Join Supper for Supper (or Happy Hour)
Don’t be deterred by the grand gold-hued doorway and austere copper façade; South Street’s Supper is home to some of the friendliest, welcoming restaurant folks in the city. Almost every evening you’ll find chef Mitch Prensky commanding the humming open kitchen, as his wife Jennifer and front-of-the-house staff talk and joke with guests and regulars.
A partnership with high-end speakeasy Franklin Mortgage and Investment Co. will bring a new cocktail list later this year (the Prenskys’ Global Dish catering operation provides eats for the below-ground Rittenhouse bar), but don’t wait until then to try out the happy hour deal. Every weekday from 5–7 PM, the bartender puts one red wine, one white and one bottled beer on offer for just $5, to accompany an impressive three-for-$10 appetizer menu.
Tantalizing options for the sawbuck trio include crispy squid, fried up and served atop Sriracha aioli with slivers of fresh red and green pepper, a set of deviled eggs constructed with unique flavors (recent versions were blended with kalamata olives or beets and mushrooms), fluffy cheddar & sage cheese puffs, housemade soft pretzels with special beer mustard and duck-fat fried potatoes with truffle mayo.
But the star of the sustenance show has to be the smoked chicken wings, which are unlike any other in the region. In the words of the chef, they are “braised, marinated, smoked, roasted, and glazed” in a process that takes nearly three days to complete. All the vegetables for the restaurant come from nearby Blue Elephant Farm, and the freshness of flavors comes across. The triplet’s portions are not meager, and could even constitute an early dinner.
The beer list is small but strong, featuring seasonal American craft brews from local houses like Flying Fish and more distant breweries like California’s Ballast Point, with prices hovering around $7–8. Wines are a bit more diverse, but also carefully selected, with a dozen reds and white by the glass ($9–11), and another dozen available by the bottle. There is a well-stocked liquor cabinet, and the bartenders can skillfully mix up a Jack Ruby (grapefruit vodka, cranbery and lemon-lime soda; $9) or a Lou London (Maker’s Mark, housemade ginger brandy, fresh OJ and citrus bitters; $10).
Low-backed wooden chairs for about a dozen line the marble bar, and spaces open quickly throughout the night as dinner patrons depart to be seated at tables. A funky, metal-work chandelier hangs behind the stools, emitting soft amber light and creating a lively but sophisticated vibe. Weekend brunch is also popular, with red-velvet waffles and $9 mimosas, Bellinis and champagne. So next time you’re strolling by, duck through the stately vestibule and enjoy the neighborhood camaraderie.