Wiccaco, Moyamensing, Passyunk, New Sweden, Southwark, Bella Vista, Queen Village; how the names of this place has changed over the years, and I always thought it was just South Philly. Pat's and Geno's Steaks were always in South Philly. So is the Italian Market. So is the South Philly Tap Room, right? But the Steaks are in Passyunk... I think... The market, whose official name is the South 9th Street Curb Market, and where Rocky loped along feinting and bobbing in the movie, is in a neighborhood called Bella Vista. And, the South Philly Tap Room is in Newbold, which really is in a section of town called Point Breeze, but the owner of this fantastic bar pushed to change the name of his little slice of paradise on Mifflin Street. Don't ask where you'd be able to find Chickie's and Pete's.
Indeed. Wherever you go...there you are....
Until the 1854 Act of Consolidation that dissolved all the little townships and boroughs and various unincorporated communities in the county of Philadelphia and brought them under one entity as the city of Philadelphia the city's boundaries were Vine Street and South Street. This act helped combat lawlessness in the area as someone used to be able to commit a crime in Philadelphia and quickly cross the border to avoid arrest. The area beyond South Street and Center City Philadelphia was a suburb of this bastion of Brotherly Love. It was called Wiccaco by the indigenous Lenni Lenape Indians, or "Pleasant Place". As the population of Philadelphia grew new inhabitants tended to stay along the Delaware River instead of going west as was the urban planning that William Penn intended. Settled by the Quakers, which forbade theaters and other nightlife within the city's borders, Wiccaco became a natural location for all such devilish trade. When the Swedes came over and colonized the area it was called "New Sweden". When the British pushed out the Swedes they named it "Southwark", after a section of Old Londontown. Another area, Moyamensing, the Lenni Lenape word for "pigeon droppings" was the site of a debtors prison. The entire city of Philadelphia is sectioned into several neighborhoods large and small, with colorful names and boundaries that sometimes overlap and none of them officially recognized by the city. Sections of Philadelphia like Northern Liberties and Kensington and Fishtown to name just a few all possess their own rich history and peculiarities and attractions, but it is South Philly that brought team VFH to town one day recently.
Of course, any discussion by this lowly reporter and relative outsider about South Philly and the menage of the neighborhoods there will inspire others to correct him, so suffice it to say this part of town is a rich, cultural area, its population swelled by waves of immigrants over the
centuries. It is the home of Pat's and Geno's, two of the more famous cheese steak joints in town, all of the Philadelphia sport franchises and it is the home of the Mummers...don't ask about this one... But, this once gritty area has been undergoing a revitalization of sorts as younger people move into the area. Coffee shops, restaurants and bars have made South Philadelphia ... or wherever the hell part of town you happen to find yourself in ... a vibrant destination.
Readers of this blog know that a favored bar down here is the South Philly Tap Room. The menu and the beer list is worth the effort of looking for a parking spot. A recent peek at their beer list shows an array of brews from across the U.S., Belgium and Germany. Standard fare for SPTR are wild boar tacos and perhaps the best grass-fed beef cheeseburger that ever graced Team VFH's gullet. But we were off to a new place this one recent visit to South Philadelphia.
SOUTH PHILLY TAP ROOM
Overlook the tattoos and ear gauges and odd hair-dos when you enter the Pub on Passyunk East, or POPE for short. It is a gritty but decent neighborhood bar. The beer list is impressive. Go to the website to download their list. Online reviews are mixed about the food, but sidle up to the bar with a couple of old guys and some hipsters and allow the menacing looking but pleasant bartender to patiently await your selection of beer.There are 14 taps and nearly 80 bottles; almost too many!! Philadelphia is a great town for beer and the POPE can be a welcome pilgrimage.
Team VFH recently trekked along the streets of whatever part of South Philadelphia we were in with Janet's daughter and honorary Team VFH member and dumpster diving aficionado, Charlotte. We helped her move into the area that day. Our reward for our labors was a visit to the POPE. We didn't mind walking in the rain as we marveled at all the restaurants and nightclubs and little shops, making mental notes to revisit the area. Charlotte was very happy to show us a slice of the world she was moving into and said the POPE was one of her favorite destinations. We were happy for the inside information; we might never have ventured into the POPE without her recommendation. The area seemed vibrant and cool and we'll have to revisit with some further updates for you. It is a great area for kids like Charlotte to live, and a nice place for old folks like us to visit.
Okay... since you might be wondering. But, I warned you....
MUMMERS
Indeed. Wherever you go...there you are....
 |
| where am I? |
Until the 1854 Act of Consolidation that dissolved all the little townships and boroughs and various unincorporated communities in the county of Philadelphia and brought them under one entity as the city of Philadelphia the city's boundaries were Vine Street and South Street. This act helped combat lawlessness in the area as someone used to be able to commit a crime in Philadelphia and quickly cross the border to avoid arrest. The area beyond South Street and Center City Philadelphia was a suburb of this bastion of Brotherly Love. It was called Wiccaco by the indigenous Lenni Lenape Indians, or "Pleasant Place". As the population of Philadelphia grew new inhabitants tended to stay along the Delaware River instead of going west as was the urban planning that William Penn intended. Settled by the Quakers, which forbade theaters and other nightlife within the city's borders, Wiccaco became a natural location for all such devilish trade. When the Swedes came over and colonized the area it was called "New Sweden". When the British pushed out the Swedes they named it "Southwark", after a section of Old Londontown. Another area, Moyamensing, the Lenni Lenape word for "pigeon droppings" was the site of a debtors prison. The entire city of Philadelphia is sectioned into several neighborhoods large and small, with colorful names and boundaries that sometimes overlap and none of them officially recognized by the city. Sections of Philadelphia like Northern Liberties and Kensington and Fishtown to name just a few all possess their own rich history and peculiarities and attractions, but it is South Philly that brought team VFH to town one day recently.
 |
| Pat's King of Steaks |
Of course, any discussion by this lowly reporter and relative outsider about South Philly and the menage of the neighborhoods there will inspire others to correct him, so suffice it to say this part of town is a rich, cultural area, its population swelled by waves of immigrants over the
centuries. It is the home of Pat's and Geno's, two of the more famous cheese steak joints in town, all of the Philadelphia sport franchises and it is the home of the Mummers...don't ask about this one... But, this once gritty area has been undergoing a revitalization of sorts as younger people move into the area. Coffee shops, restaurants and bars have made South Philadelphia ... or wherever the hell part of town you happen to find yourself in ... a vibrant destination.
 |
| South Philly Tap Room |
Readers of this blog know that a favored bar down here is the South Philly Tap Room. The menu and the beer list is worth the effort of looking for a parking spot. A recent peek at their beer list shows an array of brews from across the U.S., Belgium and Germany. Standard fare for SPTR are wild boar tacos and perhaps the best grass-fed beef cheeseburger that ever graced Team VFH's gullet. But we were off to a new place this one recent visit to South Philadelphia.
SOUTH PHILLY TAP ROOM
Overlook the tattoos and ear gauges and odd hair-dos when you enter the Pub on Passyunk East, or POPE for short. It is a gritty but decent neighborhood bar. The beer list is impressive. Go to the website to download their list. Online reviews are mixed about the food, but sidle up to the bar with a couple of old guys and some hipsters and allow the menacing looking but pleasant bartender to patiently await your selection of beer.There are 14 taps and nearly 80 bottles; almost too many!! Philadelphia is a great town for beer and the POPE can be a welcome pilgrimage.
 |
| Pub on Passyunk East |
Okay... since you might be wondering. But, I warned you....
MUMMERS
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| I feel pretty |
