Soon, You Won't Have to Go to Wine & Spirits to Buy Wine in South Philly

Often times, dining on East Passyunk Avenue means bringing your own bottle. And the closest Fine Wine & Good Spirits shop is on 11th and Wharton Streets, which isn't exactly a comfortable walking distance especially in the sweltering heat Philly's been experiencing in recent weeks. Soon, the Avenue will have a new wine-buying option: Vin Cafe, opening at 1926 East Passyunk Avenue (across Le Virtú).

Owned and operated by Eric Krogstad, Vin Cafe will be, first-and-foremost, a bottle shop selling bottles and cases from the local vineyard Buckingham Valley, one of Pennsylvania's oldest family-owned vineyards. In the first few months, Vin will be retail-only, but come September, the shop will turn into a "real cafe," says a store rep, serving wines by-the-glass and small plates (think charcuterie and desserts), as well as Illy coffee and Bucks County-local Sole kombucha.

Vin Cafe's soft opening is this Wednesday, July 27, for the neighborhood's Wednesday evening Passeggiata. Store hours will be from 3 - 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and an hour later on Saturdays.

(To clarify, the above logo was designed in 2015, when Krogstad thought Vin Cafe would open — hence "Since 2015".)

With Pollyodd a few doors down, and Manatawny Still Works opening a satellite location a few blocks away, the Passyunk Avenue dining strip looks to be more self-contained and self-sufficient than ever before.