On Thursday, June 21, Old City Eats begins for the third year in a row to the delight of foodies in Philadelphia.
Every Thursday night from June 21 through August 30, patrons can enjoy select half-priced small plates and drink specials ($4 select beers and $5 select cocktails) from over 30 participating restaurants and bars.
The Kick-Off Block Party
The action kicks off this Thursday with a giant block party on 2nd Street between Market and Chestnut.
“The Old City Eats Kickoff Block Party celebrates the start of summer with Old City’s incredible lineup of dining options,” says Old City District executive director, Job Itzkowitz. “There’s something to appeal to every palette, including Cuban, Mexican, Irish and other global cuisines.”
Menu highlights at the block party include tuna conserva on crostini w/ olive relish from Capofitto, smoked pastrami sliders from High Street on Market, chicken and mushroom empanadas from Lucha Cartel, chicken hand pie from National Mechanics, crab cake sandwiches from the just-opened Nauti Mermaid Crab House and ribs from Red Owl Tavern. Franklin Fountain will also be serving up scoops of their legendary ice cream as well as their Lady’s Choice ice cream soda, which includes raspberry soda with peach ice cream topped with sweet cream and crushed raspberries
In addition to the food, there will also be live music and entertainment at the block party. At Sassafras, the Nick Salcido Trio will be performing live jazz; John McGillin & Friends will be playing Irish ditties at the Plough & the Stars; DJ Decybals will be backed up by AlgoRhythm Studio dancers at Cuba Libre and Nauti Mermaid Crab House + Piano Bar will feature dueling pianos.
Old City Eats 2018 Participants List and Menu
If you can’t make it to the block party, you have the whole summer to take a bite out of Old City’s restaurant scene and specials are available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday night through August 30.
Each participating restaurant will feature at least one half-priced appetizer and one $4 discounted beer featuring Penn Beer and one $5 cocktail featuring Faber Liquor.
Newcomers to Old City Eats include Chef Kenneth Sze’s Tuna Bar and Chef Nick Elmi’s Royal Boucherie.
Here’s the full list of participants along with meny details this year:
Amada
217 Chestnut St.philadelphia.amadarestaurant.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: tortilla Espanola, chistorra sausage, salsa brava
Cocktail: Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down (lemon rosemary martini)
Beer: Victory Summer Love
Bleu Martini
24 S. 2nd Streetbleumartiniphilly.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: cajun shrimp cornbread, cheesesteak egg rolls
Cocktail: Faber Vodka Sangria, Single Prop Rum Mojito
Beer: $6 Stella Artois (bottle), $5 Bud Light (bottle)Buffalo Billiards
118 Chestnut St.buffalobilliards.com/philadelphia
Old City Eats Menu:
Appetizer: wings, chicken tenders, house cut fries, chili cheese fries, chips & salsa, pierogies, fried mozzarella, taquitos, buffalo chicken dip
Cocktail: $4 well drinks featuring Faber Liquors
Beer: $3 select drafts featuring Penn BeerCapofitto
233 Chestnut Streetcapofittoforno.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Arancini
Chez Ben Bistro and M. Brown’s Bar
400 Chestnut Streetchezbenbistrophilly.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: spicy sliders, French curry yogurt, pickled onions, brioche bun
Cocktail: Faber Citrus Vodka, ginger syrup, lemonade, fresh basil
Beer: Kronenbourg 1664Chloe (BYOB)
232 Arch Streetchloebyob.com
*Note: Chloe will be closed during the month of August
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Creole mussels with chorizo, bell peppers and a light tomato broth, as well as a roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, tomatoes and a lemon dressingCommon Wealth Old City
319 Market Streetcommonwealthphila.com
Old City Eats Menu: TBA
Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar
138 Market Streetcontinentalmartinibar.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: kimchi quesadilla
Cocktail: honeysuckle (single prop rum, lime juice, honey)
Beer: Kona big wave blonde aleCuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar
10 S. 2nd Streetcubalibrerestaurant.com/en/philadelphia
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Mama Amelia’s empanadas ($5 each)
Cocktail: $5 classic mojito featuring Faber Liquors
Beer: Victory Summer Love
*Cuba Libre’s entire Happy Hour menu will be available from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. on Thursdays during Old City Eats
Farmicia Food & Tonics
15 S. 3rd Streetfarmiciarestaurant.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Appetizer: $6 baked meatballs (pecorino, parmesan, house marinara, pesto)
Cocktail: $5 blood orange cooler (gin, falernum, lime, orange, sherbet, tonic, featuring Faber Liquors)
Beer: $3 Victory Summer LoveHigh Street on Market
308 Market Streethighstreetonmarket.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Crispy Broccoli
Cocktail: Faber Punch
Beer: Victory Prima Pils
JJ Bootleggers
35 S. 2nd Streetjjbootleggers.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: $5 select appetizers
Cocktail: Faber Rum Runner
Beer: Goose Island
Khyber Pass Pub
56 S. 2nd Streetkhyberpasspub.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: fried okra
Cocktail: $5 frozen Faber Hurricanes
Beer: $5 Victory Braumeister Pils
Lucha Cartel
207 Chestnut Streetluchacartel.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: empanadas (chicken and mushroom)
Cocktail: Faber margarita (Faber tequila, lime juice and simple syrup)
Beer: $4 Presidente
National Mechanics
22 S. 3rd Streetnationalmechanics.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Appetizer: chicken hand pie with corn, red bell peppers, sweet peas, leeks
Cocktail: single prop strawberry daiquiri
Beer: $4 New Belgium Fat Tire
Nauti Mermaid Crab House + Piano Bar
110 Chestnut Streetthenautimermaid.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: cornmeal dusted fried oysters, toasted chive creme fraiche
Cocktail: Nauti Orange Crush with Faber Vodka
Beer: Evolution $4
Nick’s Bar & Grille
16 S. 2nd Streetfacebook.com/nicksroastbeefoldcity
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Half-price pulled pork nachos, half off select appetizers, half priced-rotating Egg rolls (selections like reuben, cheesesteak, Italian long hot and many more
Cocktail: $5 Faber cocktail, Air Mail
Beer: $12 Rolling Rock buckets
Old City Beer Garden
240 Market Street
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: $7 Eats Platter (fried pickles, scrapple, chicken dippers)
Cocktail: $5 well drinks (featuring Faber Liquors)
Beer: $3 select beer (featuring Penn Beer)The Olde Bar
125 Walnut Streettheoldebar.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: calamari (pepperoncini, aioli, piperade)
Cocktail: rotating Faber Cocktail special
Beer: $4 Omission IPAPanorama
14 N. Front Streetpanoramawinebar.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: $5 stuffed padron peppers (aged provolone, Calabria chill vinaigrette), $5 pork belly skewer (pecorino, black pepper, caramelized honey), $5 seasonal bruschetta
Cocktail: $5 Sicilian Rhum Punch (Averna Italian Amaro & Faber Local Rum, shaken over ice with orange, lemon & pineapple juices)
Beer: $5 Tröegs DreamWeaver wheatThe Plough & the Stars
123 Chestnut Street, enter on 2nd Streetploughstars.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: mussels, Plough tapas, mushroom cheese fricassee, jumbo lump crab cake, battered sausages
Cocktail: $5 Old City iced tea featuring Faber Liquors
Beer: $5 pints of Hoegaarden
Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti
212 Walnut Street, 2nd Floorpositanocoast.net
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: salmon focaccia $5, antipasto alla Italiana $7
Cocktail: The Process $5, Sangria Positano $5
Beer: Victory Summer LoveRed Owl Tavern
433 Chestnut Streetredowltavern.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: five-spice cherry smoked pork ribs with Bourbon BBQ sauce $6
Cocktail: hibiscus-infused Faber Vodka, lime juice, ginger syrup, mint, club soda (bar only)
Beer: Yards Philly Pale Ale $4 (bar only)Revolution House
200 Market Streetrevolutionhouse.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Appetizer: $6 firecracker shrimp, $6 guacamole + malanga chips
Cocktail: saratoga (Faber orange vodka, pineapple and grenadine)
Beer: rotating Penn Beer
Keating’s Rope & Anchor Bar + Kitchen
201 S. Columbus Boulevardropeandanchorkitchen.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: calamari (sweet and spicy cherry peppers, arrabbiata, sriracha aioli)
Cocktail: Firefly (Faber Vodka, grapefruit juice and a dash of grenadine)
Beer: Bud Light, Budweiser, Magic Hat #9 and Michelob Ultra
Royal Boucherie
52 S. 2nd Streetroyalboucherie.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Barbajawns (melted leeks, garlic mustard, wild onion crème)
Cocktail: Royal Punch (white rums, gin, spiced hibiscus syrup, lemon, orange blossom and rose waters, soda – featuring Single Prop and Faber Liquors)
Beer: TroegsSassafras
48 S. 2nd Streetsassafrasbar.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: 1/2 off deviled eggs, chips & dip, wings, everything pretzel, bacon-wrapped hot dog
Cocktail: Faber Rum hibiscus mojito
Beer: Troegs Sunshine PilsSilence Dogood’s Tavern
216 Market Streetsilencedogoodstavern.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: "Big A**" Tater Tots
Cocktail: $5 Old City spritzer (Faber Vodka, fresh mint, fresh lime, St. Germain, Sprite)
Beer: $3.50 Rolling Rock poundersSto’s Bar
236 Market Streetstosbar.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: $7 Eats Platter (fried pickles, scrapple, chicken dippers)
Cocktail: $5 well drinks (featuring Faber Liquors)
Beer: $3 select beer (featuring Penn Beer)Stratus Rooftop Lounge
433 Chestnut Streetstratuslounge.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small plate: fries, popcorn
Cocktail: ‘Boozy Watermelon’ (1.5oz Faber rum, .75oz fresh lime juice, .75oz watermelon syrup, shaken and served into a coupe)
Beer: $5 Yuengling Draft
Tuna Bar
205 Race Streettunabar.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: $4 shishito peppers
Cocktail: $5 lychee martini, $5 gin & tonic
Beer: Kirin
The Victoria Freehouse
10 S. Front Streetvictoriafreehouse.com
Old City Eats Menu:
Small Plate: Bacon-wrapped dates, Welsh rarebit, curried cheese chips, deviled eggs, scotch egg, sausage roll
Cocktail: Faber Gin & Tonics
Beer: $5 draughts
