Corey Regensburg’s working with a shiny chrome La Marzocco — the Cadillac of professional espresso machines. It purrs and whooshes as he pulls a double shot of espresso and sets it up for a latte tutorial. It’s well past Ox’s normal business hours, the sunset peers through the shop’s large windows and pulled-down shades.
Regensburg, one of the shop’s consultants, steams milk in a frothing pitcher and demonstrates his latte pour for a crowd of four people huddled around the quartz countertop at Ox Coffee in Queen Village.
“Pencil thin,” he narrates as the milk streams into the base of the mug, sinking under the espresso’s golden layer of crema. Then, “push, push, glide,” he instructs. The result is a tulip design, finished with two dainty hearts.
The spectators at Ox aren’t new employees — they’re at-home enthusiasts, including a father-daughter duo who took the class to perfect their kitchenside almond milk lattes.
Americans are buying all types of coffee makers and brewing at home more, according to the National Coffee Association, with ownership of countertop espresso machines growing by 50% in 2025 and still on the rise in 2026. Breville Kitchen Group, especially, has seen a surge in sales among amateur espresso makers, with a range of high-end automatic and semi-automatic machines.
“COVID triggered a rise in at-home espresso,” Regensburg said. “Breville boomed like 10 times, and everyone else — from Panasonic to Ninja — hopped on.”
Industry experts say the global espresso and coffee machine market is rapidly expanding, driven by a “prosumer” movement: enthusiasts at home who crave high-end gear to make cafe-style drinks.
Now, coffee shops are leaning into the phenomenon, offering lessons to hobbyists to help master the craft.It illustrates a larger trend across the food service industry: teaching as a way to diversify revenue, build relationships with customers, and fulfill patrons’ desire to peek behind the curtain.
Across Philly, you’ll find Mighty Bread teaching croissant classes, Jezabel’s hosting empanada-making courses, the Bread Room with pizza lessons, Bloomsday with wine 101 sessions, and plenty more.
“It’s really exciting because it adds something to the dynamic besides going to eat or drink, which is wonderful but one-dimensional,” Jonathan Deutsch, director of Drexel University’s Food Lab, said.
Corey Regensburg and Leo Dowd lead a Latte Art 101 class at Ox Coffee.Emily Bloch
Leo Dowd runs Ox’s coffee class program. He says the shop has hosted about 10 classes so far on topics including espresso 101 and latte art for beginners. The classes allow everyday customers to get behind the bar and learn from the pros.
“The rise of remote and hybrid work has played a big role [in coffee classes], along with DIY culture on social media,” Cody Wood, a barista trainer at Crema Coffee in Nashville, said. Crema runs a host of classes inside a training lab at its downtown location. “Overall, it seems more people are tackling home projects, baking bread, learning to cook, trying new experiences on their own, and learning to make the best coffee at home.”
At Ox, the students take turns behind the La Marzocco — a powerhouse compared to any home espresso machine. They sheepishly tinker with the steam valve under Regensburg’s tutelage, practicing with water before moving onto whole milk.
As the milk steams, he calls out cues for students to look out for, like the sound of paper tearing and the appearance of white paint. Dowd picks out a Sonny Stitt record and puts it on in the background.
Video: Ox Coffee consultant demonstrates pouring milk in a Latte Art 101 class
Coffee shops giving away tricks of the trade — including recipes — hasn’t hurt sales, either. If anything, the rise of the at-home barista has helped them.
“Zahav’s hummus recipe is published everywhere, for instance, and it doesn’t mean that you are going to necessarily make it,” Deutsch said. “Coffee’s different because on one hand, it’s really easy to make if you know what you’re doing. But on the other hand, to do espresso drinks really beautifully, you need the right equipment. And there’s awesome home equipment like the Breville, but it’s still not the same as going to a coffee shop and having a really properly pulled, professionally done espresso.”
Wood at Crema in Nashville says the same people who take their coffee classes are also coming back to try new roasts and to talk shop.
Cody Wood demonstrates a pour at Crema in Nashville. Wood, a barista trainer, also leads Crema’s public education program.Courtesy of Crema
“My hope is that we continue to see better coffee brewed and shared in both cafes and homes,” he said. “Coffee has always been a communal experience. Everyone I know who loves making coffee loves sharing it with others.”
Coffee classes nationwide average around $100 per session. Ox’s classes cost between $95-$135 depending on the intricacy.
“That’s a lot of cups of coffee you would have to sell to get that kind of revenue,” Deutsch said.
Deutsch said this approach is wise since during regular business hours, coffee sales rely on convenience and speed.
“If you’re standing in line at 7 a.m., it’s not really a great time to ask about the sustainability of the beans and provenance and all this kind of stuff you might be curious about as a coffee nerd,” he said. “The whole idea of building a relationship with guests on a more substantive level makes sense. Also, if you go out, you’re going to spend a hundred bucks easily on a few drinks and some music. Why not educate yourself and do something entertaining that will stay with you?”
Gloria Sullivan tired and reviewed 100 Philly coffee shops for her followers. Today, she creates her own signature drinks at home. She’s shown here trying an Ice Drip Coffee with half and half and an Iced Earl Gray Tea at Vault + Vine in Philadelphia, Friday, September 1, 2023.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
On social media, TikTok feeds are flooded with content creators attempting to create (or recreate) their favorite lattes and little treats at home.
Philly-based creator Gloria Sullivan — aka @_gloyoyo_ — often documents her morning coffee ritual for her more than 700,000 followers. She alternates between her Breville Bambino, a moka pot, and other methods when making her coffee.
“In the beginning, a lot of coffee creators framed their videos as ‘stop buying coffee out, make this at home instead’ and now it feels more focused on creativity, finding fun ways to make drinks at home exciting,” Sullivan said. “Making coffee is as much of a hobby as knitting or reading or baking, coupled with the fact that a lot of people want to start making content online and there’s not a super high barrier to entry for making coffee at home.”
By the end of class at Ox, half empty mugs and rags are scattered across the bar. The level of proficiency after an hour and a half varies, but every guest has managed to get their milk to skate on top of their mug of espresso.
The amateur work isn’t close to Regensburg’s tulip, but he remains encouraging.
“I know that latte art is sexy and fun and it looks good on Instagram,” he said. “But this — milk texture — is what matters. Latte art got big because it’s indicative of good milk texture.”
Dowd anticipates Ox’s coffee class schedule will ramp up this fall and winter as locals look for indoor activities.
Currently, Ox appears to be the only Philly shop offering courses. But Deutsch wouldn’t be surprised if that changes soon enough.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” he said. “The positives outweigh the risks of teaching people your secrets. I really think that’s more a mythology than a reality that’s born out.”
John’s Water Ice just closed for the season, so I decided to do something smart this year: I stocked up. Almost half our freezer is filled with it.
But, my wife says it’s too much, that we have to have people over soon to eat through it so we actually have freezer space, and that it won’t even taste as good a month from now. But I say: Some John’s is better than no John’s. Did I go too far? Or not far enough?
Mike Newall, Life & Culture reporter
Do not second-guess yourself for a moment. You are a good husband and a good man. You saw water ice and you got it and you gave it a home for the winter and now many of your neighbors will want to be your friends. Congrats, you are a local hero.
If anything, I’d start clearing freezer space for the water ice ahead of time.
Abigail Covington, Life & Culture reporter
Listen, I love John’s too. But I am firmly with your wife on this one. Do you want to be the kind of guy who stocks up on stuff? Get a second freezer for the garage. Everybody knows that’s where overflow goods go. You cannot waste precious freezer space on a seasonal treat.
Mike Newall
Oh, Abigail, we have been through so much together — I think maybe two of these advice chats, at least — and now we part ways — or at least opinions. Water ice! Water ice! Water ice!
I see your point on the basement freezer (that’s where my pop kept his pickled pig’s feet). But it’s not like this is last month’s leftovers — it’s water ice. It’ll be gone before Halloween.
Abigail Covington
Yes, maybe a compromise is in order. Give the water ice an expiration date. It has to be gone before the holidays when leftovers will inevitably need to move in. Or, I like Mike’s idea — Halloween.
Mike Newall
Here’s my thing: Let’s fast-forward a couple weeks or even more to the heart of fall. Leaves are falling. Eagles are on TV. Chill in the air. And you’re in your living room enjoying some fine — possibly maybe a little bit freezer burnt if you don’t really shut the lids — pineapple water ice. To me the appeal is enjoying something when you normally can’t. It’s more than a treat. It’s a little seasonal nostalgia.
Freezer burn is a reasonable fear, and the sugar and water can over-crystallize over time, making the ice somewhat grainy. But I’m sure that takes time. More than enough time for you to kick back with some well-preserved lemon ice after Thanksgiving dinner.
Abigail Covington
I’m sorry but who in Hades wants to eat water ice in November? It’s not ice cream! You can’t serve it with pumpkin pie. I get the nostalgia element, but the joy of a seasonal treat is that it’s seasonal. Make it available year-round and it will undoubtedly lose its luster, especially if it’s got the freezer burn fuzzies.
Mike Newall
Oh boy, I got a chill from “freezer burn fuzzies.”
You know what, Abigail. You convinced me.
In the spirit of compromise, a solution: Why don’t you and your wife make a water ice date on the next lovely evening. Sit out on the stoop. Enjoy it. Pass it around. Talk about the old days and good times. And then go back inside and chuck the rest out.
Abigail Covington
Agreed. There are plenty of water ice spots that stay open year-round for the diehards like yourself. Venture out of the house when the craving hits and let the contents of your freezer change with the seasons. Your wife will thank you.
On one block of Martha Street, it feels like Christmas came early. Panettone — sliced and dolloped with whipped cream — is already officially for sale.
Matty, who oversees the pastry program for Defined Hospitality restaurants including Suraya and Condesa, said Formosa is shorthand for Aquaformosa, the tiny mountain village in Calabria, Italy, where his grandfather was born. Likewise, the pop-up’s menu spans bread-forward (and seasonally anachronistic) sweets that are meant to evoke a sense of warmth. There are oversized cinnamon rolls swirled with blueberry jam, a sticky-sweet plum upside down cake, and doughnut shop-style maple pecan cruellers, among other delights.
At Formosa inside Picnic, pastry chef James Matty’s panettone will be served as $9 slices topped with whipped cream.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The panettone is Formosa’s crown jewel. Flecked with dark chocolate chips, pecans, and Luxardo cherries, Matty’s version splits the difference between classic and new-aged panettones, which tend to be airier and more voluptuous. His bread is buttery soft and light, with a crackly crust that’s fun to peel off.
To me — a panettone novice — it tasted like a cross between the world’s moistest poundcake and a sourdough loaf.
Matty, who grew up in Trooper, Montgomery County, was also not raised in a panettone family. His fixation with the bread began in adulthood while studying at the Culinary Institute of America, where he became enamored with the craftsmanship good panettone requires.
Pastry Chef James Matty poses inside Picnic, the restaurant hosting his Formosa pastry pop-ups during October 2026.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Panettone is “like the mountaintop” of bread, said Matty. “It’s the most difficult to pull off consistently.”
Formosa’s version takes the equivalent of a work week to prepare. The dough must ferment for three days, said Matty. It takes another two to proof and bake. The most stressful test comes at end: Panettone must hang upside while cooling so it doesn’t collapse inward under its own weight.
The first time Matty made panettone, he said called it a “complete flop.”
Formosa’s panettone takes five days to prepare.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“It literally flopped out of the mold,” he said. Upwards of twenty retries later, and Matty’s panettone hangs steadily on the cooling rack, sort of like muffin-shaped bats.
At Formosa, Matty’s panettone will be served in $9 slices topped with whipped cream. As for selling whole rounds in time for the winter holidays, Matty said to “wait-and-see.”
For now, I’ll just be adding it to the top of my wish list.
Formosa at Picnic, 2421 Martha St., instagram.com/formosa.philly. Hours: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. (or sell out) Saturday – Sunday from Oct. 3 to Oct. 25.
Panettone’s real test come at the end: To cool, the Italian sweet bread must hang upside down. If prepared incorrectly, it flops.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Hey there! Are you new to Love at First Bite? If so, click the arrow at the top of the page to check out episode one.
If you’re coming back for more, settle in because things are heating up in the pods.
This episode focuses on the connections building between Amy’s Pastelillos, Gilda, Out West, Doro Bet and Scampi. With some fun cameos by Rice & Sambal, Càphê Roasters, Ocho Supper Club, Pine Street Grill, and Emei. Plus, a tease for episode three featuring a hilarious convo between Paffuto and Gilda that has us a little concerned for Gilda’s future collab partner.
Check out the episode and then weigh in on this week’s poll.
Who should Amy’s Pastelillos collab with?
Thanks for voting
In this episode the chefs discuss which foods they enjoy working with most. Amy’s Pastellilos said plantains, Scampi said shrimp, prawns and lobster and Out West said lamb (with a few shout outs for their famous lamb scrapple).
Which chef’s answer are you vibing with most?
We’ll be back with episode three on October 5.
Want to taste what these chefs are cooking up?
Limited tickets are available for The Inquirer’s second ever Food Fest. Join us on Nov. 14, 2026, 11 a.m. for one day to taste it all.
A man ran from Pat’s King of Steaks after throwing a cheesesteak through its service window around dinnertime Wednesday. But the camera he carried left an online trail behind him.
Philadelphia police said Friday that the man, who turned himself in Thursday, was charged with harassment, a summary offense. Police declined to identify him, and it is not clear what prompted him to surrender.
The video he apparently made of the encounter had surfaced on YouTube and Instagram, where Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri said his information-technology team traced it to accounts filled with pranks, music, and Philadelphia street content.
Surveillance video from Pat’s King of Steaks shows a man throwing his cheesesteak at manager Tom Camardo on Sept. 30, 2026.Courtesy of Pat's King of Steaks
“He wanted to be famous,” Olivieri said. “He got exactly what he asked for. Now, he needs to be accountable for his actions and his words.”
The YouTube account, under the name h4ll0w33n, presented the episode as a food review titled “I Threw This Cheesesteak in His Face Geno’s Steaks,” misidentifying the stand with the name of another landmark eatery across the intersection of Ninth Street, Wharton Street, and Passyunk Avenue.
A screenshot of the video’s thumbnail showed what appeared to be an AI-generated image of a cheesesteak flying into a man’s face, with “THIS CHEESESTEAK SUCKED!” in large type and “YAM TV” beneath it.
By Friday morning, the video was unavailable. YouTube said the account associated with it had been terminated.
An Instagram account using the name @h4ll0w33n___ remained online with about 10,500 followers. The video also appeared on a newly created Instagram account called YAM TV, which described itself as “The Reality Food Critic Show” covering Philadelphia and beyond. Neither account disclosed the man’s name. No one from the accounts replied to The Inquirer’s messages requesting comment.
Olivieri said his IT team searched online using a photograph of the man and found the accounts after he posted his recording.
“How brazen are you to assault somebody and then post it?” Olivieri said. “Thank God for stupidity.”
Olivieri had offered a $5,000 reward Thursday for information leading to the man’s arrest and conviction. On Friday, he said he had allocated the money to someone who contacted him with information.
The episode began shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday, after the customer ordered a cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and onions.
Surveillance video shows him sitting at a table outside Pat’s, pulling apart the sandwich with his hands without eating it. He later returned to the window, exchanged words with general manager Tom Francano, threw the cheesesteak at him, and ran.
Francano can be seen throwing pieces of the sandwich back toward the fleeing man. He was not injured, police said.
By Friday, Francano was willing to revisit the moment under friendlier circumstances.
Justin Camardo, co-owner of Dough Head Pizza across the intersection, posted an Instagram video with the caption: “We heard Pat’s was throwing food around, so naturally we had to see what all the hype was about.”
The video shows Camardo walking across the street with a slice of pizza and handing it to Francano, who promptly smashes it into Camardo’s face.
Detectives initially investigated Wednesday’s episode as an assault. Olivieri said Friday that he was disappointed that the man had been charged only with summary harassment and questioned whether it would provide the deterrent he sought.
“What are they going to give him, community service?” he said. “Maybe he should come over here and sweep the pavement.”
Pat’s has dealt with thrown drinks, food, coins, and other objects during its 96-year history, Olivieri said. What made Wednesday’s incident different, he said, was the camera — evidence, in his view, that the confrontation had been staged for an audience.
Olivieri said he pursued the case because he feared that allowing the episode to pass without consequences could invite copycats at Pat’s and other restaurants. Businesses already contend with the positive and negative effects of influencers, he said; deliberately provoking employees for online attention crossed another line.
“I not only did this for me,” Olivieri said. “I think it’s for everyone else who has had an issue with a pizza influencer, a hoagie influencer, or whatever.”
A suspect in the cheesesteak-throwing incident at Pat’s King of Steaks has turned himself in to police, according to reports by Fox29 and 6abc.
Charges were pending Thursday night. Police had not identified the suspect.
Video: Man throws cheesesteak through Pat’s window
Earlier Thursday, Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the camera-carrying man who hurled a cheesesteak through the South Philadelphia restaurant’s service window Wednesday afternoon, striking general manager Tom Francano.
Olivieri said he hoped to stop the apparent stunt from becoming the next social-media trend.
The incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m., after the customer ordered a cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and onions. Olivieri said he believed that the man had paid in cash, so he could not identify him through receipts.
Pat’s King of Steaks at the intersection of Ninth Street, Wharton Street, and Passyunk Avenue.Michael Klein / Staff
Olivieri said surveillance footage convinced him that the encounter had been planned. Video shows the customer sitting at a table, pulling apart the sandwich with his hands without eating it. The man later approached the window, exchanged words with Francano, threw the cheesesteak at him, and ran down the street.
Francano can be seen throwing pieces of the sandwich back toward the fleeing man. He did not report injuries, police said. Detectives initially investigated the incident as an assault.
“His intention was to make a video: get the sandwich, have an argument at the window, film the entire thing, throw the sandwich through the window, and run away,” Olivieri said. “That’s how he gets clicks.”
Francano noticed the man’s camera and took particular care while preparing his order, Olivieri said.
“Everybody here knows that when somebody comes up with a camera, you make sure the sandwich is extra perfect, so there is absolutely nothing they can say is wrong with it,” he said.
Customers occasionally have thrown drinks, food, or other objects through the restaurant’s window during its 96-year history, Olivieri said. In one incident around 2024, he said, a customer threw a handful of coins at employees. But Wednesday’s encounter was different: The man arrived with a camera and apparently recorded his actions.
“It’s one thing if somebody comes to the window, gets into an argument, and throws a soda or some french fries,” Olivieri said. “But nobody has ever intentionally come with a camera and thrown a cheesesteak through the window.”
Olivieri said he wanted consequences for the man because a video of the episode could encourage others to stage similar confrontations at Pat’s or other restaurants.
“If this guy posts the video — or when he posts it — other people are going to come and do it,” Olivieri said. “They’ll be throwing cheesesteaks through the window at my place and everybody else’s place. I feel as though we need to make an example of this person. Nobody should get away with doing something like this.”
Staff writer Henry Savage contributed to this article.
Burgundy is in many ways the birthplace of fine wine. Not only is it the native region for both chardonnay and pinot noir, but Burgundy also was the first place where winemaking practices were systematically organized in Medieval times around quality, not quantity.
Today, Burgundy is still viewed as the world’s most ambitious wine region, which helps explain why more and more of its small producers — including this one — are embracing an “organic lite” approach to grape growing.
The cachet of a certified organic label continues to grow within the wine world, but obtaining the certification is far more costly in some regions than others. In dry and sunny places where fungus and other pests are naturally suppressed, such as southern Spain or most of Chile, certification can be relatively cheap and come with little risk. In cooler and more humid regions like Burgundy, though, a commitment to organic farming can force growers to watch as their entire crop is destroyed before their eyes.
It’s in this context that we see more producers find a middle ground between relying on chemical sprays for pest control and a zero-tolerance policy for manmade chemicals. The French call this lutte raisonée — or the “reasonable fight” — because sprays are avoided where possible but not prohibited. They can be used when absolutely necessary.
This common sense approach also produces more interesting wines, since the regular use of chemical sprays can result in a loss of character and complexity. Here, we find a clean, bright chardonnay with layers of pear and apple flavors that’s laced with palate-cleansing minerality, all in the understated style Burgundian monks first pioneered almost 1,000 years ago.
Damien Martin Bourgogne BlancCourtesy of Damien Martin
Damien Martin Bourgogne Blanc
Burgundy, France
13% ABV
PLCB Item #100048584
On sale for $17.99 through Oct. 4 (regularly $19.99)
No alternate retail locations within 50 miles of Philadelphia. according to Wine-Searcher.com.
While the pandemic didn’t fully close Chinatown mainstay David’s Mai Lai Wah, it did shutter its dining room. First opened in 1982 by Hong Kong native David Chan, it became legendary over the years both for its food — in particular, its salt and pepper chicken wings, their spicy, crowd-pleasing adaptation of the classic Cantonese dish made with squid — and for catering to a sometimes rowdy late-night crowd, which started in 1992.
Since 2020, David’s Mai Lai Wah has only operated as a takeout restaurant (with no delivery), despite its now-vintage neon sign proclaiming “Eat In Take Out” remaining lit up through the partial closure.
In 1992, David’s Mai Lai Wah was among a small number of dining spots to stay open and serve late-night food. Here, David Chan, restaurant owner, and Ling Luong make dumplings in the dining room.ERIC MENCHER / File Photograph
But on Monday, David’s Mai Lah Wah quietly opened up its dining room again, and the renovations were significant. The uneven floor was leveled and completely replaced. Gone are the rickety dining tables covered in pink tablecloths and tamped down with glass table tops. They’ve been exchanged for rectangular tables (with no linens) that flank either side of the room. A new bar glows under a new green neon sign of the Chinese characters “Mai Lai Wah” — a phrase that means “beautiful magnificence.”
Now, the interior lives up to the name.
The renovated dining room at David’s Mai Lai Wah, which reopened Sept. 28.Kiki Aranita / staff /
The mirrored wall on one side of the dining room remains, but the other walls are papered over with vibrant photographs depicting many of Hong Kong’s famous neon signs. Walking in the door now feels like walking into a diorama of Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district, famous for its concentrations of classic neon.
Another image shows Philadelphia’s Chinatown Friendship Arch. The real one is just a few steps outside of the restaurant’s door.
“We had the photos made into wallpaper to create a mix of where [my father] was and where he is now,” said Priscilla Chan, 33. “When he came to Philly he was only 13 years old. His mom sent him here to stay with his uncle, who worked in restaurants and he’s been working in restaurants ever since.”
And restaurant work took a toll. “During COVID, we closed for two weeks and then remained closed because we were still able to do business and at that point my dad was tired,”said Chan. The boisterous late-night crowds also took their toll. He was“sick of all the fighting that would happen at nighttime,” said Chan.
Renovations on the restaurant didn’t start until this past February. Everything was done slowly as David’s Mai Lai Wah remained open for takeout.
The renovated dining room marks a changing of the guard. “My dad is still the owner but he wanted me to start taking things on for him,” said Chan, who was working as a nurse until she and her engineer husband (who had also worked in restaurants), Barry Li, both left their jobs to run David’s.
“We bought a house in July, got married in August, and now it’s September and we’ve reopened dine-in,” she said.
Chan is now the restaurant’s general manager. She and Li overhauled their point-of-sale system as she familiarized herself with the operation. When she started, “They wrote everything down by hand and brought it to the kitchen. We slowly introduced new things.” She cast a critical eye on what items were selling and what items were not, and what cost too much in labor.
“I know a lot of people really love the roast duck but it’s incredibly difficult and really expensive,” she said. “One day we might try to bring it back, but right now, we’re concentrating on opening, finding our flow, and focusing on the big staples, like the salt and pepper series.” (In addition to the famous chicken wings, David’s Mai Lai Wah serves salt and pepper shrimp and scallops.)
Li designed a trendy cocktail menu with a yuzu margarita, a gingery take on an Old Fashioned, and an espresso martini made with Vietnamese coffee.
“We’re excited to welcome in old regulars,” said Chan. “But please don’t fight in here.”
David’s Mai Lai Wah is open for dine-in and takeout (no delivery) from 4 p.m. to 2:15 a.m. Last call for drinks is at 2 a.m.
David’s Mai Lah Wah, 1001 Race St., 215-627-2610, mailaiwah.com
The Morris House Hotel has always had the bones to host a hit restaurant. Its Georgian-style brick buildings boast some genuine historic character dating back to 1787, when the Constitution was being written just a few blocks away. There’s a gracious courtyard oasis tucked behind an iron gate with room for 75 diners beneath a garland-draped tent ringed by dogwood and magnolia trees. A cozy indoor space with room for 45 more beside that garden and a plush bar offer a dramatic view through red curtains onto Eighth Street. Situated close to Washington Square, surrounded by residential neighborhoods and the vital pulse of a hospital district, it’s not lacking for foot traffic.
And yet, the Morris House has long been the Philadelphia restaurant equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle. Over the last 20 years since it was refurbished into an elegant inn, several talented chefs have come along in hopes of unlocking its potential as a destination dinner hideaway — only to succumb to its more profitable use as a wedding party factory. The fits and starts of multiple new operators, most recently the bistro-style Morris, which closed after less than a year in 2023, have continued to cloud the public’s perception of what happens at 225 S. Eighth St.
The outside of Soufiane at the Morris on Sept. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pa.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerSoufiane Boutliliss shows off the outdoor dining in the garden during a friends-and-family preopening of Soufiane at the Morris in Philadelphia on May 27, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
What this space needs is a restaurant with a distinct identity. So I could not have been more excited to learn that Soufiane Boutliliss and Christophe Mathon of Sofi Corner Cafe were bringing a more expansive expression of their Moroccan-French magic to the fine-dining setting of the Morris House.
I still daydream of the couscous royale I once ate at Sofi Corner, the casual, counter-service breakfast-lunch cafe this married couple still operates for daytime service a few blocks away on Locust Street. I was thrilled to find another rendition of that cultural keystone dish celebrated here, a deep-green painted terra-cotta platter of mounded couscous scented with nutty aged butter draped with heaps of stewed veggies, tagine-braised chicken and lamb, sesame-speckled dried fruits, and a cuminy link of merguez rocking over top like a sausage seesaw.
Couscous royale with meat at Soufiane at the Morris on Sept. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
But something was missing. It wasn’t just the need for a more generous splash of the deeply steeped broth kissed with rose water that should unite these disparate elements. (You can always ask for extra broth with your couscous.) This centerpiece to our dinner also arrived 90 minutes after our arrival, pointing to much bigger issues of service and inexperience with a project this large that are hampering this duo from realizing their vision at the Morris House.
The restaurant was so completely unprepared on a midweek evening for a busy room that what might be a boon of customers for most restaurants became a crisis here. The frantic staff was stretched so thin that it took a server nearly 30 minutes to take our drink orders, and then only with a sigh while leaning halfway through the doorway to the patio, where several more customers waited. Menu items kept dropping out of our reach before we could ask for them. The Moroccan briouats pastries? Gone. The piperade roast peppers and toast? Gone.
Inside dining area at Soufiane at the Morris on Sept. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerSoufiane Boutliliss, owner of Sofi Corner Cafe, and his husband, Christophe Mathon, pose for a portrait in front of the restaurant in Philadelphia on Dec. 29, 2023.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
“Let me send you a roasted marrow bone compliments of the house!” a manager offered my unlucky-in-ordering guest as a consolation. It never came. Neither did the duck confit, substituted without mention by a seared duck breast, which was salty, tough, and small for $37.
“A couple people did not show up in the kitchen today,” conceded yet another staffer who ultimately took our order. That might also explain why an otherwise wonderfully seasoned duck pâté en croûte marbled with pistachios and herbes de Provence arrived with its underbaked pastry crust still pale and doughy.
It does not take skilled kitchen labor, however, to realize that four hungry diners could use more than a few miserly slices of baguette to dig into a trio of flavorful Moroccan eggplant and carrot salads. “Some more bread, please?” we begged politely, knowing it would be at least another 20 minutes until we saw it.
All new restaurants go through growing pains, and some will take longer to sort them out than others. But it would be unfair to suggest that Soufiane at the Morris is not worth the trouble. To the contrary, there were several glimmers of hope in my first meal here. The bar has been beautifully refurbished with wood paneling and pilasters salvaged from Lynnewood Hall along with a gilded antique French rococo mirror. The cocktails served to the diners at cushy barstools there incorporate fun Moroccan touches, from a gin-infused mint tea to an old-fashioned that arrives inside a dome of cinnamon and bay wood smoke.
People enjoying food and drinks at the bar at Soufiane on Sept. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerA Moroccan old-fashioned at Soufiane at the Morris on Sept. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
The kitchen also delivered some memorable plates, including a soulfully stewed chicken tagine scented with cardamom, olives, and preserved lemon. We also especially loved an obscure French standby called veal Marengo, a wine-stewed tumble of tender meat, mushrooms, and pearl onions with silky mashed potatoes. It’s a dish that Coast Guard veteran-turned-chef Henry McGuigan (Zahav, Laser Wolf, Lucky’s Last Chance, June BYOB, Tavern on Camac) has been mastering for years. They were both so good we would come back just for them.
In fact, we did. A few weeks later, the service was far more focused and the menu’s bicultural aspirations (with both hits and misses) came into clearer view. The menu is a split concept, more than pure fusion, and is very much a reflection of the couple behind this restaurant, the Tangier-born, Paris-raised Boutliliss and his husband, Mathon, a Frenchman who moved to the States as an executive with Coty.
The Veau Marengo (braised veal with white wine, pearl onions, mushrooms, house purée) served during a friends-and-family preopening of Soufiane at the Morris in Philadelphia on May 27, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
With McGuigan digging deep into his repertoire of French standards, some of the Gallic flavors were among the most satisfying, from a standout beef tartare with a quail egg shrouded in rosemary smoke to some tender escargots broiled with garlicky breadcrumbs inside their shells (worth it just to use the pincerlike escargot tongs!). I’d place Soufiane’s French onion soup among Philly’s best. Made over the course of two days with slowly caramelized onions and both beef and veal stocks steeped in-house, this soup has cognac-splashed layered depth and the satisfaction of a generously cheesy molten Gruyère lid.
The steak frites is also a winner, a perfectly cooked prime-grade hanger lavished with a garden green spoonful of a zesty parsley purée enriched with shallots, confit garlic, and anchovies. Those shoestring frites cooked in beef tallow were also a crucial, sauce-soaking vehicle for la mouclade de moules, one of the most distinctive mussel dishes in town that taps a traditional preparation from the French coastal town of La Rochelle, its shellfish jus enriched with crème fraîche and curry.
The Escargots de Bourgogne (garlic and herb butter) served during a friends-and-family preopening of Soufiane at the Morris in Philadelphia on May 27, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerSteak frites at Soufiane at the Morris on Sept. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pa.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Where this kitchen most frequently fell short was on the Moroccan side of the menu, where the flavors were often good, but the execution and touch were off — a symptom, perhaps, of the fact that Boutliliss is less involved in the kitchen’s day-to-day operations.
The fish tagine’s tomato-based sauce was appealingly fragrant with cumin and smoked paprika, but the red snapper fillet was overcooked and dry. Chermoula sauce is one of Boutliliss’ family treasures, a velvety green purée of cilantro, parsley, lemon, and olive oil whose aromatics of garlic and cumin must be added in order and in proper balance. (“You have to respect the grandmother’s touch,” says Boutliliss.)
But the tiny bay scallops that arrived inside a terra-cotta crock of that bubbling hot chermoula were terribly overcooked. In both cases, though, McGuigan has recognized the flaws and altered the dishes since my visits, changing the technique on the fish and subbing in larger sea scallops to better showcase the flavors.
Chef Henry McGuigan plates the Tartare de Bœuf “On a Cloud” during a friends-and-family preopening of Soufiane at the Morris in Philadelphia on May 27, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
When it came to dessert, however, it was the Moroccan-inspired flavors that were most successful, a “pain perdue” French toast soaked in orange blossom syrup with caramel and pistachios, as well as a simple lemon tart inspired by Boutliliss’ grandmother with a lime zest-dusted condensed milk custard set into a crust of crushed Biscoff cookies.
It was a pleasant enough finale, but Mathon and Boutliliss must have sensed things had not gone smoothly and could be seen circulating among the room’s lingering guests with complimentary pours of Rémy Martin 1738 Cognac.
“We know we can do better,” Mathon told our table, tipping the brandy our way. “We never want you to leave without a smile.”
That kind of personal touch, the one that earned them fans at tiny Sofi Corner, is certainly the right idea, and when a Frenchman breaks out the cognac you know he means it. But if they hope to change two decades of precedent and transform the larger challenge of Soufiane at the Morris into a lasting restaurant success, they’ve got bigger issues of staffing and kitchen consistency to solve.
The crème brûlée served during a friends-and-family preopening of Soufiane on May 27, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Dinner Tuesday through Sunday, 4:30 p.m. to midnight.
Wheelchair accessible through garden entrance.
About 35% of the menu is gluten-free or can be modified.
Entrees, $30-$48 (couscous for two).
Menu highlights: beef tartare; Moroccan briouats; escargots; chermoula scallops; French onion soup; couscous royale; chicken tagine; steak frites; veal Marengo; la Mouclade curried mussels; tarte au citron.
Drinks: Cocktails are the focus, with a range of classic ideas executed with a North African flourish, from a Casablanca old-fashioned smoked with cinnamon and bay wood to a gin- and Carpano-infused Moroccan mint tea. About a dozen wines by the glass, largely French, offer a solid range of standard choices for $16 or less.
The entrance of Soufiane at the Morris on May 27, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The pods are open. Twelve Philly chefs are looking for their perfect collab partner — but only one team will earn the title of Love at First Bite.
Hosted by The Inquirer’s Ariane Datil, Food Fest Love at First Bite is a reality TV-inspired culinary matchmaking series, where Philly chefs enter the “pods” to find their perfect collaboration partner.
Together, the matched chefs will create a dish for The Inquirer Food Fest. On November 14, at The Fillmore, they will compete for the coveted title of Love at First Bite.
New episodes will be released twice a week leading up to Food Fest.
Come back to watch the chefs “date” each other in the pods, find out who they’ve been paired with, and get a behind the scenes look at the chefs in the kitchen as they figure out what they’ll serve up for the Inquirer Food Fest.
Like one of our favorite reality dating shows, after each episode of Love at First Bite you’ll get a chance to vote on different moments from the episode. More on that later. But first …
Which chef are you most excited to see at the Food Fest?
Thanks for voting
Are you coming to The Inquirer Food Fest?
Thanks for voting
We’ll be back with episode two on October 3.
Want to taste what these chefs are cooking up?
Limited tickets are available for The Inquirer’s second ever Food Fest. Join us on Nov. 14, 2026, 11 a.m. for one day to taste it all.
