Photo via tastiesoulfood.com

A fine-dining soul food restaurant has opened on a block not exactly known for upscale sit-down eateries. Tasties Soul Food is launching where Pappy’s Pizza used to be, just north of Girard on 52nd Street. The restaurant is from Barbara Devan, a home-grown Southwest Philly success story who already runs two fast casual take-out restaurants under the Tasties brand. You may remember her from Jollies West, now the Corner Bar at 38th and Lancaster (right across from the site of the notorious Women’s Medical Society), or the old Tasties food truck, which would be often spotted near 48th and Market.

Tasties Restaurant features a full bar and will have brunch options on the weekend. In addition to standard soul food fare like BBQ chicken, turkey chops, candied yams and collard greens, Devan has added fancier options like fried lobster, lamb and mussels to the menu.  Continue Reading

A group of community organizations are standing with residents of Dorsett Court (4710 Locust St.) and Admiral Court (237 S. 48th St.) apartment buildings who were recently given bogus eviction notices to scare tenants out and make way for the sale of the buildings. A court decision has staved off eviction for at least a few more weeks.

Residents and supporters gathered in front of the buildings, which are adjacent on the corner of 48th and Locust, at a rally yesterday organized by the Philadelphia Tenants Union (PTU), a grassroots organization focused on protecting renters from unfair evictions. Community Legal Services and the Public Interest Law Center are also assisting the roughly 70 residents who received the eviction notices. Some video of the event is available on the PTU Facebook page.  Continue Reading

Demolition of the 131-year-old Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church at 43rd and Chestnut is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 1. (Photo West Philly Local)

Residents who live near 43rd and Chestnut have received notices from the City’s Department of Public Health to prepare for demolition of the 131-year-old former Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church building at 43rd and Chestnut, scheduled to begin today (May 1).

The city issued a demolition permit for the building last month. The permit was issued to building owners Kalidave Limited Partners, which is run by local developer Guy Laren, who saved a Frank Furness church at 47th and Kingsessing from demolition three years ago.  Continue Reading

Jane’s Walk, the annual festival of free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by the American-Canadian journalist, author and activist Jane Jacobs, returns to Philadelphia on May 4-6 with 27 walks around the city! Three walks will be held in West Philly and University City – all on Friday, May 4th and all new. Here are more details:

• 3 – 5 p.m.: The Gardens of West Philadelphia walk and conversation with Jeff Barg of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will begin and end at UCity Square PHS Pop-Up Garden (3601 Filbert St.). Join PHS on a walking tour of one of Philadelphia’s most garden-rich neighborhoods. This two-hour walking tour will explore the gardens of Powelton Village and West Powelton, some of which boast decades of history. Kids, dogs and bicycles are welcome. Event Facebook page.  Continue Reading

Photo from Taco Angeleno’s Facebook page.

Taco Angeleno, the popular Mexican food truck that operates in Cedar Park May through October, is not going to reopen this spring, according to an announcement on the business’s Facebook page.

“Dear taco buds, as Summer vibes draw near I want to sadly inform you that Taco Angeleno will be closed until further notice,” the Facebook post reads. “We’ve enjoyed getting to know all of you loyal and kind taco lovers but running a small business is full of unique challenges and they force us to change sometimes. We’re not sure what’s to come next but please stay tuned to discover how we will serve West Philly in the future.”  Continue Reading

Who said poetry doesn’t go with beer? There’s a chance to try it out this Saturday (April 28) at the West Philly shop of Philly Homebrew Outlet where the Spring 2018 edition of their book reading series will be held. Local authors James Hoch, Rachel Howe, Steven Kleinman and Susan Barr-Toman will read from their work.

Also, enjoy some popcorn, and homebrew beer and wine, of course.

The event, which will be held from 5:30 until about 7:45 p.m., is free and open to the public. You can RSVP here. The shop is located at 1314 S. 47th St.

Also, on Saturday, but a little earlier – from 2-3 p.m. – PHO West will present a Sourdough Bread workshop on the basics of creating and maintaining your own sourdough starter. This event is also free and open to the public. More info can be found here.