Philadelphia’s East Passyunk neighbourhood has a well-deserved reputation for being something of a dining destination – particularly Italian cuisine. Which explains why, when Paul Garberson decided to unfurl a Turkish-inflected Mediterranean-cum-Middle Eastern menu in his new, incongruously named restaurant Irwin’s, local gourmets sat up to pay attention.
Set on the 8th floor of the Bok building – a former technical high school turned mixed-use creative development which was designed in the early 20th century by Irwin T. Catharine from whom the restaurant takes its moniker – Irwin’s views of the Delaware river and sports stadiums is a bracing counterpoint to Garberson’s mezze platter of roasted red pepper and walnut salsa, dill-stuffed carrot fritters, crispy fried Castelvetrano olives, and mussel spilling over with rice, herbs and pine nuts.
Converted from the old nursing classroom, the dining room itself is the work of Rohe Creative, the local studio mixing box-tufted banquettes, coppery light fixtures, tulip chairs and a 6 ft chandelier with repurposed furniture – to whit, the soapstone-topped bar from the science room, old science lab tables lined with communal benches from the library, and salvaged yearbook photos in the bathrooms.
Weather permitting, the outdoor terrace is Irwin’s sweet spot – a lofty perch from which to admire city views with a Golden Horn cocktail of gin and tonic, lemon, honey, turmeric and ginger.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
800 Mifflin Street
-
A postmodernist home reborn: we tour the British embassy in BrazilWe tour the British Embassy in Brazil after its thorough renovation by Hersen Mendes Arquitetura, which breathes new life into a postmodernist structure within the country's famous modernist capital
-
Bvlgari's celebration of the Serpenti snakes its way from Tokyo to Shanghai, Seoul and MumbaiRoman high jeweller Bvlgari marks the Year of the Snake with the sensual Serpenti Infinito exhibition
-
Fancy transforming your ageing Casio into a smartwatch? Ollee has the answerThe Ollee Watch transforms Casio's cult digital watch into a retro-tinged smart device
-
Seven kitchens, one fire: inside LA’s hottest new food marketAt Maydan Market, chef Rose Previte turns global street food and layered design into a vibrant, fire-lit experience
-
The Viceroy Hotel Group wants you to get on your bikeAcross properties in Santa Monica, Chicago, Washington DC and the Algarve, Viceroy guests can experience curated cycling routes and community events
-
Big flavours and bold design define La Nena Cantina, Los Angeles's newest Mexican hotspotFrom handmade tortillas to 40-ingredient mole, this new Sunset Boulevard restaurant takes Mexican cuisine seriously
-
Aperitivo time is this Los Angeles bar’s ‘ragione di vita’Located in Echo Park, Bar Bacetti is a welcoming haunt celebrating the great Italian ‘art of snacking’
-
This boisterous cocktail bar in Denver was inspired by Le CorbusierA 1950s furniture showroom has been reborn as a modernist social hub in the city’s Sunnyside neighbourhood. Its cocktails? Semiprecious
-
In Los Angeles, Darling doesn’t want to be your average dinner spotVinyl, live-fire cooking, and California’s finest ingredients come together in this immersive new concept from a celebrated Southern chef
-
The best dinner party in San Francisco is thrown at this bistro and vinyl barA new chapter begins in Mission Creek as Side A opens in the former Universal Café space
-
Daisy Margarita Bar reimagines the Mexican tavern with vaquero flair in Los AngelesFrom frozen guacamole margaritas to lamb shank with frijoles puercos, this new Sherman Oaks destination mixes playful gastronomy with tradition
