(The following is a special series on Bluejeanfoodcritic.com written by guest contributing writer William Knowles. He highlights his passions of of trying something new whenever the opportunity presents itself, or possibly something old, but new again since it has been a while. I hope you enjoy his very special perspective that I am sure many of you can relate to. Follow him on his exciting journey “Around Town”)
The annual Philadelphia South Street Spring Festival will be held on Saturday, May 2nd, from 11AM to 8 PM. I was fortunate to recently enjoy a preview of the many different food and drink options that will be available at this year’s event.
Anyone who has been to South St. in the past is well aware of the diversity of the area, and that word certainly applies to the many different samplings that I encountered this spring evening. Michael Harris, the Executive Director of the South Street Headhouse District, attempted to showcase just how unique it has become by taking us to some spots, new and old, that had food and drink offerings all over the map…
Our evening started at Brauhaus Schmitz, an authentic German brewpub with authentic food to boot. This establishment coincides their own Maifest beer event along with the spring festival each year. From here we made a pit stop at the Sweet Life Bakeshop, a new dessert establishment right by Brauhaus. The banana pudding we sampled was excellent, and the display of freshly baked cupcakes appeared out of this world (I will be going back for those!)…
Next we made our way to Fat Tuesday, the well known bar and restaurant that brings a slice of Bourbon Street to Philly…they will have a variety of liquor options come festival time. Then it was on to Tuk Tuk Real, whom we previously told you about here at Around Town. The Mexican-Thai spot again hit it out of the park with phenomenal pork tacos for everyone to try…
The next stop was Primo Hoagies. One of the newer locations in the well established chain, this Primo actually has a full sit down bar, which is a very nice touch that you don’t normally see at your neighborhood sandwich shop. The chicken cutlet sandwich we sampled was outstanding, as are most offerings from this local favorite. We then stepped a few addresses down to Redwood, a bistro that has been on South St. for several years now. The Spanish fries are highly recommended when you go to sample their creations at the festival…
We then made our way down towards Headhouse Square to stop off at Bridget Foy’s, another longtime city staple. A pub with an old time feel and outdoor seating, it looks like an ideal spot to spend a happy hour (or two) and grab a gourmet burger, which were sampled on this evening. Shifting up to Lombard Street, our next visit was to Bistro Romano, a renowned Italian eatery in a beautiful old building near Penn’s Landing. With wine cellar and piano bar, this is a fantastic spot to spend an evening with your significant other, or just with some old friends. As all good things must end, our final stop was the Twisted Tail – a barbecue, beer and bourbon joint that had a great Southern feel with live music on hand.
As we mentioned, variety is a way of life when it comes to this festival, South St., and Philadelphia in general. In a city that has had many new eateries come to town over the course of the past 20 years, South St. may in fact have the most interesting mix of places within city limits that you will surely want to give a try. This yearly festival is certainly the place to start if you are new to town, or just want to enjoy good food, drink, music and art. Mark May 2nd on your calendar, and meet me there! (And elsewhere, Around Town…)
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