Philadelphia is a growing metropolis that is now home to the fastest-growing ethnic population not only in the city but also in the country, according to census data. Latinos now make up 16 percent of Philadelphia’s population with nearly 250,000 residents, most recently from Puerto Rico (Philadelphia has the second largest Puerto Rican population in the U.S.), the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico (giving South Philly’s “Puebladelphia” nickname). That means more culturally representative, multi-generational businesses, community centers, diverse neighborhoods, and a growing economy. All this makes this month’s Hispanic Heritage Month—September 15 through October 15—the perfect time to celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture.
Below are 10 Philly Hispanic and Latino businesses to support.
1. Bolo
James Beard's semifinalist chef Yun Fuentes’ Latin American restaurant, BOLO, in Rittenhouse is the first of its kind in the city. BOLO’s Rum Bar, located on the first floor, is led by PUNCH Drink’s ‘Best New Bartenders 2024’ Finalist Tony Jimenez and Mexican bartender Carlos Perez. On select Thursday evenings, live music from Cuban band Conjunto Philadelphia serenades diners. Upstairs is a formal dining room outfitted with Puerto Rican art. Nearly all BOLO staff are Hispanic and Latino, too.
2. Taller Puertorriqueño
Known simply as Taller or the Cultural Heart of el Barrio, Taller Puertorriqueño has been a leading community arts and cultural organization since the seventies. Its newest North 5th location is a hub for community programming and facilities like a multi-purpose performance hall, gallery and exhibit spaces, classrooms, a gift and book store, café, and creative workspaces. Past events include The Philadelphia Latino Film Festival and Feria del Barrio.
3. Dine Latino Restaurant Week
Similar to Center City District Restaurant Week, Dine Latino Restaurant Week is an annual culinary event that celebrates and supports local Latino-owned restaurants. It is hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GPHCC) to raise awareness about food and restaurant industry entrepreneurs and small businesses. This year, Dine Latino takes place September 15 to 21, and diners receive one free dessert or appetizer with the purchase of two entrees. With new Latino restaurants opening every year, guests can make the week their ultimate Latino food crawl through Philadelphia.
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4. Queen & Rook Game Cafe
South Street’s Queen & Rook is Philly’s largest board game cafe, with two floors of 2,000+ board games, two full bars, a restaurant, and an outdoor patio. Founder and co-owner Edward Garcia, who's Dominican and Salvadorian, has developed an all-ages gamer following for the shop thanks to their rare, independent, and unique board and card games and after-school programs and clubs. Queen & Rook also serves plant-based fare, making them one of the few Hispanic vegan spots in the city.
5. Mural City Cellars
Mural City Cellars, Philly’s first urban winery, is also a bottle shop and bar at the corner of Frankford Avenue and Berks Street. Owners Francesca Galarus and Nicholas Ducos (a sommelier of Puerto Rican descent) are on a mission to create and bring high-quality regional wine to Philadelphia. Specializing in minimal-intervention wines, MCC wines are made with grape varietals grown within 300 miles of Philadelphia—The Finger Lakes, northern Virginia, Delaware, and others—that can be easily enjoyed at home. Earlier this year, Ducos was placed in the top seven on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars competition show.
6. FAIYA
FAIYA makes small-batch artisanal hot sauces inspired by flavors of the Dominican Republic using fresh organic produce, no sugar, additives, or preservatives. The Kensington-based company is run by Radhi Fernandez, and its hot sauces have received one Scovie Award and two International Flave Awards. The current lineup is available to buy online and in-store, and you can purchase their “La Parchita” collab passion fruit hot sauce with Amy Rivera Nassar at Amy’s Pastelillos.
7. Power Street Theater
Power Street Theater on Walnut Street hosts community-driven live theater shows plus professional-led classes and workshops in writing and performance. They work with multidisciplinary artists to create programming that inspires social change and is accessible to underserved communities. PST offers pay-what-you-can tickets, free arts education courses for adults, free open mic gatherings, and community-led workshops.
8. Sea Philly
Sea Philly is Philadelphia's first fleet of luxury picnic boats that host private charters on the Delaware River. Co-owner Georgette Luna (of Chilean descent) started the first Latina- and woman-owned charter on the East Coast with her husband Chris during the pandemic with a 1960s mahogany refurbished wooden boat to help people experience Philadelphia's waterfront from a new perspective. Now Sea Philly offers daily tours, including sunset cruises with stops at notable waterfront attractions like the historic SS United States (which will leave Philly this fall), the Ben Franklin Bridge, Graffiti Pier, Petty Island, and more.
9. Ranstead Room
This speakeasy just off Chestnut and 20th Streets is helmed by two of the top Latino bartenders in the city: Cuban-American Nico Diaz and Margarito “Rito” Munive of Mexico. Together, they’ve created a craft cocktail bar program that fuses Sasha Petraske’s vision for high-level mixology techniques with flavors of their patria like the Margarita #2 with poblano-infused tequila, cucumber and lime and Pornstar Daiquiri made with a vanilla rum blend, lime juice, and passionfruit.
10. El Merkury & Tenango Rum
Sofia Deleon brings flavors of her native Guatemala to Philadelphia. At El Merkury—on Chestnut Street and inside the Reading Terminal Market—diners come in for lunch and dinner meals centered on traditional Central and Latin American street food, and soon-to-be-launched formal sit-down dinners). Her latest venture is Tenango Rum, a single-source dark-aged Guatemalan rum with notes of chocolate, butterscotch, and almond that is available in dozens of bars, bottle shops, and liquor stores in Philly and New Jersey.
