Scout's Lindsey Scannapieco is bringing the vibe of the Bok Building to Broad Street, with a new makerspace — plus affordable housing for local artists — on UArts' former campus. But how would she spend a perfect day in Philly? a very fun itinerary from @inquirer.com ⬇️

How to have a Perfect Philly Day, according to Lindsey Scannapieco, the Bok creator revitalizing UArts

Fresh off rechristening UArts' iconic Hamilton Hall as a new makerspace, Scannapieco's ideal weekend includes the Southeast Asian Market and a Bok Bar sunset.

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Did LeBron James actually order wonton soup with extra wontons and shrimp dumplings from Sang Kee Peking Duck House? This takeout order — placed by a mysterious “LeBron J.” — has been going viral on IG. Naturally, I investigated for @phillyinqfood.bsky.social

Did LeBron James order takeout from a Chinatown institution?

Chinatown's Sang Kee Peking Duck House received a DoorDash order for wonton soup from a mysterious "LeBron J." on Sunday.

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🚨 NEW: Some Wawas are selling sushi now. The convenience store has been quietly testing sushi at some locations in the Philly suburbs since at least July. It's allegedly delivered fresh daily from the same supplier as Giant and Sprouts. I drove out to 'burbs to try it. 🎁 from @inquirer.com:

Wawa is testing sushi in the Philly suburbs. I drove 23 miles to try it

The convenience store chain is piloting pre-packaged sushi rolls at stores in Media, West Chester, Glen Mills, and Exton.

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Philly parents are bringing their kids to take photos in front of a Sprouts supermarket display that looks as if the Phanatic did hard drugs. The creature — who we're calling the Fauxnatic — is 5'7" and made of hay that was dyed green. Naturally, a company called Four Seasons (lol) installed him.

Sprouts wanted a Phanatic-themed fall display. It created a monster instead

The 5'7" topiary made of green hay will be up through Halloween at the Sprouts Farmers Market at 1001 S. Broad St., according to the store's general manager.

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Zoe Tanner’s handiwork is deeply recognizable: Her lattes at Loretta’s — and their cloudlike cold foam — have made the Philly cafe go non-stop viral. What does a perfect day look like for the Philly’s most famous barista? It involves a half-marathon and splitting a chicken sandwich with her dog.

How to have a Perfect Philly Day according to Zoe Tanner, the brains behind Loretta’s viral lattes

"If you run by the river and put on Sade, you’ll feel like the hottest person in the universe."

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NEW: Philly’s zoning laws conflate drag shows with strip clubs and topless bars. The language — which has existed since at least 2019 — is strikingly similar to what’s part of a Tennessee drag ban. Now, one city councilmember is looking to get it changed after an incident at a beloved bar.

Philly laws conflate drag shows with strip clubs. City Council wants to change that.

A bill proposed by Councilmember Rue Landau would remove references to “male or female impersonators” in a part of the zoning code that regulates strip clubs, topless bars, and other adult venues.

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🚨CUTE ALERT: For $20, you can spend the morning cuddling cows and drinking coffee at a Montco animal sanctuary. Rose Bridge Farm in Dresher, Pa. has been using its viral Coffee & Cows series to cover farm repairs. Its calves Dolly & Teddy are very happy for all the company.

You can cuddle cows while drinking coffee at this Montco animal sanctuary

The Dresher animal sanctuary's Coffee & Cow sessions enable guests to bottle feed, brush, and snuggle a duo of baby calves.

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Call Your Mother opened its pink storefront in Fishtown TODAY at 1500 Frankford Ave. The DC bagel chain has been expanding rapidly after getting a boost from private equity in 2025. The bagels are a New York-Montreal hybrid, with 9 varieties and 19 sandwich options. 🎁 link from @inquirer.com

Call Your Mother has opened its first Philly location in Fishtown. Can these private equity-backed bagels compete?

The Washington D.C.-based chain is known for loaded sandwiches, pink and teal storefronts, and a rapid expansion.

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NEW: Heavy Metal Sausage was forced to pause its acclaimed trattoria dinners after the Philly health dept. said the butcher shop's layout — which has been the same for 4 years — is suddenly incompatible with indoor seating. 🎁 courtesy of @inquirer.com

Heavy Metal Sausage was forced to stop serving dinner. It may shutter the acclaimed South Philly restaurant

The South Philly butcher shop's acclaimed trattoria dinners are on pause after a health inspector found Heavy Metal Sausage Co.'s layout inadequate for indoor seating.

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Before Dominic Sessa played Anthony Bourdain in the A24 biopic “Tony,” he was just a Jersey Shore kid working at an Ocean City donut shop who used his paychecks to buy booze. He told me it was “paradise.” And also the perfect research. 🎁 from @inquirer.com

NEW: After two years, the beloved East Kensington bar Martha finally has a replacement. Mixteca — an agave bar from NYC — opens today at 2113 E. York St. The menu is full of playful interpretations of classic cocktails, like a Clover Club made with tequila and a tomatillo G&T. 🎁 from @inquirer.com

A New York City agave bar has opened in the former Martha space in Kensington

James Beard Award-winning bartenders from New York City's Please Don't Tell have taken over the former Martha space with an agave-focused bar and restaurant.

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Bon Appétit has named 2 Philly spots as among the best new restaurants in the country. Sao and Honeysuckle are among just 19 restaurants featured on the magazine's unranked list, which includes places in NYC, SF, Chicago, and Sante Fe, among others.

Two Philly spots make Bon Appétit’s best new restaurants list

Restaurants in North and South Philadelphia got a nod from the national food magazine, which grades on flavor, technique, hospitality, ambiance, and cultural significance, among other criteria.

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the hot dog is the sandwich of the summer … and the fall … and pretty much all year. Here are the 20 best hot dogs in Philly, according to me and @inquirer.com. And yes, there’s something for everyone — including a Reuben piled atop a glizzy and a mapo tofu chili dawg. 🎁 link:

Where to get the best hot dogs in Philly

Summer may be nearing its end, but hot dogs aren’t going anywhere.

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Phillies fans are bringing raw seafood to home games — and they’d do it again! For @inquirer.com, I interviewed a man who smuggled 60 oysters inside CBP, and another who asked the section 126 Chickie’s & Pete’s stand to steam a bag of mussels. (They did not.)

Lucky tuna salad and fanny pack meatballs: What Phillies fans bring to Citizens Bank Park

Phillies fans have redefined what’s considered acceptable ballpark food, smells and food safety be damned.

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👀 COMING SOON: Bar Cicci — Ellen Yin’s 6th Philly restaurant — will open in mid-August at 1620 Sansom Street. It’s an all-day Italian cafe with traditional pastries in the AM, followed by sandwiches, small plates, and spritzes in the PM. The vibe is very 1970s Milan, with lots of fresh baked bread.

Ellen Yin’s newest Philly restaurant is an all-day aperitivo bar built for snacking and sipping

Bar Cicci will bring Italy's slower-paced drinking culture to Rittenhouse Square with a menu of small plates, old-school Italian pastries, and spritzes.

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Philly isn’t applying to be the next James Beard Award host. Are we missing out? The Oscars of food are looking to replace Chicago as their host from 2029 to 2033. PHLCVB — the org that brought the Michelin Guide to Philly — “fully aligned with its mandate.” Others think that’s a big mistake.

Philly isn’t applying to be next James Beard Awards host. Some insiders say that’s a mistake

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau said the James Beard Awards "aren’t fully aligned with" its mandate. Other argues its a mistake to lose our World Cup and America 250 momentum.

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It will take AT LEAST 6 months for iconic Philly bar Tattooed Moms to host events with music again — karaoke and drag shows included. Why? The bar must apply for new zoning since South Street's doesn't automatically allow for entertainment anymore. 🎁 from @inquirer.com

South Street’s Tattooed Mom says live music events are on hold indefinitely

The Department of Licenses & Inspections ordered the iconic South Street bar to cease all events with music — including drag shows — in March. The only solution involves a zoning exception.

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Philly has a Chinese Cuban sandwich shop now and it’s every bit as good as it sounds. Chibanos opened on July 1 at 1127 Pine Street. It’s an ode to owner Evan Jaroff’s mom, a Chinese immigrant raised in Cuba, and the way she cooks — with a lot of sazón, soy sauce, and heart. 🎁 link

Chibanos, a Chinese-Cuban sandwich shop built on family recipes, opens in Washington Square West

Evan Jaroff's pop-up turned brick-and-mortar imbues Cuban staples like pressed sandwiches, yucca fries, and croquetas with Chinese flavors.

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Where should you eat on the Jersey Shore? I helped @inquirer.com food critic Craig Laban turn his 27 favorites — new and old — into a map that you can search based on cuisine, county, and $$$. It covers LBI down to the tip of Cape May. 🎁 link:

Craig LaBan’s favorite Shore restaurants for 2026, from LBI to Cape May

The Inquirer's food critic spent two weeks at the beach rounding up this year's crop of restaurant recommendations, from LBI to Cape May.

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Yet another ice cream shop has opened in Fishtown — only this one has gluten free cones, popsicles for dogs, and 24 (mostly classic) flavors. This is Stella’s, an Idaho-based chain who opened its first east coast location at 1832 N. Front St. at the end of June.

What's an ice cream shop from Idaho doing in Fishtown?

Stella's Ice Cream, the fast-growing Idaho-based ice cream chain, opened its first East Coast location in Philly in June. It's surrounded by some steep competition.

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🚨EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Starr has settled with the NLRB over union-busting allegations at St. Anselm, nearly 16 months after the restaurant voted the unionize. Starr still hasn’t recognized the union, and workers at the ritzy DC steakhouse are calling the whole thing meaningless.

Stephen Starr settles with the National Labor Relations Board over union busting allegations at DC steakhouse

The settlement requires Starr Restaurants to post a notice in St. Anselm asserting that it will not promise paid leave, benefits, or improved wages to dissuade workers from unionizing.

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OUT: soft serve margaritas IN: water ice martinis Here’s how Saloon’s signature drink went from a house secret to inspiring dupes down the shore and elsewhere in South Philly, courtesy @inquirer.com

The water ice martini is the quintessential Philly summer cocktail

Invented by the current owner of John’s Water Ice, the cocktail has gone from South Philly secret to inspiring an array of boozy water ice in Philly and down the shore.

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Fountain Porter’s iconic $6 burger is now its iconic $7 burger. For @inquirer.com, I asked the bar’s owner why he upped the price — and, yes, the answer is exactly what you think it is. 🎁 Full story:

Why Fountain Porter raised the price of its iconic burger

The East Passyunk bar's famous $6 burger is now $7.

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🍷 A new NA Philly cocktail tastes like a spritz with notes of florals and Diet Coke. It’s also entirely bottled by hand. Made in Kensington, a batch of Cult of Trees takes 3 days to produce between distilling, carbonating, and bottling. Its analog vibe is a big hit at bars.

Every bottle of this Kensington-made NA spirit is packaged by hand. At local bars, it’s already a hit.

Launched in January, Cult of Tree's alcohol-free aperitifs are already sold at Riverwards Produce and Herman's. Producing a single batch can take days.

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Roxanne — the acclaimed Philly restaurant that operated for 3 years without a license or health inspection— is reopening TONIGHT! It’s a BYOB now with lunch but no lunch hours yet 🤷🏼‍♀️, and received its first ever license to operate on June 11. 🎁 link from @inquirer.com

Roxanne reopens, this time with a food license and a lunch menu

The Michelin-recommended Queen Village restaurant was shut down for 10 weeks over licensing issues. Now it's back as a BYOB.

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🎉 ICYMI: Last night was huge for Philly's food scene, which took home 2 wins at the prestigious James Beard Awards. Kalaya won Outstanding Restaurant, and Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya won Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic after 9 nominations (!!!). Full recap with NO PAYWALL, courtesy @inquirer.com

Philly takes home two wins at the 2026 James Beard Awards

Kalaya won outstanding restaurant and Chef Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya won best chef, Mid-Atlantic at the 2026 James Beard Awards. Philly had seven total finalists across five categories.

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The James Beard awards are tonight, and Philly has 7 finalists — including Fiore's Justine MacNeil, a first-time nominee for Outstanding Pastry Chef. MacNeil's devotion to Italian dessert deep cuts is intense, her pastries earning a rep for being the best you can find outside of Italy.

The pastry chef bringing a slice of Italy to Kensington is up for a James Beard award tonight

Justine MacNeil is one of seven chefs representing Philly at the James Beard Awards.

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Yes, @inquirer.com is STILL counting down the 76 most iconic Philly foods. #1 - #10 drop tomorrow, but you can catch up on the rest today, which may or may not include dollar dogs and surfsides. we keep it classy, duh. 🎁 link (no paywall!) ⬇️

Dollar dogs, Vetri gnocchi, and more: Day 3 of our countdown

The countdown continues with Nos. 32-11 on The Inquirer’s list of Philadelphia’s most iconic dishes — the foods, traditions, and restaurant creations that have helped define the city.

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🚨 BREAKING: Only 17 Philly bars were approved to stay open until 4 a.m. for the World Cup starting tomorrow, according to PLCB records. Just 65 establishment applied. More than half of those applications are still sitting in review. Story for @inquirer.com ⬇️ www.inquirer.com/food/bars/wo...

Only 17 Philly bars have been approved to stay open until 4 a.m. Many are still waiting.

Just 17 bars have received permission from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to stay open late starting Thursday. Even more are still waiting.

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NEW from @inquirer.com: Here's your definitive guide to where to watch the World Cup in Philly, from bars open until 4 a.m. to rooftops, beer gardens, and even a bowling alley. 🎁 link (so no paywall, friends!)

Where to watch the World Cup around Philly, from bars open to 4 a.m. to beer gardens in the suburbs

Here are 19 bars that are going above and beyond for Philly's World Cup matches, from beer gardens in the suburbs to bars staying open until 4 a.m. for late night matches.

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