Gourmet markets becoming restaurant reinventions to stay afloat during pandemic
Gourmet restaurants pivot to markets to stay afloat during the pandemic
Some of the top restaurants in the city are reinventing their spaces as gourmet markets.
From Italian at Gran Caffe L'Aquila, to French at Bibou, or Mexican at La Bodega and Thai at Kalaya Thai market, authentic ingredients from around the world are now available to help you cook like the pros.
The pivot helps keep them in business through shutdowns, and customers can buy many of the same ingredients the chefs use.
They are still cooking up menu items as well, for pre-order and pickup.
Gran Caffe L'Aquila | Facebook | Instagram
1716 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19103
215-568-5600
Kalaya Thai Market | Facebook | Instagram
922 S. 9th Street, Philadelphia PA 19147
215-385-3777
Bibou Boutique | Facebook | Instagram
1009 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-965-8290
La Bodega at Distrito | Facebook | instagram
3945 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-222-1657
Want to eat outdoors? There's an igloo or greenhouse restaurant for that
Two restaurants have upgraded the outdoor dining experience in Philadelphia, with creative ways to dine in heated, socially distant experiences.
At Germantown Grill in Northern Liberties, the Vesper DayClub has converted their poolside dining into a grill with an entree-forward menu that features steaks, seafood and creative cocktails.
The outdoor dining area includes more than a dozen "igloos" for dining that can hold up to six people.
At Harper's Garden in Center City, greenhouses have popped up on the patio.
it's their way of keeping guests warm while staying outside. The greenhouses have a heater, windows and a door to keep air fresh and plenty of room for a table of six diners. The new outdoor scene sets perfectly with the seasonal menu of food and drink.
Germantown Garden Grill | Facebook | Instagram
1029 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Harper's Garden | Facebook | Instagram
31 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Aspiring chef rediscovers his love of cooking with Trinh Eats
Jacob Trinh likes to dance in the kitchen. A year ago he was an aspiring chef hoping to earn a Michelin star during his career.
After helping open Vernick at the Four Seasons, Trinh stepped away from the kitchen for the first time in nearly a decade.
He worked at his parent's Auto Tag store until the pandemic shut down that business.
During his time at home, he reignited his passion for cooking by making xo sauce, a luxury Chinese condiment.
After positive feedback from friends and family, he has turned it into a business making sauces.
He sells a traditional xo sauce made with dried seafood ingredients and a vegan version made with New Jersey mushrooms. He also makes a variety of fermented hot sauces, with his items available for purchase on his Instagram page.
Trinh Eats | Facebook | Instagram
Lochel's Bakery's cookies have accurately predicted the last 3 elections
This Pa bakery has accurately predicted the last 3 elections
It's a heated election season and political conversations can get a little tricky.
But in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a bakery is adding a little levity by making the race more fun and delicious.
Political cookies are flying off the shelves at Lochel's Bakery in Hatboro. They feature the name and party colors of each candidate.
The bakery tallies the sales like votes in an unofficial, tasty little poll that's now sweeping the nation. But this is an election year and that means everyone's picking their cookie on party lines.
For the past three elections, the sugary sales have accurately predicted the presidential winner.
Each cookie counts for one vote. At last check, the red cookies were in the lead.
The ingredients are also unbiased and bipartisan, from the dough to the icing. They're making and selling hundreds a day and shipping them across the states.
Lochel's Bakery| Facebook | Instagram
57 S York Rd, Hatboro, PA 19040
Get cozy this winter with drinks at Human Robot, The Rose Garden, Artesano Café
The Human Robot in Kensington is a brand-new brewery that incorporates old-school style beers with newer styles, like sours and hops.
They brew all of their beer on-site, as well as seltzer and cider.
Inside the brewery is Poe's Sandwich Joint, where you can get inventive, home-made subs with a South Philly flair.
Outdoor seating and take-out is available.
Human Robot | Instagram
1710 N 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
The Rose Garden is a whimsical place with the purpose of making women feel relaxed and pampered.
Their mixologist brings dreamy and sparkly drinks to complement the seasonal menu.
They have Instagram-able friendly locations throughout with props such as rose petals and life-size roses, perfect for a photo-op.
Upstairs is a rooftop and Hookah bar called the Whiskey Garden, which brings a night-time city vibe.
The Rose Garden | Instagram
1437 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
Weekend Brunch, 12pm-10pm, call for details
Artesano Café is a European style café in the art district of Manayunk.
The space used to be an award-winning wedding venue and is part of the Artesano Ironworks.
The owners decided to transform the building into a unique place where people can come, relax and find peace, especially during the Pandemic.
The outdoor courtyard is surrounded by luscious green plants, some of which are hard to find, and are available for purchase.
There's also fine art all throughout, as well as a gallery next door.
The art is from artists from Colombia, where the owners are originally from.
All of their pastries are hand-made as well, and you can find top-notch coffee along with intricate dishes.
Artesano Café | Instagram
109 Green Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19127
Hours: Tues-Wed 8-3 and Thurs-Sun 8-5
Huda has great sandwiches from all over the world
November 3rd is not only Election Day, it's also National Sandwich Day. So there's no better time to try Huda, Center City's new sandwich spot.
And after more than a decade in the kitchens of Cook N' Solo, Chef Yehuda 'Huda' Sichel finally has a place to call his own.
He takes the same approach to sandwiches as he does to more elevated dining saying it's all about the flavors and layering.
He spent quarantine perfecting his bread. Some of the sandwiches are served open-faced on sourdough and some on Japanese style milk buns.
Yehuda says the menu reflects his lifelong food journey of cooking, eating and traveling so you'll find Jewish, South American, Asian, Californian, Middle Eastern and European influences with a focus on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
He recommends you try the brisket with garlic pickles and the crispy Maitake mushroom, which he says happens to be vegetarian.
Huda | Instagram
Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-6pm
32 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
445-544-8025
Unite Fitness, these 3 other gyms offer COVID-safe workouts for winter
If you've been playing it safe during the pandemic, avoiding the gym and taking your workout outdoors, you might be worrying about what to do as the weather turns colder.
So we rounded up some workouts to take you through the winter; some indoors, some outside and some a hybrid -- but all with a strong focus on keeping you safe.
Unite Fitness
Unite at the Armory
23rd and Ranstead Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
Unite One-on-One Personal Training
26 S. 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
267-534-3230
Unite Live & On-Demand Virtual Classes
Commit to a year and it's $300 for unlimited live and on-demand virtual classes.
SPECIAL DEAL FOR FYI PHILLY VIEWERS
*Select Streaming Intro Trial and enter the code FYIPHILLY at checkout to receive complimentary 14 days full access to Unite Live and On-Demand, plus two Guest Live Class Reservations.
Amrita Yoga & Wellness
Offering Sculpture Courtyard & Barn Classes that are also live-streamed and available on-demand
1717 N. Hancock Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19122
JP Sneed Personal Fitness Studio
One-on-one & small group training in Sculpture Courtyard & Barn
1714 N. Mascher Street (entrance also on 1717 N. Hancock Street ), Philadelphia, Pa. 19122
The Training Station | 5 Part Pandemic Plan | Workout Reservations
533 Spring Garden Street, #D1, Philadelphia, Pa. 19123
215-964-9558
Raúl Romero: Onomonopoetics of a Puerto Rican Landscape
FYI Philly Loves the Arts
You can now hear one of the most iconic sounds of the island of Puerto Rico on the streets of North Philadelphia. It's a creative art installation that invites residents to reconnect with their roots.
It's called Onomono-poetics of a Puerto Rican landscape and you can experience it along the 5th Street corridor known as El Centro de Oro.
Raúl Romero: Onomonopoetics of a Puerto Rican Landscape
The installation runs through January 10th and gallery visits are by appointment
SHOW EXTRAS
Nourish, a plant-based cafe and juice bar, has just moved into a new location in the Italian Market after the original restaurant was gutted by fire in September.
The new spot on South 9th Street is bigger with more space for distanced indoor dining to enjoy the healthy juices, smoothies and vegan soul food specialties like the fried Chick'un sandwich, made of mushroom and chickpeas and stacked super high. Rumor has it even meat-eaters claim it's the best chicken sandwich they've ever had.
Nourish Plant-Based Cafe & Juice Bar | Instagram | Facebook
943 S 9th st Phila, Pa 19147
267-761-9242
The Rosenbach in Center City has reopened its doors.
Tickets are timed with visitors admitted every half hour to control crowds.
There are two new exhibitions. One examines the life of the first Japanese person to live in the United States, the other explores the cultural impact of Herman Melville, in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the writer's birth.
The Rosenbach has also opened its 1,600-square-foot garden for the first time in more than 20 years.
The Rosenbach | Facebook | Instagram
2008-2010 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-732-1600
The Michener Art Museum in Doylestown has a new exhibition called Syd Carpenter: Portraits of our Places.
It features 11 large-scale pieces that showcase the connection the artist made between sculpture and gardening.
It's the museum's first solo exhibition of Carpenter's work, and it runs through February.
Michener Art Museum | Facebook
Syd Carpenter: Portraits of our Places, through February 28, 2021
138 S Pine St, Doylestown, PA 18901
215-340-9800