Young brothers start Philly Restaurants Review website
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- "Because of the Coronavirus, a lot of people have been scared or don't really know why they would eat out," said 12-year-old Evan Newman.
It was a fear that held true in his immediate family for much of the pandemic. In fact, it wasn't until 2021 that they returned to Philadelphia for a dining experience.
"We were looking for, like, a restaurant for, like, almost an hour," said the 7th-grader at Welsh Valley Middle School. "We thought it would have been a good idea to create a website that tells people good places to eat in Philadelphia."
With the help of their mom and dad, Evan, Owen and Aiden Newman got to work.
"One day we came down here and started taking pictures of different places," said Owen, who is 14 years old. "And then, we transferred it all over to a website, PhillyRestaurantsReview.com."
On their website, users can view photos of the establishments, learn about their outdoor dining options, and check their hours of operation.
One of the included restaurants, Hawthorne's Cafe in Philadelphia, is thankful for patrons who spread the good news.
"I don't think people know that the good things that they say go a really long way for us," said Susan Freeman, the Director of Operations at Hawthorne's Restaurant Group.
Freeman tells us that Hawthorne's Cafe closed for several weeks at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They quickly rebounded with take-out and beer and wine delivery. Slowly but surely, they added outdoor seating options such as umbrella-shaded tables and isolation bubbles for the colder months.
"Neighbors really supported us," said Freeman. "And truly now more than ever, it helps our own motivation and morale."
10-year-old Aiden was sure to boost their morale even further with his beaming review of the French Toast.
"Soft on the inside but it was crispy on the outside," said Aiden. "I gave it a nine-and-a-half out of ten."
To view the website created by the Newman Brothers, visit PhillyRestaurantsReview.com.
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