Have a look around Kensington Quarters, the restaurant/butcher shop hybrid that opened yesterday in Fishtown to showcase local food and local craftspeople. All of the signs and murals were provided by nearby design and tattoo shop True Hand Society, while custom woodworking was provided by Kensington-based Farmhaus.
Front and center at the entrance to the space is the meat counter (and a dairy case offering eggs, milk, butter and more), which is overseen by partner Bryan Mayer. He's bringing in whole animals and working with a number of area farms and suppliers — some familiar names and some lesser-known, including Oasis dairy in Bird-in-Hand, Country Meadow Farms in Quarryville, and many more — and looking to develop relationships with more small producers as time goes on. (The enthusiasm behind the counter is infectious: Mayer's the type to interrupt himself mid-sentence and dash back into the meat locker before re-emerging to show off a particularly beautiful pint of leaf lard.)
Across from the butcher shop is a striking bar, which features 20 taps (eight for wine; check out the drink list here). Moving further back, a narrow hallway is formed between the open kitchen and the meat locker, with a couple of prize high-tops for those who really want to get up close and personal with their food. Not only will you be able to watch the cooking process, but you'll be sat inches from the windows peering into the butcher shop's cold storage.
The main seating area is toward the back, with a full wall of windows looking out onto a patio that holds a large woodpile and smoker, and will eventually provide additional seating outdoors. Much of the space is wrapped ceiling-to-floor in cedar, with stretches of white subway tile and black and yellow accents throughout.
Upstairs, another bar, more tables, and a demo kitchen will hold classes and private events. As the restaurant gets into its flow, they may open that space up regularly to alleviate crowding on the main floor during busy times.
