

Smokey Joe’s has long sublet its kitchen to budding culinary entrepreneurs looking for a built in audience and good location without the overhead of their own space.

Fliegelman and Winkler-Rhodes will run Smokey Joe’s kitchen from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Currently, takeout is only available.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Last month, City Council passed an official resolution endorsing “Meatless Monday,” a national initiative to encourage individuals, families and businesses to curb meat consumption by taking a day off.

The resolution was sponsored by Councilman Bill Green and advocated by the Humane League, a national nonprofit working to reduce meat consumption and prevent animal cruelty. The organization worked closely with sponsoring Council Members to help them understand why less meat consumption is important.

“City Council looked at data regarding excessive meat consumption before considering the resolution,” said Rachel Acheson, Philadelphia director of the Humane League.

Of course, the resolution does not legally prevent anyone from getting their daily dose of protein, but it does show the city’s support for healthier and more environmentally sustainable eating habits.

“The beauty of ‘Meatless Monday’ is that it does not demand an ‘all or nothing’ approach. It offers a challenge that is do-able, one day a week in a catchy, creative way,” said Councilwoman At-Large Blondell Reynolds Brown, who co-sponsored the bill.

But will people actually give it a try? Some already have. Drexel University has been pushing Meatless Monday since last February. Drexel’s Sierra Student Coalition and Animal Welfare Association teamed up to promote Meatless Monday around the campus with the eventual goal of bringing the initiative into the university’s cafeterias.

This could serve as a precedent for the Humane League’s next big push. “Our eventual goal is to approach public schools,” Acheson said, adding that it’s crucial to change the eating habits of youth.

– Alex Vuocolo

(Photo via the Humane League)

Growing up, my late Nana would always make fried chicken. Thighs, breasts, wings…no part of that bird was left out of our frying pan. And her fried chicken was delicious, crispy, and addictive.

Up until last night, I thought I had lost my taste for fried chicken after my Nana passed away in 1999. None of the fried chicken could compare to hers—whether from a fast food dive or “upscale” home-cooking joint, the crispy coated birds were just grease-bomb artery cloggers. Then I tasted Wishbone‘s classic craft fried chicken and it was like I was eight years old, chomping on a thigh during holiday dinner. With each bite I understood why the line at Wishbone, which opened last week in Lee’s Hoagie House’s former home at 4034 Walnut Street, was almost out the door when I stopped by on Tuesday night. And this person agrees.

Wishbone is co-owned by veteran chefs Alan Segel and Dave Clouser who spoke with The Insider back in June about their plans to open a shop with a “takeout, delivery, some seating, a small menu… and no pretense.”

Battered in buttermilk and pretzel crust, Wishbone’s classic fried chicken, available in dark or white meat and offered at $8.95 a pound, was tender, crispy and juicy and had a minimal aftermath of grease (there’s also a Thai coconut curry & basil special offered, which I didn’t try due to food allergies). A variety of dips are offered at $0.50 each (I tried the pimenton aioli and modern BBQ), but—while good on their own—they lack the kick necessary to a proper accompaniment to the delicious (albeit slightly salty) chicken.

While the chicken’s a production, Wishbone is not. It’s nothing more than a “quirky” take out joint done cafeteria style with an upstairs seating area and decked out in a simplified country-inspired decor (think ceramic roosters and tin watering cans with flowers). It’s in its evolving stages as the general manager Erica Hope told me, so expect a few bumps like waiting 10 minutes for more chicken or stopping by to a closed shop because the chicken’s run out. As of Thursday, Wishbone is tentatively open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with possibly later closing hours during the weekends.

– Annamarya Scaccia

Food Day is a national celebration of local food and community. It takes place on Thursday, Oct. 24 at locations around the country. Here in Philadelphia, Drexel University will host an evening of free food and a screening of the documentary, “A Place at the Table,” which explores the state of hunger in America.

The celebration is organized by a coalition of food-based organizations, including nonprofits, businesses and government agencies. There were over 3,000 events around the country in 2012.

From 12 to 2 p.m., Drexel student organizations focused on food and environmental justice will give presentations throughout the campus on topics ranging from veganism to factory farming.

The film screening will be at 6 p.m. There will also be a free meal, prepared by Drexel Culinary students, starting at 5 p.m.

“The food is FREE but we ask that students and attendees bring a food item to donate to People’s Emergency Center’s food bank as they are having difficulty filling their shelves, “ said Hayley Tintle, lead organizer of the event.

The event will take place in room 103 of Disque Hall, located between 31st and 32nd just below Market Street. For more information click here.

– Alex Vuocolo