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  • This chiller-than-happy-hour European drinking tradition is taking over Philly

    This chiller-than-happy-hour European drinking tradition is taking over Philly

    As the most popular dinner reservation times trend earlier and daycaps (aka late afternoon drinks) replace post-dinner cocktails, some Philadelphia bars and restaurants are forgoing happy hour for something with a chiller, convivial vibe: aperitivo.

    A longstanding European tradition, aperitivo — which means “to open” in Italian — refers to the late afternoon and early evening hours ripe for lighter-paced drinking and snacking. While other countries have their own words for it (“apéro” in France, “la hora del Vermut” in Spain), the menu always includes fortified wines, bittersweet cocktails and liqueurs, and small bites meant to stimulate appetites.

    The ritual is a natural fit for Philadelphia, the so-called “Frenchest city in America,” and its rise of Euro-American-inspired bars and restaurants. Operators are leaning into food-driven aperitivo hours to stretch out the day longer and cater to diners that are going home earlier and drinking less. Signature aperitivo drinks — classic negronis, savory vermouths, and bittersweet amaris — aren’t as heavy or fast-paced as half-priced beer and shot specials, and often come with sidecars of salty snacks, like cured meats, olives, and bread. Others, like an Aperol spritz or an Americano perfecto (a spaghett-style cocktail with beer, Vermouth, Campari, and an orange slice), tend to be lower in ABV.

    People are “drinking earlier, coming right from work, and getting a small spritz, a snack, and then going to dinner,” said Benjamin Kirk, the beverage director at Michelin-key Hotel Anna & Bel, which offers an aperitivo menu three days a week at its cocktail lounge, Caletta. “You don’t see people out as late as you normally would since the pandemic.”

    A cheeseburger and fries, the rigatoni all Amatriciana, and croquettes are all part of the aperitivo menu at Caletta in Fishtown.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Aperitivo is also more casual, less hurried, and lower pressure than a sit-down dinner or an after-work date. Reservations aren’t required, and it’s not uncommon to see friends popping in and out for a drink or kids joining family at the table.

    “It’s a lot easier to roll into aperitivo with a stroller and get a glass of wine with kids while you are catching up with friends rather than going to a bar,” said Chris DiPiazza of the South Philly bakery Mighty Bread, which started offering aperitivo hour in August 2024.

    Apéro is also “a marathon, not a sprint,” said Chloé Grigri, whose bars Superfolie, the Good King Tavern, Le Caveau, and Supérette all offer some version of late afternoon drink and food deals year-round. For Grigri, the purpose is less about pushing discounts so customers can drink more than it is about finding ways to intertwine French culture with happy hour. In Bella Vista, for example, the Good King Tavern is expanding daily apéro deals from 3 to 6 p.m. during the World Cup games (and beyond) to include discounted charcuterie, tartines, and “Frenchie-Americana” drink specials like Suze and Mountain Dew highballs and whiskey and Kronenburg citywides. “It’s the sort of thing you’d stumble across in Paris today in my opinion, but better,” she said.

    The Americano? Americano!, a vermouth cocktail that’s available only during aperitivo at Caletta.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Still, prices at aperitivo tend to hover at $8 to $16 — roughly between the cost of a beer or glass of wine — which can attract customers during slower weekday business hours, said Le Virtù general manager Chris O’Brien. In the restaurant on East Passyunk Avenue’s monthly wine club newsletter, O’Brien said that 2026 has been “our busiest year on record by a long shot” with an uptick in patio reservations, where its all-you-can-eat northern Italian aperitivo events take place.

    Similarly at Fishtown’s Caletta, Kirk said he’s seen a midweek bump with more guests requesting aperitivo hours even during offseason months. Grigri also noted the timing of the World Cup this summer has worked well for her businesses across the board. “Le Caveau had an immediate noticeable uptick,” in business, she said, alongside Good King Tavern and Supérette, where aperó has had a steadier and slower build. “It’s about getting people in right before our normal busy hours,” said Grigri.

    Here are eight places to sip, linger, and graze al fresco for aperitivo in Philly.

    Outdoor seating at Caletta, which offers an aperitivo menu from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Where to find aperitivo in Philly

    Caletta

    Caletta’s patio aperitivo (Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.) transports you from a quiet Fishtown block to the Mediterranean coastline. At this hotel bar, the cocktails include split-based, lower ABV drinks that use house-made liqueur blends and fortified wines, like the “Americano? Americano!,” which includes a mix of coffee liqueur, sweet vermouth, red bitters, orange, and olive. A bonus: Your first drink comes with a complimentary salty snack dish of mixed nuts, roasted peppers, or salami with house-made focaccia.

    📍1401 E. Susquehanna Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19125, 📞267-682-8253 🌐 calettafishtown.com

    A selection of complimentary aperitivo snacks alongside two cocktails at Sorellina, 699 N. Broad St.Courtesy S

    Sorellina

    At owner Joe Cicala’s casual pizzeria in the Divine Lorraine, aperitivo is baked into the regular menu. Every table gets a few olives and tuna-stuffed peppers to snack on while deciding what to order for dinner. Italian-style bitter cocktails, imported beers, and amari anchor the bar program,​ though Cicala has noticed more customers ordering nonalcoholic bitter sodas — perhaps influenced by summer Euro trips, he noted.

    📍699 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19123 📞 267-324-3586 🌐 sorellinapizza.com

    Banshee

    Banshee’s dedicated aperitivo section features Spanish-style small plates of croquettas and patatas bravas, among others, plus drink specials from 5 to 6 p.m. daily. The Mediterranean-inspired bar in Graduate Hospital folds cocktails from Spain (Kalimotxo), France (Kir), and Italy (the not-discounted-but-still-excellent Spring Americano with strawberry vermouth and rhubarb aperitivo) into one concise menu. Our recommendation: Order everything, including a side of the house-made sourdough.

    📍1600 South St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 📞 267-876-8346 🌐 bansheephl.com

    A spread of stuzzichini (bite-size appetizers from Northern Italy) at one of Le Virtú’s summertime aperitivo events.Courtesy Le Virtú

    Le Virtù

    For a glimpse of more communal-style aperitivo, East Passyunk’s Le Virtù hosts one-off seasonal patio gatherings throughout the summer that draw from the culture of Abruzzo, Italy, where owner Francis Cratil-Cretarola is from. Programming — typically on a Wednesday, weekend afternoon, or early evening — is lightly curated with unlimited buffet-style stuzzichini (bite-sized northern Italian appetizers) for $35 and $14 wines by the glass in collaboration with a rotating mix of producers and importers. Follow @levirtuphila on Instagram for upcoming events.

    📍1927 Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19148 📞 215-271-5626 🌐 levirtu.com

    BOTLD — Midtown

    This retail shop, tasting room, and cocktail bar adjacent to the Gayborhood lets you choose your aperitivo experience — order a drink and stay awhile or buy bottled-in-state products for at-home concoctions. Either way, you can’t go wrong with its “Slayborhood Spritz,” featuring Apologue persimmon liqueur, Kyro pink gin, prosecco, and club soda or a lemon herbaceous amaro with Fast Penny Spirits Americano Bianca.

    📍117 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 📞 445-776-7000 🌐 botld.com

    Light bites and negroni cocktails from Irwin’s aperitivo menu, which runs Wednesday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.Alli DelGrippo

    Irwin’s

    Nothing beats a rooftop hang — especially with classic Sicilian drinks and snacks. Irwin’s, just across the hall from Bok Bar, hosts aperitivo hour inside and out on the roof every Wednesday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. during the summer. Everything on the menu is $13 or less: Negroni cocktails, charcuterie and formaggi, anchovies, tomato pie, and eggplant caponata (a chef Michael Ferreri family recipe for an antipasto vegetable stew).

    📍800 Mifflin St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19148 📞 215-693-6206 🌐 irwinsupstairs.com

    Mighty Bread Company

    This James Beard Award-nominated South Philly bakery is home to a family-friendly aperitivo. On weekdays year-round (except Tuesdays) from 4 to 6 p.m. you can enjoy Philly-Italian bites, cocktails, beer, and wine inside or in the courtyard. Snacks highlight bread in various forms: “Mighty Munch” with baguette chips, candied nuts, and seasoned pretzel chips; focaccia; and scallop toast with fermented aji chili butter. There are easy-sippers with Pennsylvania-made spirits, too, like Char & Stave coffee Amaro and soda, a ready-to-drink sparkling wine spritz, and Mighty Bread’s own Italian semolina pilsner, Amici Del Pane.

    📍1211 Gerritt St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147 📞 215-607-3205 🌐 mightybreadco.com

    A snack board at Supérette, a restaurant, bottle shop, and wine bar on East Passyunk Avenue.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    Supérette

    Supérette captures that quintessential French-style apéro energy: Customers drift in and out the door, shopping for natural wine in the bottle shop or sipping highballs at the bar. The day-to-night vibes at Chloe Grigri’s épicerie and wine bar on East Passyunk Avenue invite spontaneous meetups fueled by olives, mini-chip-filled jambon-and-beurre sandwiches, and Frenchie disco fries (aka nachos with shredded cheese, local spam, cornichon relish, and crème fraîche). Better yet: Apéro is every weekday year-round from 3 to 6 p.m.

    📍1538 Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147 🌐 superettephl.com

  • Letters to the Editor | July 6, 2026

    Stoking fear

    Your reporting on the Bicentennial in Philadelphia reminds readers that then-Mayor Frank Rizzo stoked fears of July Fourth counterprotests, and thereby scared away tens of thousands of visitors. In his efforts to thwart protest, his unsuccessful demand for 15,000 federal troops predicted “disruption and violence by a substantial coalition of leftist radicals.” It was red-baiting rhetoric that sounds eerily like what we hear today.

    There were actually a few different protest actions on July Fourth. We were participants in the largest one, a national demonstration held in North Philadelphia and led by Puerto Rican and Native American activists, calling for “a Bicentennial without colonies,” as well as “jobs and a decent standard of living” and “full democracy and equality.” Hundreds of organizations mobilized for the protest. News accounts estimated as many as 40,000 people marched and rallied peacefully in Fairmount Park.

    While the protest’s goals are yet to be achieved, this massive coalition effort in the face of repression by Mayor Rizzo was a boost to independent progressive politics in Philadelphia and beyond. This year, we are commemorating that protest and noting that milestones like America 250 are opportunities — not only to celebrate America’s birthday, but also to point out the unfulfilled promises of the Declaration of Independence, and to advance truthful, inclusive narratives about U.S. history.

    Paul Socolar, Pedro A. Rodriguez, and Tony Heriza, July 4 Sin Colonias Coalition, Philadelphia

    Fiscal irresponsibility

    I appreciated the recent article illuminating Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s decision to spend $15.5 million in taxpayer money on what is now called the “One Philly: A Unity Concert for America.” The price tag for the event seems to be in direct contradiction to what Parker said to striking municipal workers last summer — that meeting their demands for a new contract would put the “fiscal stability” of the city at risk. Moreover, given the fact that the Philadelphia School District is facing a $300 million deficit and narrowly avoided making significant staff cuts, spending $15.5 million on a concert sounds, to be frank, fiscally irresponsible. Simply put, Parker is prioritizing a concert that now bears her slogan over the stability of the city’s budget, which serves Philadelphians — proving, once again, that under the Parker administration, it’s not “One Philly,” it’s “Her Philly” — and we just pay for it.

    Jeff Wasch, Philadelphia

    Speak up

    I studied political science in college and constitutional law in law school. In 50 years of law practice, I dealt with the occasional constitutional issue. None of my training or experience has prepared me for what the Trump administration is doing to the delicate balance we have called democracy. Hard to imagine that four justices of the U.S. Supreme Court had doubts about birthright citizenship, impossible to think that massive, unauthorized, and garish changes to the White House could be done by incompetent contractors whose meager qualifications include paying vast sums to the president while the Republican-led Congress does nothing to prevent it. A president who ignores the Constitution, statutory law, and judicial rulings while continuing to line his pockets — and those of his children — with billions of dollars of ill-gotten gain? It’s all happening every minute. The midterms and the November election are our best and last chance to throw these criminals out of office and take back America. In the meantime, speak up, attend rallies, and by all means try to persuade anyone who is on the fence to come over and help repair the harm.

    Marc P. Weingarten, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

    . . .

    The elephant in the nine individual judicial chambers of the U.S. Supreme Court for the past three months was Donald Trump’s bogus executive order intended to end the absolute right to U.S. citizenship for every child born within the borders of the United States and its territories (with the ridiculous exception of American Samoa), as mandated by the Constitution and a prior court ruling. Trump has proved to be the most racist president since Theodore Roosevelt (look it up). He claimed, without evidence, that Barack Obama, son of a citizen and born in Hawaii, was an “illegal.” For years, with coaching and encouragement from the odious Steven Miller, he has been on a mission to cleanse America of nonwhite residents and darker-skinned immigrant citizens. Haitians fleeing for their lives from mercenary gangs, poverty, hurricanes, and earthquakes? Trump’s message is get the hell out. Lily-white Afrikaners from South Africa are welcomed with open arms. Need a visa? No problem. Unless Trump is removed from office by impeachment, we will have the cruelest and stupidest chief executive occupying the presidency for an implausible 31 more months — and at least four of nine Supreme Court justices and dozens of Republicans in Congress still ready and willing to defy the Constitution for him. They are a true enemy of America’s constitutional democracy and its creed — “out of many, one.”

    David Kahn, Boca Raton, Fla.

    Public philosophy

    I write regarding a recent article about the draft report issued by President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. To solve the problem of a secular public square, the report calls for the elimination of the principle of separation of church and state and the elevation of Christianity. However, the problem of the public square being empty of moral meaning is not a result of the separation of the state from the church. Rather, it is due to the separation of the state from a public philosophy through which moral order can be arrived at through evidence and reason, rather than revelation. Such a public philosophy provided the foundation of our democracy from the Age of Enlightenment of our founders until the latter half of the 20th century, when morality became privatized. The case for revival of this philosophical tradition was first made in 1955 by the political philosopher and journalist Walter Lippmann in his classic book, The Public Philosophy, and more recently by commentators such as David Brooks. A philosophical moral order that underlies our government, social relations, and marketplace — arrived at through reason — avoids the potential oppression of a state-established religion that our founders sought to preclude.

    Donald Kelly, Havertown

    Art of the Donald

    In his book The Art of the Deal, Donald Trump bragged about his negotiating skills. So let’s see how they are faring during his presidency. He awarded a no-bid $14 million contract to his favorite pool maintenance company to correct alleged flaws in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after claiming the job would cost less than $2 million. How’s that working out so far? And it was recently revealed that he awarded a no-bid $500 million contract to the company building his wonderful ballroom after claiming the project would cost far less and be covered by donations from his cronies. Way to go, Don. And let’s not overlook his “agreements” with Iran to end his flawed (failed?) war that he promised would replace its authoritarian regime, remove its potential nuclear weapon capabilities, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which had never been closed to international shipping until his war began. So far, his war seems to have failed in achieving many of his goals. And the Strait of Hormuz? Its shipping lanes are only partly open and are now subject to fees never before charged by Iran. His next book should rightly be titled The Art of the Fail.

    Ben Zuckerman, Philadelphia

    Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

  • Dear Abby | Lack of intimacy has put marriage on the ropes

    DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married 10 years. Before that we dated for several years. We have a wonderful relationship in many ways, but we’ve never had the kind of sex life I would prefer. For a long time, we would talk about it and try to find ways to improve things. That communication at least made me feel like this was something we both wanted to improve.

    Two years ago, my wife had weight-loss surgery. Since then, our sex life has gone from bad to worse. In that time, I can count the times we’ve been intimate on one hand without using all my fingers. We also no longer talk about how we can improve things.

    Prior to the surgery, her struggle with her weight was one of the things that she cited as a (potential) cause for her low sex drive, so I was hoping things would improve. Instead, it seems like she has now lost ALL interest. I tried getting her a product that claimed to boost libido in women, but she never even opened it. It’s as if she has no interest in being interested in sex. I’m becoming increasingly frustrated with the situation (men want to be wanted, too), and I don’t know what to do. Help, please.

    — FRUSTRATED IN MICHIGAN

    DEAR FRUSTRATED: I will be frank. I am not sure if, under these circumstances, your marriage can be saved. Tell your wife you would like both of you to discuss this problem with her doctor and ask for a referral to an endocrinologist, a physician who specializes in hormones, who may be able to help her. However, if she refuses, unless you are resigned to living the rest of your life in a sexless marriage, you may have to consider divorce.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: A former next-door neighbor and casual friend has been obliging and assisted us several times since we’ve moved. (We still live about 15 minutes away from her, and we have no family within a 45-minute drive.) I feel we need to express our gratitude without making it seem like a payment.

    My wife and I have been on a few extended trips each year. This former neighbor has checked in on our cats, taken in packages and harvested from our garden to enhance proper growth, etc. Of course, in the course of caring for the garden, she could keep what she harvested. But I’m beginning to feel awkward about asking her for help because that’s the only time we call on her.

    We have had dinner with her and her boyfriend at her place, about twice a year, but that’s more effort on her part. This has been the pattern for about seven years. Please, I need a suitable gift idea.

    — AWKWARD GIFTER IN NEW YORK

    DEAR GIFTER: How about taking your former neighbor and her boyfriend out for a nice dinner? Or, host them for dinner at your home, offer them tickets to a concert or a play, or bring her back a gift from your travels. I am sure she and her boyfriend will appreciate the thoughtful gesture.

  • Horoscopes: Monday, July 6, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). The situation that comes up today is not exactly like the last time, but how hard could it be? Experience doesn’t provide all the answers, but it does offer confidence that you’ll figure things out.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It’s wonderful how friendship can survive distance, timing and the complications of adult life. You don’t have to talk every day to matter deeply to one another. When you reconnect, you pick up right where you left off.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Flirting won’t look like flirting. It may look like common courtesy, professional diligence or mild annoyance. Then you notice that one person keeps showing up, asking questions and extending the conversation. The plot thickens.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your wisdom nets you good fortune on several fronts. You can feel a feeling without becoming the feeling. Instead of, “I’m worried, therefore I must act,” you say, “I’m worried. Let me figure out what that’s about.”

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You don’t have to wait for everyone else to decide what they’re doing before making your own move. You’re more adaptable than you realize. Whether plans change, people shift or circumstances evolve, you’ll find a place that works.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll soon be hashing out the details of a deal. If you do your homework, you’ll be impressively articulate and persuasive. Take the time to get clear in your own mind about what you want and what you’re willing to trade for it.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’re really coming up with good ones today. Sometimes thinking is your favorite activity. It feels nice when those synapses connect. And you don’t need anyone else to understand the enthusiasm, but they’ll feel it and lean in.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’re smart, and you’re strong. But those aren’t the qualities that bring home today’s prize. It’s your adaptability that matters. Charles Darwin observed that it’s not the strongest that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Saying the right thing to the wrong audience can make you feel like it’s you, like you’re wrong. But being outnumbered isn’t the same thing as being wrong. Stand your ground. In a different room, the same words play like beautiful music.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Something you’ve been doing for weeks, months or even years starts producing visible results. The improvement may seem sudden to others, though you know exactly how much effort went into it. Persistence finally has something to show for itself.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The very thing you once considered too strange to mention is the exact thing that endears and connects you to a kindred soul, proving that it’s not always easy to tell a person’s sensibility. We are often more alike than we think.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Wanting comfort and stability is understandable, especially for those with firsthand knowledge of how chaotic life can get. And yet, protection from uncertainty can also mean protection from what makes life vivid. The story doesn’t start until you want something badly enough to be inconvenienced by it.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 6). Sankofa is an Akan symbol from Ghana, often depicted as a bird looking back while moving forward. In your Year of Sankofa, a past relationship, skill or dream proves valuable in your new chapter. More highlights: Your instincts prove remarkably reliable, earning you an important position. Love sprinkles your days with small surprises and thoughtful gestures. A financial burden falls away. Aries and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 19, 4, 48 and 1.

  • Flyers’ Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are among 15 players who have filed for salary arbitration

    Flyers’ Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are among 15 players who have filed for salary arbitration

    As the Flyers await word on whether the Anaheim Ducks will match the offer sheet they tendered to center Leo Carlsson, two of the organization’s four restricted free agents filed for salary arbitration.

    On Sunday, Jamie Drysdale and forward Trevor Zegras opted for salary arbitration and, therefore, cannot be tendered an offer sheet by another NHL team.

    The hearings are scheduled between July 20 and Aug. 1, and the team and player can still negotiate a deal until the hearing begins. If it does go to the arbitrator, they can only award a one- or two-year contract. Because it was a player’s choice, the Flyers will select the term length. If the Flyers select a two-year contract, the player would walk to unrestricted free agency, but if it is for one year, the player would be a restricted free agent next summer.

    Zegras said he felt like he “had lost a little bit of that drive and passion to win” in Anaheim and felt rejuvenated this past year. He did have a career year, notching highs in goals (26), points (67), power-play goals (10), and power-play points (23) across 81 games. The New York native spent time on the wing and at center this season. How he is viewed, whether as a winger or a center by either side, impacts contract negotiations because, typically, centers are paid more.

    Flyers center Trevor Zegras scored 26 goals during the 2025-26 season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    At his end-of-season availability, Drysdale said the biggest step he took this year was “just coming to the rink and believing that I was a good player and could make an impact.” The blueliner played in 78 games, his highest total since he played 81 in 2021-22, had a career-high in goals (eight), and tied his career-high in points (32).

    Both got their first taste of the postseason, with Drysdale scoring two goals and four points, and Zegras adding four goals and six points in 10 games apiece.

    Defenseman Hunter McDonald is a restricted free agent and did not elect salary arbitration by the 5 p.m. deadline. Forward Nikita Grebenkin, the final RFA for the Flyers, was not eligible.

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    Zegras and Drysdale are two of 15 players to elect salary arbitration. The others are forwards Xavier Bourgault (Ottawa Senators), Kirby Dach (Montreal Canadiens), Alex Jefferies (New York Islanders), Peyton Krebs (Buffalo Sabres), Connor McMichael (St. Louis Blues), Cole Perfetti (Winnipeg Jets), Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars), Nick Robertson (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Cole Sillinger (Columbus Blue Jackets); goalies Jet Greaves (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Akira Schmid (Florida Panthers); and defensemen Braden Schneider (New York Rangers) and Ronan Seeley (Carolina Hurricanes).

    On Friday, the Flyers sent shockwaves through the hockey world by tendering a five-year offer sheet with an average annual value of $18 million to Carlsson, which would make him the highest-paid player in terms of AAV in the NHL.

    Flyers see their Stanley Cup window open as they offer Leo Carlsson the richest salary in NHL history

    According to a league source, it is front-loaded with heavy signing bonuses.

    GM Pat Verbeek and the Ducks have seven days to match the offer. If they don’t, according to the team’s press release, the Flyers would have to transfer their own first-round draft pick in each of the next four seasons as compensation. However, according to PuckPedia, it is four in the next five years.

  • Aaron Nola posts longest outing of the season, but Phillies’ bats go silent in loss to Royals

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — During the seventh-inning stretch here Sunday, as the fans stood for a holiday-weekend rendition of “God Bless America,” Aaron Nola returned to the mound.

    And it was fair to wonder why.

    Never mind that Nola’s pitch count was under control, or that the Phillies were trailing by one run. He started the seventh inning only once in 17 previous starts — and not since April 3.

    But Don Mattingly stuck with Nola, who struck out the side to punctuate his best start of the season, the extent of the good news for the Phillies in a series-evening 5-2 loss to the Royals.

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    Here’s the thing, though: It would be really good news for the Phillies if three runs on seven hits in seven walk-free innings was the start of a turnaround for Nola.

    “It’s obviously important that [Nola’s] start turns into a [future] game that you feel like you’re in, you’re not scrambling the whole day,” Mattingly said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be seven. But if we’re in the game through six, five, seven, whatever that is, then it gives us a lot better shot to be able to put some runs up.”

    OK, so that last part didn’t happen on this toasty day in the Midwest. The Phillies generated five hits, including two after the fifth inning. And unlike Saturday night’s series opener, the Royals kept them in the ballpark.

    At least the Phillies were able to look forward to sending Cristopher Sánchez to the mound for Monday’s rubber game.

    Other than Nola — and the pregame ceremony, in which bench coach Dusty Wathan’s dad, John, went into the Royals’ Hall of Fame — there wasn’t much to look back on.

    In that case, let’s talk about Nola, who entered with a 6.04 ERA, second-worst among 64 pitchers who qualified for the ERA title, and gave up hits to three of the Royals’ first five batters.

    Here we go again?

    Not exactly.

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    After allowing two first-inning runs on back-to-back singles by Lane Thomas and Michael Massey, Nola knuckled down. Leading again with his signature curveball, he held the Royals off the board save for a fifth-inning run on a leadoff double and a sacrifice fly.

    Nola threw 98 pitches; 31 were curveballs, and 11 of those generated swings and misses.

    “Yeah, curveball felt good,” he said. “Better than it had been in some previous starts. I had a couple ones that kind of popped out [of his hand] a little bit, but overall they felt pretty sharp.”

    Sharpening the curveball was a focus for Nola between starts. His also worked on his changeup, a vital weapon for him against left-handed hitters. Specifically, he wants the changeup to move downward rather than “wiping out to the right side” and into the swing paths of left-handed hitters.

    The Phillies also paired Nola with third-string catcher Garrett Stubbs in hopes of rekindling success that they’ve had working with one another in the past. Nola and Stubbs navigated the Royals’ weak lineup mostly with offspeed pitches. He threw as many changeups (19) as fastballs (19).

    “It’s always a plan to go in and throw that [changeup], just depending on how it’s working and feeling that day,” Nola said. “Today it felt really good, and we threw it quite a bit.”

    Nola was at 83 pitches after six innings. Trailing 3-2 and with the bottom of the Royals’ order due to bat, Mattingly let Nola go back out for the seventh inning. Nola wound up completing the seventh for the first time since he went eight innings last Sept. 26.

    “I felt like he was throwing the ball as good as anybody,” said Mattingly, who had two relievers warming just in case. “I felt like he’d handled those guys pretty well. If anybody gets on there, we’re not going to let him try to face the top of the order. But he got his guys.”

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    Nola appreciated the opportunity.

    “Yeah, it’s been a while since I threw seven,” he said. “It’s the first time this year. I don’t know. Felt pretty good. I don’t think I had any walks, which is a plus.”

    Especially if Nola is able to keep it going Friday in Detroit, his last start before the All-Star break.

    The Phillies are already searching for a No. 5 starter after optioning Andrew Painter to triple A last month. Pitching coach Caleb Cotham was encouraged by Painter’s second start for Lehigh Valley: one run on four hits and no walks in six innings Saturday in Rochester, N.Y.

    Mattingly didn’t rule out a swift return to the majors for Painter.

    “I think everything’s on the table,” he said. “I never had any feeling that it was sending him out and forgetting about him, right? It was send him out to work on stuff and help him get better. So, I think anything could happen.”

    Even a resurgence for Nola.

  • An award, a quick stop at Jim’s, and Rita’s water ice: Colman Domingo’s July 4th in his hometown

    An award, a quick stop at Jim’s, and Rita’s water ice: Colman Domingo’s July 4th in his hometown

    It might not have been a long time, but Colman Domingo certainly seemed to have himself a good time during a whirlwind 24 hours in Philadelphia for Saturday’s Fourth of July festivities.

    The West Philly native and Emmy Award-winning actor was in town to accept an award from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker as part of the city’s Semiquincentennial celebration. And he did what many Philadelphians would do to deal with the heat: eat a cheesesteak and wash it down with a water ice.

    “Oh Philly! A time was had in 24 little hours,” Domingo wrote on Instagram on Saturday, with photos from a variety of Philly sites and restaurants, posing with his husband, Raúl Domingo. “Thank you to Mayor Parker for the tremendous honor this morning at Constitution Hall. Got me a cheesesteak and a water ice and I am good!”

    Domingo, who has vaulted to stardom through roles in HBO’s Euphoria and the Academy Award-nominated film Sing Sing, among others, joined the throngs of visitors that filled the city for the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.

    The actor stopped at South Street, where he patronized Jim’s South Street and Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard.

    “We were in here doing our thing like normal, and [people] were like, ‘Oh, my God,’” Earon Waiters, the manager at Jim’s, said of Domingo’s surprise appearance.

    “He’s a very down-to-earth, chill guy, funny, real relaxed — very pleasant to talk to,” Waiters added. “Some staff recognized him immediately, but he didn’t want any special treatment; he went through the line, placed his order.

    “He was really cool.”

    Colman Domingo, actor and former Temple University student, arriving at graduation at Temple University on May 6, 2026. He was awarded an honorary degree during Temple’s 139th Commencement ceremony and gave the commencement address.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer

    Waiters said Domingo was at the restaurant for about a half hour, eating and taking photos with customers and members of the staff.

    Asked about Domingo’s order, Waiters paused to check with the cooks.

    “They say he ordered a Whiz with onions,” he reported back.

    (His cheesesteak order, the actor told The Inquirer in 2023, consisted of “cheesesteak with Whiz, grilled onions, salt, pepper — you always gotta say salt, pepper, ketchup — pickle, and sweet peppers.” )

    Domingo’s stop at Rita’s — a few minutes’ walk from Jim’s — was more covert.

    Aaliyah Neal, an employee at Rita’s, was working on Saturday when Domingo stopped by with a group of people. She didn’t immediately know for sure it was him, she said, as he was wearing a hat and sunglasses.

    “Him and all the people he was with were very nice,” said Neal, who recognized the actor from Euphoria and his role in Michael, the recent Michael Jackson biopic. “I recognized him, but … I wasn’t sure if it was him. I didn’t ask, because I didn’t want to bother him.”

    “He got a small water ice — I just don’t remember the two flavors he had gotten,” she added.

    Colman Domingo and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, at the Constitution Center during the City of Philadelphia Celebration of Freedom event on July 4, 2026.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer

    On Saturday, the actor was honored, along with six others, during a ceremony at the National Constitution Center celebrating the nation’s Semiquincentennial. Domingo, who attended Temple University, was presented with the “One Philly Award for the American Voice” by Parker.

    His social media post included a photo of him with WDAS host Patty Jackson and singer Yolanda Adams, who sang the national anthem at the event.

    As he often does, Domingo spoke glowingly of the city that shaped him.

    “Philadelphia, I love you so much,” he said in his address to the gathered crowd. “I love the people, the spirit. And baby, let me tell you something, when people say, ‘Where do you get your style from?’ I said, ‘I come from Philly.’ ‘Where do you get your work ethic?’, ‘I come from West Philly.’ ‘Where do you get your stride?’ I said, ‘Just look around at the people in Philly — they’ll show you everything.’”

  • Brandon Marsh joins Jhoan Duran as first-time All-Star: ‘It hasn’t hit me yet’

    Brandon Marsh joins Jhoan Duran as first-time All-Star: ‘It hasn’t hit me yet’

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brandon Marsh tried not to think about it. Even as the periodic voting updates rolled in, he claimed to be concerned only with the Phillies’ next game, not the All-Star Game.

    Yet here he was Sunday, finally yielding to his inner 10-year-old over the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

    “Growing up as a kid, playing in the backyard with the Wiffle bats, you always want to be an All-Star,” said Marsh, one day after being named not only to the National League roster but voted in as a starter by the fans. “You always want to call yourself an All-Star growing up. I’m thankful for all the people that voted, all the fans.”

    Five Phillies selected to 2026 All-Star Game, including first-timers Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran

    Marsh led NL outfielders in the final phase of the fan balloting. The support was merited. Entering play Sunday, he was sixth in the NL batting race with a .310 average. He had the Phillies’ third-best OPS (.856) and was settling into the cleanup spot behind Bryce Harper.

    Five Phillies players were selected for the All-Star Game on July 14 in Citizens Bank Park, with Marsh and closer Jhoan Duran as first-timers. Harper was named to his ninth All-Star Game as the commissioner’s pick, while Kyle Schwarber will make his fourth All-Star appearance and Cristopher Sánchez his second.

    “It’s a dream come true,” Duran said. “I always wanted to be there, and it happened this year.”

    Brandon Marsh was sixth in the NL with a .310 batting average through Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Marsh took a winding path to the All-Star Game — in Philly, no less.

    Drafted in the second round by the Angels in 2016, Marsh made his major-league debut in July 2021 and got traded to the Phillies a year later for catcher Logan O’Hoppe. They envisioned him as their future center fielder, but eventually moved him to left.

    And as recently as last winter, even after Marsh batted .303 with an .836 OPS over the final five months of last season, the Phillies were intent on using him in a platoon role because it didn’t seem he would solve left-handed pitching.

    “To be honest, I came into the year having zero expectations for myself personally,” Marsh said. “I feel like I’ve learned that from a lot of the great players in this game. So, I didn’t have many expectations, and I think that’s honestly helped a little bit, just not pressing so hard and stuff like that.”

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    Marsh started fast, with two doubles on opening day. But like the rest of the Phillies, he has thrived under interim manager Don Mattingly, batting .315 with 11 homers and an .882 OPS in 59 games entering Sunday.

    In a team meeting Saturday, roughly one hour before the series opener against the Royals, Mattingly held a team meeting to inform the All-Stars of their selections. Marsh didn’t have much time to process it. Not with a game to play.

    “Really, it hasn’t hit me yet, to be honest with you,” Marsh said. “Tonight, when I have a lot of time on my hands after the game, I’ll sit down and I’ll have my moment and just just wrap my head around everything and realize how special it is and how much of an honor it is to be in this in this position.”

    Surely, Marsh will think about his dad, Jake, who died in 2021 due to throat and neck cancer.

    “He’s got the best seat in the house, you know?” Marsh said. “He gets to watch from the front row. I think he’d be super proud. He’s a big reason of why I do it.”

    Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez is a candidate to start the All-Star Game for the National League.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    A start for Sánchez?

    If Sánchez wasn’t already the leading candidate to be the NL’s starting pitcher, consider this: Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski is lined up to start the final game before the break, leaving him unable to unleash his historic fastball in the All-Star Game.

    Sánchez, meanwhile, will pitch Monday in Kansas City and again Saturday in Detroit. Mattingly said Sánchez could pitch one inning in the All-Star Game on what would be his between-starts bullpen day.

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    “Still a couple of [starts] left,” he said through a team interpreter. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

    Regardless, Sánchez said he expects to have at least 20 family members and friends in attendance at the All-Star Game.

    “Super excited and happy,” said Sánchez, who has a 2.00 ERA in 18 starts, second in the majors to only Misiorowski. “All the hard work that we’ve been putting in, it was worth it.”

    Phils pitcher Brad Keller runs to cover first base during the Chicago White Sox at Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Friday, June 5, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Reliever Brad Keller (right forearm tendintis) pitched a scoreless inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley in Rochester, N.Y. He could be reinstated from the injured list and rejoin the Phillies’ bullpen as soon as Tuesday night, according to Mattingly. … With a fastball-heavy approach (35 four-seamers out of 69 pitches), Andrew Painter allowed one run on four hits in six walk-free innings Saturday in triple A. … Bench coach Dusty Wathan’s dad, John, was inducted into the Royals’ Hall of Fame before the game. John Wathan was Kansas City’s catcher for 10 years and managed the Royals from 1987-91. … The Phillies signed triple-A outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to a major-league contract, added him to the 40-man roster, and optioned him to Lehigh Valley. De La Cruz exercised an opt-out in his minor-league contract, prompting the move. Right-hander Jean Cabrera, who has a 9.10 ERA between triple A and double A, was designated for assignment. … Sánchez (10-3, 2.00 ERA) will be opposed by Royals lefty Noah Cameron (4-6, 4.95) in the series finale Monday at 2:10 p.m. ET.

  • Philly’s delayed late-night fireworks were prompted by safety and weather concerns, city says

    Philly’s delayed late-night fireworks were prompted by safety and weather concerns, city says

    Philadelphia’s late-night fireworks display was prompted by concerns over safety and a poor long-range weather outlook, city officials said Sunday morning, as work crews were busy cleaning up Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway from the July Fourth celebration.

    A massive Liberty Bell display still hung over the stage near the Philadelphia Art Museum, where hours earlier Meek Mill, Will Smith, and backing band the Roots were the last to perform at the One Philly: Unity Concert for America. Gone were the fireworks and revelers, but the white tents, chain-link fencing, and long rows of porta-potties were reminders of a concert that lasted until nearly 2:45 a.m.

    It wasn’t supposed to go that long. But a summer storm around 9 p.m. rolled in with intense wind gusts, rain, and lightning, leading the city to evacuate the Parkway.

    The city didn’t have an official number, but estimated that “thousands” of concertgoers returned, just after midnight, to get the party started again. So did the performers, with the exception of Christina Aguilera.

    Items from last night’s festivities on the Ben Franklin Parkway wait to be picked up in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 5, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said she trusted the experts and welcomed people back to the concert venue once it was safe.

    “I want to thank the Roots and all of their incredible guests for their relentless energy and for delivering an incredibly inspiring performance worthy of America’s 250th birthday,” Parker said in a Sunday news release.

    The decision to proceed with the fireworks was made by city experts, led by Managing Director Adam K. Thiel, and the mayor was informed, said Parker spokesperson Joe Grace.

    The weather forecast factored into the decision, Grace said. The city will be under a flood watch starting at 2 p.m., and rain and storms are likely over the next 10 days, so postponing the fireworks to another day did not make sense, he said.

    “Once fireworks are loaded, they cannot be safely unloaded,” Grace said. “From a safety and operational standpoint, completing the fireworks display was the right decision.”

    Some detractors of the late fireworks display turned to online forums to complain about the noise.

    “Ok so I wasn’t dreaming. I was actually awakened by an officially sanctioned fireworks display at 2:30 a.m.,” one Reddit user wrote.

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    Mykola Kosyk of Fairmount said it was disappointing that the city waited until nearly 3 a.m. — far too late for children — for a show that lasted only about 10 minutes.

    “It was the worst fireworks display ever,” Kosyk said. He called it a “basic display” that wasn’t on par with the historical significance of the Semiquincentennial.

    Kosyk says he collects fireworks memorabilia dating back to the 1800s, and he and his wife travel the state visiting fireworks displays. He said the company putting on the show, Pyrotecnico, is “well-renowned,” and he blamed the city for not planning a better show.

    As the smoke from the fireworks show settled around 3 a.m., the city’s Department of Sanitation sent out approximately 100 laborers and 50 trucks to clean up the Ben Franklin Parkway and the surrounding area, the city said in the news release.

    By morning, much of the mess was gone. Security magnetometers sat in a pile, ready to be picked up and taken away, while dozens of staff from Imperial Events Services worked to keep runners and curious onlookers out of what was supposed to be a secure area.

    “The joggers are mad at us,” said one staffer, as his team found a gap in the fence that allowed people into the closed-off area.

    Workers dismantle the stage from last night’s concert along the Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 5, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    One visitor was disappointed that the stage breakdown temporarily blocked the front of the Art Museum.

    “We want to see the Rocky steps, but we can’t,” said Angelika Gamez, who flew in from Bogota, Colombia, for the France-Paraguay soccer match Saturday.

    Still, Gamez said her visit to Philly was amazing, weather aside.

    “It was very hot. In Colombia, we don’t have seasons like this.”

  • Peco contract negotiations continue as union members remain on strike

    Peco contract negotiations continue as union members remain on strike

    Peco and its striking unionized workers continued contract negotiations on Sunday, the second day of a strike that occurred as the region was affected by power outages caused by severe storms.

    A dozen striking workers were picketing at Peco’s Philadelphia office on the 2300 block of Market Street, as the company and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 614 continued talks.

    The two sides have differed over wages and benefits, with the union seeking to have all of its roughly 1,500 members covered by pensions — 600 of them currently are not.

    It is the first strike in the company’s history.

    Peco has said its contingency plan should prevent customers from experiencing delays or interruptions in service. The company has also said that its contract offer is competitive and fair for employees and customers, adding that it has also offered improved retirement benefits.

    Bargaining was expected to continue through Sunday, according to Melissa McCleery, a union spokesperson.

    Peco’s latest offer, according to Larry Anastasi, president and business manager of IBEW Local 614, would give call center workers a lower wage increase than the rest of the union members. According to the union, 98% of call center workers are women.

    “We will not accept a contract that undercuts the women of our union,” Anastasi said in a statement.

    The company’s current offer, the union said, would bring an average annual wage increase of 3.5% for non-call center workers, between 2027 and 2031. Call center workers would receive 3% annual wage increases in the same time frame.

    To Anastasi, that is unacceptable.

    “Any deal that leaves the call center behind is a deal that will not be signed,” he said in a statement. “PECO’s proposal is an attempt to drive a wedge between our members and that’s not going to work.”

    The company rejected the union’s characterization of its offer.

    “To suggest that PECO would undercut the women of our union is ridiculous,” said a company spokesperson in a statement. “PECO values the contributions of all represented employees, including our customer care professionals, and we reject any suggestion that our goal during negotiations was to diminish the importance of any employee group.”

    The company said that its customer service workers’ average hourly pay is $45.12, well above regional benchmarks of $23.80 for customer consultants and $30.91 for specialized consultants.

    The striking workers in Philadelphia spent a long day in the sun on Sunday, bringing water bottles, coolers, and lawn chairs. They arrived on Market Street as early as 6 a.m., the union said.

    Pulling a megaphone he said he found in his children’s room, union member Tom Jarozynski yelled: “Peco, can you hear us?”

    As cars drove by beeping in support, Jarozynski continued: “What do we want?”

    “A contract,” the crowd replied.

    “When do we want it?”

    “Now.”

    On Saturday, the company said that federal mediation had been offered for the talks. Peco said it had accepted the offer for mediation, but the union did not. An IBEW spokesperson said union negotiators were busy bargaining and not available to answer questions about mediation.

    The union said workers plan to picket at different Peco locations until a contract is reached.