Derek Davis has made 4411 Main Street in Manayunk his home for 24 years, first as the California-style Sonoma and for the last 10 years as his eponymous Derek’s. He even once lived in the apartment upstairs from the restaurant. Over the years, Davis has been a mainstay in Manayunk—contributing to the town’s transformation into one of Philadelphia’s top dining destinations. Through the years, he has owned and operated several other successful restaurants in Manayunk like Kansas City Prime, Arroyo Grill and Fish. With those projects behind him, Derek Davis can focus all of his abundant energy on Derek’s.
Manayunk Dish: Why did you choose Manayunk as the location to open up your very first restaurant in 1992?
Derek Davis: When I was working at 1701 Cafe at the Warwick Hotel as executive chef, a friend suggested Manayunk as a great up-and-coming locale for a restaurant. I found Manayunk to be a geographically convenient, centrally located neighborhood. I loved the close-knit community immediately.
Through the years, the neighborhood has turned over residentially which keeps fresh new faces coming into Derek’s. I think Main Street strikes a good balance between fine dining and college bars. There really is something for everyone.
How would you describe your style as a chef?
I always try and stay ahead of the curve. I let the market dictate what we sell on our menu. While there are some tried and true dishes on the menu, I use my creativity and the freshest, local ingredients to determine the extensive list of nightly specials that we serve at Derek’s. Mother Nature has always dictated what I cook. We have a wood-burning oven at Derek’s, but I don’t just make pizzas in there. I love cooking over wood and almost every dish is prepared in the wood oven if it can be.
I don’t follow set trends and always strive to freshen up the menu and evolve. I did organic before anyone else in the area because I always wanted the freshest, most local ingredients.
How have you managed to stay open so long at the same location when so many restaurants come and go?
Manayunk has grown up around us and I try and change with the times. When Sonoma first opened, all we served were California wines. Through the years, diners have become more savvy and discerning. There was a demand for a more international wine list and for a more varied menu. You have to listen to your customers and sometimes readjust to meet their needs. We like to think of Derek’s not only as a special occasion restaurant, but also as your late-night cocktail and appetizer stop or your Monday burger destination.
I also couldn’t have been as successful if it weren’t for my staff. I have consistently hired good employees. I try to make sure they are having fun and then that experience gets passed on to our customers.
Because you’ve been open so long, I imagine you have established a customer base that keeps coming back again and again. Do you have “regulars?”
We definitely have customers who have been coming in for all 24 years. We have couples who have met here or had their first date at the restaurant, come back to get engaged. We’ve hosted weddings and have even had customers who had their first dates here host their child’s Bar Mitzvah in our private room upstairs. Even my wife was a customer first and used to frequent the restaurant.
I’ve heard great things about brunch. What sets Derek’s apart from the rest on weekend mornings?
Brunch is one of the most popular times at Derek’s. On Saturday and Sunday we offer Bloody Marys and mimosas for $3 each from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. On Sundays, our entire wine list is half off, too. Our menu features traditional brunch fare like steak and eggs, buttermilk pancakes and crab Benedict as well as our famous brunch burger with a fried egg and bacon on top and Middle Eastern shakshuka (wood oven baked pastured eggs, spicy tomato sauce and feta cheese served with flatbreads).
What’s your cocktail of the moment?
A fresh, new addition to our cocktail menu is the Original Sinfire. We start with Hood River Distillers Sinfire Cinnamon Whiskey, add vanilla syrup and Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka and then top it with fresh-grated nutmeg. One taste and you will see why this drink is sinful.
Whether it be for happy hour, brunch, a nightcap or a special dinner, Derek’s is the perfect spot for wining and dining along Main Street. Rest assured that even after 24 years, Derek Davis is in the restaurant overseeing the kitchen and the dining room and doesn’t go home until his last satisfied guest is served.
Find Derek’s at 4411 Main Street in Manayunk; phone: (215) 483-9400.
Photo credits: Nina Lea Photography.
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