Philadelphia, a city renowned for its rich history and vibrant arts scene, offers a unique feast for both the eyes and the palate. Beyond its famous cheesesteaks and iconic landmarks, the city is home to a collection of restaurants where the art on the walls is as captivating as the food on the plate. From hidden murals to sparkling mosaics, these dining spots have embraced local artists to create truly unforgettable and visually stunning atmospheres.
A Taste of Philadelphia’s Public Art and Eateries
Fork
When owner Ellen Yin recruited New York chef Eli Kulp to reinvigorate her restaurant, Fork, in 2013, the menu wasn’t the only thing to get a new look in her Old City space. Fork emerged from a renovation with a gorgeous new mural by artist Anthony DeMelas.
“At the time they were painted, he was a server at Fork,” says Yin, “but after having so many commissions, he’s primarily focused on his art now.” Not hard to see why: The mural’s columns of tree trunks shimmer in shades of soft green, ocher and gold. Look just right, and they appear to be growing from the back of a tufted, earth-brown banquette running the length of the mural wall like a bed of topsoil. The work has become so synonymous with Fork, it even serves as the landing page for the restaurant’s website.
Federal Donuts
All three outposts of Federal Donuts feature locally crafted furniture that could pass for industrial art, but only one can boast about its mural by Yis “NoseGo” Goodwin, one of Philly’s eminent graffiti artists. Plastered on the exterior wall of the FedNuts largest location-cum-commissary on 7th and Fairmount, the mural features a colorful hybrid creature with a body made of donut rings and a head that looks like a cross between a chicken and a sea anemone.
“We knew that we wanted a [local] artist to represent us, and NoseGo, a true ambassador for the arts in Philadelphia, was the first person that came to mind,” says partner Tom Henneman. “When we asked him if he would create a custom piece, we purposefully didn’t give him much direction, knowing it would be incredible and the work would speak for itself.” Henneman and his crew were not disappointed.
Graffiti Bar
“We wanted to create a unique and different experience, a space that didn’t exist in the city [with] a backyard vibe,” says Michael Schulson, chef-owner of the popular pan-Asian spot, Sampan, and its al fresco lounge, Graffiti Bar. Accessed through a narrow alley alongside Sampan, Graffiti’s walls and tabletops are covered in the titular street art created by three local artists, A-LOT, Distort and Rune.
“They created life in the space,” says the chef, who says the bar “turned out to be a huge success.” Go on a warm weekend or during happy hour, when the secret yard is packed with Center City denizens sipping from fishbowls, and you’ll see he’s not exaggerating.
South Philly Barbacoa
Located a block off happening East Passyunk Avenue, Cristina Martinez and Ben Miller’s adorable taqueria has transcended its food truck origins and settled into one of the artsiest spaces in town—thanks to the couple’s longtime pal, Isaiah Zagar.
Zagar’s mosaics are well known: confections of Technicolor ceramics, tile, glass and mirrors that blanket random walls around his South Philly studio, a glittering cavern of a garage just around the corner from Barbacoa. The taqueria’s entire façade sparkles in the sunlight thanks to the mosaic Zagar installed shortly after Martinez and Miller opened. Inside, the chefs display rotating collections of paintings by other local artists, usually for sale.
