Passyunk Square

A South Philadelphia neighborhood, Passyunk Square is named for Passyunk Avenue which runs diagonally through the city. The awkward alignment of the streets in this neighborhood makes parking, as well as driving, a bit of a task.

In Passyunk Square there is shopping and restaurants everywhere. Privately owned shops, grocery stores, salons, pharmacies and other businesses line along East Passyunk Avenue. The neighborhood has many traditional Italian restaurants, pubs and B.Y.O.B.s.

There are many events along E. Passyunk Avenue such as Flavor of the Avenue, Second Saturdays and the Car Show & Street Festival.. These events feature Italian cuisines, shops, galleries and boutiques that can give you an individual style via home & garden, dress & accessories, and car & bike services. The most known event in the neighborhood that brings out people from all over the city and surrounding is the East Passyunk Restaurant Week which offers, at a fixed price, 3 course lunch and/or dinner at 21 award winning restaurants from the cozy B.Y.O.B.s to candlelit dining.

Passyunk Square is home of the great cheese steak battle of Philadelphia. While there are many establishments that create a "Philly Cheese Steak", Geno's and Pat's are the Philadelphia Kings of the food craft. This portion of the neighborhood is always filled with car and foot traffic.

Passyunk Square is split about 50/50 between longtime residents and new residents. The neighbors are generally in their 20's and 30's, singles and couples with full families sprinkled in. Regardless of age, nationality or religion, the people are pleasant and always willing to help.

The community of Passyunk Square has been involved in the creation of mosaics and murals in the area. There are also a couple of community gardens. The neighborhood's beautification project has planted over 700 trees in the area to add a little nature to the neighborhood. There is also a Town Watch that meet every second Saturday to discuss ways to continue to keep Passyunk Square safe.

Most homes are modern single-family 2- and 3-story houses, many of which are newly renovated. There are also townhouses and apartment complexes in the neighborhood for renters.

The neighborhood has 3 public schools run by the School District of Philadelphia. There is also a charter and private school in the area. The area has two recreational centers and an older adult center as well.

There is public transportation in and around Passyunk Square. SEPTA bus routes run through and the Broad Street Subway is in walking distance right outside the neighborhood, which can get you to other portions of the city. Driving can be a bit of a pain if you are not familiar with the area. There are bike lanes but they do not populate every block in the neighborhood.

Passyunk Square is a thriving neighborhood in Philadelphia. Its people and places make it a wonderful area to live.

Passyunk Square has Philly pride written all over it. Located east of Broad Street between Tasker and Washington, Passyunk Square is named for Passyunk Avenue, a street that runs diagonally amongst the Philadelphia grid.

The area has a very heavy Caucasian population, the majority of which are Italian. There are strong neighborhood bonds, and the community is kept close by the Passyunk Square Civic Association. Many of the streets are lined with privately owned shops and corner groceries, all of which have an “everybody knows your name” sort of vibe.

Passyunk Avenue is known for its hipster dive bars, like Stogie Joe’s and Pub On Passyunk East (or POPE, as the regulars call it). Another big draw to the area are the well known, battling cheesesteak joints: Pat’s and Geno’s. There is nothing more “Philly” than a cheesesteak, and these two shops both claim to be the best. Located at 11th and Federal, Pat’s and Geno’s face each other from opposing corners, and have long lines of locals and tourists at all hours of the day.

Congested areas, like those surrounding Pat’s and Geno’s, making parking very difficult, so you are better served walking or biking. Luckily public transportation is very accessible; it is a quick walk to the Broad Street Line and numerous buses service the area. Real estate prices have risen slightly in the past few years, but they are still very reasonable. You will find many more settled families then renters, which adds to the strong neighborhood bonds.

It seems like a couple years ago, nobody even knew about Passyunk Square. Today, however, this small neighborhood garners a lot of attention for affordable housing options and a great neighborhood feel.

The most notable thing about Passyunk Square for most is Pats and Genos. The two cheesesteak kings can be found on the corner of 9th Street and Passyunk Ave. This corner will always have traffic, and always smell like cheesesteaks.

Aside from Pats and Genos, there are a number of other great places to eat and drink in Passyunk Square. POPE or the Pub on Passyunk is a popular spot as is Devil's Den. Around the actual square in the neighborhood, there are a few small shops and of course the fountain in the middle of the square which makes for a nice place to relax on warm days or meet friends.

This neighborhood is predominantly white, and has a low crime rate while still remaining affordable for renting and buying. For this reason, Passyunk Square is popular for post-grads or young professionals who are looking to rent or buy a row home that is a little bit outside of the city's center, but still close enough to enjoy all that Philadelphia has to offer.

Passyunk in Philadelphia is a typical urban neighborhood which reminds you of Greenwich Village in New York. Many of the houses are row homes with store fronts on the sidewalks and living spaces on top.

The streets are crisscross in grid-like fashion. It is an easy walk to Broad Street where public transportation can easily whisk you north to Center City and City Hall and south to the Sports Complexes where the Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies play.
Parking is a problem and if you are traveling to Passyunk you should plan for a search to find parking.

One nice thing about Passyunk is the interest in urban and cultural activities that has sprung up over the past few years. There are marching bands and high stepping dream teams for young people. As well, one of the singing divas gives lessons to up and coming singers. Devon Gardener who has sung with both Duke Ellington and his son Mercer Ellington, teaches young people in the high arts. Recently, she has sung at the Episcopal Cathedral.

There are cafes which feature opera on demand and incredible food at cozy tables. The area was traditionally Catholic and retains the spirit and fine crafts.

Passyunk is a neighborhood located in South Philadelphia. Named after the bizarre avenue that cuts diagonally through the city, Passyunk is bound by 6th Street to the east, Broad Street to the west, Taster Street to the south and Washington Avenue to the north.
It is a predominantly white neighborhood and offers many shops, restaurants and bars. One of the main draws of the area is Geno’s and Pat’s, two of the most famous cheesesteak providers in the city. The P.O.P.E. (Pub on Passyunk) is also one of the more popular nightlife venues and features tons of different yummy beers on tap. Passyunk Square, located near the intersection of Tasker and 11th Streets, also provides residents with a pretty fountain and shopping opportunities. Acme is located there as well as a CVS.
Even though it is an attractive place to live, housing prices in Passyunk remain affordable. The crime rate in this neighborhood is relatively low and it is the perfect place to live for young professionals, artists and college students.
Parking can be a bit bothersome, so if you own a bike, I would suggest that you ride that around instead of your car. It also gets very buy near Geno’s on weekend nights, which is located on 11th and Federal, so avoid that at all costs.

Once upon a time General George Washington’s soldiers lived on Federal Street in what is now one of the hippest neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Passyunk has a rich history that many of the younger residence probably do not consider as they’re walking down Passyunk Ave.
Spanning from Washington to Tasker Avenues and from Sixth to Broad streets, the neighborhood has become an attractive area for young couples and new families to purchase their first row home. It conveniently located near grocery stores, pharmacies and quaint boutiques.
In addition to its establishments, Passyunk has many events throughout the year; such has Flavors of the Avenue which highlights the eating establishments locating in the neighborhood and Second Saturday, where artists display their work in various small exhibits.
During warmer weather live performances are held around the fountain. When live activities like street festivals and farmers markets are not taking place, the fountain can be heard playing a variety of recorded music that locals can enjoy while sitting on benches that surround the sculpture.
Whether you’re looking for a close knit neighborhood to live or just pleasant area to visit, Passyunk has all of the charms of a small town placed nicely in South Philadelphia