Fountain Porter’s iconic $6 burger is now its iconic $7 burger. For @inquirer.com, I asked the bar’s owner why he upped the price — and, yes, the answer is exactly what you think it is. 🎁 Full story:

🍷 A new NA Philly cocktail tastes like a spritz with notes of florals and Diet Coke. It’s also entirely bottled by hand. Made in Kensington, a batch of Cult of Trees takes 3 days to produce between distilling, carbonating, and bottling. Its analog vibe is a big hit at bars.

Roxanne — the acclaimed Philly restaurant that operated for 3 years without a license or health inspection— is reopening TONIGHT! It’s a BYOB now with lunch but no lunch hours yet 🤷🏼‍♀️, and received its first ever license to operate on June 11. 🎁 link from @inquirer.com

🎉 ICYMI: Last night was huge for Philly's food scene, which took home 2 wins at the prestigious James Beard Awards. Kalaya won Outstanding Restaurant, and Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya won Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic after 9 nominations (!!!). Full recap with NO PAYWALL, courtesy @inquirer.com

The James Beard awards are tonight, and Philly has 7 finalists — including Fiore's Justine MacNeil, a first-time nominee for Outstanding Pastry Chef. MacNeil's devotion to Italian dessert deep cuts is intense, her pastries earning a rep for being the best you can find outside of Italy.

Yes, @inquirer.com is STILL counting down the 76 most iconic Philly foods. #1 - #10 drop tomorrow, but you can catch up on the rest today, which may or may not include dollar dogs and surfsides. we keep it classy, duh. 🎁 link (no paywall!) ⬇️

🚨 BREAKING: Only 17 Philly bars were approved to stay open until 4 a.m. for the World Cup starting tomorrow, according to PLCB records. Just 65 establishment applied. More than half of those applications are still sitting in review. Story for @inquirer.com ⬇️ www.inquirer.com/food/bars/wo...

NEW from @inquirer.com: Here's your definitive guide to where to watch the World Cup in Philly, from bars open until 4 a.m. to rooftops, beer gardens, and even a bowling alley. 🎁 link (so no paywall, friends!)

Big day for Philadelphians with very strong food opinions: @inquirer.com is spending the week counting down Philly's most iconic foods. #76 - #55 dropped today, and there are some deep cuts, oldies, and perhaps, a very controversial picks. 🎁 to the list:

Some fun Philly food trivia: Did you know that Dr. Zeke Emanuel (yes, of ACA fame) is an award-winning chocolatier? Did you also know that he added a new course that's comprised only of chocolate bars to Vedge's vegan tasting menu? A sweet story about how to take your hobbies to the moon ⬇️

This cheesesteak shop in South Korea was struggling until its owner took a trip home to Philly, studied under the masters at Angelo's and Del Rossi's, and started making its own hoagies rolls. Meet Wiir Philadelphia, a cheesesteak underdog that Philadelphians abroad are calling the "real thing."

the wine school of philadelphia is allowed to call itself … the philly wine school, a judge ruled in a preliminary injunction decision wednesday. full story with @abgutman.bsky.social in @inquirer.com ⬇️

👀 Roxanne is taking reservations for mid-June on Resy. The Michelin-recommended Philly restaurant was shut down by the city in April after operating without a food license for several years across two locations. Does this mean they're reopening? 🎁 from @inquirer.com

i toured the newly renovated Stateside Live!, which cost $20 million and includes an outdoor concert venue, a beer garden, and a rooftop bar with views of .... parking lots. full preview (with a ton of photos!) in @inquirer.com ⬇️

11 weeks ago, a gas explosion blasted through a beloved Philly bagel shop. On the day of its reopening 10 weeks later, owner Rayyan Kayyali found himself in the same position. Another explosion. Now after visits from engineers & investigators, Kayyali is still confused — and resolved to reopen.

Ellen Yin's 5th Philly restaurant — an aperitivo bar — is set to open in June. But how does she spend a perfect day in the city? By riding around on an Indigo bike, shopping for Japanese stationery, and taking in lots of history. For her dream Philly itinerary, courtesy @inquirer.com ⬇️

NYC restaurants are rebranding their Philly cheesesteaks to support the Knicks during the Eastern Conference semifinals. Two words: Cope harder. And wtf is a Big Apple Cheesesteak? My latest screed for @inquirer.com ⬇️

🚨 Philly's first boozy ice cream parlor is opening inside Rittenhouse Square's BOTLD location on Saturday — and, yes, there's vodka-spiked cherry water ice. Meet Tipsy Scoop, the NYC-based brand of alcohol-infused ice cream that claims one scoop is about as strong as a light beer. ✍🏼 @inquirer.com

They are doing things to water ice in South Jersey that the Philadelphian mind can't comprehend — namely, making 7-tier water ice cakes. For @inquirer.com, I wrote about The Water Ice Factory in Magnolia, a cash-only spot with 38 flavors that's been selling wedding and birthday cakes since 1987.

Is the Michelin Guide going to remove Roxanne following the restaurant's licensing issues? No — at least not yet. Technically they don't even care, according to what a Michelin spokesperson told me. ✍🏼 @inquirer.com

It's going to be legitimately warm next week, so here are 11 of the best places in Philly (and South Jersey!) to get water ice and gelati. And yes —there are places on this map that are making birthday cakes AND martinis out of water ice. What a time to be alive.

How does Greg Vernick spend a perfect day in Philly? The veteran restauranteur manages to squeeze in shifts at all 4 of his restaurants, a Phillies game, and time to call his parents. ✍🏼 for @inquirer.com

🚨 SCOOP: Roxanne — one of Philly's first Michelin-recommended restaurants — was shut down by the city on April 6 for failing to obtain a valid food license. Roxanne has never had valid licensing the entire time its been operating, the city said, or a health inspection. share.inquirer.com/5INQrU

How do Phila and Rachel Lorn — the culinary power couple behind Mawn and Sao — spend a perfect day in Philly? By having a slow morning, thrifting, and indulging in not one, but two baskets of the best bread in America. 🎁 link from @inquirer.com

Cooper Sharp has conquered cheesesteaks. Now, is ready to top pizza? A surprising amount of Philly pizzerias are turning to the melty American cheese as the base for white pies, even if it's a bit of a diva to work with. my latest for @inquirer.com (with no paywall!) ⬇️

Old school ice cream parlor Franklin Fountain is releasing 12 new school pints and flights in limited quantities through Aug. 22. Some of the hit flavors: Caprese made with homemade mozz, Shamrock Shake-colored sage, cherry wood, and banana bread. For the full schedule, @inquirer.com ⬇️

Popular Philly coffee shop Vibrant is charging customers an extra 25 cents for getting their drinks in to-go cups. “If you’re not taking one of the cups and sleeves and lids that cost us money to buy, then I’m happy to charge you less,” said co-owner Ross Nickerson. ✍️ in @inquirer.com

Philly has 7 finalists for James Beard Foundation awards, which will be announced June 15 in Chicago. First time noms include Evan Snyder of Emmett, Justine MacNeil of Fiore, and Amanda Shulman of the Michelin-starred Her Place. Full deets with a 🎁 link courtesy of @inquirer.com

You can bring pretty much whatever food you want into Citizens Bank Park for a Phillies game so long as its sealed. So @inquirer.com and I want to know: What's the best or weirdest food you've brought from home for a Phils game? Nothing is off limits. To share, just fill out this quick form!

South Jersey lowkey got a cuchifrito with Carmen’s Table, a new Puerto Rican BBQ restaurant that opened in Glendora. Must orders: pastelillos, yuca, roast pork. It’s named after owner Roselyn Gonzalez’s mom Carmen, who is known across PR, the Bronx, and NE Philly for her sofrito.

philly doesn’t have a ubiquitous breakfast sandwich (yet!), but the city’s best have three things in common: fresh bread, heft, and a lot of whimsy. here’s @inquirer.com’s picks for the best breakfast sammies in philly, from a ramen-inspired bagel to a donut egg and cheese.

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