I love to eat. Don’t we all?! Since going vegan people assume that I eat lettuce and grass and that’s far from the truth. Not only have I tried new dishes, I’ve been grateful for some super amazing dishes. With that in mind I was invited to attend the East Passyunk Food Festival and was blown away.
My original plan was to attend the festival with my whole family. We got ready and was about to head out until we discovered the rain. Now to avoid the pitfall that I used to fall into where if plans changed I would just stay home; I attended the festival alone. Now this may sound crazy but great moms would understand, it made for an amazing me time adventure. No sharing, open walking, food, wine and peace!
So a food festival is all about great food, local music, great drinks as well as local artist who sell amazing finds. I was concerned initially about if I would find some good foods to match my palette and let me answer how of course there were some non vegan and vegan options.
I walked the whole length of the festival which by the way spanned several blocks to be clear on what I wanted. I was like a kid who kept getting all giddy with every food option. Walking it would help to fine tune my options and develop a plan of attack. My first stop was at The Bottle Shop. They had me a boozy pops. Starting my Sunday funday with a strawberry rosé boozy pop let me further know how the day would end. How if you like adult drinks, couldn’t find happiness in reliving a childhood favorite with a twist?!
I purchase flowers weekly for myself. To my excitement Creations by Coppola had amazing bouquets on display. It caught my attention so I had to venture over! Beautiful colors and amazing options!
Definitely check them out if you’re in the area!
I knew off the bat I had to stop at Punk Burger. They are known for amazing burgers and that includes the Impossible burger as well as other vegan options. If you follow me you remember me talking about their Girl Scouts inspired milkshakes they offered as a fund raiser for Eastern PA Girl Scouts. They had several sliders available and I had the portobello mushroom barbecue slider. If they wouldn’t have told me it wasn’t pulled pork I might not have known. It was delicious.
My next stop was none other than Barcelona Wine Bar. The title alone should let you know why. It’s no secret that although I don’t drink daily, I love wine. I love an ambiance while drinking wine as well. Barcelona Wine Bar gave me both. Shout out to Joe and Claire who made my dining experience wonderful. The second I identified that I was vegan they took the time to circle the menu and what would be appropriate. They also directed me according to my wine preferences were and made me feel super welcomed.
They not only had some amazing treats for those at at the Flavors of the Avenues, they also have amazing brunch menu. I decided to go in and have a sit down meal. When I walked in I saw a make your own mimosa bar. A full mimosa bar couldn’t be turned down and I’m always about respecting house rules so I had to indulge. Super chic and super good, make your way to Barcelona Wine Bar on that alone.
As far as wines they have a great selection of wines that you can get from 3oz selections and up. I elected to keep the Rosé theme going and I wasn’t disappointed. Also at the suggestion of my servers Joe and Claire I tried the Spinach and Chickpea Cazuela. It was filling and amazing! Oh and because I am a woman with many roles to fill in my life I was able to scout out a few things while there. It’s kid friendly although I would be the type to leave my kids home and elect to go out with my husband or girlfriends. I am seriously considering making my birthday dinner here in a few days. It was that nice of an option. Oh they also have outdoor seating. It’s important to me to have locations that are versatile in those respect!
Last but certainly not least I made my final stop to Lokal Artisan Foods. This is the must stop for French toast bites. I visited them during the Christmas Village and have been hooked ever since. Oh and they have vegan options too! I’ve always had issues eating French toast growing up. If it was the only option I would just elect out. They are the ONLY place where I not only enjoy but get sheer excitement when it comes to anything French toast inspired. I remember telling my mom would I had some during the Christmas holiday how it would make a believer out of her.
I’m super grateful that I didn’t allow the onset of rain to deter me. It turned out to be more than I could expect. I left full like the top of food where the event ended up being my breakfast and I didn’t eat again until dinner type full.
This was a family friendly event and even an event that several people brought their four legged friends! Not one time was the crowd so overwhelming that me anxiety kicked in. It was the perfect blend of socialization, food, and fun!
I’m hoping next time I give a suggestion on getting out in Philly you will take my word for it. Sunday funday was full of amazing food. Passyunk has some amazing finds from goods to foods. You might surprise yourself. Get out and get to eating!
