Southwark Review - Queen Village - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"It seems like every day there’s a new, ultra-specific beauty product we’re told we absolutely need. Like a nail bed exfoliator that swears it’ll turn your stubs into dainty claws, or a clay mask especially for the backs of your knees. We miss the days when you could walk into a drug store, head straight to the hygiene aisle, and pick up a combination shampoo-conditioner-body wash: the simple product that takes care of pretty much any soap-related need. Like a 3-in-1 beauty product, Southwark has a lot of different components - a cocktail bar, a dressy dining room, and a casual back patio. But unlike the shampoo-conditioner-body wash trio - which we concede should probably remain separate products - Southwark nails all three elements, and ties them together with some of the best food in the city. Southwark is a French-leaning place in Queen Village, and when you first walk in, you won’t be able to see past the large bar. In fact, if you didn’t do any research beforehand, you’d probably think this one room - which serves the full menu - is the entire space. You wouldn’t be disappointed either, because on its own, it’s one of the best cocktail bars in the city - with fruity milk punches and silky smooth highballs, all named after famous movie lines. But beyond the bar, through a narrow hallway, are two entirely different spaces. There’s a dining room with white tablecloths and fancy silverware that feels a bit proper, and might cause you to start thinking in a British accent. And then out back there’s a plant-filled patio where couples are sharing charcuterie plates, splitting bottles of wine, and slipping pieces of prosciutto to their dogs. These three starkly different experiences make Southwark a useful place for a variety of situations. But the food is really what makes Southwark what it is. From the perfectly crispy fried green tomatoes to larger dishes, like the creamy stuffed summer squash, everything is flavorful and shareable. There are pasta dishes that rival the ones from our favorite Italian spots, and they come in both whole and half portions, in case you can’t decide between the buttery pea and ricotta ravioli or the potato gnocchi buried in a savory pork and tomato ragu. Just get half portions of both, and maybe throw in a third bowl of shrimp squid ink fettuccine if you’re really hungry. The menu works for any situation, whether you’re here to catch up with a few friends and split a bunch of half-portions of pasta, or have a full dinner with clients in town from New York who each want their own steak. Even if the food at Southwark wasn’t top-notch, you’d still want to come here for a cocktail at the bar. But the food is so good you’ll want to have a summer dinner out on the patio, and host all of your future family graduation dinners in their dining room. It’s a place you get excited to go to, no matter what reason you come here for, and no matter how many times you’ve been. If there was a 3-in-1 beauty product that could make us feel half the things Southwark did, we’d clear all the shelves and stockpile it in a storage unit somewhere. Until then, we’ll continue spending our summer nights on Southwark’s back patio, and buying our shampoo and conditioner separately." - Sydney McElwee
