Glu Hospitality continues its city-wide expansion plans with news of a giant new food and drink destination in Philadelphia’s Brewerytown neighborhood. Brewerytown Food Hall will open at 1363 N. 31st Street this spring with a 9,500-square-foot food, beer, and cocktail hall that will feature offerings from seven Glu restaurants and eateries.
The expansive two-level, indoor-outdoor space will feature seating for nearly 300 patrons, plus live entertainment, three main bars, a lounge, a 40-person private event space, a 60-person outdoor elevated deck and patio, arcade and old school games, and televisions for sports viewing.
From the kitchen and bars, look for signature dishes and drinks from Figo Ristorante, Figo Pizzeria, Izakaya by Yanaga, 1225 Raw, Leda’s Cocktail Lounge, Tiny’s Burger Joint, and Hunnies Crispy Chicken. At the bar, look for the largest beer program Glu will feature to date, with 24 draft selections and three dozen other selections by can and bottle. The cocktail list will spotlight the award-winning cocktails from Leda’s Cocktail Lounge in Midtown Village. For wine lovers, look for around 10–12 selections by the glass and 12–15 selections by the bottle.
Brewerytown Food Hall looks to open in time for spring, in early to mid-March 2023. Opening services will be dinner, happy hour, and weekend brunch. Opening hours will be Monday to Friday, from 2 to 10 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with weekend brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours and services will expand later in nice weather when an adjacent outdoor patio and deck open for warm weather season.
As part of Glu’s expansion across the city and in Brewerytown, look for the grand opening of Bagels and Co. Brewerytown also in early to mid-March, at 1363 N. 31st Street.
Brewerytown Food Hall is a major milestone in Glu’s expansion and larger plans for the Philadelphia region. Step one was pivoting to food-focused concepts, and step two was creating a place to celebrate them all by bringing a food destination and hall to life.
Glu Hospitality and owners Tim Lu and Derek Gibbons entered the pandemic with a handful of entertainment concepts focusing on nightlife, dancing, and entertainment. During the pandemic, Glu has pivoted to food-focused concepts that include some of the city’s most notable new restaurants, bagel and coffee shops, ghost kitchens, and family-friendly concepts. Since 2020, Glu has opened Figo Ristorante, Figo Pizzeria, Izakaya by Yanaga, Omakase by Yanaga, Leda’s Cocktail Lounge, Bagels and Co. Northern Liberties, Bagels and Co. Fishtown, Anejo Philadelphia, Hunnies Crispy Chicken, and Tiny’s Burger Joint, with at least nine new eateries still to open, including The Peabody at Temple Campus and several new concepts yet to be announced.
After numerous local and national accolades for their pandemic pivots, Glu will see a major dream realized by bringing signature dishes from at least seven of their concepts to one space for a celebration of food, drink, cocktails, music, and vibes in one of Philly’s most up-and-coming neighborhoods.
“Glu Hospitality is proud to announce our plans to open Brewerytown Food Fall at The Lofts at Brewerytown—just doors down from the new Bagels and Co. Brewerytown,” Gibbons says. “We want Brewerytown Food Hall to be a gathering place for the community. The neighborhood is growing fast with new families, new neighbors and new foodies, but the dining options have been slower to catch up. With this food hall concept, we will bring food and drink from seven other concepts we have around the city, with menus for every taste and a variety of diverse cuisines.”
Gibbons continues, “We walked into the space and immediately said this would be the perfect spot for a food hall. While the former tenants Flying Fish and Hops Brewerytown didn’t design the space for this purpose, the layout was perfect with two floors, plus a private event space and room for games and a lounge. Customers could come enjoy a selection of foods from one unified menu with QR ordering at tables, with wait service. The three bars, private event space, entrance lounge and gaming area are perfect for a food hall feel that encourages the community to come together, interact and feel comfortable. We want to create a new breed of food hall that celebrates our food and drink concepts, while offering unique aesthetics. We also want to serve the needs of the quickly evolving neighborhood. Brewerytown Food Hall aims to bring people together, showcase a menu for all tastes to make everyone in a dining party happy, while serving as a place for a casual beer and sports game, a date night out, games with friends, regular meals out with the family, and private events and parties.”
Gibbons and Lu picked Brewerytown for its fast and diverse growth, the opportunity in this property that fit with their vision for a new type of food hall, and because they loved the neighborhood’s rich history. The name Brewerytown comes from the nine breweries located within its boundaries during the late 19th century. As a nod to the history of our new neighborhood, our ‘barrel’ Brewerytown Food Hall logo contains 9 points within the circle.
When opened, the new food and drink hall will be a dining destination, a spot for neighbors to frequent one, two, three times a week, plus a community gathering spot that brings people together. Bagels and Co. a few doors down will activate the block and serve the neighborhood’s needs starting at 7 a.m. for breakfast and lunch, and Brewerytown Food Hall will open at 2 p.m. to keep the momentum going into the evening.
The goal is to create a space that guests feel comfortable, no matter the occasion. There will be more than two dozen beers on tap, plenty of games and activities, outdoor dining, and private dining areas. The space will also feature live music and brunch on the weekends. Plus there is space for private events, weddings, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, catering, and other special events including weekly specials and happy hours for the neighborhood. The space will also be available before 2 p.m. on weekdays for private events in the larger dining rooms and bar areas.
THE SPACE
Brewerytown Food Hall is 9,500 square feet, including inside, outside, and private dining. The space will be family-friendly—and when nice weather hits, well-behaved four-legged furry friends will be welcome on the deck and patio. The two-level space will open at the front with a lounge and comfortable seating on the first lower level, with a full bar and bar seating. On the second main level, look for seating in twos, fours, and community beer garden tables. Seating inside will be 150 for dining tables and 60 for bar seating, with another 25 estimated for the private event space and dining room. Outside, the outdoor cafe with raised deck and patio will seat around 60 more patrons. The total seat count aims to seat around 295 inside and outside.
THE VIBE
Look for a relaxing, casual and inviting atmosphere that is approachable for patrons who want to share a meal and make memories.
The vibe will be relaxed and casual, approachable and inviting, and industrial yet stylish. The interior design will play off the industrial open layout that will feature exposed brick, industrial lighting, beer garden lighting, concrete floors, wood accents, comfortable furniture, colorful accents and art pieces, and more. The final vibe will be revealed closer to opening, but the most notable of design will be a striking, bold, and colorful giant mural on the main level wall that extends to the second level that is 25 feet high and 30 feet wide by famed Philadelphia artist Alloyius Mcilwaine. The abstract mural will showcase and celebrate the city of Philadelphia and one of the hottest food scenes in the country.
THE FOOD
Chef Hee Chino Chang will lead the culinary team. Patrons will find a large menu that will be available at tables with full table service and QR ordering that will bring all the items from the seven properties together in one place, out of one main kitchen and the three bars. The scratch kitchen will feature some vegan offerings, gluten free, and local sourcing when possible to ensure freshness and quality. The hall is equipped with a brick oven for Figo inspired flatbreads and individual pizzas.
Menu items will bring signature favorites from the following properties—with example dishes expected at the food hall—with the final menu to be confirmed in March during opening.
Patrons will be able to find offerings from seven Glu concepts, including six food concepts:
- Figo Ristorante – Figo’s famous Spicy Rigatoni, Chef’s homemade meatballs, Chicken Parm, Tiramisu, Gelato, plus other salads, pastas, as well as the Figo Expresso Martini at the bar.
- Figo Pizzeria – Look for an exclusive Brewerytown only hoagie, plus Figo inspired flatbreads and pizzas, including a rotating variety that will include lobster pizza, pepperoni, margarita, sausage, plus a rotating selection of hoagies and sandwiches.
- Hunnies Crispy Chicken – Look for Hunnies Fried Chicken, Hunnies Buffalo Chicken, Hunnies Grilled Chicken, plus Crispy Tenders and signature sides.
- Tiny’s Burger Joint – Look for sliders and full-sized burgers – including the signature Tiny’s Burger with steam grilled onions, pickles and special sauce. Sides include cauliflower bites, coleslaw, and fries.
- Izakaya by Yanaga and 1225 Raw – Look for a selection of signature Japanese favorites from each property, including pork goyza, rock shrimp, boa buns, Vegetable TanTan Mazemen, and Pork TanTan Mazemen.
THE DRINK
Brewerytown Food Hall will feature Glu’s largest selection of beer to date for any property and concept, including 24 drafts with craft, local, and domestic offerings, plus 36 more selections including cans and bottles. For wines, look for 10–12 by the glass and 12–15 by the bottle. For cocktails, look for standard favorites along with award-winning signature cocktails from other Glu properties with a focus on the mythology-inspired cocktails from Leda’s Cocktail Lounge in Center City/ Midtown Village. Down the road, Glu is exploring an exclusive beer to pay tribute to the brewing history of the neighborhood. Watch for Glu’s exclusive label beer later this year.
Three Leda’s cocktails to look for include:
- Ulysses: Tullamore Dew, Lychee, Pickled Ginger, Angostura
- Siro: Mezcal, Togarashi, Ginger, Lemon, Cucumber
- Leeds Devil: Rye, Cynar, Averna, Luxardo, Grand Marnier, Madagascar Vanilla
THE EXPANSION
Glu signed the lease for the property and has been working on this new concept since May 2022. Brewerytown Food Hall is one of 10 properties and new concepts Glu plans to announce and open in 2023, including the much-anticipated The Peabody at Temple, additional locations for Bagels and Co. and new partnerships with Philly Sushi Whisperer Kevin Yanaga. Glu will also brand out of the market to other states, with the first Bagels and Co. heading to the Southern region later this year, with more to be announced.
“Glu Hospitality as a whole embodies growth. We are an ever-expanding company stemming from restaurants and fast casual options to nightlife. We plan to offer every stop along the hospitality path in the future,” Lu says. “Glu thinks about the experience and how all aspects intersect. This brings the best of all worlds: food, drink, interactivity, vibes, design, entertainment, music, games. This new concept will have it all – and as we open new properties don’t be surprised if you see offerings from our new concepts to pop-up in Brewerytown as well.”
THE EVENT SPACE
Brewerytown Food Hall will feature a private event space and dining room for 40 guests standing and 25 guests seated. The interior design is currently being worked on— and it will be perfect for casual meetings, community gatherings, corporate dinners, birthday parties, family events, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, and much more. A full buyout of the space will hold 400 standing and 160 for seated events.
THE ENTERTAINMENT
Glu will take inspiration from Leda’s Cocktail Lounge and host live music several times a month, with a full schedule to be announced during opening. Music and DJs will also be featured during special events.
Sports fans will find a new home at Brewerytown Food Hall with game day action for all major Philly sports, with 10 oversized televisions throughout the space, including above all three bars. Shuffleboard and arcade games will also offer fun for all ages.
