How to Spend the Perfect Summer Day in West Chester
Here’s where to shop, eat, and stroll.
Take a walk around West Chester. / Illustration by Melissa McFeeters
Now’s the time to visit this college town — school’s out for the summer! — with an open-air market that kicked off this month and a slate of new and classic stores and restaurants lining Market, High, and Gay streets.
Start with lunch at Mayday Coffee Shop ❶. The cafe-meets-flower-store and millennial paradise slings matcha lattes, toasts (try the fig and prosciutto), and açai bowls. Don’t leave without a pre-arranged bouquet.
Stroll by new brasserie Jolene’s ❷ and plan to come back later for Frenchy dishes — think escargots and onion soup gratinée — plus cocktails and wine.
Scan the shelves at Bookmarks ❸, and let the kids choose their next read from the children’s section. The nearly two-year-old bookshop sells works by Philly-area authors and bestsellers.
Folks with an eye for interior design will like shopping at Pine + Quill ❹, with its curated mix of home goods and art. The store also offers workshops — look out for flower arranging classes around Mother’s Day.
Channel your inner Moira Rose (RIP Catherine O’Hara) at DRK MTTR ❺, a boutique selling vintage and contemporary clothing, shoes, and accessories — all in black. (We’ve got our eyes on a barely there Valentino dress.)
Stock up on retro Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers apparel at Jawn Supply ❻. Even Jalen Hurts is a fan.
At Éclat Chocolate ❼, master chocolatier Christopher Curtin brings his years of training in Europe and Japan to the ’burbs. Take home a box of chocolates filled with caramel and made with flavors like Aleppo pepper.
Sip an IPA while browsing the vinyl collection at Hop Fidelity ❽. The store serves beer from local breweries — including a hazy IPA collab with Love City — to go with its growing selection of new and used records (the Beastie Boys, Billie Eilish).
Pop into True by Kristy’s ❾ new Market Street outpost for handmade earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Make it personal with a custom design at the charm bar, or commit to permanent jewelry. (Appointments are recommended, especially on weekends.)
Comb through racks of women’s apparel dating from as far back as the 1870s at Malena’s Vintage Boutique ❿. Splurge on a standout piece from Alaïa or Chanel, pore over antique accessories, and — if they haven’t been snapped up yet — grab one of the store’s $10 mystery vintage jewelry bags.
Find a new indoor plant — like a pet-friendly calathea or, if you don’t have much light, a ZZ plant — at the Green House ⓫.
If you had the foresight to make a dinner reservation, head to Andiario ⓬, where you’ll order from a hyperseasonal menu of wood-fired fare and pasta, and see what all the hype is about.
Published as “Get Charmed in West Chester” in the May 2026 issue in Philadelphia magazine.
