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South 20th Street diner Farmer’s Keep is opening its patio just in time for the holidays.
The fast-casual restaurant known for its gluten-free offerings will debut a seasonal menu Thursday, Nov. 29 as part of its 12 Days of Christmas holiday celebration, running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until December 25. An effort to bounce back from its new patio’s delayed October open, the restaurant is turning the outdoor area into a wintry wonderland, complete with Christmas trees, decorative blow-ups, and wrapping paper-wrapped tables. They’ll also be using industrial and space heaters to keep the patio warm.
Owner Joshua Bullock says this is a unique foray for the restaurant into weekend service; located in a business district that experiences its heaviest traffic on weekdays, Farmer’s Keep is remains closed on Saturdays and Sundays. They hope that by offering the community something unique, they’ll draw in Philadelphians eager to ring in the holidays in style.
“We’re excited to be able to decorate and really get into Christmas spirit,” Bullock says. “It’s really exciting to kind of get in that holiday mood and be able to do some stuff we haven’t done in previous years.”
The restaurant will also offer different drink recipes on each of the twelve days of the holiday programming. Out of all the specials he’s excited to serve, Bullock points to the Santa Sack — a drink made with Red Bull punch and vodka, served in a little bag made to look like Santa’s gift bag.
“We’re really excited about the whole drink list,” Bullock said.
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Among other restaurants getting into the holiday spirit are Laurel and In The Valley (ITV), the East Passyunk restaurants owned and run by Top Chef winner Nicholas Elmi. For the first time, Laurel will be transforming its heated garden into a cozy Christmas space, complete with flannel blankets, fire pits, and string lights abound. And in keeping with annual tradition, ITV’s interior will be decorated with festive flair and its kitchen will be serving a special holiday menu. Both will debut on November 29 and run until the end of December — so, this year, there’s no dearth of choices in Philly at which to celebrate Christmas.
