A new seasonal pop-up beer garden officially launched last night on The Lawn at uCity Square (37th and Filbert). The bar is inspired by local creativity and activation and offers locally-sourced food, brews, and cocktails.

The beer garden is operated by and in partnership with MilkBoy Restaurant Group. It offers a diverse array of beverages including offerings from Two Locals Brewing Company, Philadelphia’s first Black-owned brewery, and local rap artist Chill Moody’s nicethingsBEER. In addition, it will have an ever-evolving selection of seasonal brews from both Yards Brewing Company and Love City Brewing, as well as craft and canned cocktails, wine, and a rotating lineup of food trucks.

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Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll (Photos by Lora Reehling).

West Philly folks and visitors are invited to this summer’s first Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, which will take place Thursday, June 15, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The popular outdoor event, organized by University City District (UCD), features dozens of local businesses and vendors offering deals on food, merchandise and other items along Baltimore Avenue between 40th to 51st Streets.

This year, the event will again feature $1, $3, and $5 bargains from neighborhood standouts like Booker’s, Vientiane Café, Dahlak Paradise and more, as well as newcomers including brewery Carbon Copy and Ethiopian chicken house Doro Bet. The vendors list, including West Philly-based merchandise vendors and food trucks, has also expanded since last year.

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While the weather is still warm, folks in Cedar Park and nearby areas may be interested to know that there is a new addition to the local drinking establishments scene. A pop-up wine garden, named simply The Wine Garden, which focuses on wine and wine only (no beer), has recently opened at 5019 Baltimore Avenue, in the outdoor space previously occupied by Taco Angeleno. One of the co-owners is Saba Tedla, owner of Aksum and Booker’s restaurants also located on Baltimore Ave.

The Wine Garden offers seating for up to 30 people and serves vintage wines and specialty drinks, plus live entertainment featuring local musicians, according to Philadelphia Magazine. Basically, it’s a great place to relax after a long workday and on weekends.

The Wine Garden is open Monday through Friday 4-11 p.m.; noon-11 p.m. on Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. on Sundays. It will stay open through the end of October. So far, there’s no website or Facebook page, but we’ll keep you posted.

Second Fridays on Lancaster Avenue returns this week, and in addition to live music, art shows, film screenings, and community events will now also include a market! Join your friends and neighbors on Friday, Jan. 12, from 4-8 p.m. at The Bank (3750 Lancaster Ave) for the West Side Market featuring a dozen of local food, beverage and craft vendors, music, and Friday night fun. The market will return to The Bank every second Friday.

For more information and updates, check out the Lancaster Avenue Philly website and Facebook page.

Photo by Chris Richman, University City District.

If you’re wondering what this new structure at The Porch near 30th Street Station that looks like a shipping container is, here’s the scoop: It’s a new destination for post-work drinks called The Pub at The Porch. This thing just opened and will be serving beer, wine, and rotating bar fare Wednesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. while the weather is warm. The pub is operated by the well-known Bridgewater’s Pub, a drinking and dining destination inside 30th Street Station.

The Pub is located near the center of The Porch, where food trucks set up for weekday lunch service. Local firm SHIFTSPACE designed and manufactured the free-standing non-permanent 10×10 cube that houses The Pub. It has a vibrant turquoise color coupled with carved-out architectural features.  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of William Street Common.

Anyone who has worked in the restaurant industry knows how unpredictable earning a living can be, especially with varying beliefs about tipping. Bottom line: for a server or a bartender, income can be completely arbitrary according to how customers are feeling at any given moment.

Restaurateur Avram Hornick wants to take the guesswork out of the tipping process with his new venture at 39th and Chestnut, William Street Common, which opened last week. He expects it to attract a crowd different from his other spots in the area, such as Morgan’s Pier.

“First, the whole purpose is social conversation,” said Hornick. “West Philly; what’s interesting about it is its diversity. I wouldn’t call it a melting pot, more like a jambalaya. The parts are separate. I would like to make the mixing of these parts possible here.”

William Street Common features long communal tables, beer garden style.  Continue Reading