Palizzi Social Club Is Popping Up All Summer at a Secret Outdoor Location
It's still only for members, but even they won't be able to tell you the new location.
Photo by Sara Steinbock
Starting this Friday, July 24th, Palizzi Social Club will return in a new form. Palizzi at the Garden, Joey Baldino’s coronavirus-approved new version of the social club, will kick off this July 31st at an undisclosed Center City outdoor garden. Baldino says the mystery is intended to keep everyone safe. Once you’ve made a reservation, a member of staff will call you to give you the exact location, which you’ll be asked not to disclose.
“We’re doing it this way so that there are no lines,” he said. “I want to be respectful to the owners who are letting us use the space, and with social distancing, it’s just the best way to do it.”
Reservations will be released every two weeks (the first reservations will drop July 24th, watch Instagram for the link) and they’ll be quite limited — Palizzi At the Garden will be open only Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. There are only six tables at the space, and they’ll only do two seatings per night — Baldino says they’ll be open from 5 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m. While the reservations will be available on Resy, you absolutely must have a membership card to be seated. Anyone who does not have a membership will be asked to leave. Guests who purchased memberships at the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown can call ahead and pick up their membership cards at the garden location.
The menu will be $55 per person, not including tip, alcohol or dessert, with the same dishes as the club has always had, served family-style. The prix-fixe structure will allow them to keep things more streamlined in the new space and with the limited number of tables. The bar menu will be slightly smaller than normal, but will still include all the classics.
All the house rules still apply, and it’s still cash-only. There will be a mandolin player each night, to add to the scene. Despite the challenges, Baldino says he’s excited to return to work. “I think we can make a magical little place,” he said.
