Philadelphia’s Harrowgate neighborhood, just north of Kensington, has a strong textile history with factories still sprinkled around. Its name is believed to come from a health spa of the same name that in the 1780s attracted the wealthy to its hot springs until industrialization later changed the character of the neighborhood.
The neighborhood’s boundaries are Erie and Torresdale Avenues to the north, Allegheny Avenue to the south, Aramingo Avenue to the east, and G Street to the west, according to Harrowgate Civic Association President Shannon Farrell-Pakstis.
☕ Food & Drink
El Coquí is a Puerto Rican bakery located inside Harrowgate Plaza. Perfect for your sweet tooth – you can get fresh bread, donuts, cakes, and plenty more. But if you’re craving something savory, there’s pastelillos, alcapurrias (fritters), and sandwiches.
Càphê Roasters is a James Beard semifinalist and has become a beloved staple in the community. The shop sells specialty Vietnamese coffee and dishes, and is a great spot to meet up with friends. The food menu changes seasonally so although the Gritty Khang Sando is no longer on the menu (please bring it back), there are so many more yummy options to try from its own kitchen or a collaborative pop-up.
Càphê Roasters sells a variety of teas and lattes, as well as lunch favorites like bánh mi. (Siani Colón / City Cast Philly)
Another good spot to find Vietnamese cuisine is Cafe Mi Quang, just down the street from Càphê Roasters. If you need something to warm you up, there’s a variety of pho to pick from. One thing to note is that the restaurant is cash only.
Brushwork Cafe is a newer addition to the neighborhood. It’s perfect to grab a quick drink or a cake pop from Crager’s Sweet Creations. There’s an explosion of color along the walls, with artwork available for purchase. The works depict notable cartoons, celebrities, historic figures, and original characters. If you feel inspired by all the artwork, you can head upstairs and get inked by Hard Ink Tattoo Studio.
🛝 Where To Hang Out
The Friends of Harrowgate Park and the Harrowgate Civic Association regularly host events in the park at the heart of the neighborhood such as seasonal festivals, cleanups, and movie nights.
Two of Harrowgate’s recreation centers got major upgrades in 2023. Scanlon Recreation Center is equipped with an outdoor hockey rink, wallball court, basketball court, playground, and pool. During the winter, Philadelphians can skate for free at select times inside Scanlon’s ice rink, only paying $3 to $5 for skate rental. Heitzman Recreation Center offers more fun thanks to its multi-purpose sports pitch.
🎨 Things To Do
Local artist J.C. Zerbe founded Vizion Arts Gallery, located by I Street and Kensington Avenue. (Siani Colón / City Cast Philly)
Put that Yankee Candle down and make your own instead! Waxery hosts candle-making workshops over the course of 90 minutes. You can bring your own wine and guests can purchase a karaoke package if they want to sing to their hearts’ content while concocting the sweet scents.
Right next door to Waxery is Vizion Art Gallery, which showcases work by local artists and will occasionally host exhibitions, like its Lunar New Year exhibition highlighting Asian American artists.
Yay Clay’s the spot if you want to have a date night or try your hand at a new hobby. Located inside a repurposed carpet mill, you can take a class at the pottery studio and learn how to make your own mug, vase, bowl – you name it! Don’t want to get your hands dirty? You can commission work to make your vision a reality.
One of Yay Clay’s studio spaces is designed with a retro aesthetic and is perfect for parties. (Siani Colón / City Cast Philly)
Ontario Street Comics’s warehouse-sized store has thousands of comics, figurines, and posters depicting superheroes, anime characters, wrestlers, and movie characters. You could spend hours browsing its collection, which has grown since 1989 at the family-owned and -operated store.
🚆 How To Get There
You can visit the neighborhood by getting off at either the Tioga or Allegheny Stations on the L. Bus routes 3, 5, and 89 also pass through Harrowgate.
