UPDATE (9/27/2023): Milkcrate Café is now expected to open at 45th and Baltimore on Thursday, Sept. 28. The new location will be selling new and used records as well and available for event rental.

After several months, the vacant commercial space at 45th and Baltimore, previously occupied by Vagrant Café and Milk & Honey Market before that, will have a new tenant soon. Fishtown-based Milkcrate Café has announced its opening a West Philly location “sometime” this week (the sign below was posted on Sept. 13).

Milkcrate is not only known for its coffee (from La Colombe Roasters), and simple breakfast and brunch offerings, it is also a vinyl record boutique. It has a few thousand vintage and new soul, rock and jazz vinyl records for sale. You can check their online record collection here. The store also sells new and used turntables and audio equipment. You can also buy or trade in records or Hi-Fi audio gear at Milkcrate.

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Visit UCD’s new Digital Dining Days website

To help support local restaurants in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, University City District has launched the Digital Dining Days website, an in-progress online guide to restaurants offering takeout, delivery, gift cards, and staff fundraisers in West Philadelphia. The website will be continually updated as conditions at restaurants change. If you don’t see a local favorite on the list, please email UCD at marketing@ucd.org and let them know! As of April 1st, the website includes information on around 80 local restaurants, cafes and eateries.  Continue Reading

Renata’s Kitchen owners Kate and Yasser Aiq at their new location at 40th and Baltimore.

Renata’s Kitchen is ready to welcome customers at their new location at 40th and Baltimore, in the two-story building formerly occupied by Trolley Car Station Diner. The new Renata’s Kitchen & Bar is officially opening to the public on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Restaurateurs Kate and Yasser Aiq, the masterminds behind Renata’s Kitchen on Baltimore Avenue, are bringing their brunch menu to the space, which is roughly six times larger than the current location. Customers can expect familiar items such as lemon pancakes, an eclectic selection of espresso beverages and an expanded meze (small plates) menu with fan favorites like shakshukas, a Middle Eastern stew with eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers and garlic.  Continue Reading

Renata’s Kitchen is expanding into the two-story restaurant space at 3940 Baltimore Avenue (former Trolley Car Station restaurant location).

The two-story restaurant space at 40th Street Trolley Portal Gardens, formerly occupied by the Trolley Car Station restaurant, is finally getting a new tenant. Well-known West Philly restaurateur couple, Katie and Yasser Aiq, the owners of the popular cafe and brunch spot Renata’s Kitchen on Baltimore Ave., have signed the lease for the space and expect to open this winter (“in the next month or so”), with immediate plans to serve breakfast and lunch seven days a week.

The restaurant, which offers a mixed menu of Mediterranean and American dishes, is not only expanding into a bigger, 125-seat space at 3940 Baltimore Ave., the owners are also planning to eventually launch dinner service, as well as an “inventive drink” menu when they secure the liquor license that comes with the space.  Continue Reading

After more than five years of operation, The Farmacy, the popular brunch spot at 45th and Spruce, has closed. The restaurant closed at the beginning of the month, and “For Rent” signs have been displayed in the windows since then.

The owners, local chefs Ross Scofield and Danielle Coulter, want to focus on their new restaurant in New Jersey, according to Foobooz.  Continue Reading

Here’s a sampling of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day events and happenings in West Philly and Center City. Also, a reminder that subway trains will be running all night tonight to accommodate New Year’s Eve travelers. Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve Fireworks

Philadelphia will ring in 2016 not once but twice with New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Delaware River waterfront (Penn’s Landing). The first show starts at 6 p.m., and the second one is at midnight. If you can’t make it to Penn’s Landing, check out this Visit Philly guide to the best spots to watch the fireworks and ring in the New Year.

New Year’s Eve Yoga

Studio 34 is hosting the annual New Year’s Eve Yoga and Mochi event from 8 – 10 p.m. This is a fun and inspiring all-levels yoga workshop led by Studio 34 teacher Morgan Andrews. After class, mochi (sweet chewy rice cakes) will be served. Admission for this class is sliding scale, $10-$20. Click here for more information. Also, you can try some hot yoga for free at Bikram Yoga West Philly (4145 Chestnut St), just bring a screenshot of this ad. Bikram Yoga is holding classes today until 4:30 p.m., and there will be one class on New Year’s Day, at 11 a.m. Here’s the schedule for this week.  Continue Reading