The West Philadelphia Fresh Food Hub, a non-profit grocery truck that brings fresh and healthy food to Mantua, Belmont and West Powelton residents, is gathering community input that will help them create a strong, locally-owned business that serves everyone.

If you live in one of the above mentioned neighborhoods, you are encouraged to participate in the Food Hub’s Fall 2012 Community Input Survey. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and to thank you for your time and honest responses, the Food Hub will provide you with a fresh produce voucher.

The Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative, a school-based program of the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships, is hosting its fourth annual Eats and Beats community dinner to showcase youth leadership and skills. AUNI encourages West Philadelphia students to grow, cook, consume and sell healthy foods. The AUNI Youth Development Program employs more than 100 teens to grow and sell organic food at high school gardens and to teach nutrition to community groups.

The dinner will be held at 5:30-8:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore). The menu will feature a locally sourced, organic five-course meal grown and prepared by the AUNI youth crews.

“At Eats and Beats, the youth plan the menu, prepare the food and give musical performances. They’re also taking care of ticket sales,” says Ty Holmberg, AUNI coordinator.

Tickets ($25) are available at the AUNI stand at the Clark Park Farmers’ Market 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays and at the Mariposa Food Co-op during open hours. RSVPs are also being collected online at www.urbannutrition.org/eatsandbeats.

For more information visit www.urbannutrition.org or email: kristins@urbannutrition.org.

A national franchise is entering the local pizza game. Domino’s Pizza is scheduled to open its doors at the corner of 45th and Chestnut streets next Monday. The space was formerly occupied by the restaurant Demetris, which reopened last winter after being closed for remodeling, but closed again shortly after that.

Unlike many Domino’s restaurants that specialize in take-out and delivery, this location includes a half-dozen or so eat-in tables. This is the second Domino’s Pizza restaurant in West Philly. The other one operates in the Overbrook area (60th and Lancaster).

Rue 52 owner Mahari Bailey (photo by Mike Lyons).

West Philly native Mahari Bailey sees his new coffee shop on 52nd Street as a symbol of sorts. Rue 52 (503 S. 52nd, near the southwest corner of Malcolm X Park) has all the requisite quirks of a trendy urban hangout – great coffee and eats, local art on the walls, free WIFI and an owner who likes to hangout there and prefers t-shirts to ties.

Rue 52, which is officially a crêperie and espresso bar, is unlike just about any other business near it on 52nd Street, once the core of West Philly’s arts and culture scene. Bailey says people always want to know why he’s trying this on 52nd Street. But he sees Rue 52 as a small step in returning that grand street to its former glory. Continue Reading

This upcoming Second Friday on Lancaster Avenue, Oct. 12, look out for Fall Market discounts, street vendors, live music, giveaways and plenty more. Little Baby’s Ice Cream Truck and Jimmie’s Cupcakes will also be there in this beautiful fall weather.

Congratulations to the West Philly-based gourmet popsicle vendor Lil’ Pop Shop (Facebook page), which won the “Desserts” prize on Saturday at the annual Vendy Awards. The Vendys celebrate the bustling mobile food culture in Philadelphia.

In addition to their shop on 44th Street between Spruce and Locust, Lil’ Pop Shop runs a small cart, which qualified them to compete. They continued a West Philly tradition in the Vendys. Last year Gigi and Big R’, a staple in Penn’s food truck scene, won the top prize – The Vendy Cup.

This year, The Smoke Truck, which serves Southern barbecue, won the Cup.