Last month, I explored a new area of the city with an event fit for any Philly foodie! Flavors of the Avenue is an annual food festival that takes place on East Passyunk Avenue, a young & thriving Philly neighborhood filled with awesome restaurants & shops. “Flavors” coincides with the Crafty Balboa craft show, so the day is a great glimpse into the what the neighborhood is all about.
When purchasing your tickets, there are two options available. The VIP tickets get you in an hour before everyone else and offer you special drinks. The general tickets allow three hours inside the tent, complete with complimentary beer & wine. There is valet parking available right outside. My family & I arrived about 20 minutes early and decided to take a quick walk around the area . . . however when we returned, the line to enter the event was wrapped around the block! But don’t stress, it moves very quickly.
Inside the tent, booths from East Passyunk Avenue’s best restaurants line the perimeter, each with a different offering for you to try. You are free to mingle around and start the taste tests! I did not get to sample everything due to time, some longer waits, and the size of my stomach, but I sure did get to try a lot!
Eggplant rollatini & pasta bolognese from Chiarella’s Ristorante (1600 South 11th Street)
Ippolito’s Seafood‘s (1300 Dickinson Street) version of a (tuna) cheesesteak!
It was definitely one of my favorites of the day. 🙂
Mussels from South Philly Bar & Grill (1235 East Passyunk Avenue)
FUEL‘s (1917 East Passyunk Avenue) T.B.M. stacker & juice
Crunchy toastada from El Zarape (1648 East Passyunk Avenue)
Ms. Goody Cupcake‘s (1838 E Passyunk Avenue) unique cupcake bites!
Fettuccine with chicken and pesto bruschetta from Mamma Maria‘s (1637 East Passyunk Avenue)
Mamma herself!
Yummy pizza from Marra’s Cucina Italiana (1734 East Passyunk Avenue)
The pizza was definitely my sister’s favorite!
Sophia’s (1623 East Passyunk Avenue) cute little meatball!
Pulled pork from Plenty (1710 East Passyunk Avenue)
Noir‘s (1909 East Passyunk Avenue) watermelon & feta salad and rice ball.
I took advantage of “last call” 🙂
Overall, Flavors of the Avenue was really fantastic. While there were some lines inside the tent, the wait for grub was nothing like food festivals I’ve been at in the past. All of the vendors were friendly, and it was not too overcrowded. The price of a general ticket was well worth all of the food & drink over the three hours.
I had a great time spending the day with my family & I think we will definitely be back next year! (Side note: can’t wait that long & need some of these treats in your life now? Get to know East Passyunk Avenue all year-round – you won’t be disappointed!)
So now that my food post made you drool, which of these dishes would you most like to try? xx
