Pronounced “Pashyunk”, the Passyunk Square neighborhood is named after one of the few diagonal streets cutting through Philadelphia’s grid design, East Passyunk Avenue. This avenue is a must-see for visitors to Philadelphia as it takes travellers through some of the best cultural and culinary experiences South Philly as to offer. Passyunk Square’s perfect blend of old-school charm and influx of dynamic new energy makes it one of Philly’s most booming neighborhoods. Right in the middle of the action, the Singing Fountain personifies the neighborhood, and is an only-in-Philly experience where you can sit with both Hipsters and first-generation Frank Sinatra fans in the same place.
Passyunk Square is bounded by Broad Street to the west, 8th Street to the east, Tasker Street to the south and Wharton Street to the north. Passyunk Square is bordered by the Italian Market, Bella Vista, Hawthorne, Central South Philadelphia, Wharton and Point Breeze neighborhoods. The neighborhood got its name from the Lenape tribe in the 1800s, when it was Passyunk Township. The highly walkable thoroughfare that gives East Passyunk its name is lined with indie boutiques, bars and cafes. Unique to the neighborhood, Passyunk Square is home to traditional old-world Italian restaurants, neighborhood taverns, boutique wine bars and highly acclaimed eateries that have earned it a spot on Food and Wine’s list of 10 Best Foodie Streets in America.
Passyunk Square’s balance of vibrant change and the traditional charm of it’s roots as an Italian-American immigrant community make it one of the nation’s most unique neighborhoods. This can be felt by visiting some of its local bars, such as the Pub on Passyunk East and Stogie Joe’s, or some of the cutting-edge restaurants bringing new cuisines to the American palate; like Fond, Perla, Stateside or Will.
Add this to the traditional Abruzzi-style prix fixe meal at Mamma Maria, New York-style brick oven pizza at Marra’s and a slew of indie boutiques offering fashionable clothing, art and homeware; Passyunk offers an experience not easily replicated elsewhere in Philadelphia. Every summer, the entire corridor closes for a world-class classic car and arts show and during the holidays, the 13th Street “winter wonderland” offers a nationally-noted light show.
