On his perfect Philly day, Joe Beddia is still .... making pizza? Yeah, duh. The Lancaster-raised pizza master also goes to a diner for a Bloody Mary, shops for art, and somehow manages to walk, like, 10 miles? 🖊️ for @inquirer.com

at this new west philly coffee shop, it’s BYOB — as in “bring your own bagel.” the team behind cleo bagels opened a coffee shop next door and there’s espresso, bagel-inspired cookies, jewish apple cake muffins, and homemade coffee mugs. 🎁 link: share.inquirer.com/g8ta8j

Did police go overboard while inspecting Marsha's, Philly's only women's sports bar? Videos of police — some masked — flooding Marsha's went viral on social media after the owner said the inspection stemmed from an unfounded anonymous tip about underaged drinking. Police have a different story.

Will the real Philly Wine School please stand up? The question has two Philly wine educators duking it out in federal court alongside allegations of cyberbullying, unfair competition, and in one instance, even lying about a masters degree. my latest for @inquirer.com with @abgutman.bsky.social

Pour one out for the Old City location of coffee shop Almost Home General, which closed this week after under two years in business. The nail in the coffin, according to management: A failed health inspection that went viral. (Not to mention their now-dissolved partnership with Glu Hospitality.)

A battle of the beer festivals is coming to a head: Philly Bierfest is asking Philly Beer Fest to back off after its creators scheduled their event for the same day Beer Fest's NYC organizers say it's a coincidence, but emails obtained by @inquirer.com reveal tensions have been brewing since 2024.

A new kava and kratom lounge in Old City wants to demystify the controversial substances with mocktails. I tried Old City Kava Co., which spikes lattes and N/A bevs with botanic kava and kratom. Its owners say its nothing like the synthetic gas station variety. 🎁 link: share.inquirer.com/1bjAD5

🚨 new sexy philly burger alert 🚨 NYC's viral Dominican smashburger chain El Sazón R.D is officially open in Northern Liberties, where they are topping their patties with perfectly golden queso frito. 🎁 link from @inquirer.com: share.inquirer.com/tIvtMQ

I present to you: Friday Saturday Sunday (Lego edition). Lovers Bar regular Gene Gualtieri loves the Michelin-starred restaurant so much that his son Leo designed a Lego replica for him. It took 3,233 legos, $1,500, and a lot of finger calluses. 🎁 for the full story: share.inquirer.com/PL7Uwg

NEW: Lou Capozzoli, the owner of beloved South Philly dive Ray's Happy Birthday Bar, has died at 86. Lou was a "showman's showman," friends said, with an infectious personality that made for illustrious career in entertainment. Owning Ray's, they said, was the cherry on top. 🎁 from @inquirer.com

The streets are telling me that you haven't made your Valentine's Day resy yet ... which is why the team @inquirer.com put together this map of sneakily romantic restaurants in Philly + burbs. And yes, some of them still have tables available. Full list ⬇️

Philly's dive bars are a dying breed, but they're also the last bastions of a rare type of a community feel, where you can come as you are, make a friend, and get a cheap beer. @inquirer.com mapped Philly's best dives, according to our readers (and bar regulars!). 🎁 link:

Earlier this month, the internet discovered a Philly gem: The bushes outside of Southwest Philly strip club Sin City that look like — well — two bears having sex. For @inquirer.com: I wrote the official history of the Sin City bears, which cost $18K and were designed by an ex-Disney employee.

Last month, I kept seeing posts in the 95K-member strong r/philly subreddit about a new Taco Bell in University City. It was the kind of word-of-mouth marketing every restaurant dreams of. I wanted to know: Is this Taco Bell actually worth all the excitement? The answer: Not by a long shot.

Reservation scalping has made it to Philly — and some restaurant owners say they feel "powerless" to stopping them. I found tables for sale at Pine Street Grill, Kalaya, and Barclay Prime on Appointment Trader, where some were selling for $200+. 🎁 link courtesy @phillyinqfood.bsky.social

Crust Vegan Bakery has officially moved to East Falls after 5 years on Main Street in Manayunk. The larger space means there's (finally) coffee and tea, plus more space for fan favorites: pop-tart dupes, vegan soft serve, and dairy-free cheesecake. share.inquirer.com/A2YHZD

big news for the gluten free in philly: acclaimed GF bakery flakely is moving from its manayunk takeout window to a full-fledged storefront in bryn mawr. opening is set for feb. 2026. for more details on how to get your hands on fresh gluten-free croissants ⬇️

south philly has a new shoppy shop — and at this one, you can customize a hat with with patches on the spot. welcome inside east passyunk ave.'s red gravy goods, where you can also find unofficial eagles merch and pasta-shaped candles. 🎁 link from @inquirer.com: share.inquirer.com/3yrnZ8

All of Philly's Michelin-starred restaurants get their caviar from one guy: A dude named Gary, an ex-night club owner who delivers thousands of dollars of fish eggs like the milkman. “It’s about the way you make them feel," he said. "Chefs like when you hold their hand." 🖊️ for @inquirer.com

The Emo Christmas bar beneath the Divine Lorraine put me off all other holiday bars, perhaps for good. Why? It strips away the whimsy and up-charges for something nefarious: A holiday bar that preys on nostalgia with thoughtless (misspelled) decor, watered down drinks, and a skinny Santa.

Full details for @phillyinqfood.bsky.social:

NEW: The largest U.S. location of Vietnamese coffee giant Trung Nguyên is in South Philly. The 5K sq ft. franchise spans 2 floors and a roof deck, and is open until 8:30 p.m. daily. Lots of space to WFH, and the DIY coffee services have first date activity potential.

Philly: What's your favorite dive bar in the city, and why? For @inquirer.com: I'm helping map the city's most special dive bars, as told in the words of some of their most dedicated customers (aka you — hopefully!). to nominate a dive: fill out this form ⬇️ or reply below!

🚨EXCLUSIVE for @inquirer.com: The NLRB is pursuing charges against Stephen Starr over union-busting allegations at his D.C steakhouse St. Anselm. The charges allege Starr interrogated an employee about their union involvement and promised improved benefits in exchange for votes against the union.

the holiday bars are hitting philly — and this year’s include a decked out mini golf course, throwback movies inside a casino, and a swanky hotel lobby bar from high street. i rounded up all the ones worth going to for @inquirer.com:

Want to set up some tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside of your restaurant in Philly? It could take years, an architect, and a lot of $$$. New legislation proposed in City Council could remove one step from the already messy process and add significantly more space primed for outdoor dining.

tired: letting philly mag call declare your business "philly's most disappointing new restaurant." wired: rebranding as an all-day diner, lowering your prices, serving pancakes 'til 9 p.m. welcome to the new percy, for @phillyinqfood.bsky.social

🚨 the la colombe cafes in philly have wifi now🚨 all locations except for the OG one in rittenhouse have internet, and it will NOT be turned off on weekends. big win for the WFH and little treat crowd. full deets for @phillyinqfood.bsky.social here: share.inquirer.com/TTchDx

Happy Halloween — and the end of pumpking season at the Philadelphia Zoo! For @inquirer.com: I went behind the scenes of the zoo's iconic hippo and tortoise feedings, which involve organic restaurant-grade gourds from Riverwards Produce, naturally. 🎁 link:

Tanghulu has hit the Philly area thanks to the Chums, a cat-themed yogurt shop (!!!) in Ardmore that sells the TikTok-famous Chinese street snacks for $5 a pop. I tried Chums for @phillyinqfood.bsky.social, which also sells "dry yogurt" (yes, another trend) and excellent smoothies. 🎁 link:

Will the real pub burger please stand up? I looked into r/philly's burgergate, where a flyer claiming Two Robbers was responsible for the nastiest burger known to man went viral. Turns out, it was a ketchup-coated smear campaign. 🎁 link: share.inquirer.com/waTpMD

philly's first ever vampire beauty pageant was held at a heavy metal bar, naturally. for @inquirer.com: meet Miss American Vampire, the only pageant to combine bloodsucking with the competitive spirit of Miss USA. 🎁 link: share.inquirer.com/xL01lY

For @inquirer.com: I chatted with Yun Fuentes — the chef behind Philly’s James Beard nominated Puerto Rican restaurant Bolo — about how he would spend a perfect day off in the city. It involves lining up for Amy’s Pastellilos, buying comic books, and grocery shopping. share.inquirer.com/kfKQuP

Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents. I did it because the government isn’t. This is what I found.

Naturally, America's only true clown bar is in Philly. For @inquirer.com: I toured the Neon Clown Dream Lounge in Kensington, where 120 clowns mingle with vintage decor salvaged from abandoned churches, amusement parks, and airport lounges. And before you ask, yes, they have clown regulars!

It's back: @inquirer.com's list of Philly's 76 most essential restaurants is here and more intentional than ever I selected 4 Latin American restaurants for the list, eating across the diaspora and my bodyweight in plantains. Talk about an honor 🎁 link to the full list: share.inquirer.com/w5I4JX

does your philly pup deserve a little (or big) treat? for @phillyinqfood.bsky.social: i wrote about the world of philly's best pet bakers, who can turn a mix of pumpkin, peanut butter, and flour into multi-tiered birthday cakes and cupcakes for dogs that look just like the real thing.

in august, i asked @inquirer.com to tell me about their happy places in philly, and they sent me 200+ to comb through. the result: my (unofficial) map of the happiest places, from secret bird sanctuaries and citizens bank park to dive bars, the wissahickon, and a whispering bench.

are we doing ~ personal news ~ on bluesky now?? because i am so delighted to share that i am officially a food writer for @inquirer.com! i'll be covering a mix of food trends, nightlife, and labor issues. are you a chef, bartender, or FOH staff with an idea? DM or email bforman[at]inquirer[dot]com

Is Erewhon coming to Philly? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ For @phillyinqfood.bsky.social: I broke down how the viral bougie grocery chain from LA bait-and-switched us all with a single Instagram post. www.inquirer.com/food/erewhon...

Philly’s most anticipated new shop has 3 rules: no slicing. no sandwiches. and, most importantly, no singles. For @inquirer.com: I tried to understand the hype around viral chain PopUp Bagels, which plans to open 8 shops in the Philly area. Its first will be in Ardmore.

Midtown Village’s fall fest will not happen this year as organizers struggle to manage the cost of required city services like police. The festival dates back to 2004: It seems like we’re always in debt … It’s not a good idea to throw a party when you still owe for last year’s party.”

Before Mimmy was a TikTok sensation, she was Gov. Josh Shapiro’s favorite teacher. For @inquirer.com: I wrote about Judith “Mimmy” Kalickman Bernstein, a diva whose tenacity and devotion to her family community knew no bounds. The TikTok fame was just a cherry on top.

what does it take to win a performative male contest? multiple labubu keychains, tampons, and having a passing knowledge of what an OB-GYN does. i wrote about upenn’s performative male contest for @inquirer.com. (🎁 link.)

Would you try O’Jung’s Dirty Spicy Caesar martini? Inquirer reporter @beaforman.bsky.social did so you don’t have to (…but you should). 🔗 www.inquirer.com/food/bars/oj...

Would you try Philly’s first Caesar salad martini? Meet the Dirty Spicy Caesar ‘tini from O’Jung’s in South Philly, made with vodka, vermouth, olive juice, and a half shot each of Caesar dressing and buffalo sauce. And yes, that’s parm on top. for my full review ➡️ share.inquirer.com/ueutZt

I chatted with @centercityphila.org CEO Prema Katari Gupta about how she spends a perfect Sept. Sunday in Philly. It obviously includes hitting up Open Streets, but also strolling the Barnes with her daughter and a family dinner at Amma’s. ✍️ for @inquirer.com share.inquirer.com/nVhknR

The organizers of Philly's largest street festivals say the rising cost of police security has overtaken their budgets — and could force them to cancel. "We’re limping along," said Gwen McCauley, who received a $24K bill from police for the 2024 Manayunk Arts Fest, over 23% of the event's budget.

"Jenny Han made [Belly] from Philly because it’s the City of Brotherly Love." In honor of last night's wild TSITP episode, I asked local fans for @inquirer.com two very important questions: Belly Conklin is supposed to be from the Philly suburbs, but where? And do we claim her?

For some athleisure-wearing Philly girlies, a perfect day starts with a sculpt class at Together. Classes at the Old City fitness studio are $$, but sell out in seconds. How does Together's co-founder spend a perfect day? With a workout, Franklin Fountain, and a "fridge cig." 🖊️ for @inquirer.com