New food, more reopenings as pandemic restrictions fade across region
ARDMORE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- After a year of being canceled, there were more signs across the Philadelphia region that we are beginning to emerge from our pandemic-enforced isolation.
On Thursday night at McCloskey's Tavern on Cricket Avenue in Ardmore, business was booming as Restaurant Week got underway. It's an event that had been canceled last year due to the pandemic.
Restaurants are now back open, offering outdoor or indoor dining or take-out.
Also featured during Thursday's celebration was the grand opening of DePaul's Table, a modern Italian steakhouse.
"We specialize in dry-aged steaks. We dry age all our steaks in-house for a minimum of 28 days. Everything is hand-cut in-house as well," said owner Anthony DePaul.
The 10,000 square foot venue sits right in the heart of Ardmore on Lancaster Avenue.
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Stroll the Street on Main Street was back in Manayunk after a one-year hiatus. Every Thursday from now through September 30, there will be outdoor dining, shopping, and sidewalk vendors selling arts and crafts.
"We take vinyl records and carve them into one-of-a-kind pieces of art," said Alec Friel of Astral Vinyl Art in Pottstown.
"I'm actually selling hand-poured soy candles. I mean I have various scents here, anything from floral to citrus," said Hector Hernandez of SH Candles in Mayfair.
And then in Center City, Parks on Tap is back, this time with two season-long locations that span the banks of the Schuylkill River.
"It's beautiful. We had gone for a walk; we didn't even know about this place," said Ayca Satis of Rittenhouse Square.
Parks on Tap, which is sponsored by FCM Hospitality, made its debut at the Trails End on the south end of the Schuylkill River Trail.
"We added new lawn chairs to really go for a laid-back vibe," said Neina Langford of FCM Hospitality.
At the Trails End location and the one at the Waterworks behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, get ready for spectacular waterfront views, food and drinks from now and all summer long.
"I think it's awesome, I think it's a really cool outdoor space, a great waterfront venue," said Mark Mai of Center City.
Parks on Tap will be open Monday through Thursday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
