The tea, coffee and light fare spot Unitea (265 S. 44th St.), stayed in business for just under a year, closing in late March. It opened with pretty solid reviews, particularly of its tea selection. It had a pretty good location nearby Tampopo and Local 44.

That section of 44th will likely get another foot traffic boost when (Honest) Tom McCusker opens his taco shop in August next door at 261 S. 44th (By the way, we heard what definitely sounded like construction noise coming from that little building today, so that project is underway).

Unitea’s windows are now papered over, which we hope means a new tenant is in the works. Their closing got us thinking … Has that part of West Philly hit its capacity for cafes/coffee shops? Within a few blocks you have Green Line, Cafe Clave and Earth Cup. What would you like to see in that spot on 44th? Just curious.

There are only six days left to help Mariposa‘s online fundraising campaign that will help it into a new home.

The popular local food co-op still needs about $5,000 to reach their goal of $10,000 collected from community members and supporters at the fundraising website Indiegogo.com. The money will go to cover the costs associated with the purchase and renovation of their new space at 4824 Baltimore Ave.

Even individual donations of $5 or $10 may help the co-op reach their goal. To donate, visit this page.

Check out the video about Mariposa’s fundraising campaign.

Mariposa Food Co-op Fundraiser from mariposa coop on Vimeo.

The Marathon Grill (200 South 40th St.) and its lounge MarBar closed their doors yesterday, May 23, after nearly seven years of operation due to declining business, according to a report today in the Penn student newspaper The Daily Pennsylvanian.

The paper quotes Penn’s Executive Director of Real Estate Ed Datz:

“When they [Marathon Grill] came to this location, they brought a renewed vitality to the 40th Street corridor, improving the economy, the activity, and safety of the area in conjunction with other neighborhood development in West Philadelphia.”

The restaurant and bar opened in 2004, replacing a Burger King on the southwest corner of 40th and Walnut. The establishment’s five other locations around the city will remain open, the paper reported. A new tenant for the space, which Penn owns, has not been named.

If you’re “a cup of coffee and a bagel” person the Mood Cafe, which opened last week at 4618 Baltimore Ave., may not be the ideal place for you. It specializes in the lassi, a delicious yogurt and fruit drink originally from India and Pakistan, but gaining popularity worldwide. Indeed, there are 14 kinds of lassi ($2.99), ranging from a more popular mango lassi to a more traditional salted lassi, a drink flavored with South Asian spice. What’s more, you can mix and match the flavors to your taste.

The cafe is the third West Philly venture for owner Hasan Bukhari. His other two ventures, Desi Village (4527 Baltimore Ave.) and Desi Chaat House (501 S. 42nd), have gained huge popularity in the neighborhood. All three have that distinctive saffron paint job. At the Mood, event the tree boxes are painted saffron.

Speaking of chaat, Mood Cafe also offers a good variety of this traditional East Indian and Pakistani street food. Bukhari said he’s ready to teach people about this dish and would be glad to let you have a taste until you find something you love.

Freshly-squeezed juices, ice-cream, milkshakes, and shaved ice, all natural, are also on offer. As Bukhari pointed out, “the focus is on healthy stuff.”

Finally, if you still want a cup of coffee, it’s not a problem. Although it’s not on the menu, Bukhari will make one for you, be it a latte or a cappuccino. No doubt coffee will become a staple when the weather turns cold again.

Mood Cafe hours: Mon-Sun 12:00 p.m. – 10 p.m.

The Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative’s Youth Development Program is hosting its annual “Eats and Beats” event this Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Woodland Presbyterian Church (401 S. 42nd).

The event helps support the youth-led Rooted in Community Conference and some of this year’s proceeds go toward the expansion of the Mariposa Food Co-op. Rooted in Community, a national organization dedicated to empowering youth to take the lead in their communities to address food justice issues, is holding their conference in Philadelphia on July 27-31.

Tickets are available on a sliding scale for $15-$50 and are available online here.

Here is a late reminder about the food justice movie night tonight at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.). Food Stamped, a film about a couple trying to make healthy meals on $4 a day, the typical food stamp allotment, screens at 6:30 p.m.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served. The entire event is free and a discussion will follow the movie.

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships and the Urban Nutrition Initiative are co-hosting the event, which is one in a monthly screening of films related to food justice issues.