Summit Acupuncture
Rumor has it Summit Acupuncture in Callowhill is the place where Philly’s top athletes and fitness trainers go to heal and repair their bodies, and we get why. From an airy, light-filled loft, founder Jason Krantz and his team provide traditional Chinese medicine treatments like acupuncture, cupping and gua sha — plus practical, easily incorporated holistic health advice — that’ll leave you feeling like you finally got a good night’s sleep. 421 North 7th Street, suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19123, summitacuphilly.com.
Juniper Muay Thai
Whether you’re an experienced fighter or putting on gloves for the first time, you’ll learn the ins and outs of muay Thai — and be taken seriously every step, punch and kick of the way — by co-owners Joe Logan and George Pitsakis. Bonus: There are classes solely for women and for kids. 2019 South Juniper Street, second floor, Philadelphia, PA 19148, junipermuaythai.com.
Prajjé Oscar Jean-Baptiste
The Haitian-born, Fishtown-based women’s fashion designer — who stole the TV world’s most stylish hearts on Season 19 of Project Runway — produces gorgeously intricate, brilliantly colorful ready-to-wear and custom gowns, dresses and matching sets influenced by his former home. Don one for your next gala or wedding or simply for going to the grocery store — any way you wear it, you’ll demand attention. prajjeoscar.com.
Philly Vintage Bazaar
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Located in Queen Village, this year’s best vintage shop is run by Tracy Feldman, Jen Zimmerman and Abby Codrea, who have been peddling groovy pieces from the ’60s through Y2K since opening last fall. 744 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, phillyvintagebazaar.com.
Kevin O'Brien Studio and Parisa Rugs & Decor
While Kevin O’Brien Studio and Parisa Rugs & Décor aren’t producing a shared collection just yet (fingers crossed), these interior-design powerhouses known for their luxurious handmade textiles are now sharing a 3,000-square-foot showroom. The street-level first floor is stocked with Parisa’s notable assortment of rugs and arguably the city’s best collection of quirky-chic objects. On the lower level, KOB has bedding, throws, and one-of-a-kind velvet kimonos. 33 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, kevinobrienstudio.com.
Primavera Fund
This arts org, named for former longtime Philadelphia Youth Orchestra music director Joseph Primavera, provides mentorship, instruction, instruments and more to promising young, local classical musicians who otherwise lack means. “If you told me years ago that I would be traveling to Vancouver, Canada, and being a guest performer at a TED Talk conference, I wouldn’t believe you,” says violinist Akili Farrow, who in 2018 toured with the National Youth Orchestra of the USA. primaverafund.org.
The Factory at Reach Climbing
The Factory at Reach Climbing. Photograph by Jeff Fusco This 20,000-square-foot center is stacked with resistance equipment, a kids’ “Boulder Island” with slide and tunnels, rock-climbing walls, and tension, kilter and campus boards. Really looking to prove your skills? Don’t skip the 4,000-square-foot obstacle room. 401 East 4th Street, Bridgeport, PA 19405, thefactoryatreach.com.
Cruel World Vintage
There’s nothing like a good vintage t-shirt, and there’s no such thing as too much merch. At Cruel World Vintage, a highly curated collection of vintage clothing is available to suit every nostalgic mood. From Whitney Houston tour memorabilia to dark-wash Levis 501s, you’ll be thrown back to your chosen decade in a flash. Shop online, or email to make an appointment at their private West Philly location. shopcruelworld.com/shop.
Randy Rucker
There’s an ease about Rucker’s cooking, and a generosity, as if there’s nobody else eating at River Twice except you. His commitment to locality, to foraging, to pickling and fermenting everything so as not to waste anything — it all adds up to a singular experience. Every element of every dish, down to the house-made coffee vinegar in the beef tartare or the à la minute ricotta on the toast, is deeply considered, smartly placed, and creatively conceived, but in a way that still feels like food, not art. 1601 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, rivertwicerestaurant.com.
El Secreto
El Secreto empanadas. Photograph by Ted Nghiem The pandemic-born pop-up peddles Argentine-style empanadas with flaky, delicious dough and fun fillings like buffalo chicken, Big Mac, pork banh mi and pop tart. It’s business on the outside, party on the inside, which maybe makes them the mullets of empanadas? instagram.com/elsecretosnacksphilly.
The Street Art Uprising Against Minor Figures Oat Milk
The latest installment in Philly’s ongoing fuck-around-and-find-out chronicles pitted London oat milk purveyor Minor Figures against the city’s legion of street-art lovers. When posters promoting the plant-based coffee lightener went up over existing works, the backlash — on social media and IRL — was swift. As the company clumsily backpedaled, Philly street-art legend Kid Hazo weighed in with posters of his own: “Major Failures Clown M*lk.”
Philly Fixers Guild
That boombox with the fuzzy left speaker. The vacuum cleaner that just doesn’t suck as much as it used to. Time was, you’d leave them on the curb and buy new ones. Philly Fixers Guild is trying to change that by using volunteer fixers to help Philadelphians “repair rather than replace.” The group holds fairs to which you can bring your janky items and walk away with them as good as new. Don’t toss that alarm clock just yet. phillyfixersguild.org.
North By Texas
Sometimes it’s an onion-stuffed porchetta. Sometimes it’s brisket with a bark so thick, you’d think it doesn’t want to be eaten. Whatever it is, you can rest easy knowing NXTX’s barbecue only uses meat that’s sourced ethically and is smoked by a homesick dude from Austin — which can only mean damn-excellent BBQ. The pop-up operates out of Cadence. 161 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123, instagram.com/northbytexas.
Fudena
Fudena’s Ruth Nakaar. Photograph by Colin Lenton Ruth Nakaar grew up eating the food her Ghanaian-born parents made but couldn’t easily find it without sitting down to elaborate restaurant meals. So she scratched her own itch and launched Fudena, a fast-casual West African pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar. And jollof rice, curried goat, and pan-seared tilapia make for an undeniably more mouth-watering dinner than another $9 kale salad. eatfudena.com.
Di Bruno Bros.
Sande Friedman has bought and sold a lot of wine as the Di Bruno Bros. wine buyer. Now, in collaboration with some of her favorite wineries, Friedman helped create two new bottles — a barbera-zinfandel blend from La Clarine in California, and Rosé of Carmine, with WayVine Winery & Vineyard in Chester County — with stellar results. 1730 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, dibruno.com/9th-street-bottle-shop.