Chester's historic Avenue of the States undergoes food & cultural renaissance

CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- The Penn Cafe is the newest addition to downtown Chester's historic Avenue of the States.

It opened at the end of April serving La Colombe coffee, pastries from a Lancaster baker and an ever-expanding menu of smoothies and flatbreads and dishes like chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits.

The cafe is housed in a gorgeously renovated 1889 former bank building that co-owner Fiona Hew-Wing says had been vacant for 30 years.

Hew-Wing is also the CEO of Penn Home Health Care right across the street and came up with the idea for the cafe when her employees complained about needing to leave the community to get breakfast or lunch.

Developer Ron Starr, owner of Penn Home Health Care, bought the old bank building along with a half dozen other historic properties on the block and says Chester is "begging for a comeback," pointing to its history as the birthplace of Pennsylvania, the place where Penn actually landed in 1682.

Hew-Wing and Starr are part of a broader community effort to buy, restore and open businesses along the historic downtown strip.

Roland Taylor and his wife, Lucia, opened Duo Tacos and Bowls last spring. It is, Taylor says, known as the home of the chicken birria, but they also make birria ramen bowls along with burritos, quesadillas and Mexican street corn.

On Taco Tuesdays they offer free margaritas in a festive picnic area tucked under the Amtrak train tracks.

Taylor says the goal is to create a food scene that will make Chester a destination. He has two other food concepts and a social club in the works.

Avenue of the States also has a number of galleries and artist, designer and developer L Ward says the revitalization starts with art. He owns Indigo Mills, a giant warehouse that's home to all kinds of artists and makers.

Ward also built the giant wooden bar in the Penn Cafe, crafted from a 100 year old tree donated by a Chester developer.

"The whole community is really behind this project," says Hew-Wing.

Phase two for Hew-Wing and Starr is the redevelopment of the buildings neighboring The Penn Cafe, including the old courthouse- the oldest courthouse in the United States.

It's a project Starr calls Penn Square and he hopes to add a steakhouse, a bowling alley and 10 luxury apartments. "It will be the Rittenhouse Square of Delaware County," Starr promises.

Penn Cafe | Facebook | Instagram

420 Avenue of the States, Chester, Pa. 19013

484-357-1013

Duo Tacos & Bowls | Instagram

540 Avenue of the States, Chester, Pa. 19013

484-483-7425