Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood is its own rock concert. It has the required moving parts: an energized community scene, ridiculously unavailable parking, interesting food, loud people and good times—everything that makes a destination worth the travel. Fold in a big-box music venue and we are talking an A-list opportunity to really cause some social havoc. Enter: Fillmore Philadelphia.
The offspring of LiveNation and the original Fillmore in San Francisco, the Philly version is built for many tastes. The building houses a main concert space that comfortably hosts 2,800 revelers and two separate but equally crafted auditoriums, the Foundry (capacity: 450) and Ajax Hall, namesake of the original factory at the site (capacity: 300).
Open since early October, the hall has unique bends that shine a light different than that of Philly’s more mature Electric Factory, Trocadero and TLA. More hipster than edgy, the Fillmore is decked out with chandeliers, top shelf-worthy bar service and restaurant-level food—good restaurant level, as in Wolfgang Puck level.
Set apart from the typical overpriced water dogs, limp fries and way too lame nachos, the Wolfgang Puck Catering-operated kitchen is doing food worthy of such an eclectic venue—and doing it with panache and skill. At the helm, chef Kevin Grenda is leading his kitchen brigade, albeit small, through the tumult of a new operation playing to an array of audiences, both in size and culinary demands.
Yes, Grenda does chicken tenders for the masses. But not those chicken tenders. Rather, the artful kitchen does a three-day brine. Chicken wings? Yes. But this variety is treated to a confit preparation—using rendered fat to slow poach. “Our Cuban sandwich has housemade pickles and braised pork belly,” he adds.
Soft pretzels in Philadelphia are required. Those are made in-house, too. The recipe for the Chinese chicken salad is straight from Puck. The iconic Philly cheesesteak gets the predictable Fillmore treatment, notched up the culinary chain. “We shave fresh sirloin for our cheesesteaks—and we go through a lot of sirloin,” laughs Grenda. Other menu highlights include steak and cheese egg rolls, crab cakes and a charcuterie platter featuring locally cured meats.
Big names in music are joining this big name in food to shake the lower stretch of Fishtown’s Frankford Ave. Recently, Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach brought his side project, The Arcs, to rattle the spot, splitting the stage with Mariachi Flor de Toloache. Both opener and headliner made for gritty, soulful performances at the new venue. Scheduled to appear over the next few months are G. Love and Special Sauce, Slayer, Breaking Benjamin and Metric, among others.
The Fillmore is a comfortable destination in the burgeoning Fishtown wellspring that continues to reinvent itself and build upon its renaissance as a serious destination for all things energizing and entertaining.
Find Fillmore Philadelphia at 29 E. Allen St. in Philadelphia; phone: (215) 309-0150.
- Photos: Jim Berman
