Philly in mid-September is a vibe — peak patio weather, peak tailgate energy, peak weird drinks (Caesar salad martini, anyone?). This week blends open streets, local legends, and one very dependable gold-glass chain restaurant. Whether you’re pumpkin-picking in Yardley or singing along with Sheryl Crow, here’s what’s happening:
This week’s lineup:
— Sam Ruland (Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)
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When the power’s out, the BYOB turns you away, or you just need a reliable Friday night fallback, there’s one place Philly diners consistently turn to: The Cheesecake Factory. Yes, that Cheesecake Factory. Hira Qureshi unpacks the cult appeal of Center City’s gold-glass temple of shrimp scampi and pasta — and why it’s become a beloved standby for date nights, birthday dinners, and yap sessions over bread baskets and Diet Cokes.
The best things to do this week
🦅 Where to watch the Eagles game this Sunday: Whether you’re craving a 58-foot screen, a $6 citywide, or a wall-size projector at a local brewery, this roundup has all the top spots to post up for the Birds’ game — from massive venues to neighborhood bars.
⚾ Kyle Schwarber just hit 50 home runs — but how’s your Phillies HR trivia game? Only two Phillies have ever hit 50+ home runs in a single season. Can you name all 11 players who’ve hit 35 or more? Test your knowledge with our quiz.
🍸 Would you drink a Caesar salad martini? O’Jung’s Tavern in Pennsport is serving up a Dirty Spicy Caesar martini — made with vodka, buffalo sauce, and actual Caesar dressing.
🌇 How to have a perfect Philly Day like CCD’s Prema Katari Gupta: Walk Open Streets in Center City, grab coffee, chase bubbles, browse Anthropologie, get chai ice cream from Malai, eat dosas at Amma’s, and end with a Phillies game.
🍽️ Manayunk Restaurant Week: Prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus ($15 —$45) are on at Manayunk’s top spots through Sept. 14. A great excuse to find a new fave or revisit an old one.
🎭 Fringe Festival: The citywide arts takeover is back with 300+ shows and events through Sept. 29 — think theater, dance, film, and lots of weird fun.
🎃 FallFest at Shady Brook Farm: Pick pumpkins, wander a Sesame Street corn maze, or hit haunted attractions after dark. Runs now through Halloween in Yardley.
📅 My calendar picks this week: Watch the Eagles game at a bar with big screens and beer specials, try a Caesar salad martini made with real dressing in South Philly, and head to FallFest for pumpkins, corn mazes, and spooky night fun.
The thing of the week
Two Philly restaurants — Mawn in South Philly and Meetinghouse in Kensington — just made the New York Times’ list of the best restaurants in America. Mawn is a wildly popular Cambodian BYOB with a James Beard-winning chef, and Meetinghouse is a polished tavern with house beers and next-level roast beef. A national spotlight on two very different, and very Philly, spots.
Summer fun this week and beyond
🍪 A new Girl Scout cookie is coming. Meet the Exploremores — a rocky road — inspired cookie with chocolate, marshmallow, and toasted almond cream. They’ll be available when the cookie season begins.
🍽️ Philly chef wins big (again). Phila Lorn of Mawn just earned a spot on Food & Wine’s 2025 Best New Chefs list, just days before opening his new restaurant, Sao.
🍝 Miss a few openings this summer? From Stephen Starr’s celeb-filled Borromini to a vegan Puerto Rican spot in East Kensington and an Upper Darby Mexican BYOB, here are 25 new restaurants in Philly and beyond to add to your list.
🦪 Meet Philly’s oyster king. A man who calls himself the Hippie Meathead attempted to eat 1,000 oysters at an Eagles tailgate — and made it to about 200. He’s gone viral for his wild food challenges, and yes, there were funnels, bikinis, and a Tabasco-in-the-eye incident.
🎬 Patrice: The Movie just won an Emmy. The Philly-directed documentary about a New Jersey couple fighting for marriage equality and disability rights took home an Emmy for exceptional merit. Watch it on Hulu.
Our critic’s picks
🎤 Thursday: A Huffamouse reunion lands in Ardmore, and Mondo Cozmo plays Johnny Brenda’s. R&B fans can catch Sheena Easton in Millville and Eric Andersen in East Falls.
🎶 Friday: The Outlaw Music Festival returns to Camden with legends Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and Sheryl Crow. Plus: Christian McBride plays City Winery, The Happy Fits do Free at Noon, and Car Seat Headrest hits the Mann.
🥁 Saturday: Eric Clapton’s first Philly show in 16 years headlines a packed night that also includes zydeco favorites Pine Leaf Boys in Norristown, Mdou Moctar and Yasmin Williams in King of Prussia, and King Britt and Tyshawn Sorey at ICA.
🎺 Sunday: Charlie Wilson’s R&B Cookout at the Mann features Babyface and El DeBarge, while Trombone Shorty brings the party to Wilmington and Wet Leg plays Franklin Music Hall.
🎤 Monday: Garbage and Starcrawler close out the long weekend with a grungy double bill at Franklin Music Hall.
The take
We’re in it. The sweet spot. The time of year when hoodie mornings turn into sunny patio afternoons, “Go Birds” doubles as a greeting, and your block’s fall decorations, Halloween blowups, and Eagles flags are all proudly fighting for space. It’s “peak Philly season,” and as Stephanie Farr writes, no one does cozy chaos like us.
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See you out there, Philly — whether it’s cheering on the Birds, debating the best BYOB, or sipping something spicy in South Philly.
— Sam