A South Street staple has reopened.
Bridget Foy’s officially reopened its doors on Friday, more than three years after the popular cafe was destroyed by a devastating two-alarm fire in 2017. The ribbon was cut, marking the rebirth of the beloved restaurant.
“We are so thankful for all of the amazing support over the last three years and we are so excited to bring life back to our corner of South Street,” said Bridget Foy. “We have missed everyone so much and we can’t wait to play host again. The neighborhood has a lot of exciting changes coming – including the work on Headhouse Square – and we see so much hope, energy and potential around us even during the pandemic. Losing the original Bridget Foy’s really helped us realize how beloved and missed we were and we can’t wait to show our appreciation and see everyone again. We have so much to catch up on.”
Bridget Foy’s opened in 1978 at 2nd and South streets under the name of East Philly Cafe and under the ownership of John and Bernadette Foy. It was renamed Bridget Foy’s Cafe after Bridget was born and served the community for nearly 40 years before the fire ravaged the building. Upon its reopening, the reins have been handed to Bridget to take over all operations of the family business. The building has undergone three years of demolition and construction and finally opened as a pop-up in December. Now, as the city is permitting 50-percent capacity indoor dining, Bridget Foy’s is officially back on the map following a grand reopening.
“The entire family, including my mom and dad and (husband) Paul (Rodriguez), we all together designed the new Bridget Foy’s,” Bridget said. “It was a challenging process and it was great to all support each other. Being family, sometimes we all didn’t see eye to eye and we all had to compromise, but I would say all and all it came out great and brought us even closer together during such a hard time for our family.”
The corner building in the Queen Village neighborhood will have a new look while attempting to recreate some of the nostalgia that local residents came to love over the years.
The new Bridget Foy’s will feature a brand new layout and all new dining room, bar and outdoor patio. At its current state, it will seat about 25 guests in the dining room and a dozen more in the bar lounge. Outside it can host up to 30 guests. When guests are allowed to return to the bars, it will accommodate an additional 14 barstools inside and six barstools outside.
Sixteen oversized windows and doors open to the sidewalk with advanced ventilation and artwork created by Bernadette and Paul.
Bridget Foy’s will return an updated menu that includes many past favorites and classics, including comfort cuisine and scratch pastries and desserts, as well as a large selection of cocktails, beer and wine.
“While the building, the menu and many other things have changed, our focus is still the same,” Foy said. “Bridget Foy’s is Philadelphia and South Street’s original corner bar and kitchen where neighbors, friends and visitors can come together for great food and service since 1978.”
For more info and reservations, visit bridgetfoys.com or call 215-922-1813.
