Explore Brewerytown: What to eat, drink, and do

When Josh Kim decided to take his food truck to the next level with a brick-and-mortar, he wanted to be part of a neighborhood with a strong connection between the shopkeepers and the community.

For the owner of Spot Gourmet Burgers, a storefront on West Girard Avenue in Brewerytown was the place to call home.

Brewerytown may have been named after defunct breweries of the 19th century, like the former F.A. Poth Brewing Co., but it lives up to its name with a boom of breweries and bars in the last decade or so.

Just 3½ miles from Center City, the Northwest neighborhood bound by Fairmount Park and Girard College is a community in transition, one that has experienced divestment, gentrification, increased property taxes, and a pandemic.

Brewerytown shifted from an epicenter of commerce, driven by Girard Avenue’s connection to the Main Line, to “a sort of skeleton” when the youth of three generations past moved on, Kim said. In its heyday, the area was a hub for its namesake breweries but also butcher shops and boutiques.

“Now you’re looking at a sort of resurgence of independent entrepreneurs looking for a home [like I did],” he said.

As long-standing establishments shutter — most recently, the seven-year-old whole animal butchery Primal Supply Meats announced its closing — newcomers, including vintage/thrift store Retro Rewind, Filipino eatery Baby’s Kusina + Market on West Girard Avenue, and Bagels & Co. on North 31st Street, hope to set down roots.

As you venture to the newbie and veteran businesses, from Ethiopian bars and restaurants with beer collections to nonprofit coffee shops and cat cafes, you’ll find a bit of old and new with remnants of the past found in the architecture. Here’s where to eat and drink and what to do in Brewerytown.

How to get to Brewerytown: Take the bus with route 49, which serves Brewerytown. The Poplar Drive bike lane takes you through the southern end of Fairmount Park. If you’re driving, street parking is easy to find, but remember to pay the meter.

Fun cartoon burgers decorate the walls at Kim’s no-fuss, quick-service sandwich shop on West Girard Avenue. But the one that stands out is the open-mouthed, yellow-toothed character near the cashier. Peer into the burger’s “mouth” and you’ll see ribeye cheesesteaks and thick patties sizzling on the grill. With its food truck roots, the spot has been a staple since 2016 for Philly-centric grub.

📍 2821 W. Girard Ave., 📞 267-930-7370, 🕒 spotburgers.com, 🕒 Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m.

For more than a decade, Karim Muhammad has served up chicken and waffles, lemon cream-stuffed French toast, and easy grab-and-go options in this homey corner breakfast hotspot across from Aldi. What makes iMunch’s breakfast sandwich different from others? Three fat pieces of crispy halal beef bacon marry the sweet and savory, with chunky waffles and omelet for a hearty morning pick-me-up. Take it to go or head up the spiral staircase for comfortable upstairs seating.

📍1233 N. 31st St., 📞 215-236-MUNCH (8624), 🌐 imunchcafe.com, 🕒 Monday to Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

At the bar on the corner of North 28th and Poplar Streets, you’ll find owner Aklilu “Aki” Senbeta’s favorite Ethiopian dishes, including sautéed chopped steak called siga tibs and kik alicha, a split lentil stew. The restaurant and bar is Senbeta’s dedication to bringing people together with local brews and Ethiopian classics.

📍 2743 Poplar St., 📞 215-769-7008, 🌐 haklilu.github.io/Era-Bar-and-Restaurant/index.html, 🕒 Monday to Friday 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 4 to 10 p.m. (Bar hours are 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.)

Brewerytown Food Hall by Glu Hospitality opened in March, featuring seven Glu concepts under one roof. The food hall is a place to kick back, relax, and enjoy chef Hee “Chino” Chang’s versatile menu that’s got something for everyone.

Play shuffleboard, watch a game, get some sun on the elevated deck/patio, or try a beer off the easy drinkin’ list at the bar while you dig into waffle fries seasoned with housemade spices inspired by Old Bay, shrimp and sausage po’boys, and lemon pepper wings. Find happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday with $2 off all 16-ounce craft beers. Brunch is on the weekends.

Watch for forthcoming events, including live music and sports watch parties.

📍 1363 N. 31st St., 📞 267-541-2847, 🌐 btownfoodhall.com, 🕒 Monday to Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday 4 p. m. to midnight, Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

With a mission to employ and support former foster youth, the West Girard Avenue coffee shop ensures people have a great work environment. The baristas at M&E learn the ins and outs of their first job, build financial literacy, and gain professional development as they whip together caramel macchiatos and cappuccinos. Grab a seat inside the roomy cafe or in the charming outdoor garden to work, read, or chill with your drink of choice.

📍 2831 W. Girard Ave., 📞 267-457-5334, 🌐 themonkeyandtheelephant.squarespace.com, 🕒 Tuesday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Named after the architect of many 20th-century Philadelphia breweries, Otto Wolf, the taproom offers 13 beers on draft with half brewed in Philly (the rest are European styles) accompanied by a simple menu of tacos, sandwiches, and grilled meats. The renovated saloon-style space with a square-shaped mahogany bar succeeded a community corner bar, Sarah’s Place, in 2017. Still, it maintained the neighborly love for good brews on 29th Street. Stop by for a pint of smooth, toasty Two Locals Nubian brown ale or a dry, low-ABV Original 13 Sir Charles cider and a grilled mushroom sandwich.

📍 1216 N. 29th St., 📞 215-232-1108, 🌐 ottostaproom.com, 🕒 Wednesday to Monday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

This bookish brewery and restaurant on West Girard Avenue opened its doors in 2015. Of the eight beers on tap, the Space Race, a hazy IPA, and Palinoia, a German pilsner, are the crowd pleasers. You could also try the Earthrise, a blended brettanomyces-and-lager yeast-fermented pilsner, while you read a copy of the Dostoyevsky book that inspired the brewery.

📍 2711 W. Girard Ave., 📞 215-235-2739, 🌐 crimeandpunishmentbrewingco.com, 🕒 Monday 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday to Friday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

While Rybrew is known for its straightforward sandwiches and salads, the extensive collection of beers stocked in the eight-door fridge is a favorite for visitors seeking a beer for dine in or takeout. From Pennsylvania brewed cans to bottles of seasonal ales, there are over 300 varieties. Plus, there are six rotating drafts and canned cocktails. Spend your afternoon with a slow roasted pork sandwich or Cobb salad, your go-to beer, and board games like Trivia Pursuit and the Rivals for Catan at the tables, the beer bar with a shuffleboard table, or on the outdoor patio..

📍 2600 W. Girard Ave., 📞 215.763-1984, 🌐 rybrew.com, 🕒 Monday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Walking down Girard Avenue, you may notice a few furry friends lounging near the window of Le Cat Cafe. Enter the Parisian-style cat cafe and the little furballs will come running to greet you.

The cafe, run by Green Street Rescue, invites you to enjoy a cup of coffee at the red umbrella tables inside and play with Buffy, Rugby, and other cats roaming the space. Hang out with 12 rescue cats for an hour for $17 per person (or $15 with student/military/senior ID), plus a signed waiver or meet the one to adopt and take home.

📍 2713 W. Girard Ave., 🌐 lecatcafe.org, 🕒 Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday and Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Learn jazz tap dance, Irish dance, or Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance style, at Pamela Hetherington’s urban dance conservatory at the northeast corner of 31st and Jefferson Streets.

Sound Space Performing Arts, which previously sat at North Bailey Street and West Girard Avenue, specializes in children and adult percussive dance classes for all levels. Sign up for various workshops that cover different styles of dance. One-hour classes are $20, 90-minute classes are $25, and workshops are priced up to $399. Local artists are also offered a space for rehearsals and performances.

📍 1501 N. 31st St., 📞 267-273-6937, 🌐 soundspacephilly.net, 🕒 Sunday 10 a.m. to noon, Monday to Thursday noon to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Space can be booked anytime outside of class hours.)