PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Tindley Temple has been a landmark in Philadelphia for more than a century. The historic church was founded by Reverend Charles Tindley. It was one of the first megachurches in the country and one of the city's largest soup kitchens.
Since the pandemic, the church has struggled to return to its past glory. New pastor John Brice and his wife Ebony planned to reopen the soup kitchen but found the walk-in freezer and refrigerator in disrepair, the cost too great to fix.
To combat the cost and raise money for the church the pastor and his wife along with members of the church opened Tindley Tea Café. They reimagined a space once used for Sunday school and converted it into a restaurant. It is a 7-day-a-week operation with Comedy night on Monday, $2 Taco Tuesday, brunch service Wednesday through Saturday and all-you-can-eat brunch on Sunday. The menu features classic breakfast and lunch fare including shrimp and grits, fish and grits, chicken and waffles, pancakes, sliders and avocado toast.
The mission behind the menu is to raise money to reopen the soup kitchen which can serve nearly 1,000 people in the fellowship hall next door. They are on track to start serving daily dinners at the soup kitchen in 2025.
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762 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146