Black-Owned Restaurants to Check Out in Philadelphia

Carl Lewis owns this beloved West Philly destination that serves soul, Caribbean and American cuisines with a soulful, Cajun twist. Lewis comes from a hospitality background, having worked with a handful of hotels. On the menu: healthy portions of their signature Island Wings, New Orleans-style blackened salmon topped with shrimp scampi, and jerk chicken sandwich. Don’t miss the Caribbean-infused brunch with chicken and waffles, French toast and more. Oh, and it’s BYOB, too.

Get ready to break bread (or in this case, injera) at this cozy Ethiopian restaurant that serves up budget-friendly, shareable cuisine with no shortage of flavor. Don’t miss signature dishes like Gored-Gored (beef seasoned with kibbeh and awaze) and a smorgasbord of vegetarian options, including Azifah (whole brown lentils blended with mustard, onion, jalapenos and spices). Drop in for breakfast every day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for dishes like Ful (fava beans with onions, tomatoes, pepper and olive oil served with bread).

Blending West African, Italian and American cuisine, African Small Pot is a reflection of owner Abdarahmane Diop’s training. With over four decades of experience, Diop — a native of Mauritania — began cooking on Goree Island in Senegal before going on to earn a culinary degree in Milan, Italy. The Southwest Philadelphia restaurant serves traditional West African dishes like red snapper, cassava leaves, jollof rice and yassa poulet.

If you’ve considered a raw diet but wrote it off for being too complicated, All The Way Live might change your mind. On the menu at this raw food/vegan café owned and run by the mother/daughter duo of Nyeisha Cabiness and Beverly Nedley: nut burgers, quinoa salads, chickpea chili and more even dessert. (Their cheesecake is a must.) Most importantly, it all tastes good. They make going vegan look easy.

Located in Philadelphia’s historic Old City neighborhood, Amina brings a healthy dose of Southern food, complete with a dash of African influence, to the city’s restaurant scene. House specialties include Grilled Lamb Lollipops, Down Home Gumbo (rice, shrimp, crab, oysters, chicken wings, spicy chicken sausage in a rich broth), Flaming Lobster Bisque and the Nigerian Hot Chicken sandwich (bread and butter pickles, soul slaw, peanut butter on a brioche roll). Owned by Felicia Wilson-Bell and chef-partner Darryl Harmon, Amina also serves brunch and a lengthy cocktail list. Pro tip: Try out Amina’s take on the classic bloody Mary, which uses Harmon’s signature spice blend to pack a special kick.

Philly chef and pit master Craig Martin owns this barbecue joint near the city’s Callowhill neighborhood. Martin sticks to the classics: brisket, beef back ribs, pulled pork, chicken wings and pork spare ribs. Angry Deekin’s Specialty? The beef back ribs, which are smoked for over two hours and glazed before serving. Stop by for the shop’s juicy beef and pork rib slabs, delicious beef brisket sandwiches and sides like Bourbon baked beans and mac and cheese.

Atiya Ola serves vegetarian, vegan and raw dishes meant to help customers tap into their spirituality. The extensive menu features multi-item raw bar platters, soups, stir-fries, salads, wraps and sandwiches (with the option to add black bean burger, veggie sausage, falafel or grilled salmon to any of the above). Top it all off with a lavender tea and a vegan cookie at this cozy West Philly spot.

The name of the game is bacon. The city’s first bacon-centric restaurant began as a food truck in 2019 helmed by chef Justin Coleman and his business partner Kelvin Alexander. Now with a brick-and-mortar in South Philadelphia, the restaurant boasts a pork-filled menu with standouts like the Pork Board (bacon burnt ends, pulled pork, pork shoulder, millionaire bacon, ribs and bacon-infused grits with cornbread), bacon lobster alfredo, and mac and cheese topped with bacon crumbles. The spot has an equally meaty brunch menu with a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, naturally.

Although David Lee is closing down his famed Manayunk pizza spot, Pizza Jawn, the concept lives on at Bar Jawn. Beyond just bar food, Bar Jawn serves a mean smash burger, cheesesteaks, chicken caesar cutlet sandwiches, rigatoni alla spicy vodka and cheesesteak fries piled high with shaved ribeye and cheese sauce. As for the drinks, don’t miss out on the guava margarita, adult coffee (vanilla vodka, kahlúa coffee liqueur, coffee) and any of the assortment of spritzes.

Owner and pit master Tank Barkley serves up heaping platters of soul food and barbecue. Think half or full slabs of sauce-slathered St. Louis ribs; yams and apples; baked mac and cheese; garlicky string beans; potato salad; and pulled pork and chicken platters that draw a crowd to this North Philly spot. Note: The restaurant is open Fridays and Saturdays, while the Barkley’s BBQ food truck can be found at spots throughout the region other days of the week.

Chef Kurt Evans noticed a startling trend: Chinese restaurants were closing down, many in Black neighborhoods. So he decided to start his own. The dishes at Black Dragon Takeout celebrate Black culinary traditions while paying homage to Chinese delicacies. Standouts on the West Philly restaurant’s menu include sweet potato sour chicken (doused in a sweet potato chili sauce), shrimp lo mein and fried chicken fried rice. You won’t be able to miss the spot thanks to the giant dragon mural on the side of the building.

Gourmet chicken takes center stage at BlackHen, the creative and quirky younger sibling to owner Felicia Wilson-Bell and chef Darryl Harmon’s instant classic Amina. While Amina serves upscale Nigerian and Southern cuisine in its regal digs, the pair’s playful follow up dishes their TikTok-able take on soul food just a few doors down on Old City’s unofficial restaurant row. Popcorn chicken is served alongside actual popcorn in vintage-y, red West Bend poppers, while fried chicken is dished out on black buns (thanks to activated charcoal). Decked out in chicken-inspired, pop art-esque decor, the BYOB’s dining room feels like you’re sitting in your best girlfriend’s house — you know, if she was a gold earring-wearing, impeccably dressed hen.

Named after Booker Wright — a server who risked his life for voicing what it was like to be a Black waiter in the 1960s at an all-white restaurant in Mississippi and eventually was murdered in a confrontation with a customer at an eatery he later opened — this West Philly destination owned by Saba Tedla draws families and more with Southern-inspired cuisine, great drinks and a famous, daily brunch. (Seriously, do not miss the mimosa flight and peach cobbler French toast.)

Hungry diners and celebrities alike come to Breakfast Boutique in search of delicious homestyle cooking with a touch of luxury. Owned by Rob and Desiree Pollard, the local chain boasts three locations — Chestnut Hill, Mount Airy and East Falls — and a menu full of breakfast staples with a creative twist: green eggs and ham; red velvet pancakes; and shrimp and grits to name a few. True to the name, the restaurants’ dining rooms are just as chic as any fashion boutique, clad in black and white decor. Recognizable names like former WNBA star and current Philadelphia basketball legend Dawn Staley and comedian Desi Banks have stopped in for a taste of the Pollards’ cooking.

This charming Brewerytown soul food eatery got its name because its food is so good, it melts in your mouth. Fried wings and sides sell out fast, and home-baked cakes and pies come straight from the oven of owner Kevin Bell’s mother. Other fan favorites include smothered turkey chops, fried catfish nuggets and ribs. Don’t forget the sides: greens, corn and okra, macaroni and cheese and cornbread stuffing are all on offer.

Find jerk chicken, reggae and jazz at Caribbean Feast Restaurant in the heart of North Philadelphia. As seen on The Cooking Channel’s Road Trip with G. Garvin, this Jamaican spot serves up oxtail, goat and plenty of seafood, as well as homemade juices. Complete your meal with mouth-watering sides like fried plantains and rice and beans. Once a year, the restaurant hosts a family day event that provides 250 free meals to kids.

Having sold high-end gelato from his mobile cart since 2018, renowned gelato artist Galen Thomas — a graduate of Carpigiani Frozen Dessert and Gelato universities — opened Cloud Cups, his brick-and-mortar spot, in Fishtown in May 2023 and a Kensington flagship the year after. The gelato and sorbet shop serves up dozens of flavors of handmade artisanal gelato and sorbet at a time (from a rotating menu of over 100 total) in scoops and cones, milkshakes, floats, flights and Cloud-Ninis, gelato-filled fresh-baked pastries. The menu also features dairy-free and vegan options.

An acronym for “creativity, revolutionary, artistry, youth,” chef-owner Saquan Smith embraces all four characteristics alongside his own Jamaican roots to bring delectable Southern dishes to his BYOB in Philadelphia’s Old City (as well as a takeout spot in North Philly). Combining Caribbean flare with American soul food, the menu is littered with chef’s specials like Mumbo-Glazed Salmon and lamb seafood trio (served with cheddar cheese grits, cajun shrimp and crab meat topped with cajun cream sauce), while weekend brunch specials include chicken and waffles available in French toast, red velvet or half-and-half varieties. Cray Taste also emphasizes hiring youth in need of mentorship and job opportunities.

For over a century, Manayunk’s The Cresson Inn operated as a beauty parlor, a billiard hall and even a shoe store fronting a basement speakeasy during Prohibition before becoming a full-time bar run by couple Chuck Otis and Lucy Sanders in 1972. A half-century later, the family sold the “five-star dive bar” to Tracy Hardy and Jennifer Gomez-Hardy (of Lou & Choo’s Lounge) who partnered with Nate Sanders — Chuck and Lucy’s grandson and Tracy’s childhood friend — to renovate “The Original Yunkers Bar,” revamping the menu with items like Chicken Nut sandwich (fried chicken with sweet chili sauce served on a glazed donut).

Nestled in the heart of West Philadelphia, this family-owned Eritrean-Ethiopian concept transports your taste buds thousands of miles away to East Africa with traditional fare like beef tibs, sambussas and tener lamb shoulder stew — plus a healthy assortment of vegetarian options. This laid-back spot has been a neighborhood staple since 1987 and boasts an easygoing bar in the back. Keep the party going with hookah available on-site, while DJs on weekend nights add even more pizzazz to the flavors in your food.

Slow-cooked brisket, ribs and barbecue chicken taste as good as they smell at Dibbs, where the meats come by the pound, in platters and on sandwiches. Flavors are enhanced by their special process of slow cooking, basting and saucing. Collard greens, mac and cheese, and seasonal offerings like tuna salad and corn on the cob complete the messy, incredible meal. Grab a picnic table out front and indulge in good-old-fashioned barbecue.

From the owners of Alif Brew & Mini Mart Inc. (see below), Doro Bet is an Ethiopian chicken house that expertly crafts gluten-free fried chicken. No visit is complete without a marinated, spit-roasted chicken shawarma, while fried thighs, drumsticks and wings available in a variety of spice levels also satisfy. For the vegan in your party, there’s the falafel sandwich or teff-flour-fried mushrooms. And don’t skip the sauces either: the Mitmita Aioli spicy sauce, senafich Ethiopian mustard, spiced honey, and garlic aioli are sure-fire crowd pleasers.

Based in Strawberry Mansion and serving North Philadelphia, this pizza restaurant from owner Muhammad Abdul-Hadi and executive chef Michael Carter features inventive pies, dressed-up chicken wings, hand-cut fries and milkshakes. Just try and resist the Break You Off pie covered in lamb sausage, lemon ricotta, za’atar and garlic honey. They’ve got vegan pies, fries and wings for plant-based eaters, too. In addition to serving up flavorful, creative eats, the shop exclusively employs formerly incarcerated individuals and is committed to paying a fair wage.

Army veteran and graduate of Drexel University’s culinary program Dan Lee runs this Rittenhouse Square pasta joint where customizable pasta dishes — all handmade — are the name of the game. Inspired by a trip to Italy where Lee noticed pasta wasn’t a hoity-toity affair, Farina Pasta Bar makes carb-loading casual with bowls like Southern fried chicken parm, garden pesto and bacon carbonara. Diners can create their own meal, choosing a pasta base (bucatini, rigatoni, pappardelle, gnocchi or gluten-free penne), sauce and add-ons, like garlic chicken, Italian sausage, meatballs and more.

Bold Caribbean flavors in a warm, lively setting? Look no further than Flambo in Midtown Village. Paying homage to the many cultures that make the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago such a vibrant destination, the upscale restaurant serves up a tasty mix of Afro-, Indo- and Chino-Trinidadian staples, plus Spanish and French-inspired dishes.

Crowd favorites roti (flatbread often enjoyed with curry) and doubles (flatbread served alongside chickpeas and protein), flavorful Chinese-style chicken, and fresh seafood paella are up for grabs, alongside delicious Caribbean-inspired cocktails.

This elegant Center City haunt from Chad and Hanna Williams reopened after a pandemic hiatus with an indulgent, seasonally inspired eight-course tasting menu served in a luxurious upstairs dining room. Complex flavors spring to life in creative culinary masterpieces like Koshihikari rice with duck, adobo and bacon, or black tea cake for dessert. Treat yourself with a wine pairing (you deserve it) or pick an excellently named cocktail from the lengthy list, like the Judgement of Paris (calvados, Torino vermouth, lemon and cilantro).

Philly’s first Black-owned Chinese restaurant uses fresh halal ingredients to satisfy every takeout craving, from General Tso’s chicken to shrimp fried rice. But where the father-and-son owners truly shine is with flavor innovations like the chicken cheesesteak rolls and wings tossed in sweet and tangy homemade “fusion sauce.” They also offer vegetarian options, like fried cauliflower and vegetable mai fun (Singapore noodles cooked with broccoli, cabbage, beansprouts, egg and celery). Dig in.

Owner J. Roger Powe III created this popular morning-through-afternoon Brewerytown spot serving good-for-you breakfast and lunch eats. Chef Edwing Paul holds it down in the kitchen, crafting dishes like pumpkin spice pancakes, chicken and waffles, and apple cinnamon French toast. Among the other offerings: omelets, breakfast tacos, breakfast sandwiches, salmon patties, chicken pesto paninis, fruit smoothies, salads and more. The casual spot is great for a quick bite before heading to the nearby Philadelphia Zoo.

Not to be confused with the Jim’s on South Street, this West Philly cheesesteak spot is owned by Cortez Johnson, who bought the spot from the previous owner and revamped it six years after originally closing its doors. Place your order at the counter at this laid-back sandwich shop and steal a bite (or many) while leaning on the countertop that runs throughout the space. In addition to the mouth-watering cheesesteaks, Jim’s also offers chicken cheesesteaks, mushroom steaks, pizza steaks, hamburgers, hoagies and fan-favorite banana pudding.

For nearly two decades, Youma Ba has been running this Senegalese restaurant in University City. After closing in 2022, Kilimandjaro recently reopened in brand-new digs, complete with a color palette of burnt orange walls and yellow seating. The best part: The authentic flavors remain the same. Fill up on lamb with sweet plantains, fresh fish with couscous, or beef kebabs with string beans. Kilimandjaro is open for lunch and dinner and hosts live musicians on Friday and Saturday nights.

West African cuisine is the focus at Le Mandingue, from fufu and potato greens to cassava leaves and jollof rice. Founded by former nurse Fanta Fofana nearly 20 years ago, Lè Mandingue is named after the Malinke ethnic group from Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. The menu includes dishes like fried red snapper with attieke (cassava couscous), torborgee (a thick bean stew) with rice and pepper soup with fufu. Don’t forget dessert: deep-fried dough balls, known as kala, and a rice-based porridge are a must.

No bar can be all things to all people, but Tioga-Nicetown’s Lou & Choo’s Lounge sure comes close. A North Philly staple for over 40 years, Lou & Choo’s recently got a facelift as Tracy Hardy and Jennifer Gomez-Hardy, owners since 2014 who also acquired The Cresson Inn, used the time to renovate the space. The lounge now consists of three full-sized bars (one decorated with photos and quotes of Tracy’s personal Black heroes throughout history), a tiki bar, a cigar lounge, a DJ booth, live music and The Yard landscaped patio for 500 guests, along with a revamped menu including signature seafood and fish sandwiches from chef Bruce Palmer.

It’s a Cecil B. Moore institution. In a 19th-century cycling clubhouse and 20th-century music hotspot where John Coltrane, Jill Scott and Boyz II Men performed, this bar and event space owned by Jake Adams serves lunch, dinner and drinks every day. (The chicken wings are a hit.) Don’t forget to warm up those pipes for karaoke on Wednesdays. Plus, every second Saturday, a free “Matinee Jams” event brings music and conviviality to North Broad.

Putting a modern twist on traditional West African fare, Prime Fusion Lounge promises something special in every bite. Try their signature dish, Rasta Pasta, or 24K gold wings (yup, those are chicken wings coated in edible gold). For more traditional dishes, check out ayamase — beef, ponmo, and tripe in a stew of onions, ginger, garlic and green peppers. Don’t miss Sunday brunch for mimosa towers and chicken and waffles.

Just try to resist the smells of Reggae Reggae Vibes wafting down Girard Avenue. This Northern Liberties spot serves traditional Jamaican staples like jerk chicken, oxtails stew, curried goat and snapper fish. Complete your platter with sides like sauteed kale, fried plantain, mac and cheese, and rice and beans. Because this is Philly, they even serve up a jerk chicken cheesesteak. Don’t miss out on the house-made ginger beer and a hibiscus drink called sorrel.

Southern dishes made with rare-around-here ingredients are the focus at SOUTH on North Broad Street. Three-quarters of a mile north of City Hall, the Bynum brothers’ upscale restaurant and jazz club serves up fare like freshly shucked oysters, fried green tomatoes and shrimp remoulade, catfish and shrimp, buttermilk fried chicken, and vegan jambalaya. You can also expect good-old-fashioned hospitality and an extensive wine program. With live music nearly every night of the week, dinner and a show at SOUTH is the perfect excuse to get a little glam (no sneakers, hoodies or sweat suits here) and have a stylish night out.

Chef Darlene Jones combines American, Caribbean and Thai cuisines at Star Fusion, the Parkside restaurant serving everything from kabobs to four different kinds of spring rolls (vegetable, cheesesteak, shrimp and buffalo chicken). Signature dishes include Thai basil salmon, seafood mac and cheese, and bang bang chicken and shrimp with fried rice and vegetables. The grab-and-go eatery is perfect for lunch and dinner on the go or for your game day needs. (They also do party platters.)

Named after a popular West African street food dish that originated in Nigeria, Dera Nd-Ezuma’s restaurant in Northern Liberties uses authentic, imported Nigerian spices to craft traditional suya — a spiced, smoked meat skewer. The fast-casual eatery also offers customizable bowls that pair steak, chicken, shrimp, stewed tilapia or brussel sprouts with various rices and sides of plantains or cornbread. Also on deck: savory fritters made with beans and seasoning, which you can wash down with house-brewed beverages like Zobo, a Nigerian-style hibiscus-ginger tea.

With ample seating and lovely floral accents, Tasties specializes in classic soul food from chef and owner Barbara Dewan. The stylish setting pairs nicely with down-home wings, fried shrimp, candied yams, fried rice and sandwiches. They go all out for brunch too, thanks to the Fruity Pebble waffles. The full bar has a cocktail waiting for you.

Owned by Ethiopia native Hayat Ali, this Ethiopian restaurant, coffee shop and corner store triple-whammy graces Philadelphia’s food scene with caffeinated brews, diverse pantry essentials, hearty meals and more. Eat your heart out all week long with classics like spicy chicken wraps made with injera or try something new with ever-updating weekend brunch specials. Get creative with your order on Taco Tuesdays, stacked with rotating options like pulled chicken with fresh beet salsa and crumbled feta, and wash it all down with the Alif Special coffee infused with Ethiopian ginger.

Sharaine and Sharla Brown’s introduction to coffee came in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, where the sisters would help their grandmother pick coffee cherries. Fast forward to 2021, when the Browns opened Arterial Coffee, a cozy establishment in the city’s Mantua/Powelton Village neighborhood that specializes in locally sourced coffees, teas and small bites. The spacious and bright cafe is an ideal study spot for nearby college students and the salmon avocado toast is a game-changer. It’s the kind of place you could spend an entire day with a book (or your laptop).

This colorful Washington Square West spot (don’t miss their University City location, too) adds an element to the coffee-pastry-sandwich trifecta: house-cured meats, served on toasts or by the pound. Owner Thane Wright, a long-time coffee industry veteran, seeks to enhance the natural flavors of the coffees served in his cafe by foregoing any syrups, powders or artificial flavors. Menu items — like the Bev, featuring avocado, cured meat, mozzarella, green onion, garlic aioli, radish, and micro greens served on multigrain or sourdough — are named after Wright’s family members. Music is just as important as the coffee, as DJs take over the cafe’s music studio on weekends.

Travelers and locals alike can feel at ease at this charming spot, where owners Stephanie Ford and ​​Sonja West strive to make every customer feel right at home with simple pleasures like fresh donuts, muffins, croissants, danish and caffeinated concoctions in an unpretentious hangout space. Community vibes are at the forefront here, so expect a warm welcome from Ford and West when you arrive. Perks of becoming a regular? The cafe having your latte or Americano waiting for you on the counter.

This Center City favorite has kept owner Shawn Nesbit busy since opening Good Karma Café in 2008. The three cafes — at the Wilma Theater, in Society Hill and Fitler Square — operate in line with the values of economic parity, sustainable ecology and genuine relationships. The brand serves up fair trade and certified organic coffee made with rich flavors, as well as small bites, smoothies and sandwiches, such as the Colonel Mustard (chipotle mustard, chicken breast, bacon, spinach and cheddar cheese).

Apple crumble coffee cake, vegan brookies, steaming Americanos and other goodies quickly made Thunder Mug Cafe a favorite of the East Falls community — and the Philadelphia 76ers, who selected the spot as the 2022 recipient of its annual Buy Black Program. Customer go-tos at this relaxing cafe, owned by Lizette Apy, include oat milk lattes, breakfast options like the new breakfast sandwiches, the chickpea salad sandwich and the delightfully strong cold brew.

Milkshakes and mousses whipped up by a mother-daughter duo delight customers looking for something sweet in West Philly and North Broad. The fanciful shakes are decked out with cookies, cake pieces, whipped cream and colorful sprinkles piled high in flavors like cookies & cream and Fruity Pebbles. Each mousse — not quite ice cream, not quite pudding — is served in a cup with towering sweets, like the birthday butter cake mousse and sweet potato mousse. You can’t go wrong with the namesake: The original Banana Mousse is a light and fluffy confection topped with shortbread cookies.

The pastries and desserts at Darnel’s Cakes are out of this world, but this little cafe tucked between Old City and Northern Liberties has a full menu that’s also worth exploring. Homemade buttermilk biscuits, baked mac and cheese and a BLT sandwich with Thai chili-shallot mayo are among the offerings. The bakery is also committed to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, and partners with local nonprofit Bebashi, which aims to empower the testing kits in food orders.

Denise Gause originally created her North Philly homage to sugar, eggs and flour in 1990 before a fire closed her 25-year-old business in 2015. But Gause did what any strong baker would do: rebuilt it. Today, she’s since passed Denise’s Delicacies on to her nieces Keshia Davis and Cynthia Benton, who are committed to carrying on their aunt’s sugary legacy as the phone rings off the hook for pound cake, pies, fritters, donuts, cookies and wedding cakes. Whether you’re picking up a sweet potato pie during the holiday season (their busiest time of year) or crave a slice of cheesecake in the summertime, Denise’s is your spot.

Mark and Tia El made history when they opened their Reading Terminal Market stall in early 2021. Sweet T’s Bakery is the first Black-owned bakery in the market’s roughly 130-year history. The Els have served Philly baked goods since 2014, operating first as a South Philly storefront and then out of a food truck before starting out with a temporary spot in Reading Terminal in 2020. Pies are the star of the menu and Sweet T’s is known for its sweet potato pie with a graham cracker crust — a twist on the recipe Tia learned from her grandmother.

For those with a sweet tooth, The Sweet Life Bakeshop has been a slice of heaven in the City of Brotherly Love since 2010. Its claim to fame is its mouthwatering banana pudding, which has been parlayed into other variations like strawberry banana pudding and salted caramel banana pudding and even the No ‘Nana pudding (extra wafers, hold the banana). Dessert lovers can also delight in pineapple upside-down cake, peach cobbler and a gamut of cupcakes from sweet potato to cookies and cream.

“Akwaaba,” means “welcome” in the Ghanaian language, Twi and that welcoming spirit is on display at Akwaaba Tea Salon in West Philly. Here you’ll find a spin on traditional English high tea, pairing loose-leaf teas with deviled eggs with fried chicken, peach cobbler and banana pudding. While you sip your tea, enjoy the live jazz music. Owned by Monique Greenwood, who also owns Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast, this tea salon is meant to be a tranquil oasis. The 90-minute tea experience is offered three times a day — 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. — on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The state’s first Black-owned brewery is run by brothers Richard and Mengistu Koilor, Philly natives whose path to brewing began with a homebrew kit back in 2016. That home-grown enterprise grew into pop-up events hosted around the city and eventually their own brick-and-mortar in University City, which opened in 2024. Start with their signature Nubian brown ale and crisp Clean Sweep pilsner. Liberty Kitchen supplies the eats, with curry braised beef, jerk chicken salad hoagies and Italian hoagies on the menu.

The ciders from this small-batch cidery — owned by Stephanie Cole, Kate Kaman and Jesse Bilger — are made from local, all-natural Pennsylvania apples. They’ve got three flavors on tap year-round — traditional, tart cherry and very ginger — and a rotating list of seasonal ciders, like bourbon and bitters and blood orange. For those looking for a non-alcoholic option, kombucha, hot spiced cider mocktail and sweet apple cider are on tap. Fill up on savory, flaky hand pies, barbecue pulled pork or tofu, chili, soup and other delicious food offerings.