Here’s some great news from the area. Three new businesses have opened over the summer in the Garden Court neighborhood, and other area businesses have recently re-opened or are reopening soon after being closed due to the pandemic.

Openings

• Throttle Gear Apparel Company store has opened at 4746 Spruce St., in the former Aladdin Pizza space, which had been vacant for years. You won’t recognize this space now since it’s been completely redesigned. The store offers streetwear designed by local entrepreneur and motorcycle enthusiast Todd Briggs. He started the company in 2012 on the basis of his love for motorcycles and relieving stress while riding them. The store hours are: Tuesday-Thursday 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. (closed on Sundays & Mondays). For more info, visit: www.thrtl.com. Continue Reading

The second Philly location for the South Philly based pizza joint, Pizza Plus, has opened on the 4800 block of Spruce Street (4814 Spruce St.). In March, its Passayunk Avenue location celebrated one year in business and also was included in the Philadelphia Magazine‘s Guide to Pizza in Philly.

Pizza Plus is a place vegans would especially appreciate since it offers a vegan option for almost all of their menu items – pizzas, burgers and sandwiches, and salads and sides.

Pizza Plus accepts orders for pick up or delivery via phone or online. Walk-ins are also welcome. The hours of operation are Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.

For more info, visit their website: pizzaplusphilly.com.

If you live in Garden Court, Cobbs Creek or Cedar Park and need a pizza fix, check out Park Pizza, a new restaurant and pizzeria at 434 S. 52nd Street across from Malcolm X. Park. Park Pizza’s co-owners are experienced restaurateur Joe Scarpa, the former owner of Allegro Pizza at 40th and Spruce, and his son Sean Dundon who worked as a restaurant manager.

They both were approached by the Spak Group, a local real estate company which has been renovating buildings on 52nd Street, to open a neighborhood pizzeria. But, it took a few years for Park Pizza to get going, according to Dundon.  Continue Reading

Photos by Kyle Cassidy

Fast-casual D.C.-based pizza &pizza opened its second Philly location Tuesday at 3925 Walnut St., where popular gelato shop Capogiro used to be. Featuring their signature oblong pizzas in one size, &pizza offers unlimited toppings for a flat price as well as several standard options, both vegetarian and otherwise. They have vegan and gluten-free options; the vegan options, like soy-cheese, don’t cost extra, but getting a pizza with the gluten-free pizza dough does.  Continue Reading

Rosa’s Fresh Pizza, the no-frills dollar-slice pizza shop, opened its second location this month on 40th between Ludlow and Market. Rosa’s is the brainchild of businessman Mason Wartman, whose claim to fame is appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about his restaurant’s wall of pay-it-forward post-it notes. Each post-it represents a slice of pizza purchased by someone to feed the city’s homeless population, and anyone who can’t afford to buy food for themselves can take a post-it off of the wall and trade it for a slice at the counter.

Rosa’s original location, in Center City near Jefferson Hospital at 11th and Ludlow, serves free slices to 50-100 customers a day. A person behind the counter at the new University City location who declined to give his name said that they had “some” people taking advantage of the free slices, but not as many as 30 or 40. “I guess people just haven’t heard yet,” he explained.  Continue Reading

El Toro Chef Richard Diaz making fresh mozzarella (Facebook photo).

You’ve heard complaints about how tough it is to get authentic Mexican food in the neighborhood. In fact, quite often neighbors will remind you that Honest Tom’s is the only Mexican restaurant around and that if you’re looking for something else, you’ll need to venture out to South Philly. Situated right across from Malcolm X Park at 52nd and Pine, El Toro Pizza and Grill wants to change that.

After living in the neighborhood for the past ten years, owner Margaret Mayer decided to bring a wider selection of food to the area with Chef Richard Diaz. “It’s right here in your backyard right now… the neighborhood is crying out for people to bring good food, so we answered their call.”

The pair’s newest restaurant menu offers Mexican staples like tacos, nachos, and quesadillas in addition to hand-tossed Neapolitan-style pizza and cheesesteaks. “Everybody likes a little bit of everything,” she explained. With 30 years in the restaurant business under her belt, Mayer feels like she’s seen everything. “I was a waitress at the Last Supper,” she joked.  Continue Reading