BlackHen, a new chicken spot with plenty of fried flair, opens in Old City

Old City has a new fried chicken favorite, and it just opened its doors in the City of Brotherly Love.

BlackHen comes from entrepreneur Felicia Wilson, who first made her mark on the area’s food world when she opened Amina in 2022.

This new venture will be housed just a few doors down from Wilson’s first spot, and it is also co-owned and helmed by Amina’s chef/partner Darryl Harmon, with Chef Issaka Fofana (who has spent time in kitchens such as Twenty Manning and the Water Works) overseeing Harmon’s menu.

The 1,200 square-foot, 40-seat BYOB opened its doors last Saturday, and although chicken is the star of the show here, there will be plenty of other bites for everyone to enjoy on their opening menu.

“Issaka and I worked together for six years at the Water Works, and we’ve been working shoulder to shoulder throughout the past two years at Amina, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him step in as the Executive Chef of this new concept,” Harmon said in a statement. “Watching him grow into the chef he is today has been incredible, and neither one of us can wait to launch this menu, which feels like a taste of home.”

The menu will focus on featuring locally sourced organic chicken and eggs and other local products, a news release notes. Appetizers span buffalo chicken dip, deviled eggs with fried chicken skins, fried green tomatoes, buttermilk fried chicken tenders, and chicken wings.

BlackHen will also boast an array of sandwiches (which are all served on charcoal black rolls) including the fried chicken stack; smoked pulled chicken; and the crispy vegan Hen of the Woods ALT (also known as avocado, lettuce and tomato). Entrees span the “Our Soon-To-Be-Famous Fried Chicken,” a natural, organic chicken seasoned with Harmon’s signature spices served with two sides; and the chicken & waffles with Pennsylvania maple syrup.

For sides, Philadelphians can find hand-cut fries; mac n’ cheese; collard greens with smoked turkey; green beans; candied sweet potato hash; fried apples; and soul slaw. Then to finish things off on a sweet note, the restaurant will offer desserts spanning the BlackHen fried Oreos; tin can banana pudding; crispy seasonal hand pies; soft serve ice cream served in black vanilla cones; and a DIY ice cream float that’s served inside a small cabinet — which includes a variety of flavored sodas and vanilla ice cream.

The restaurant will also offer a handful of creative mocktails to add to the BYOB experience. As the release also states, the chicken recipe being offered is inspired by Chef Harmon’s family and comes served with his own line of signature barbecue sauces. Appetizer prices range from $9 to $14, while entrees are priced from $14 to $25.

“Old City was a superb place to open Amina, and BlackHen feels like the perfect complement to the neighborhood, where our neighbors can enjoy what we feel is some of the best fried chicken in the region in our dining room or in the comfort of their homes several times per month,” added Wilson in a statement.  “While I’ve learned that owning a restaurant can be stressful, I have honestly had some truly amazing experiences at Amina, and I’m very excited to introduce BlackHen to Philadelphia-area fried chicken lovers.”

BlackHen (120 Chestnut St.) will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays, with a Fried Chicken Brunch offered between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Philadelphians can learn more information at  blackhenphilly.com.