Underneath the rumbling of the L is Philly’s Norris Square neighborhood. Located in the lower section of Kensington, the neighborhood is roughly bordered by American Street to the west, Front Street to the east, York Street to the north, and Berks Street to the south.
Both the neighborhood and park are named after Isaac Norris, a prominent Quaker merchant who was friends with William Penn and later became Philadelphia mayor.
Here’s what to do if you visit Norris Square.
Grab a Bite…and a Plant or a Book
American Grammar is the perfect spot to catch up on your reading list while sipping on some tea. (Siani Colón / City Cast Philly)
La Esquina del Bronco is a casual sitdown restaurant within walking distance of the York-Dauphin L stop. You can order meals like stews, rice and meat platters, or a shrimp salad. The chicken at this restaurant is the juiciest!
What if you can get coffee, a new houseplant, and a trinket all in stop? Grounds Coffee Plants and Gifts truly has it all and is located on Second Street.
Rowhome Coffee is best known for its breakfast sandwiches which are served on a soft pretzel. If you’re vegan, don’t worry. They have options to choose from. The café is dog-friendly and the natural light through the windows make it a welcoming space to hang out with friends.
American Grammar specializes in books by American authors and highlights themes of social justice. The book store also doubles as a coffee shop, with plenty of seating to choose from to read a book and drink a warm drink in a cozy environment. And if you’re looking to update your closet, you can purchase some trendy clothes there too.
If you’re a fan of beer, you can check out Lost Time Brew Co. The taproom opened its doors in Norris Square in 2024 and offers brews such as “Time is a Hazy Concept” and “Astrolabe.” If the location looks a bit familiar to you, the building’s exterior was used for Mighty Mick’s Gym in the Rocky movies.
Admire the Neighborhood’s Street Art
Betsy Z. Casañas’ “Semilla de Patria” overlooks Howard Street in Norris Square. (Siani Colón / City Cast Philly)
If you walk near the vicinity of Norris Square Park, your eye may catch this along the side of a home. Betsy Z. Casañas, an artist from Fairhill who has completed 70 murals around the world, designed the mural “Semilla de Patria.” Located in a neighborhood that’s rapidly changing due to widespread development, the mural represents a seed being planted from generation to generation to preserve the culture. The image of a father carrying his daughter among the hibiscus is meant to change the narrative surrounding fatherhood in Black and brown communities.
Do you love SEPTA as much as this squirrel does? Walking up Hancock Street, you can see this mural of a squirrel eagerly munching on a SEPTA token. Philly squirrels will truly eat anything and everything.
Iron Man this, Batman that. There’s one particular superhero Philly should know. Decorating the sidewall of a home on Mascher Street is La Borinqueña, a Puerto Rican superhero designed by independent comic book artist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. The mural also depicts several prominent women in Puerto Rican history, including Julia de Burgos and Marianna Bracetti, who are the namesakes of two local schools. The mural was painted with the help of Norris Square community members.
If you’re interested in checking out more murals and learning about their connection to the history of Norris Square, Mural Arts is launching full 90-minute walking tours of the neighborhood.
See How Community Transforms Public Spaces
A new mural honors Grupo Motivos in Norris Square Neighborhood Project’s Las Parcelas garden. (Siani Colón / City Cast Philly)
Norris Square Park was left by the family of Isaac Norris to be “a public green and walk forever.” Recently renovated, the park has an updated playground space and basketball court. You can enjoy free public Wi-Fi in the park thanks to Philly Community Wireless.
Tucked away on Phillip Street is the Open Kitchen Sculpture Garden. The hidden oasis transformed a hot spot for illegal dumping into an art gallery, repurposing materials like tires to create Indigenous-inspired sculpture work. The garden hosts a community potluck on Wednesday evenings.
The Norris Square Neighborhood Project’s gardens are the gems of the neighborhood. A group of matriarchs in the neighborhood, Grupo Motivos, reclaimed lots used for dumping and the drug trade to transform them into community gardens. The six gardens have Puerto Rican, Taíno, and African influences. The Norris Square Neighborhood Project maintains these gardens and utilizes its spaces for transformative youth education. There are open volunteer days on the fourth Saturday of each month in the garden. Youth leaders sell fresh produce that they’ve grown at their Saturday farm stand.
How To Get There
A map the Norris Square neighborhood boundaries, according to the Kensington Library. (Google Maps)
If you want to visit Norris Square, take SEPTA! You can get off at the York-Dauphin L stop. Bus routes 3, 39, 57, and 89 drive through the neighborhood.
