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The magic of Philadelphia meets the magic done by the Fab Five on Season 5 of Queer Eye, filmed in Philly and now streaming on Netflix.
Viewers can follow the stories of 10 hometown and regional heroes as they complete their lifestyle transformations with the assistance of the Fab Five — Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk and Jonathan Van Ness — and a host of Philly small businesses.
As fans of the show have come to expect, this season is as emotional as ever. The Philadelphia heroes featured this year let viewers into their homes and lives as they open up about personal challenges they hope the Fab Five can help them overcome.
The team blends their dining, fashion, culture, design and grooming expertise with the talents of business owners across Philadelphia to boost the confidence of these incredible residents who show the world what the real Philly looks like — strong, resilient and diverse.
Throughout, the City of Sisterly Love, the City of Murals, the City of James Beard Award Honorees and so much more gets the spotlight it deserves for its shopping, styling, wellness and dining scenes in the 10-episode run (the show’s longest season ever!).
See Antoni shop for fresh, local ingredients at Reading Terminal Market and The Italian Market; watch Karamo coach a couple through a tough moment at La Colombe in Fishtown; and see how Humphrey’s Flag Company works with Bobby and a featured guest to create LGBTQ+-friendly banners.
The city’s restaurants, salons and boutiques can help people shine, whether they’re ready for a complete makeover or just need a little pick-me-up. Call ahead or check each businesses’ website to find out the best way to support right now while Philadelphia continues to be safer at home.
Keep reading for our guide to the Philadelphia people and places that play a starring role in Queer Eye Season 5.
The Fab Five kick off Queer Eye Season 5 full of LGBTQ+ pride as pastor Noah Hepler of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Fishtown begins to embrace being an out member of the clergy. Throughout the episode, Noah starts to shed what he calls his “imposter syndrome” with the help of a cooking lesson at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Culinary Literacy Center and a powerful meeting with other out Lutheran pastors at Front Street Cafe.
Welcome to Fishtown, a collaborative mural from Glossblack and VURT located at 1120 Frankford Avenue, is featured in episode one. — Photo courtesy VURT - Visual Urban Renewal and Transformation
A trip to Theory in Rittenhouse Square and a stylish beard shaping from Will at The Duke Barber Co. help boost Noah’s confidence as he leads his congregation in a 125th-anniversary event. The church itself gets a little sprucing up thanks to design expert Bobby and some new flags created by Old City’s Humphrey’s Flag Company.
Featured in This Episode
Rahanna Gray, a Germantown native and the entrepreneur behind mobile-pet-grooming service Stylish Pooch, receives advice from the Fab Five to set herself and her business up for success as she embraces a new chapter in her relationship. Rahanna dreams of expanding her business to include a fleet of mobile groomers, pet clothes, food and treats.
Rahanna and her boyfriend have a heart-to-heart talk over tea at La Colombe's Fishtown location. — Photo by M. Fischetti for Visit Philadelphia
However, two years ago, her business suffered a major blow when the RV she uses to visit clients fell into disrepair. With help from Antoni, she learns to bake dog treats for her business at Amelie’s Bark Shop in East Passyunk, with encouragement from Karamo, has a difficult talk with her boyfriend over tea at La Colombe in Fishtown. Rahanna and the Fab Five “add swag to the city’s wag” with a doggie fashion show in Old City to promote her business, which gets a branding boost as Tan helps Rahanna update her wardrobe and Bobby decorates her new apartment.
Kevin Abernathy, the episode’s eponymous father of the bride, goes on a self-confidence journey with the Fab Five in Philadelphia one week before his daughter’s wedding to gain the finesse to proudly walk his Haley down the aisle.
Bobby and Kevin head to the King of Prussia Mall, one of the largest malls in America, in episode three. — Photo courtesy King of Prussia, a Simon Property Mall
To prepare, Kevin and Antoni cook savory braised short ribs — with ingredients from The Italian Market and inspiration from Fiore Fine Foods in Queen Village — and Bobby shops at the sprawling King of Prussia Mall in order to wow at the rehearsal dinner at Kevin’s house. Society Hill Dance Academy instructor Shana steps in to school Kevin for a memorable father-daughter dance. And Jonathan loves the Old City neighborhood around Lakshmi Hair Studio where Kevin says goodbye to his beard and hello to his chin to frame his recaptured smile.
In episode three, Karamo visits Swann Memorial Fountain, located in Logan Square on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. — Photo by B. Krist for Visit Philadelphia
Self-love conquers all in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love as 27-year-old Tyreek Wanamaker, a North Philadelphia native and Fishtown resident, learns to embrace his hard-earned stability.
If every community got together and looked out for each other, communities would be way better off. — Bobby Berk
A champion of community, Tyreek works at nonprofit Mighty Writers teaching kids the art of the pen and helps operate The Block Gives Back, which provides critical services for people in need. With the support of the Fab Five, this deserving hero helps to transform his house into a home with Bobby at Anthropologie at Devon Yard in Chester County; learns how to cook a nostalgic crab boil with Antoni at Aether in Fishtown; and defines his look through his locks with Jonathan at H. Smith in Point Breeze and with Tan’s capsule wardrobe.
Ultimately, with counseling from Karamo, Tyreek owns his success in overcoming homelessness and loss to reconnect with the woman who raised him (who looks to shoot a sharp game of pool at Buffalo Billiards in Old City) and welcome love and security into his life permanently.
Abigail “Abby” Leedy, a Gen-Z activist and co-coordinator for the Philadelphia hub of the Sunrise Movement (a national youth-led organization dedicated to stopping climate change and creating jobs) gets an empowering new look and a makeover for the home of the organization where she works and lives with her fellow activists in West Philly.
Her transformation is all about sustainability as the Fab Five get thrifty and support local businesses like Made and Maker, a woman-owned vintage boutique and gift store in Fishtown; MOKO Organic Beauty Studio in Old City; Jinxed Philadelphia, an antique furniture store in Port Richmond, and Greensgrow Farms, a non-profit garden in West Philly. When it’s time to eat, Antoni teaches Abby how to cook a vegan meal inspired by chef Michael Solomonov’s famous twice-cooked eggplant from his James Beard Award-winning restaurant Zahav.
Follow the Fab 5 in this episode of Queer Eye Season 5 as they explore Philadelphia by bike…or skipping like Karamo at Dilworth Park in the shadow of City Hall.
Ryan Dyer is a 37-year-old Jersey guy, who works at his family’s property maintenance company by day and as a DJ by night. His struggle? Not making the progress he’d like on the personal and professional front.
Ryan’s transformation takes him on a quick trip to Philadelphia for a visit to Queen Village’s Cry Baby Pasta and Wine to learn how to make pesto chicken salad, Home Sense (with a location in St. Davids) to pick out home and office essentials, and Northern Liberties’ The Philadelphia Barber Co for hair and beard maintenance. At the close of the episode, a dapper Ryan announces to his family that he’ll be stepping away from the family business to start his own DJ company.
In episode seven, Karamo contemplates how he’ll help Jennifer while strolling the stunning Race Street Pier in Old City. — Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
Jennifer Sweeney loves to be needed. She spends her days working full-time and her nights taking care of her husband of 24 years, who suffers from ALS, and her three adult daughters. What Jen doesn’t do is take care of herself.
Enter the Fab Five to assist with a full transformation of Jen’s body, mind and home. On her journey to better self-care, Jen and her new friends stop at Skirt for a new wardrobe; Port Richmond’s Czerw’s Kielbasy for the Polish food Jen loves and remembers from her childhood; Wissahickon Valley Park for a hike that reminds this super mom and wife to cherish the past but live in the present; and Salon Vanity for hair and eyelash treatments.
Also in episode seven, Karamo has a cathartic chat with Jennifer on a trail in Wissahickon Valley Park in Northwest Philly. — Photo courtesy Friends of the Wissahickon
Jen’s journey ends back at her beautifully renovated Delaware County home with a party that’s all about her — and catered by Czerw’s Kielbasy.
Quotes from Benjamin Franklin feature prominently in this episode, as Marcos Tlacopilco, owner and monger at Marcos Fish & Crab House, is a big fan.
Marcos, who arrived in the U.S. from Mexico in 1998, lives near South Philadelphia’s Italian Market with his wife and four kids, and the Fab Five arrive to help him design a new restaurant as well as his relationship with his oldest daughter. Karamo helps facilitate a reconciliation at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, while Antoni teaches Marcos a crab soup recipe at COOK in Rittenhouse Square and Jonathan leads a style transformation with the help of Mockingbird Salon in East Passyunk.
During episode eight, Karamo, Marco and Jennifer meet in Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens for a reconciliation conversation. — Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
Family and friends celebrate with a meal at their upcoming restaurant — Alma de Mar, named for Marcos’ wife — to cap off this emotional episode about family and lifelong dreams.
Lilly Yi, a Philly native and Temple University graduate, invites the Fab Five into her home and heart for a makeover before her first day as a full-time pediatrician in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Lilly and her family make pottery at The Clay Studio in Old City during episode nine. — Photo by M. Fischetti for Visit Philadelphia
The Queer Eye team help Lilly update her look after 11 years of studying with a shopping spree at Boyds and a hairstyle session at Architeqt Salon in Washington Square West. Chef Dan from Fishtown’s Pizzeria Beddia teaches Lilly how to make the best ’za in Philly and later the family spends some much-needed quality time at The Clay Studio making pottery. Keep an eye out for some of your Philly fave landmarks, including Elfreth’s Alley and The Sounds of Philadelphia mural on East Passyunk Avenue, which features famous local musicians like Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell.
At Pizzeria Beddia, home of the best pizza in America according to Bon Appétit, Chef Dan teaches Lilly how to make a pie during episode nine. — Photo by K. Kelly for Visit Philadelphia
To conclude Queer Eye Season 5, episode 10 features Nate McIntyre, a 44-year-old personal trainer and gym owner who lives and works in West Philadelphia. Nate is in a rut personally and professionally, so his friends enlist the Fab Five to help get him motivated and moving forward again.
There is so much love in this community. — Karamo Brown
Antoni takes Nate to West Philly’s Booker’s Restaurant & Bar to prepare a basic but delicious whole-roasted red snapper. Next, it’s off to DSG Barbershop, which also boasts a gym facility, to help Nate find inspiration for his own fitness studio. A trip to his alma mater, Villanova University, with Karamo helps Nate accept his vulnerabilities and build confidence.
West Philly murals, including this one of Martin Luther King Jr. at 40th Street and Lancaster Avenue, are featured prominently in episode 10. — Photo by C. Smyth for Visit Philadelphia
To complete the transformation, Nate hits Fishtown’s Franklin & Poe to spruce up his wardrobe and Spinning Chairs for a hair makeover. The episode ends back at Body Rock gym, where friends and family gather to see the newly renovated space and the newly transformed Nate.
Featured in this Episode
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia) and overnight hotel accommodations.
Philly spots that shine on screens big and small...
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