All Aboard the Moshulu, the World’s Oldest & Largest Tall Ship with Restaurant in Philadelphia

Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler

The last time I visited the Moshulu Philly, it was to attend the launch of The Deck Philly which was in 2017, right before I moved to Arizona that New Year. Since then a lot has happened including Covid knocking out a ton of amazing restaurants and locations across Philadelphia which I’m discovering as I’m digging through archives on Explore with Cassie (formerly Explore-Philly.com) and having to throw in the digital trash sadly. The timing of all of this is very odd or maybe serendipitous, a lot of photos that are not supposed to be attached to the old site are somehow breaking now and I have to go through years and years of content and rehash – or just trash – some stories that are no longer relevant or businesses boarded shut.

And in the meantime, I’m back in Philadelphia for the month of July exploring and feeling out the city yet again with the hottest heatwave across the USA this July so far! But it could be worse, I could be in Phoenix where it’s creeping to 118 degrees in pure oven style. But I’m fast learning that perhaps I’ve outgrown this intense Center City life and that was the lesson I returned to learn. One tip I can share straight away is wear sneakers everywhere you travel. I thought I was being smart and ordered a pair online, set to arrive on July 4th and now is expected to arrive July 11 by 9 p.m. My dogs were a barkin’ with flip flops and fortunately, an old friend gave me a ride to South Philly Wal-Fart (what an experience that is haha! but do take the trail to the bridge behind it if you can and weather allows, it’s beautiful) where we secured pink sneakers. There were Barbie sneakers on sale for a mere $9 however it felt like walking on concrete so I passed for the $14 pair, which left me with blisters not surprisingly.

With happier feet and working at a rad coffee shop with great music and wifi (cough cough La Colombe I literally laughed when they said they don’t have wifi and left, after buying a cold brew of course) called Ultimo Coffee near Rittenhouse. I grabbed a chocolate croissant and dried my sweat, happy to hunker down in the corner ready to write this post. So here we go… all aboard the Moshulu! First thing is planning parking if you’re driving. There is a lot right across the street for $20 however the website gives many other options as well. Reservations are also recommended for dinner although walk-ins (especially for The Deck) are perfectly fine. If you’re looking for an all-day experience, hit up The Seaport Museum as well for access to some other ship tours, weather permitting.

Docked permanently at Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River Waterfront in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this is a full sensory experience as The Moshulu is world’s largest and oldest square-rigged sailing vessel still afloat and boasts a fine dining restaurant as well as a casual cocktail deck on top to enjoy those amazing views in every direction. With 359 feet in length (on deck), 47 feet in breadth, and 3,116 gross tons, it was built by William Hamilton & Co., Port of Glasgow, Scotland in 1904 for the G.J.H Siemers Co. of Hamburg, Germany.

Named by Mrs. Woodrow Wilson of Indian descent to honor the Native American Seneca Indian Tribe, it means “One who Fears Nothing” and I resonate with that. Perhaps that’s why I’m obsessed with this tall ship! Most recently there was an entire renovation of the outside decks and interior spaces. You may have seen The Moshulu in the Rocky movie during the iconic workout scenes on the Philadelphia waterfront as well as in The Godfather Part II when bringing Vito Corleone to America in the early 1900’s. Or perhaps the end of the movie Blow Out or in The Housewives of New York. Wherever you’ve seen it, it’s iconic and a must experience bucket list item!

 

The Seaport

There are many dining areas – both inside and out on decks, plus private event party or wedding reception rooms.. We had a table on the outside, top deck, which offered beautiful views & breezes. There is a high ceiling overhead, so you’re not baking directly in the sun. I do recommend reservations. There was live music (Sunday brunch hours), steel drum musician & stereo music during breaks. LOVED the brunch menu – it’s nicely varied. All our food was so fresh, we’ll cooked, and so flavorful. All are priced well for quality dishes. Our waitress was super friendly with the right amount of attentiveness. The parking lot in front of Moshulu has a flat rate of $20. Attire is dressy casual. Bathrooms were spotless. PS. You must treat yourself & try their warm Ricotta donut balls. Yum!!

Vegetarian options: Vegetable quiche, Goat cheese n asparagus omelet, Brioche stuffed French toast, etc… meats such as turkey sausage, bacon, are side orders, and not so much included with all dishes.

Dietary restrictions: I noticed vegan and gluten-free items marked on the menu.

Parking: The parking lot (flat fee $20.) is directly in front of Moshulu, but I gotta say, it fills up fast, so have a plan B. There are parking suggestions (9 of them) on the restaurant website.

 

I noticed this place the last time I visited Philadelphia, and I made a note to myself to check it out the next time I was in the area. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful and elegant. I was greeted warmly from the hostess, and I was seated immediately after my arrival. I was given a window seat, and I had a nice view of the water in spite of the weather not being too great. The service was a tad slow where I got my appetizer before my cocktail. I ordered the lobster bisque and the roasted half chicken. Both tasted amazing, but the soup was a tad on the cold side. My server was very friendly, attentive, and apologetic when he saw that the service I was getting was slower than expected. They have a decent sized menu, and prices are a tad high, but the food is delicious, and the presentation is certainly on point. I could clearly see why this place is so popular with the locals and tourists. Since it was a holiday weekend, I could understand the slow service so I could overlook it. In spite of this and based on my overall evaluation, I would definitely eat here again in the future.

 

The “legendary” Moshulu is indeed the world’s oldest and largest square-rigged sailing vessel still afloat. She is in fact the one and only restaurant venue on a Tall Ship today in the World. Built by William Hamilton & Co., Port of Glasgow, Scotland in 1904 for the G.J.H Siemers Co. of Hamburg, Germany as the four-masted barque Kurt. This “state-of-the-art” sailing ship was the finest and latest of man’s achievements in the world’s shipbuilding industry for the construction of bulk or packaged cargo sailing ships.

With her impressive dimensions of 359 ft. in length (on deck), 47 ft. in breadth, and 3,116 gross tons, the Moshulu ex-Kurt began her colorful career carrying coal to Chilean ports (via Cape Horn) and returning to Hamburg with some 5,000-long tons of nitrate followed by several voyages laden with coke and patent fuel to Santa Rosalia, Baha California, again returning with a full cargo of nitrate. With 34 sails equaling 45,000 sq. ft., the Moshulu’s route to Australia took her around Cape Horn a remarkable 54 times without incident, with a crew complement of 35 men maximum.

In 1912, her routes changed to carrying coal from Newcastle, Australia to Chilean ports and again bringing valuable nitrate to Germany.  On her last voyage under the Siemers Co., she discharged coke and fuel at Santa Rosalia, then sailed for Astoria, Oregon for orders intending to sail from Portland with grain, when the voyage was interrupted by World War I in 1917. In an American Port, the U.S. Navy confiscated the Ship as prize booty and kept her in commission, temporarily named Dreadnaught meaning “fearless” after the famous clipper ships of the time.

Re-named the Moshulu by Mrs. Woodrow Wilson (of Indian extraction herself) to honor the native American (Seneca Indian Tribe) meaning “One who Fears Nothing” and now under the American flag, the refurbished barque loaded 2,400,000 board feet of lumber for Sidney, Australia, returning to San Francisco with 16,867 bales of wool, but not before out sailing a steam-powered German raider while quelling a suspected mutiny among traitorous members of the crew.  Following several successful voyages to Australia and the Philippines with steel, lumber and cased gasoline and returning with hemp, sugar, copra, and coconut oil, the Moshulu was acquired by the Charles Nelson Co. of San Francisco, a lumber firm, for $40,000 and sailed as a lumber carrier to and from South Africa and San Pedro, California until 1931; where she was laid up in Winslow, Bainbridge Island, Washington for four long colorless years due to the advent of the more economical steam carriers and the 1929 decline of the lumber trade.

Another saving grace in 1935, when she was purchased for $12,000 by Gustaf Erikson of Finland, a successful ship owner of 25 vessels, 11 four-masted barque windjammers, who had found profits in bringing grain from Australia in a fleet of iron and steel.  Sailing ships, including the Moshulu, Herzogin Cecilie, Archibald Russell, Pamir, Parma, Pommern, Killoran, Winterhude, Olivebank, and other great ships that became famous as the “grain race” barques of the mid and late thirties. On June 10, 1938, the very last grain race of square-rigged sailing ships between Australia and Europe was won by the Moshulu while carrying 59,000 bags of grain, weighing 4875 tons with a record speed of 16 knots in 91 days (15,000 miles) from Australia to Queenstown Cobh Ireland, under the Command of Master Captain Mikael Sjogren with a crew of 33, which included two Americans, J. Ferrell Colton of Molokai, Hawaii publisher of “Windjammer Significant” and John W. Albright of Long Beach, California, who would become a square-rigged ship Captain himself. The first ship home would fetch the best price for their Aussie gold.

The outbreak of World War II in all its fury on September 3, 1939, had an immediate effect on Captain Erickson and his beautiful fleet when most of the gallant ships were laid up, except for one more grain voyage for the Moshulu from Buenos Aires to Norway. Her last payload under sail and last trip as a Finnish Ship.  In November 1942, as the ship lay in Kristiansand, Norway which was occupied by Nazi forces, the German troops confiscated the Moshulu and stripped of her masts and spars. Another barque of Erickson, the Olivebank was sunk in a German minefield with her Captain and 13 crew.

Through the “roaring” ’40s and early ’50s, the Moshulu experienced a rather sad variety of incidents. Shorn of masts and rig, these being destroyed by a bombardment, she broke her moorings and capsized in a gale near a beach close to shore off Narvik in 1947, only to be refloated and put into early retirement. She was then purchased by the Finnish State Granary in 1961 for 3,200 tons of Russian rye, only to become a grain storage hulk in Finland.

It was at the small and picturesque bay of Natali, Finland that Capt. Raymond E. Wallace found her as a storage hulk deeply laden with grain.  Attracting the interest of David Tallichet of Specialty Restaurants Corp., the Moshulu was purchased to be restored and destined to become a museum restaurant. Wallace contracted with a small yard in Scheveningen, Holland to fabricate masts, yards, and standing rigging which were machine, not hand welded with lighter materials, and had the ship towed to South Sea Seaport in New York.  With the acquisition of the great barque Peking by South Street Seaport, in 1974 the Moshulu was moved to Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia to fulfill her new role as a restaurant.

Opening In 1975 as a restaurant, the Moshulu closed in 1989 after being damaged by a four-alarm fire.  In 1994, the Moshulu was purchased by HMS Ventures, Inc.; and under Mrs. Dodo Hamilton of the Campbell’s Soup family, Moshulu was painstakingly restored in Camden to her original glory and opened as a restaurant on the Delaware River in 1996, docked at Pier 34 on Philadelphia’s waterfront.

In 2002 the Moshulu was relocated to its current location and opened its doors to the world again in May of 2003 by its current owners, SCC Restaurants LLC  to gain recognition as an award-winning, AAA 4 Diamond rated Restaurant, Bar and Deck. It most recently completed an entire renovation of the outside decks and interior spaces and continues to be not only a dining destination but a local iconic restaurant as well.

Moshulu as a Movie Star
The Moshulu was seen in the movie Rocky (shown during one of Rocky’s workout sessions along the Philadelphia waterfront) and in The Godfather Part II (bringing the young Vito Corleone to America in the early 1900’s,) as well as in the end scene of the movie Blow Out. It was recently seen in an episode of The Housewives of New York.

We hope you join us aboard this magnificent landmark restaurant and event venue.