Where To Eat This Weekend: Holiday Edition

Bok Bar/Official

With Memorial Day weekend here, summer has (un)officially begun. And while sure, a whole bunch of you will be heading for the Shore or points more distant this long weekend, the rest of us will still be right here in Philly looking for something to fill the long hours before Tuesday morning comes.

So where should you eat and drink this weekend? There are plenty of excellent options. And we’ll begin with one of the best and most anticipated openings of the season…

• Yeah, that’s right. Bok Bar is re-opening for the season. As a matter of fact, it’s already open, having switched the lights back on last night for their first service of the summer. And this time around, they’ve got a menu that perfect for nighttime snacking, full of scallion pancakes, rice bowls and dumplings courtesy of Hayden Mink’s Humble Dumplings. So between the view, the dumplings and a whole bunch of one-off food events and pop-ups coming from the likes of Joncarl Lachman, Lee Styer and Josh Lawler, it look like this is shaping up to be a pretty good summer in South Philly.

• Looking for yet another new brunch spot this weekend? Well how about checking out Jose Garces’s 24, which just rolled out a brunch service full of bagels, waffles and pizza (of course). The big bar there will surely be a draw once things get rolling, and according to our sources, Garces himself is very fond of the smoked salmon.

• It’s really kinda like summer now, right? And summer means seafood. Particularly soft shell crabs. So if you’re like us an believe that the finest way to eat soft shells is in sandwich form, we’ve got a list of all the best soft shell crab sandwiches in town. You’re welcome.

• What better place to celebrate the summer than at a tiki bar? The good news is, Philly just got a new one. Starting tonight, the Upstairs Bar at The Franklin is now officially a tiki destination with rum-heavy cocktails, lots of palm fronds and surf rock on the hi-fi. So if a Trader Vic’s-style Fogcutter sounds like just the thing this weekend, now you know where to go.

• And hey, you know where you should go before hitting the Upstairs Bar? Goldie–Cook and Solo’s falafel-and-milkshake operation above Rooster Soup Co. Because what’s more summery than french fries and a milkshake for lunch? And what’s more Philly than when the fries are dusted with za’atar and the shakes are made with tehina? Trust me: those shakes are going to be a big part of your summer if you live or work in Center City. So you might as well get used to standing in Goldie’s line right now.

• Finally, here’s a little something for those of you looking beyond the long weekend. We all know that Little Pete’s is closing. But for those of you out there who need a little closure, the iconic 24-hour diner is throwing a farewell party. Inside. In the middle of the day. From 11am-3pm on Tuesday, May 30th, there’ll be Greek food, live music, and a gathering of old friends and fans for one last hurrah. And when it’s done, the lights at Little Pete’s will finally go dark.