Ice Cave owner Po Chang and dessert chef Jessica Wang in 2016 (Photo by Rana Fayez)

UPDATE (3/11/2023): Ice Cave has reopened under new ownership. More details are coming soon.

(2/16/2023): The local favorite, Ice Cave dessert shop, is closing after more than six years of operation.

The family-owned business opened its first shop serving Taiwanese shaved ice treats in 2016 at 4507 Baltimore Ave., and then moved across the street to 4520 Baltimore in 2020. Ice Cave received a lot of support from the community during the move and was able to survive through the COVID pandemic.

The reason for the shop closing is personal. The owners, Po Chang and Jessica Wang, are moving away from Philadelphia and want to spend more time together as a family, which has been very difficult while running the business. Here’s a part of the message posted on Ice Cave’s Facebook page by Chang: Continue Reading

A new Ethiopian-owned business is opening soon on Baltimore Avenue, a block away from popular Alif Brew & Mini Mart (and run by the same folks). An Ethiopian chicken house, Doro Bet, is coming to 4533 Baltimore Ave., the space formerly occupied by Greenstreet Coffee. The space has been vacant since March 2022 after Greenstreet had to shut down operations due to a fire.

A grand opening has been scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. (free chicken bites will be offered to first 50 guests).

According to social media posts, the new chicken house will offer gluten-free fried chicken. Teff flour will be used for the coating (teff is ancient gluten-free grain that originated in North Africa). Chicken is battered in your choice of mild lemon turmeric batter (Alicha) or spicy Berbere batter (Awaze) and will come with “some delicious sauces.” Shawarma and sides, like collard greens, fries and mac and cheese, will also be offered.

Doro Bet will also have some vegan options, like fried mushroom strips and a falafel sandwich.

The hours of operation are: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays).

More information and the menu are available here.

The building at 4533 Baltimore Ave. after fire.

Greenstreet Coffee shut down its West Philly location permanently after a fire last month, according to co-founder Chris Molieri. The fire broke out in the two-story building at 4533 Baltimore Ave., where the coffee shop was located, on February 16th. They had to vacate the space, which the business was renting, due to the extent of fire, smoke and water damage. No one was injured in the fire, according to Molieri.

Greenstreet Coffee, a local Philadelphia business, opened its location at 46th and Baltimore less than a year ago. The roastery is located in the Point Breeze neighborhood.

5050 Baltimore Ave. (Hyacinth Montessori Instagram)

A new Montessori school serving grades 1-6 will open on the 5000 block of Baltimore Avenue next fall.

Hyacinth Montessori, a “micro school,” is accepting applications now for the 2022-2023 school year. The school is starting with a small class of about 10 students, but founders Madeleine Nutting and Carmen Montopoli hope to grow the tuition-based school to a full enrollment of 25 students.

The Montessori approach includes guided hands-on, self-directed activities and collaborative play.

“Each child progresses through standards-aligned learning at their own pace,” Montopoli, a trained Montessori teacher with several years experience leading classrooms, wrote in an email. “Elementary students thrive when supported to create a learning community in which each child is valued for their own interests and contributions.” Continue Reading

Rehearsing Philadelphia, a citywide art-based public project created by composer and artist Ari Benjamin Meyers and produced by Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design and the Curtis Institute of Music, is calling on folks who have fond memories of Baltimore Avenue.

You can share your stories, anywhere from The Woodlands to 50th street, by leaving a voice recording at (267) 202-5157 or share your thoughts here. With the public’s help, Rehearsing Philadelphia will pick locations for 15 public rehearsals as part of the project’s Duet module. Your recording may also appear on “Rehearsing Radio.”

Rehearsing Philadelphia explores how we can come together as a city through musical rehearsal. It focuses on rehearsing as a way to attain perfection, which is then repeated in performance. The rehearsals will take place from March 25 to April 10. For more information, visit: www.rehearsingphiladelphia.com.

A new coffee shop, Greenstreet Coffee, is opening on Saturday, May 22 at 4533 Baltimore Ave., the location formerly occupied by Renata’s Kitchen.

The shop will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and invites everyone to check out their menu of “espresso drinks, drip coffee from Congo, cold brew, Metropolitan Bakery pastries, Kismet Bagels, High Fidelity Gluten and Vegan quiche and cookies and Okie Dokie donuts,” according to co-founder Chris Molieri.

Greenstreet Coffee is a Philadelphia-based small batch coffee roastery located in Point Breeze. The company also has another coffee shop in Center City. Continue Reading