The Feel of It
Fishtown has always felt like a neighborhood in motion.
It changes constantly, but somehow still manages to hold onto the things that made people fall in love with it in the first place. Old corner bars next to new cafes. Rowhomes beside construction sites. Longtime neighbors crossing paths with artists, young families, and people opening businesses they genuinely care about.
For Emily, Fishtown became part of life back in 2016 after she and her husband completed their first project together and moved into one of the units they built on Thompson Street. What started as a project quickly became home.
Even after moving out to New Jersey in 2025, Fishtown still feels personal. It’s the place tied to so many milestones, late nights, favorite meals, and memories built block by block over nearly a decade.
The Houses and the Streets
Fishtown works because it never feels overly polished.
The neighborhood still has grit in the best way. Tiny rowhomes. Industrial buildings turned into studios and restaurants. Murals tucked into alleyways. Streets that constantly seem to be evolving.
And depending on where you are, the vibe changes completely.
Closer to Frankford Avenue, it feels busy and creative. Head toward East Kensington and you can almost watch the neighborhood shifting in real time with new projects, renovations, and businesses popping up everywhere.
There’s always something opening. Always something happening.
Life Here, According to Emily
Emily’s version of Fishtown is built around the little places that become routine.
Morning iced matcha from Forin. Quick breakfast sandwiches from Happ’s or Quick Stop. Wandering through Minnow Lane and Minor Details looking for gifts. Grabbing drinks at Murial City Cellar with friends. Ending the night at Suraya or sitting outside at Philadelphia Brewing Company.
And then there are the places tied to memories.
She still remembers walking into Frankford Hall for the first time years ago and feeling like Fishtown had officially arrived as a destination neighborhood. Or celebrating after selling the final unit in one of their projects with dinner at LMNO right after it opened.
Those moments made the neighborhood feel exciting in a way that’s hard to replicate.
The Food and the Favorites
Fishtown is one of those neighborhoods where everyone has their own version of the “best spots.”
For Emily, some of the standouts are:
☕ Matcha from Forin
🥯 Egg and cheese from Happ’s or Quick Stop
🍕 Char Pizza
🧀 OG Pizza pretzels with melted American cheese and water ice
🛍 Minnow Lane and Minor Details
🍷 Murial City Cellar
🌿 Suraya
🍺 Philadelphia Brewing Company
🤖 Human Robot
If You’re Spending a Day in Fishtown
☕ Start with a matcha from Forin
🛍 Wander the shops along Frankford Avenue
🎨 Explore the murals and side streets around East Kensington
🍕 Grab lunch from one of the neighborhood pizza spots
🍺 Spend the afternoon at Philadelphia Brewing Company or Human Robot
🌿 End the night with dinner at Suraya and drinks nearby
Fishtown changes fast, but that’s part of what makes people love it. There’s always something new to discover while still holding onto the places people have been returning to for years.
