It’s the county seat of Delaware County. It’s America’s first fair-trade town. It’s also a cornucopia of world-class cuisine. The best part? The majority of Media’s eclectic restaurants are located within a few blocks of one another.
Stroll up and down bustling State Street and you’re sure to find an eatery appealing to your taste. Dining options include everything from classic American to Italian, French, Thai, Greek, Indian and so much more. As with any growing business district, things change, and in Media, the dining scene gets better and better as time goes on.
“Media’s restaurant scene is very special. Where else can you walk a half-mile stretch of a downtown and have a choice of 30 different restaurants?” said Media Business Authority chair Bryan Messick. “Our mini restaurant boom is especially exciting because these restaurants with other locations have great reputations, and they’ve chosen Media to be their next step in expansion.”
Want the dish? C’mon along to the five new restaurants opening their doors for the 2016 spring/summer season.
Brick & Brew
“At Brick and Brew we’ve set out to deliver one thing to our community—neighborhood comfort. Whether that’s in our food or the feel of the restaurant, our mission is to make our customers feel like they are home,” said Brick & Brew owner Tom Kane.
The authentic gastropub has become a well-known hotspot in Havertown, and will now expand and entice connoisseurs of cuisine and craft brews in Media. The new location is set to open late spring at 26 W. State St., the site of the landmark Plumstead Inn, which closed its doors after 55 years.
“We try to differentiate ourselves from your typical bar by striving to have unique craft beers constantly rotating on our taps,” said Kane. “You can come in on any given day of the week, and within a few days, that beer might be long gone and replaced with another crowd favorite. We constantly look to show new local breweries some love, such as 2SP in Aston and Levante in West Chester.”
Despite its name, beer isn’t the only libation brewing. The restaurant has more than 120 whiskey offerings; a stunning, sommelier-chosen wine list; and personally designed cocktails made from scratch, like the award-winning whiskey sour.
The eclectic menu items are also made from scratch. “Our chef brings to the table an eclectic display of dishes, all featuring seasonally fresh ingredients sourced from only local producers and purveyors,” said Kane.
The menu features a tantalizing array of American tapas and appetizer plates perfect for sharing, plus vibrant salads and creative rib-sticking burgers and sandwiches. Want a little taste? A few of the starters include Brick & Brew Deviled Eggs, lobster mac & cheese and prosciutto fries. Then there’s The Main Line Ramen Burger, piled high with white cheddar, crispy bacon, arugula, fried egg, caramelized onion, drizzled with Wasabi mayo and pulled together with crunchy Ramen noodles as the bun!
And then there’s the “brick”—oven pizza, that is. The pizza chef creates a wide variety of thin-crust pizzas from traditional to unconventional right before your eyes.
“It’s like sitting around the fire pit in your backyard roasting marshmallows and cooking hot dogs on a summer evening enjoying a cold cocktail with friends and family,” Kane said.
If you prefer to dine al fresco, Brick & Brew will offer a custom-made outdoor deck perfect for warm weather evenings. 26 W. State St.
Burlap & Bean
Burlap & Bean is more than an ordinary café. It’s a family-owned and -operated coffeehouse in Newtown Square and, this fall, a second location will open along the West End of Media, at 455 W. Baltimore Ave. From the comfortable, intimate ambience to the fragrant aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans roasted right on site, Burlap & Bean is focused on serving the perfect cup of coffee and catering to the local community.
“My husband and I own and operate this coffeehouse with 20 other employees who truly care about one another, this company and our community,” said owner Tara Endicott. “Our customers often tell us they feel at home here.”
“This product is steeped in love; there’s magic inside, and we choose to serve only coffee that loves the producer back. It’s fair trade,” said manager Ethan Pierce.
Similar to the Newtown Square location, Endicott says there will be local art featured on a monthly rotation; starting in 2017, the Media location will showcase local musicians. 455 W. Baltimore Ave.
Hidalgo’s Mexican Restaurant
Ole! A pair of Mexican restaurants, each with its own twist, is coming soon.
The first is a bit mysterious, but who doesn’t like a mystery?
Hidalgo’s Mexican Restaurant will soon open its doors at 30 W. State St., formerly Planet Hoagie. The quaint cantina-style eatery was something of a “hot tamale” in Clifton Heights, and now will relocate to Media’s downtown.
Hidalgo’s menu celebrates authentic cultural dishes, including homemade tortilla chips and salsas, enchiladas, chiles rellenos and mole poblano. Delicious desserts featured are flan and sweet crepes with fruit.
According to many online reviews, Hidalgo’s portions are quite generous, the atmosphere is family-oriented and the owners and staff serve with a smile, “just like if you met with friends,” according to one commenter. During your meal, expect a serenade—we hear the wife has a beautiful voice and sings to diners in Spanish.
According to another online culinary review, “If you live or work anywhere in or around Delaware County, you owe it to yourself to go to Hidalgo. It’s a tremendous culinary and auditory experience. I guarantee you’ve never had Mexican food this good.”
Bienvenido, Hidalgos! I can’t wait to review it. 30 West State St.
Jaco–Juice & Taco Bar
It’s “Jaco,” just like “juice” and “taco” blended together.
What’s this Jaco all about? Well, the casual dining spot has become the iconic grab-and-go spot for students on West Chester University’s campus.
Jaco’s menu provides a healthy and quick alternative to traditional fast food. Jaco features a wide variety of nutritious, delicious juices and smoothies, acai bowls, salads, tacos and burritos.
Starting late spring, Media’s bustling breakfast, lunch and later bunch will get a taste of their own at the new 21 W. State St. location.
Jaco is a scratch kitchen, meaning everything on the menu is fresh, authentic and homemade, including the salsas, guacamole and tortillas.
Need a pick-me-up before your morning meeting? Jaco serves the Eye Opener, simply a cup of the world-renowned La Colombe coffee. Who’s a Hot Mess? The scrambled organic egg, sausage, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions and Monterey cheese sandwich, of course.
The Acai bowls are packed with protein and other essential nutrients. Maui Wowi is made of organic acai, banana, pineapple and almond milk. For an added boost, add banana granola, bee pollen and coconut shavings.
If you’re a bit more hungry, ride the Raging Bull, created with pulled pork, rice, white beans and blended cheese served in a homemade corn tortilla with a side of tomatillo salsa and poblano crema.
Tacos and more, with a twist for sure, are worth checking out. 21 W. State St.
Tagine Moroccan Cuisine
A taste of Morocco has come to Media.
Tagine Moroccan Cuisine recently celebrated its grand opening at the 111 West State St. location, the former site of Media Pizza and Grill. Pizza lovers never fear, the restaurant is still serving hot piping pies, among many other lunch favorites, to the busy daytime crowd.
At nighttime, though, the lights go down and the scene is set for an authentic Moroccan dining experience. The owners have completely transformed the restaurant, replacing the pizza parlor-type tables and chairs with plush, richly colored bench seats and ornate Mediterranean tapestries.
Tagine is currently offering a four-course authentic Moroccan meal Wednesday through Saturday from 5–10 p.m. Don’t forget your favorite bottle of wine to accompany your meal, as it’s a BYOB.
For $35 per person, guests will begin with the soup du jour or Harira, the traditional Moroccan-style soup made with cracked wheat, chickpeas, fresh plum tomato and lentil. Second courses offered include the Mediterranean Spreads Sampler with Baba Ganoush, hummus, olives, caponata and Moroccan bread. The Chicken Tagine is a favorite for the main meal. It’s created with slow-cooked organic chicken legs and thighs in a bright sauce of preserved lemon, olives, raisins and saffron.
What’s for dessert? That’s a surprise. And so is the expanded menu. Will there be live entertainment? We’ll have to wait and see… 111 W. State St.
So take a stroll down State Street, or hop on the 101 trolley to Media and see where your taste buds lead you. You never know where you’ll end up…
- All photos: courtesy of individual restaurants
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