Among the numerous developments that have emerged along the corridor running through the core of Fishtown and Kensington in recent years, North Front Street has transformed into the Avenue of Grand Pancake Aspirations.
If you have not yet encountered thegiant pancake at Middle Child ClubhouseYou’re missing out on one of the most delightful dishes in Philadelphia. These fluffy cakes not only expand to exciting heights before being covered in sweet citrus caramel, but the butter topping also smiles back at you with a shaped happy face.
There’s now another massive pancake competing for your brunch attention a few blocks to the north, atPercy, a two-month-old eatery and bar from the group behind theForîncafes, which offer a breakfast-style menu available all day and serve until 3 p.m. on the ground level of the large new buildingUrby apartment complex.
While Middle Child’s pancakes rise high, Percy’s are more spread out. However, the Frisbee-sized rounds are surprisingly light because of the ricotta in the batter. They are enhanced by citrus in the compound butter piped into a peak at the center, ready to melt over the cinnamon sugar-coated surface of what is essentially a ¾-pound hotcake, perfect for starting your day—or causing a midday nap.
No matter which way you’re going, Percy’s drink selection has you sorted. There are premium beans from Montréal’sTraffic(same as Forîn); homemade honey wines (also known as mead) crafted with ube and fruits, which bring to mind, in a positive way, slightly oxidized, not too sweet sherry; and a drink named the All Night Diner, made with all-Pennsylvania spirits infused with a shot of espresso for those looking to drink and remain alert. (Less sweet than an espresso martini, it’s more influenced by a Mexican)carajillo.)
Philadelphia’s new wave of brunch spots — including Middle Child Clubhouse, Enswell, La Jefa, Front Street Cafe, and Suraya — offer a variety of experiences these days, merging the elements of a coffee shop, a trendy restaurant, and a cocktail bar. It’s different from the more traditional approach of established brunch favorites likeSabrina’s Cafe, Sam’s Morning Glory Diner (the original), Green Eggs Cafe, and Honey’s Sit ’N Eat, which aim to revitalize the genre with improved components and humorous stuffed French toast.
You’ll find your share of updated comfort foods at these trendy brunch spots, but the shredded potatoes used in Percy’s gourmet latkes are first cooked in garlic oil until tender, then crisped into golden bars and finished with smooth slices of house-cured gravlax seasoned with everything spice. A fancy portion of caviar is just $4 more. (This is similar to the menu at the nearby Middle Child, where their “latka-ed” hash browns can be upgraded with trout roe.) Some might say the combination of latke and caviar has become common, but the current top version is currently atAlice. However, seeing it here, I couldn’t help but question whether there could be something more unique to contribute to the genre.
One could question whether Percy is just a mix of current fads — featuring a “sound lounge” with sofas, DJs playing vinyl records, and a fireplace that glows all year — designed for people living in the nearby area, where thousands of new apartments have appeared recently.construction boom. (The lounge taps a current)listening area boom that has produced varied outcomes locally, but Percy’s DJ rosterfeatures artists such as Rich Medina, whom my colleague Dan DeLuca refers to as a “Philly hip-hop institution.” There are 200 units just in the five-story Urby that houses Percy, with many of them leased by millennials and Gen Z individuals who work from home part of the time, view brunch as a preferred meal, and seek a third place to enjoy mushroom toast with artisan boursin while participating in Zoom meetings throughout the day.
Regardless, I’m not convinced Percy is capable of being a citywide dining spot that can charge $30 to $40 for an entrée, as its current evening menu suggests. It’s certainly puzzling given its daytime image focused on approachable, modern comforts. However, I have noticed hints that Percy could become a genuine attraction for brunch in the river wards.
It appears that this has always been the main focus. “We definitely aim to be a benefit for our neighbors first,” says Seth Kligerman, 36, the general manager and co-owner of Percy, along with his Forîn partners, winemaker Kyle Horne, 40; and Will Landicho, 36.
Concentrating on their closest audience is a wise approach for a group that has achieved success with the selected coffees, regional wines, and lighter dishes at three Forîns and is now ready to take on a complete dining experience.
By day, the bright area is inviting, featuring tiled floors with patterns, warm wooden details near the bar by the entrance, and mid-century style furnishings in a 62-seat dining room that has cozy blue booths. Created by Shawn Hausman (Parc, Dandelion, Butcher & Singer), the atmosphere is comfortably vintage.
A plate of freshly made mandel bread filled with walnuts, golden raisins, and cocoa, served alongside Percy’s coffee selection, definitely brings back nostalgic childhood recollections. It also highlights a connection to comforting Jewish tastes, which is a recurring element in this place. A tower of French toast crafted from the house-made babka, swirled with a chocolate stripe and soaked in crème anglaise, then finished with a cinnamon pecan topping, is even more delightful than the pancakes. There’s also a mandel bread liqueur produced in-house, infused with the pastry’s main components — raisins, chocolate, and walnuts — which is featured in the All Night Diner.
Jack Smith, 30, is a former kitchen employee and a graduate of Johnson & Wales, who also spent several months in Southeast Asia, followed by multiple years in Denver (including a period atUchi, the Japanese chain coming to Center City). He is also related to Kligerman as his cousin.
This is his first time managing a kitchen, and even though the space is newly built, he has faced several logistical issues, including the absence of a gas stove. This has imposed some restrictions on the kitchen’s operations and resulted in some confusing terminology, such as the unusual “Spanish omelet,” which isn’t really an omelet but rather a pre-cooked egg casserole layered with potatoes, more similar to a tortilla Española — a term avoided to prevent customers from expecting a quesadilla. It was still tasty, served with a pipérade of roasted peppers and Manchego cheese; however, the small, crispy cube portion was pricey at $20.
A baked egg dish could be a great addition to an oven-focused menu and would have offered more substantial value at $16. However, the egg that was incorporated into the ratatouille casserole was cooked too much, going well past the chef’s intended “dippy” yolk texture.
There were multiple winners in this case, both for the daily brunch and dinner options, which are available three nights a week.
The chef’s innovation shines through with a refreshing zucchini take on cold vichyssoise, enhanced by wild garlic kosho and preserved lemon. The house-made duck sausage, crafted similarly to Bob Evans breakfast links as a substitute for traditional pork, offered an enjoyable choice for the breakfast sandwich served on house brioche with provolone and a fermented carrot-fresno chile hot sauce.
I also really enjoyed Smith’s local take on the croque monsieur, featuring South Philly-style roasted pork paired with fermented broccoli rabe under a rich, creamy Mornay cheese sauce that has a tangy edge from aged provolone.
Percy’s lamb hash offers a deliciously hearty twist on the classic diner dish, which I also found impressive. It’s an intelligent approach to using leftover meat from the lamb shank, slow-cooked with guajillo chilies and coffee, served over white beans—this is one of the standout items on the dinner menu, and one of several dishes that make this menu the most energetic in town. Coffee plays a key role in the roast chicken, a juicy and crispy bird that has been deboned, with its sauce enhanced by espresso shots.
Smith’s creative energy brought another poultry standout, the Buffalo chicken deviled eggs, which successfully incorporates real chicken into the eggs, featuring a chicken rillette infused with Birchrun blue cheese and filled into the centers for impressive results. However, there were instances where the chef overcomplicated things, hiding a delicious whole dorade under an excessive amount of bok choy and radishes, leaving us unable to fully appreciate the roasted allium emulsion on its skin or the vibrant aromatics of the Thai curry underneath.
Even more puzzling was the decision to include Cooper Sharp in the burger’s process, as though the processed cheese possessed the meat-boosting power of bone marrow once it melted. (It doesn’t.) The addition makes the beef too soft, forcing the kitchen to overcook the patty to avoid it becoming mushy. Thanks to the staff for cooking my burger twice, but the replacement was just as disappointing — a $21 burger experiment that failed, and as the only dinner entree under $30, it’s an issue.
Other minor disappointments came next — a piece of Cinnamon Toast Crunch semifreddo so frozen that an affogato shot of espresso couldn’t thaw it. At least there were warm beignets to end the meal, the light fritters coated in powdered sugar and topped with caramel flavored with… more coffee.
Dinner is an ongoing process with several aspects still being refined. Regardless of the cost, any restaurant that immediately recognizes upon entry that someone is celebrating a birthday should provide some form of acknowledgment rather than just asking “so, whose birthday was it?” as we were leaving.
Percy’s status as a destination remains uncertain. However, there’s no disgrace in being the best possible option within the city’s fastest expanding area. The small pleasures, like a large and beautiful pancake just around the corner or a delicious babka French toast, are their own form of satisfaction.
Percy
1700 North Front Street, 215-975-0020;percyphl.com
Daily brunch menu available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner served Thursday to Saturday, from 5 p.m. until midnight.
Brunch dishes, priced from $13 to $22; dinner main courses, ranging from $21 to $42.
Wheelchair accessible.
Several gluten-free options are available on the brunch menu, including lamb hash, latkes, and Spanish omelet, with approximately 75% of the dinner menu being gluten-free.
Menu specials: Brunch: latke; croque monsieur; slow-cooked lamb hash; breakfast sandwich featuring duck sausage; ricotta pancakes; babka French toast; beignets. Dinner: Buffalo chicken stuffed eggs; roasted chicken; coffee-infused braised lamb.
Drinks: A complete bar featuring all-Pennsylvania ingredients offers enjoyable cocktails with basic homemade elements (sample the watermelon-infused Crystal Lake, or the Big Iron made with a house-made liqueur modeled after Benedictine). The homemade honey wines and bottles from regional winemakers (Wayvine, Pray Tell, Mural City) are good, and occasionally even better.
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