Welcome to Philly’s New Wine Country

Nicholas Ducos and Francesca Galarus, owners of Mural City Cellars / Photograph by Neal Santos

Pennsylvania is home to over 400 wineries, and spending an afternoon sipping Cabernet Franc while overlooking the vines is absolutely worth a day trip. But you don’t have to leave the city to visit the wine country, especially when one is quickly establishing roots in Kensington and Fishtown.

A trio of urban wineries (one on the verge of opening) have popped up in the neighborhood over the past few years, all within walking distance from one another. Along with wine-focused bars and restaurants such as Fishtown Social, Pizzeria Beddia, Tulip Pasta and Wine Bar, and Picnic, these two neighborhoods are growing into a not-to-be-overlooked destination for oenophiles.

Sure, you won’t find yourself gazing out at lush vines while there, but you will find community-focused spaces that produce exceptional vintages, adding a bit of urban terroir to Philadelphia’s already thriving scene.

Why Kensington and Fishtown?

Francesca Galarus, co-owner of Mural City Cellars, serving wine at the bar. / Photograph by Neal Santos

“Fishtown has become fertile ground for artists of all kinds,” Shannon Figueras says. “For us, winemaking is an art form.” She, along with her husband and partner Justice Figueras, aims to open LeoFigs on Frankford Avenue this September with a kitchen serving up bites inspired by Barcelona and Sicily.

Shannon and Justice live in Fishtown with their children and believe the area is ripe with creativity. “The neighborhood is this rare collision of deep-rooted community and fresh perspective. Generations of Fishtown families live side by side with young creatives, new parents, and curious Gen Z-ers, all of whom seem to be craving experiences that are intentional, unpretentious, and rooted in something real,” Shannon Figureras says.

Nicholas Ducos and Francesca Galarus, owners of Mural City Cellars, moved their winery to Fishtown last March after four years of bouncing around to different locations in Kensington. The couple, who also live in the neighborhood, have settled their cellar down on Frankford Avenue. “Most of the businesses here are owned by our neighbors,” Ducos says, adding that the built-in community is perfect for their family-friendly business. “[Everyone] is very welcoming and supportive of people’s ideas as long as they’re good and beneficial for the community. Everything is walkable. All of our kids go to the same schools, play in the same parks.”

Tom Caruso of Pray Tell. / Photograph courtesy of Pray Tell

Pray Tell, our Best of Philly winner for Best Urban Winery, moved across the country from Oregon to Kensington last year. Owner and vintner Tom Caruso, who grew up making wine with his grandfather in South Philly, relocated to a space that his family owns just a few blocks west of Frankford Avenue.

Though the move allows him to carry on his family’s legacy, the neighborhood needed to be right for Pray Tell, too, and Caruso believes it fits right in. “Seeing how dynamic the food and beverage scene has developed is truly exciting, and this is a community we’re really proud to be a part of,” he says.

How Urban Wineries Act as Third Spaces

Inside Mural City Cellars / Photograph courtesy of Mural City Cellars

Sure, these urban wineries add diversity to the scene, but that’s not all they bring to the city. Their tasting rooms serve as third spaces — places outside of home and work where locals can hang out with friends, family, and sometimes, their kids.

Mural City Cellars prides itself on being a welcoming space for everyone, from the parents who sit on the couches on a Saturday afternoon with their babies in strollers to those who attend the regularly hosted drag shows. It also holds tastings and classes for novices and experts alike. Ducos and Galarus are also committed to local philanthropy. To date, Mural City has donated over $25,000 to neighborhood initiatives, including contributing funds for an urban garden at the James R. Ludlow Elementary School in North Philadelphia.

Pray Tell’s tasting room during opening weekend. / Photograph courtesy of Pray Tell

Though Pray Tell is for visitors ages 21 and older — their tasting room shares space with their production facility, making it not that kid-friendly — they’re still pretty active in the community, bringing other local businesses into their space to host events. “We’ve been busy!” says Caruso. In recent months they’ve hosted a Sisterly Love Collective networking event, Habibi Supper Club dinner, and a Midnight Pasta pop-up class, as well as workshops with Sew+Sew Studio and Wild Things Floral Artistry.

When LeoFigs opens, the Figuereses plan to use the space during off-hours for classes, including guitar for adults and kids. They’re also hoping to offer free after-school programs for kids in the neighborhood upstairs in the tasting room space and classes for adults in the basement among the production facilities.

But How’s the Wine?

Bottles featured in Pray Tell’s wine club / Photograph courtesy of Pray Tell

Focusing on being good neighbors is one of the things that makes these spots so special, but let’s face it. If the wine isn’t good, the wineries won’t last. Fortunately, their offerings are good, already garnering attention from prestigious publications and winning awards in competitions.

Pray Tell’s Fruit Snacks, an easy-drinking red blend, was named one of VinePair’s 15 Best Red Wines Under $25 last year. And recently, Bon Appétit called Pray Tell one of the 9 Best Bars and Cafés in Philadelphia.

Though Caruso opened with bottles produced on the West Coast with grapes from regions such as Sonoma in California and Willamette Valley in Oregon. This past fall, however, Caruso purchased some grapes from local farmers’ 2024 vintage, so we’ll be able to taste Pray Tell’s expression of the region’s terroir soon.

Mural City Cellar’s wine offerings / Photograph by Adrian Garcia

At Mural City, Ducos crafts a variety of whites, reds, rosés, and bubbles, all from grapes sourced within a 300-mile radius. At last year’s Pennsylvania Somm Judgment, its 2023 Sauvignon Blanc placed in the top 10. The same vintage won a gold medal at the 2024 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association’s annual competition.

LeoFigs has yet to release its wines, but its first vintages — made from grapes grown in Italy, Chile, and California — are waiting in the cellar to fulfill their destiny of adding to the neighborhood’s excellent reputation.