When I’m on the road traveling and exploring places, I rarely visit the same restaurant twice. After all…why would I do that?! Especially in a city like Philadelphia? There’s so much incredible cuisine, it would almost be sacrilegious to foodies everywhere to repeat restaurants. But then, Frieda Philadelphia happened.
Well, friends. I found a breakfast joint worth visiting twice in one visit. Hell, it’s worth visiting twice in one day if you’re so inclined. I’m talking, of course, about Frieda in the Old City section of Philadelphia.
Considering my husband and I were traveling with our toddler, I wanted to find a breakfast place that was convenient, quick, and wasn’t a chain restaurant. (I wasn’t about to lower my gastronomic standards!) Frieda ticked all of the boxes, and so we gave it a go, and ultimately fell in love!
A Kick-Ass Mission.
It seems as though it’s not enough for cafes to just “exist” nowadays. Each one has to have a theme…a message…and considering it’s 2021, each one also has to have some sort of social justice initiative attached. Frieda is all about reconnecting generations of folks. In particular, they are focused on the quality of life for retirees and older community members. Many retirees still need to work to make ends meet, and Frieda Philadelphia not only employs these people in various capacities but ensures that they are being given fair wages. Most of the adults in my life fit into this category of somehow needing to make ends meet after retirement. As such, I feel particularly moved by Frieda’s mission to care for the population that is most often devalued.
Frieda has created a space that is welcoming to people of all ages and from all backgrounds. I cannot even begin to tell you how refreshing it was to have a hip, trendy, option for breakfast where those who are typically shunned (families and pets) were welcomed. The space is open, airy, light, and artistic. It’s fun to browse at the locally sourced products available for purchase or to eat brunch inside while peering into the open concept kitchen. For those who want to enjoy the sunshine, there is outdoor seating available as well.
I found it interesting that Frieda Philadelphia also offers meal prep which is pretty ideal for busy city families. The space is more than just a cafe too — it hosts a plethora of social activities including Bridge, language classes, and social media workshops.
The Cream of the Croissant in Frieda Philadelphia.
It’s not just Frieda’s unique social mission that will keep me coming back. Their brunch blew us away. The homemade jams accompany a lot of the brunch dishes and they are so flavorful, fresh, and unique (peach basil anyone?) For all of my followers with Italian taste buds, you truly can’t go wrong with the prosciutto croissant. It’s the perfect amount of prosciutto, brie, and jam on a croissant and it’s just filling enough. The proportions are literally perfect. Sometimes you’ll order prosciutto on a sandwich and it literally will choke you, not here!
The baker’s basket is a MUST. Just be forewarned that you will be addicted to it and probably pop in at least once a week for breakfast. The basket includes a chocolate croissant and an almond croissant. While the chocolate croissant was achingly delicious, the latter was for sure my favorite. The almond croissant was so buttery, soft, and sweet — I could seriously eat one every day for the rest of my life. Outside of Paris, I’ve never in my life tasted pastries that were so fresh, EVER. Two slices of brioche bread also come with the basket, as well as a scone (heavenly) and two sides of different jams.
People will recommend the Old City for its historic institutions such as Constitution Hall and Independence Hall. I’d argue that Frieda Philadelphia should be added to that list of historic institutions. Ben Franklin for SURE would have been even more enlightened after having a croissant here.
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