The Best Philly Food Events Happening in March

Philly’s food collaborations, specials, and pop-ups worth putting on your calendar.

Chef Alejandro Martín Sánchez’s Meson / Photograph by Mike Prince

Is it spring yet? With any luck, the arrival of March means we’re drawing closer to the end of winter doldrums. This month brings new chef residencies, lots of pop-ups, and a swanky James Beard Foundation event, just to name a few. These are the best food events happening in Philadelphia this March.

Couch Cafe at Forîn, all of March
Maybe you’ve heard about Couch Cafe, or read about Liz Grothe in this recent article, but haven’t been able to snag one of the limited seats in her apartment for her regular pop-ups. Good news for you: Liz will be serving dinner at Forîn’s all-day cafe on Frankford Avenue every Thursday through Saturday in March. She’s planning to do Tuscan-inspired food, but if we know anything about Grothe’s wild mind, we know there will be some surprises thrown in. She’ll be there until May 25th so you still have some time, but don’t wait too long to get a table!

Fell to Earth Vermouth Bar at Bodhi Coffee, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in March
If you’re not aware of Fell to Earth, you should be. Tim Kweeder and Zach Morris’s vermouth company has evolved out of the vermouth they used to make for Bloomsday into a whole new concept, called Fell to Earth. They’ll eventually open a dedicated space, but for now they’re popping up Tuesdays and Wednesdays in March serving vermouth spritzes, and other vermouth-forward drinks. There will also be charcuterie for snacking, and bottles of vermouth for sale.

Chibanos, March 2nd-4th and 9th-10th
Evan Fong Jaroff is bringing his mixed-culture heritage to Solar Myth in the form of a Chinese-Cuban sandwich pop-up. He’s doing a roasted pork sandwich with ham, cheese and Chinese pickles, a vegan version with braised jackfruit, grilled tofu and a spicy black bean chili spread, plus slow-cooked chicken with Chinese broccoli.

River Twice Lobster Roll at Oyster House, March 5th-8th
Oyster House is introducing a series of lobster rolls made in collaboration with chefs from all over Philly. First up is a lobster roll designed by River Twice’s Randy Rucker, which includes xo sauce, collard greens, fried onion furikake and koji butter.

The History of Cheese in North America with Alexandra Jones, March 7th
There are always awesome events happening at the Philadelphia Cheese School, but we wanted to highlight one class that fans of food history shouldn’t miss. When it comes to the world of dairy, Foobooz contributor Alexandra Jones has a wealth of knowledge and this month, she’s schooling cheese lovers on the history of cheese in North America. You’ll learn how cheese has impacted technology, the economy, and even the landscape all while sampling exceptional cheeses.

Mesona, March 7th-April 13th
In a city of many pop-ups, we’re particularly excited about Mesona, a high-end Mexican pop-up by chef Alejandro Martín Sánchez, formerly of Mission Taqueria and LMNO. Sánchez compares the concept to Pujol or Quintonil, two of Mexico City’s most famous high-end restaurants, which offer tasting menus inspired by the country’s regional dishes. While his long-term plan is to open a tasting menu spot in Philly, he’s popping up at Taco Heart for the time being.

Midnight Pasta Cooking Class, March 22nd and 28th
If there’s a nicer way to spend an evening than learning to make pasta, we’re not aware of it. Natalia Lepore Hagan, owner of Midnight Pasta Co., is offering two pasta making classes in March, each including a lesson on kneaded pasta dough and several hand-made shapes. You’ll have a welcome drink and snack, and the opportunity to eat what you make.

James Beard Foundation Taste America, March 12th
If your want-to-go restaurant list is stretching longer than the calendar year, consider a ticket to the Beard Foundation’s Taste America event on March 12th at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Many of the city’s best chefs will be present serving bites from their menus, including Jezabel Careaga of Jezabel’s, Michael Carter of Down North, Alex Holt of Roxanne, Alex Kemp and Amanda Shulman of My Loup, and many more.

Rice & Sambal, March 14th – 30th
Inside West Passyunk’s Dankbaar on the weekends, Diana Widjojo is hosting the city’s only Indonesian supper club. She’s serving a set menu of Indonesian classics, served on a bed of banana leaves. We’re expecting beef shank rendang, among a big spread of Indo dishes for sharing.

Southwark at Banh Mi and BottlesMarch 18th
Chef Chris D’Ambro of Southwark is doing a one-night-only dinner engagement at Banh Mi and Bottles combining his Italian cooking with Tuan Phung’s Vietnamese cooking. The menu sounds incredible: cacio pepe wings with colatura vinaigrette, a beef carpaccio inspired by the flavors of bun bo hue, a vitello tomato banh mi, and lemongrass sate porchetta. For $85 a person, the menu is a great deal.

My Loup x Superfolie x a.kitchen, March 25th
My Loup, Superfolie and a.kitchen are basically Philly’s French-est heavy hitters. The three teams are coming together to serve a four-course menu priced at $125 per person. You can expect lots of grilled meats and offal. This is an event for wine lovers: The by-the-glass wine list will be curated by Superfolie sommelier Kaitlyn Curake and a.kitchen sommelier Frank Kinyon, two of the city’s very best wine pros. Tickets available starting on Monday, March 4th.