721 By DSC serves elevated soul food with a tribute to family on the side

ByAlyssa Threadgill WPVI logo

Monday, February 12, 2024

721 By DSC serves elevated soul food, tribute to family on the side

Dakota Stanley is paying tribute to her lost loved ones with food; upgrading traditional soul food into savory dishes.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Back in November, owner Dakota Stanley opened a small boutique-style restaurant in West Philadelphia serving up family soul food recipes with a modern take on American cuisine.

The restaurant was opened in honor of Dakota Stanley's late mother and grandmother. Her grandmother's birthday was October 7th and her mother's was February 21st. Thus, 721 was born.

The DSC stands for Dakota Stanley Catering, which was Stanley's first business venture, started in 2017.

Dakota's oldest daughter bakes delicious desserts for the restaurant. Daily offerings include banana pudding and strawberry crunch cake.

The boutique-style provides a small, intimate dining experience, perfect for families to relax and enjoy comforting meals.

The catfish with honey lemon pepper sauce is a popular dish, but with Valentine's Day around the corner, Stanley is whipping up some special dishes: The "Marry Me" chicken pasta with sun dried tomatoes and the crab stuffed lobster with grits and a creamy, white wine sauce.

Throughout each month, Stanley hosts special events like karaoke night and themed Sunday brunches.

They bring in a DJ for fun events like Beyoncé and Brunch, amongst other music themes.

721 by DSC is a BYOB but mocktails are available to complement your liquor of choice.

One of the last projects Stanley completed with her mother was creating her own seasonings used in the dishes. These can also be purchased at the restaurant or online.