Sage Restaurant Group, a Denver-based independent restaurant group, introduced its third Urban Farmer Steakhouse, located adjacent to the newly renovated Logan Hotel in Philadelphia. Originating in Portland, Oregon, Urban Farmer Philadelphia distinguishes itself from the flagship location with a menu and décor that are both thoughtfully tailored to the local community.
“Each time we open an Urban Farmer Steakhouse is like opening a brand new restaurant concept,” says Peter Karpinski, co-founder of SRG. “It is so important to us that Urban Farmer Philadelphia really resonates with the local community.” Karpinski spent time in Philadelphia, prior to founding Sage Restaurant Group, in the Philadelphia restaurant scene. During that time, Karpinski grew extremely fond of the city and knew he would someday return to make his own mark.
”In advance of the opening, we spent months building personal relationships with local farms, ranches, fisheries, breweries, and local artists to ensure we are properly paying homage to the unique tastes of Philadelphia,” Karpinski says.
Urban Farmer Philadelphia’s seasonally driven menu highlights nose-to-tail cuts of naturally-raised meat, carefully curated by Executive Chef Richard Brower and culinary director of the Urban Farmer brand, Matt Christianson. Steaks are butchered and dry-aged in-house. To educate guests about the origin of their order, the restaurant features a communal charcuterie station designed to be an interactive and engaging space where guests can ‘meet their meat.’ In addition, local purveyor partners like Stryker Farm, Farmdale Organics, Castle Valley Mill, and many others are listed in a ‘thank you’ section on the menu and are also featured in a montage of photographs to connect diners with the partners that are supplying the local products.
Sides will boast of Philadelphia’s regional, seasonal produce. Additionally, diners will find a roaming cheese cart displaying a variety of high-pedigree cheeses–from funky to refined–served tableside. The cart is meant to showcase the scope and prestige of artisanal, domestic cheeses available locally. Post-supper sweets will be made in-house and include a variety of baked goods and selection of rotating ice creams and sorbets.
Urban Farmer’s downtown location also makes it a popular destination for the post-work happy hour crowd, who will find an expansive beverage program to complement the fresh and seasonal menu. Nearby craft breweries are prominently featured, alongside locally sourced wines. Cocktails range from completely modern to updated riffs on the classics.
The new location in Philadelphia’s Logan Circle replaces a former institution, The Fountain, which was open for 30 years until it closed almost a year ago for the renovation. The restaurant’s main entrance has been moved to the circle so guests will not need to enter through the lobby. They also did something that the original designers chose not to do in the early 1980s, by installing long, wide windows that look out onto Logan Circle and added a large patio out front on the circle fountain-side, creating a nice view for guests.
The 5,600-square-foot space, designed by east coast design studio dash design, brings “rural chic” to life with a “west coast rancher meets northeast socialite” vibe that will delight Philadelphia’s stylish and sophisticated audience. The space artfully blends rustic and refined with reclaimed barn wood, Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired furniture, whimsical light fixtures, and sophisticated and worldly modern art. Guests will also enjoy the neon signs and a neon-lit, heritage cabinet used to house a cult classic china collection. A collector’s wall features Philadelphia sports memorabilia and an assortment of framed art, including some found pieces from local flea markets and others created by Philadelphia artists. The restaurant seats up to 210 guests between its dining and pantry area, private dining room, bar and lounge, and charcuterie station.
