Philly Gets Two New Mexican Restaurants This Week
Plus, the Italian Market's 9th Street festival returns.
Rosa Mexicano is just one of the Mexican restaurants opening around Philly this week. / Photograph by Cody Rasmussen
La Chingonita opens a permanent location in Fishtown
A couple of months ago, we got word that the team behind La Chingonita food truck was working on a brick-and-mortar in Fishtown. Well the time has finally come: Owners Rebecca Baez and Omar Martinez took to Instagram last week to announce that they’ve opened their space at 413 East Girard Street (formerly Sketch Burger). Tuesday is the grand opening. They’ve got tacos, tacos and more tacos on the board, elote (the perfect summer food), quesadillas and burritos — a simple, tight menu that made the truck so popular. Here’s hoping it works for the home base, too.
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The South 9th Street Italian Market festival returns
Mark your calendars for the return of the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival. After two years dark, the ginormous block party is back on May 21st and 22nd, shutting down seven blocks and filling them with food, crafts, food, souvenirs, food, drinks, food and more food. There will be live music, activities for kids, a traditional Procession of Saints, teams of dudes trying to climb a pole greased with lard. You know, regular, normal Philly fun.
All of South Philly will be a mess, but it’ll be worth it. After two years, the party ought to be a doozy. You can find all the information you need right here except, of course, where to park. For that, you’re on your own.
Looking for more food events happening in May? We’ve got more on Philly’s coolest food festivals, pop-up dinners, and parties here.
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Rosa Mexicano lands in Ardmore
Meanwhile, in Ardmore, NYC Mexican dining chain Rosa Mexicano is opening its seventh location on May 9th in Suburban Square at 109 Coulter Avenue. They’ve got three locations in Manhattan, as well as a Jersey spot already. The Suburban Square outpost will be complete with 300 seats (17 at the bar, 50 on the patio), and an option for private dining. And they’re backing it up with a long menu of traditional and modern Mexican food and something like 100 tequilas and mezcals behind the bar.
Ardmore has been on a tear lately, opening restaurants and adding seats at a good clip. This is just the next in a long line of shiny, pretty new things. But if you’re in the neighborhood don’t forget about the smaller joints, okay? Local spots like Autana need the love, too.
