The Philly area’s best farmers markets | Let’s Eat

Farmers markets are the intersection of fresh and local, and here are our favorites.

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— Mike Klein

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Want fresh? Here’s our exclusive map of 25 farmers markets in the Philly area to explore year-round or through the fall.

June’s restaurant openings suggest a city leaning into low-pressure pleasure: music, pubs, beachy drinks — and blintzes. Where to try first?

🌸 Soufiane at the Morris, serving a novel menu of French and Moroccan cuisine, just opened in the picturesque garden at the Morris House Hotel. Here’s a first look.

International tourists are coming to Philly for the World Cup. So are their tipping customs. How will restaurants navigate the potential for smaller tips?

Critic Craig LaBan reviews Mi Vida in East Market, a Mexican newcomer out of D.C., and says he wishes “the food was as richly nuanced as the restaurant’s moody design.”

🕯️ Speaking of moody design: Mi Vida is among a crop of new Philadelphia restaurants whose designers are artfully dimming the dining rooms. Here’s a look at some of them.

Tiffany’s Bakery, serving East Market since 1977, has headed to Manayunk to open its first branch outside of Center City. The family-owned business’ calling card is the Doyo — a rich, hand-decorated doughnut that is baked, not fried.

Super Bao & Cake Girl has a quirky name and a fun line of Chinese baked goods in Chinatown, writes Kiki Aranita.

Chip City’s lone Pennsylvania location, at 204 S. 17th St., has closed — the second Rittenhouse cookie slinger to shut down this year, after Taylor Chip crumbled in bankruptcy. A Chip City rep, confirming the shutdown, said the company was focused on “supporting impacted team members.”

The Food team reports on our stops at Ken’s Seafood, Ray’s Cafe & Tea House, La Belle Epoque, and SoVo Caphe, a new coffee shop in Port Richmond.

Queen Village is in line to get a punky neighborhood wine bar from Susan Freeman, Chris Fetfatzes, and Heather Annechiarico (Grace & Proper, Wine Dive) at 733 S. Fourth St., a former hair salon on the same stretch as Famous 4th Street, Southwark, Ambra, and Fitz on 4th. Working name is Divers Club; no timeline has been set. Fetfatzes describes the mood as “dark, scrappy, and European — somewhere between a Paris backstreet wine bar and a graffitied Berlin hangout.” Expect about 30 wines by the glass and “fancy food dressed down.” Their broker, Stefanie Gabel of MSC, notes that while Fabric Row may no longer be dominated by textiles and tailoring, the street “still thrives as a rich commercial strip.”

Barcelona Wine Bar, which opened on East Passyunk in 2017, is moving closer to opening its second Philadelphia location. I see that corporate has applied for a liquor license at 1339-45 N. Front St. in Fishtown. It’s on the same block as Pizzeria Beddia and Hiroki, which face Lee Street. A Barcelona rep could not offer details or timeline.

Here are two newcomers, both of which replaced shot-and-a-beer corner bars:

Whitman, the slice of South Philadelphia near the Walt Whitman Bridge, is home to Waltz, which opened last month with a red-gravy menu in handsome, old-fashioned environs at Front and Ritner. Read on for my first look and Monica Herndon’s evocative photos. (Shown below are the stuffed crabs, which everyone seems to order.)

Bar ILU, which recently opened at Martha and Dauphin in Kensington, is inspired by Madrid — minus the clichés — with raciones, a deep menu of Spanish cocktails, plenty of low-lit energy, and a cool bar that wends throughout the place. (And be like the cool kids and pronounce it “EE-lou.” The name honors partner Patrick Iselin’s grandmother, Iluminada.)

Center City District SIPS returns today, running from 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 26 with $8 cocktails, $7 wines, $6 beers, and appetizers under $10. New this year: nonalcoholic cocktails for $6. Locations are here.

James Beard-winning chef Cristina Martinez (South Philly Barbacoa, Casa Mexico) and her tacos and barbacoa will be part of a revived lineup at Live! Casino & Hotel’s 10th Street Market from noon till sellout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Termini Bros. and Lorenzo & Sons are both moving into expanded spaces with new menus.

Nice Things Handmade and Percy Street Project are collaborating on First Fridays on Percy Street, starting from 4-8 p.m. this Friday on the 1300 block of South Percy Street near Passyunk Square. Phil Korshak will be among vendors, selling hot dogs and other items as a preview of his Korshak Parkside Provisions, due to open this summer at 13th and Reed Streets. (The second First Friday will actually be on Thursday, July 3.)

Philly’s Dîner en Blanc, the 15th edition of the annual pop-up picnic, will return Aug. 20. Ticket sales will begin in early July, via philadelphia.dinerenblanc.com.

El Techo, the rooftop bar atop Condesa on 19th Street near Chestnut, has a new partner for its summer music programming: Into the Groove, a grass-roots event collective. The monthly Summer Sessions launch June 14 from 4-10 p.m. with DJs TPATT (Into the Groove’s founder) and Bobby Santoni. Future dates: July 26, Aug. 16, and Sept. 27. General admission starts at $25 and include snacks and light bites and can be pre-purchased on Resy.

Rodin Museum Garden Bar is back outside the museum, at 22nd Street and the Parkway, from 4-8 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 28. New this year: Rising Up Kitchen food truck.

Amada Radnor chef Joshua MacDonald will host Flakely Gluten Free chef Lila Colello for a one-night, multicourse dinner ($100pp) with nine dishes, all gluten-free, at 6 p.m. June 17. Menu/reservations here.

Le Virtù on East Passyunk will reprise its 40-plus-course La Panarda feast, which runs for eight hours on June 14. Tickets ($550pp, plus tax and tip) include 10-plus wine pairings. Details are here.

Fork in Old City has added a $115 four-course prix-fixe option, in addition to à la carte: Pick an appetizer, pasta, entrée, and dessert, and the kitchen supplements with canapés, bread, and petit fours.

Black Sheep Pub is closed due to a May 18 fire. Support from customers is rolling in, reports Alex Coffey.

The Sixers and Chick-fil-A run a promotion awarding free chicken after opponents miss two consecutive free throws. How many nuggets does the chain say it gave away last season?

A) 504,435

B) 878,146

C) 1,102,272

D) “more than two million”

Find out if you know the answer.

My wife loves to dip into big, thick bones for the marrow they hold. Have some ideas on where she can find them? — John F.

Here are five options: Chef Tod Wentz offers bone marrow at the Hayes Tavern (1123 Walnut St.) with red onion marmalade, parmesan bread crumbs, and house-baked sourdough. At Oloroso, his Spanish restaurant next door (1121 Walnut), he bakes it in the wood-burning oven with mushrooms and sherry and serves it volcano-style. Barclay Prime (237 S. 18th) serves it an appetizer with red onion marmalade and grilled bread and prepares a smoked version as an accompaniment, and Urban Farmer at the Logan Hotel (1850 Parkway) offers it as a side order with maple dijon glaze and grilled bread. At DePaul’s Table (7 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore), the herb-crusted bone marrow is made with roasted garlic butter and roasted bread crumbs and comes out with a toasted baguette.

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