-
Sit Outside and Enjoy Sunset Views, Chews at Winnie’s LeBus in Manayunk
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Winnie’s in Manayunk is a Main Street Manayunk staple, full of fresh food and sweet sunny – or sunset – views. Usually I always do brunch or lunch there and once upon a time, they did quizzo during happy hour for a steal and I would leave every night with a ridiculously large chocolate cupcake as a snack for later. This time we were invited for a lazy Sunday dinner with a fresh abundance of summer fruits and vegetables prepared the homemade way. In a culture of pre-prepped, packaged and ready-to-eat, it’s nice to know that there are still some hometown Philly favorites that are…
-
Era Ethiopian Bar and Restaurant Expands to Breezy Sidewalk Cafe
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler If you know where the Philadelphia Zoo is located, Era Bar & Restaurant is about a mile from there. Where North Philly meets West Philly, you can find this hidden gem for over 15 years in Brewerytown. A fantastic new addition to the row home bar and restaurant is the outside patio space where guests can people watch, feel the summer breeze and enjoy sunsets with a medley of music rolling by in various cars. What makes this place unique is there is something for everyone. You can be adventurous and eat your way through traditional Ethiopian cuisine, you can play pool in the throwback…
-
Mark and Donnie Wahlberg Bring Wahlburgers Franchise to Fishtown’s Piazza at Schmidt’s
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler You got the right stuff, baby. (Sorry, not sorry. This video had to be added so you, too, can have the ear worm while you read this story.) Meat, cheese, tater tots and booze is a great way to put a smile on anyone’s face and that’s the goal for the Wahlberg’s Wahlburgers growing empire (say that 10 times fast). Not only is Marky Mark still killing it and shredded for his movies, they also have Donnie still touring with New Kids on the Block… possibly coming soon to a venue near you in Philly too. Will Donnie make an appearance at Wahlburgers while in Philly with…
-
Wine Loving Tria Taproom Adds Cocktails to the Boozy Menu
Story by Tiffany DuBois, photos by Eric Morales On a beautiful and warm afternoon, local Philly favorite Tria Taproom launched a new series of cocktails that will leave you feeling really good. The trio of Tria restaurants have always been known for their incredible selection of wine and craft beers but now they have thrown their hat into the cocktail ring with four new cocktails and all four were delicious. Your hardest decision will be which one to try first. I recommend you try them all but make sure you have a safe way to get home afterwards! Tria has always been in the forefront of being environmentally conscience. There…
-
BRIO Tuscan Grille Brings Fresh Italian Taste to New Jersey
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Imagine a chain restaurant grades above an Olive Garden that uses fresh ingredients daily and and quality flavors. Offering the high energy of a chop house paired with the lively atmosphere of an Italian restaurant, meet New Jersey’s BRIO Tuscan Grille. With rotating seasonal dishes on the menu, BRIO in Cherry Hill Town Place in Cherry Hill, N.J. and the Promenade at Sagemore in Marlton, N.J. are inviting guests to tempt their tastebuds and think outside of the Garden mentality. Whether you’re stopping in for a quick bite, happy hours to die for or toasting a milestone of life and love moments, it’s a casual yet upscale space with…
-
Carrabba’s Italian Grill Begins Wine Pairing Dinners for a Steal
Story by Meg Arbo Let’s face it, Tuesday is generally nothing to get excited about. In fact, it can be pretty ho-hum at best. So when Explore Philly was invited to a wine pairing meal at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Willow Grove, we were pretty happy because, hey, that beats the usual Tuesday night of nothingness. This was a chainwide, national event for Carrabba’s and was touted as the World’s Largest Wine Dinner with over 4000 bottles of wine uncorked for the 7000 diners’ viticultural pleasure. Four curated wines with four courses for $40 – a steal! The dinner began with a salad course with a Northern Italian pinot grigio…
-
From Taco Truck to Brick and Mortar Restaurant, Revolution Taco is Livin’ the Dream
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Before Revolution Taco had a brick and mortar store at 2015 Walnut St., they were a wee little food truck. But that food truck was serving foie gras and lobster, unlike any others. Celebrating a one year anniversary in January 2017, owners Carolyn Nguyen and Michael Sultan are adding to their self described “gringo taco” menu with some tasty treats and fan favorites. One year ago this week, two of the city’s well-known food trucks Nguyen and Sultan opened their first brick and mortar in the Rittenhouse neighborhood. Revolution Taco joined their growing food empire, that today includes 33rd Street Hospitality Catering, The Mill’s Cafe, Say Cheese…
-
Try Mian, Not Your Average Asian SugarHouse Casino Restaurant
Story by Tyra Gardner, photos by Cassie Hepler Mian at SugarHouse Casino provides quick service Asian cuisine, perfect for a cold winter’s night. Mian’s Manager Reuben Abasolo provided us with an enlightening history of the restaurants new renovations which consisted of its move of location area within the SugarHouse Casino near the Chinese gaming section of the casino. Mian offers the very best in Asian cuisine to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds. Mian offers customers the option of take out or dining in within its very spacious beautiful Asian motif restaurant. Reuben provided us with a tour of the restaurant and introduced us to our server of the evening Tai whom was…
-
There’s a Food Revolution Going On at Grub Burger Bar in Willow Grove
Story by Kelly Kusumoto, Photography by Robert Apodaca Across from the Willow Grove Park Mall, a food revolution is going on. It’s called Fast-Casual and the folks at Grub Burger Bar are behind the movement. There, they believe in Good people, Real food, a Unique vibe, and Big flavors (G.R.U.B.). For an afternoon, I joined the resistance to see what was cookin’. Market Partner Kevin Cross gave me a tour of the restaurant and let me sample some of their most popular fare, which features much more than just burgers and fries. He introduced me to Managing Partner Tom Stevens and some of the engaging staff who define the Good people…
-
Meet the Original Thai Ice Cream Creators at ICE•NY•PHILLY in Chinatown Square
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best,” said David Chow, one of the three owners including Lisa Taing and Jimmy Huynh of ICE•NY•PHILLY located in Chinatown Square’s still growing storefront food hall at 1016-18 Race St. “Go ahead and try the competition first to have something to compare it to.” Even in the middle of winter, lines snaked down and around the block for the grand opening on December 28th with the blessing of the dragons bringing luck and fortune to the business. “We are the original group who inspired others to do rolled ice cream and rolling it in front of you,” said…