Cafe Renata owners, Yasser Aiq and Kate Steenstra, at the cafe (archive photo, West Philly Local).

As many of you know, an overnight fire destroyed Café Renata at 43rd and Locust and injured a neighbor last Thursday. Café Renata co-owners, Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq, are safe, but heartbroken over the fire and are still assessing the damage. A lot of support has poured in to them from the community members, which Katie and Yasser are very grateful for.

“Our neighbors and friends have been so supportive of us during all of this and we are so grateful for their encouragement and hugs. We are lucky to be part of such a loving community,” Katie wrote in an email.

While it is still unknown when the popular Spruce Hill coffee and brunch shop will reopen here’s some encouraging news from Katie:

“After taking a few days of reflection Yasser and I would like to tell our friends and customers that we are so encouraged by their support and love the past few days. Without them, Renata would never have been the vibrant café it was. We are looking forward to your continued support during our rebuilding efforts. We will be back!”

If you would like to support Katie and Yasser, visit Cafe Renata’s Facebook page and leave a message. We’re also sharing information about a fundraiser for Café Renata this Thursday, March 19, at The Bar(n) (49th and Catharine) in Cedar Park. The Barn and Wyndridge Farms are teaming up for the Café Renata Tap Takeover Fundraiser where Wyndridge Farms brew will be hooked up to all four of The Barn’s taps. Admission fee is $10 at the door, but guests will get their first brew for free. All drafts will be $3. All of the door and draft proceeds will go to the owners of Café Renata. The event will take place from 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. Check The Barn’s Facebook page for updates.

Fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies are just a couple of months away! Local summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs will resume in May and already started accepting applications. CSAs usually work as a seasonal subscription programs where subscribers purchase a share of the produce grown on a local farm.

Urban and rural farms, food entrepreneurs and restaurants are participating in this summer’s CSA programs by supplying locally grown or prepared items, including produce, dairy, meat, honey, baked goods, coffee, beer, and more! Here’s a list of assorted CSA programs, which offer share pick-up location in West Philadelphia. Please note that Greensgrow Farms is currently offering early bird CSA sign-up discounts.  Continue Reading

Here is an awesome opportunity for local food entrepreneurs to get financial and technical support for their growing businesses. The Enterprise Center is awarding selected businesses up to $50,000, including 15 hours (valued at $450) of kitchen time at the Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises (48th and Spruce). Applications are currently being accepted for the Cooking Up Success! culinary competition in the following categories: Innovative Food Creation, Emerging Food Business, and Innovative Collaboration. Applicants’ businesses must be located in Philadelphia and Emerging Food Businesses must be within 0-6 months of operation in order to be considered for the award.

The Innovative Food Creation category is for entrepreneurs who have an innovative food product to be sold wholesale or in the form of a catering business. Applicants can select one of six sub-categories when they submit their business summary entry.

The Emerging Food Business category is for new or established brick-and-mortar businesses, including coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, and food trucks.

Finally, two or more entrepreneurs working together on a collaborative food product or business are welcome to submit their application in the Innovative Collaboration category.

All applicants must submit their business plan online by March 11, 2015.

Local culinary experts and professionals will select top finalists in each category, based on entrepreneurs’ business sustainability and product quality. Friends, family and associates then will vote on these finalists as they show off their dishes or products at the Cooking up Success! Philly Made event at the Culinary Center on May 19, 2015.

For more information and to submit your application, go here.

Photo courtesy of William Street Common.

Anyone who has worked in the restaurant industry knows how unpredictable earning a living can be, especially with varying beliefs about tipping. Bottom line: for a server or a bartender, income can be completely arbitrary according to how customers are feeling at any given moment.

Restaurateur Avram Hornick wants to take the guesswork out of the tipping process with his new venture at 39th and Chestnut, William Street Common, which opened last week. He expects it to attract a crowd different from his other spots in the area, such as Morgan’s Pier.

“First, the whole purpose is social conversation,” said Hornick. “West Philly; what’s interesting about it is its diversity. I wouldn’t call it a melting pot, more like a jambalaya. The parts are separate. I would like to make the mixing of these parts possible here.”

William Street Common features long communal tables, beer garden style.  Continue Reading

Click on the images below to view breakfast and lunch menus served at local public schools for the rest of the month. If your school uses a Satellite menu, click here.

K-8 Breakfast and Lunch Menu, Feb. 2015

9-12 Breakfast and Lunch Menu, Feb. 2015

UPDATE: VIX Emporium, 5009 Baltimore Ave, is also selling Girl Scout cookies until they run out. Open Tues-Fri 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

If you are looking for Girl Scout cookies in the neighborhood we saw a sign this week that they were being sold at the barbershop on S. 45th Street between Walnut and Sansom. There was a Girl Scout cookie table this afternoon at the corner of 45th and Walnut. There was also a table at the Fresh Grocer on S. 40th Street. And here’s more information on Girl Scout cookie table locations and dates in February and March in other parts of West Philly:

ShopRite of Haverford Ave., 6700 Haverford Ave.

Sat. Feb 7th: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Troop 9613
Sat. Feb 14th: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Troop 96
Sat. Feb 21st: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Troop 979

Pathmark, 4160 Monument Rd.

Sun. Feb 8th: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm – Troop 935

ShopRite of Parkside, 1575 N. 52nd St. & Lowe’s, 1500 N. 50th St.

Sat. Feb 7th: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm – Troop 9263 – Lowe’s from 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Sun. Feb 8th: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm – Troop 9689
Wed. Feb 11th: 12:00 noon – 7:00 pm – Troop 9957
Thurs. Feb 12th: 12:00 noon – 7:00 pm – Troop 91
Fri. Feb 13th: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Troop 9609/5:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Troop 9263
Sat. Feb 14th: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Troop 954
Sun. Feb 15th: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm – Troop 9957
Sat. Feb 21st: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm – Troop 97251 – Lowe’s from 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Sat. Feb 28th: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm – Troop 9997
Sun. Mar 1st: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm – Troop 9986