Food, it’s what brings us together.
In West Philadelphia, the EAT (Everyone At the Table ) Café cooks up nourishing meals and serves them to everyone that comes in, regardless of the thickness of their wallet. Of the approximately 60 community cafes in the US, EAT Cafe is one of a few that offers a full-service meal.
EAT works in collaboration with Drexel University, Vetri Community Partnership, and the West Philadelphia community. Their philosophy is that those with means to pay a little extra for a meal can help make it possible for those who usually can’t afford to eat out to have a meal away from home and feel welcome in the community.
“A guy who’d been living on the street heard about it and he said he didn’t believe it. He walked 30 blocks to check it out,” said Mariana Chilton, founder of the restaurant and director of Drexel University’s Center for Hunger-Free Communities told Philly.com. “He was amazed that it was real.”
For a three-course meal, the recommended price is $15. But if you don’t have that, it’s no problem. It turns out that about 40 percent of the customers are paying less, while the others are paying full price or a little more to pay it forward. Not only does this mean everyone gets a good meal, it takes away the isolation some folks experience when they feel like they can’t go out.
Not only is its business model totally humbling, their food is thoughtfully made. They’ve been put on the ‘Best of Philly’ list, serving up dishes like gazpacho and spice-rubbed salmon, or sweet potato bread pudding. Nothing less than epic, really.
As business picks up, they plan on expanding their hours, and a food truck may be on the horizon, too.
Feature image: Charles Fox / Philly.com
