Around the Block: 6/2/2023

June 5, 2023 BY JEFF CITY BLOCK

New Philly restaurants, our new and current listings, and Philly happenings. Are there any restaurant openings you’re excited about? I’d love to discuss. Please send me an email: [email protected]. This edition of Around the Block was originally published on Friday, 6/2/23.

6/2/2023

Relevant Commentary, all information Philly (real estate and otherwise), Open Houses, Listings, Happenings, and More — by Jeff “City” Block

New Philly Restaurants

I think Philly already has the best food in the country! And I love discussing the steady flow of new additions to our always-evolving restaurant scene.

As I have for decades, I rely on Michael Klein for much of my information relating to Philly restaurant openings and closings. As always, I will add my thoughts and comments on the happenings I find most interesting.

Let me begin by referring back to my recent newsletter covering ice cream and water ice in Philly. One thing I neglected to mention in that piece was that one of my favorite all-time places for ice cream was Capogiro. Their gelato shops in Rittenhouse, Midtown Village, and University City served the best ice cream I ever had–anywhere. (Capogiro did win National Geographic’s #1 spot for ice cream makers in the world!) Sadly, they closed all of their stores in 2018, after suffering grave financial woes from a neighboring fire that ruined their Old City pizzeria location. That arson fire ended in a conviction and prison sentences for two brothers working some insurance scam, but sadly, their lenient punishment did nothing to save the businesses and residences that were destroyed. So, hats off to what was the world’s best ice cream—Capogiro.

Which leads me to the first opening I want to note—Vita, a gelato shop in the old Branzino space at 17th and Manning (between Spruce & Locust). And what are the odds of two stores selling gelato side-by-side? The coming soon Vita will reside next to the Italian food shop Bottega Rittenhouse, which among many other things, serves gelato. Let the tastings begin!

Marc Vetri is opening a new pizzeria on the concourse level of the Comcast Technology Center (i.e., the newer Comcast tower). Pizzeria Salvy sounds awesome. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday. Slices for lunch, salads, Sal Vetri’s sublime meatballs, and Vetri-quality 12″ pies.

You know that big empty space on the 1700 block of Walnut Street where McDonald’s used to be? (Yes, that block once had a Mickey D’s and an IHOP). The space that has been a sad reminder of the 2020 summer riots is now slated for an eventual residential high-rise with ground-level retail. But for the next couple of summers at least, it will be one of Philly’s coolest beer gardens. Walnut Garden sounds pretty nice and will feature “daily events, entertainment, and family-friendly experiences from noon to midnight seven days a week.” Kids menu, grown-up menu, ice cream for all, a kids’ play area, and beer and cocktails.

Meanwhile, in Mount Airy, finally a replacement for the long-popular Earth Bread & Brewery, which fell victim to pandemic-era staff shortages. This has always been a warm, comfortable family-friendly space, and I can’t wait to give the pizza at Toska Restaurant & Brewery a try. Like Walnut Garden, Toska should be a family-oriented, brew-forward atmosphere.

I am not particularly familiar with Nigerian food, but I look forward to trying it at Eatwell, which is opening this summer at 106 Chestnut in Old City, right next to Amina, which also has some Nigerian influence on its southern menu. And opening around the same time, on the same block is BlackHen, a fried chicken shop by Amina owner Felicia Wilson.

“The idea for a bacon-themed food truck came to the entrepreneur in a dream, two months after his brother’s death.” That says it all. Or does this say it all?—from their menu—“Your two favorite meats, bacon AND brisket going head to head with loaded fries – cheese sauce, jalapeños, green onion and zesty ranch.” Or this? “Thick cut bacon, chilled pear slice, melted cheese with our special honey-rosemary sauce on brioche bread. This sweet and smoky sandwich is as beautiful and unique as the taste and pleasure it gives to those foodies eating it!” Perhaps this? “Thick cut bacon, cheese Doritos and melted cheese on brioche bread, giving your mouth the crunch and savory bite that its been looking for.” I could do this all day. Bake’n Bacon seems to have like 50 things on its menu, each more fascinating than the next. Wait… I think I found the healthiest thing on its menu… “Regular French fries.” Located at the corner of 11th & Ellsworth. Definitely a great place for your last meal.

Vinyl will bring small plates and live music to the former Applebee’s/(not Old Original) Bookbinder’s location at the corner of 15th and Chancellor, across from Good Dog and about 75 ft from my office. A summer opening is the aim here, though it does not look like it is happening any time soon. Whenever it opens, a welcome improvement for the block for sure.

Much later this year, Michael Solomonov & Steve Cook will swap their Abe Fisher restaurant on Sansom Street for a full-service version of their neighboring hummusiya Dizengoff. I enjoyed Abe Fisher, but I really love hummus. Looking forward to it.

So that is it for today. Let me end by stating how much I enjoy Philly’s superb and ever-evolving food scene.

Have a great weekend.

Best regards,

Jeff

Spotlight Properties

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #403

New Price

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,775 SF | Large Rooftop Patio with Pilot House that Brings in Balanced Light from Windows on Three Exposures | Open Layout | 10ft+ Ceilings | $795,000

ONLY 2 (out of 19) UNITS REMAIN at this stellar condominium project in a most desirable Mt Airy location. With significant character and included covered parking, this development is the culmination of the adaptive reuse of a century-old church annex, showcasing a Wissahickon schist exterior with a newly constructed fourth floor addition; all new systems; large, smartly laid out spaces; ample and balanced light; beautiful, tasteful finishes; and low operating costs (utilities, taxes, condo fees).

7111 Germantown is easily accessible to so many restaurants, cafes, retail, parks, shopping, library, and more. 5-minute drive to the Wissahickon Valley and miles of wooded trails. 5-minute walk to two SEPTA regional rail lines. And, of course, a quick ride to Chestnut Hill, Center City, Manayunk, and the Main Line.

Extremely low taxes, condo fees, and utility costs in this energy efficient project. Superior construction includes extra insulation and advanced sound attenuation methods. Some units have outdoor space. This is an elevator building and is pet friendly.

7111 is comprised of very spacious 1, 2, and 3-bedroom residences, each of which has different layouts and features, including high ceilings, original hardwood floors, and exposed stone and beams. All residences have big windows, open floor plans, excellent space and light, spectacular finishes, ample closets, and storage. Every unit comes with an assigned covered parking spot (with EV charging available). Upgrade to a 2-car tandem parking space for $25,000. Full TAX ABATEMENT through 2032. Floorplans available for all units.

View full listing here

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #102

New Price

3 BD | Family Room | 2 BA | 1,670 SF | Private Patio (Hidden from View on Sidewalk) | Open Layout | East Exposure for Superb Morning Light | Southern Exposure for Nice Afternoon Light in the Two Secondary Bedrooms | $525,000

View full listing here

CBT May Closings

RITTENHOUSE SQUARE

2000 Delancey Place, #1E

2 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,746 SF | $1,625,000

NORTHERN LIBERTIES

223 W George Street

4 BD | 3 BA | 3,200 SF | $1,020,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #302

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 2,260 SF | $785,000

SPRING GARDEN

2401 Pennsylvania Avenue #4C45

1 BD | 2 BA | 2,017 SF | $755,300

WISSAHICKON

220 Sumac Street

4 BD | 3 BA | 2,698 SF | $655,000

FAIRMOUNT-ART MUSEUM

2442 Perot Street

2 BD | 2 BA | 1,050 SF | $493,000

Here is a list of the 12 other properties the City Block Team sold in May:

*Represented the buyer and seller

Philly Fun This Week

New Exhibitions and Farmers Market

A.I. is a big topic of conversation nowadays and the National Liberty Museum is joining in with a brand-new exhibition called Data Nation: Democracy in the Age of A.I. In this exhibition artists delve into the issues and possibilities created by technological advances in artificial intelligence and how it affects American ideals such as democracy and free speech. In addition to the exhibit’s impressive installations, it also has some interactive components.
Who doesn’t love farm fresh produce and other goodies? Well if you live in the Northern Liberties neighborhood you are in luck because a brand-new farmers market opens up this Saturday at Piazza Alta. Going forward this market will be open on Saturdays year-round with over a dozen vendors offering local produce, hyperlocal brews, and fresh goods.
Curious about what people ate thousands of years ago? Well, you can learn about just that at the Penn Museum’s brand-new exhibition Ancient Food & Flavor. This 1,500-square-foot exhibit features food and plant remains that date back thousands of years including 6,000-year-old strawberry seeds and apples that pre-date Stonehenge. These prehistoric food remains help uncover the lifestyles and traditions of ancient civilizations. The exhibition opens Saturday with informal chats, a presentation from the curators, guides, and a hands-on corn grinding workshop.

Photograph from libertymuseum.org & content courtesy of uwishunu.

Movie Screenings and Philly Beer Week

Enjoy some outdoor movie fun at The Betsy Ross House starting this Friday. This year’s annual film series highlights some of the best films from the so-bad-it’s-good sci-fi genre. Movie screenings take place on the first Friday of every month and next month’s movie is the 1957 film Not of this Earth.
Beer lovers rejoice! Philly Beer Week just began with 10 days of events, happy hours, tastings, pub crawls, and more. Check out the full event schedule on the official website.

Photograph & content courtesy of uwishunu.

Live Entertainment and Pride Month Events

Head to the Academy of Music to see the musical version of the quirky cult classic film BEETLEJUICE through June 11th. For those who aren’t familiar the hilarious and heartwarming show is about a ghost couple who are trying to haunt the inhabitants who took their former home and scare them away with the help of the demon known as Beetlejuice.
For a unique underwater experience head to the Adventure Aquarium to see real-life mermaids at its new aquatic event running through June 18th. These mermaids will swim alongside 15,000 underwater creatures including the Northeast’s largest collection of sharks! And for even more mermaid fun, there will be meet-and-greets with photo ops.

Photograph from kimmelculturalcampus.org & content courtesy of uwishunu.

Featured Listings

MANAYUNK

4555 Riverside Way

4 BD | 3.5 BA | 3,190 SF | $1,050,000

HADDINGTON

336 N 62nd Street

BRAND NEW LISTING

Quadplex | $300,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4721 Chester Avenue

6 BD | 3.5 BA | 6,623 SF | $1,300,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #403

NEW PRICE

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,775 SF | $795,000

COBBS CREEK

35 Property Portfolio in West Philly

35 Single-family Properties | $7,000,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

435 S 46th Street

5 BD | 2.5 BA | 2,721 SF | $725,000

MIDTOWN VILLAGE

105 S 12th Street #201

1 BD | 2 BA | 1,333 SF | $645,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4632 Larchwood Avenue

5 BD | 2.5 BA | 2,718 SF | $967,500

UNIVERSITY CITY

247-251 S 44th Street

3 Contiguous Properties | 6,726 SF | 1,525,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #102

NEW PRICE

3 BD | 2 BA | 1,670 SF | $525,000

WEST POWELTON

321 N 40th Street

5 Units | 5,792 SF | $1,595,000

FAIRMOUNT-ART MUSEUM

768 N 24th Street #2

2 BD | 1 BA | 1,183 SF | $399,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

255 S 44th Street

4 Units | 2,000 SF | $550,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

632 S 51st Street

4 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,792 SF | $375,000

MAIN LINE

533 Pugh Road

BRAND NEW LISTING

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 2,450 SF | $925,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4616 Paschall Avenue

3 BD | 3 BA | 2,800 SF | $550,000

SOCIETY HILL

504 S Hancock Street

2 BD | 1 BA | 1,100 SF | $345,000

WEST MOUNT AIRY

153 W Weaver Street

4 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,240 SF | $289,000

WEST KENSINGTON

2545 N 6th Street

3 BD | 1 BA | 1,305 SF | $225,000

Experienced real estate agent?

Would you consider joining one of the most respected real estate teams in Philadelphia?

The City Block Team is looking for an experienced agent who wants to provide Expert Real Estate Representation. CBT is committed to helping you build your business and offers excellent coaching and mentoring; solid systems & admin support; leads (quality over quantity); superb team camaraderie; and outstanding team name recognition and regard.

Please contact [email protected] to discuss. All inquiries are confidential. Thank you.

Know Someone Looking to Buy or Sell?

As always, please know that I’m humbled by and appreciative of your introductions and referrals. If you have a friend, colleague, or family member that is in need of Expert Real Estate Representation, please have them contact me.

Be assured, I will do my best to exceed their expectations! Thanks for taking the time to read this issue of Around the Block.

Some imagery in this e-newsletter was sourced via UWISHUNU, libertymuseum.org, kimmelculturalcampus.org, and Canva.

Office: 212-913-9058

Compass RE is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

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New Philly Restaurants

Spotlight Properties

7111 Germantown Avenue #403

7111 Germantown Avenue #102

CBT May Closings

Philly Fun This Week

Featured Listings

Moving? Discover the value of your home.