Passyunk Square Neighborhood Guide
By Todd Hovanec on April 16, 2020
Passyunk Square is a neighborhood in South Philadelphia whose name derived from a park framed by Reed Street, Wharton Street, 12th Street and 13th Street. Originally known as Passyunk Square, that same park is today called Columbus Square.
Passyunk Square is anchored by the commercial corridor on -- you guessed it -- Passyunk Avenue. This district has solidified itself as one of the most popular shopping and entertainment destinations in Philadelphia, with terrific boutiques and world class restaurants.
Where is Passyunk Square in Philadelphia?
Passyunk Square is located south of Bella Vista, north of Central South Philadelphia and Hawthorne, east of Point Breeze, and west of Dickinson Narrows. On a map, the neighborhood is bounded by 6th Street to the east, Washington Avenue to the north, Broad Street to the west, and Tasker Street to the south.
Architectural Appeal
Like many of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, Passyunk Square consists mostly of low-rise single-family and small multi-family brick buildings (two or three apartments, generally). On Passyunk Avenue, some intersections host mixed-use buildings, typically with a commercial space on the ground floor and one or two apartments above.
As has happened across much of the rest of the city, but to a lesser degree, vacant parcels have been scooped up and built upon by developers. This is primarily due to the Passyunk’s ascension to one of the most popular sections of the city, in tandem with rising prices (and a tax-abatement program).
Browse homes for sale in Passyunk Square
Getting Around Passyunk Square
Passyunk Square enjoys a fantastic location within the city. Center City office buildings are easily accessible via a quick bicycle jaunt or a 30-40 minute walk (1.5 - 2.0 miles), depending on origination point and destination.
Public transportation options abound as well. The SEPTA 64 crosstown bus line runs along Washington Ave. and the 47 runs north and south along 7th and 8th Streets, respectively. The Broad Street line is not far away depending on where you are originating from in the neighborhood. Indeed, Passyunk Square is well connected.
Drinking & Dining
This charming neighborhood luncheonette serves some of the best lunch and breakfast eats in the city. Make sure to get the full stack of pancakes! On a lazy weekend morning, Comfort and Floyd is the perfect place to grab brunch and reminisce about the previous evening’s festivities.
An institution since the 1930’s, this neighborhood stalwart got its unique name from owner Anthony "Ray" Capozzoli greeting everyone who stepped through the door with "Happy Birthday!" In the 80 years since, Ray’s has celebrated a lot of birthdays of its own while also keeping up with the times. Friday night karaoke is a crowd pleaser and draws a big crowd so dust off those vocal cords and stop in for a "birthday" drink!
"Cold beers right heres." The name says it all. This terrific, no frills bar, and its sister location in Fishtown at Girard and Frankford, are the perfect place to raise a can or pint of some new local brews with friends and discuss the joys of life. When you get hungry, the Garage often imports food truck vendors to set up shop. And if you require a quick and easy bite, Pat’s and Geno’s are right across the street.
Best Cheesesteak in Passyunk Square
Passyunk Square is ground zero for the great debate between locals and tourists over the best steak in Philly. While Pat’s and Geno’s get all the attention, the best steak in Passyunk Square is easily Cosmi’s Deli at 1501 S. 8th St. It’s where the locals go.
Afterward, head down the block to Termini Brothers Bakery for a mouth-watering selection of desserts and pastries.
Things to Do
Get a coffee…
Black & Brew is the perfect spot to catch up with a friend for a morning coffee or grab a tasty breakfast sandwich after a morning workout. For anyone with a sweet tooth, the pastry case is full of homemade treats that are baked daily on site. So you can work out, eat and then go back to the gym!
Go to a shooting range...
The Philadelphia Training Academy at 831 Ellsworth offers a shooting range for anyone looking to hone their sharp shooting skills. There are lessons available as well as a well-outfitted pro shop. Remember, safety first. Always!
Enjoy some green space...
Enjoy a walk around one of the two lovely neighborhood green spaces, Columbus Square Park. There are plenty of benches under verdant trees so bring a book and a cup of coffee for a nice relaxing reading session. Alternatively, there’s a terrific dog park on the 12th Street side so Fido can stretch his legs and burn off some steam too.
Market Snapshot
Due to the top-notch, convenient location within the city and its local entertainment options and amenities, Passyunk Square continues to be a desired neighborhood.
Pricing has creeped up as developers have built upon most of the empty lots in the area. More recently, as land is no longer easily available, developers are now gutting older two-story homes and adding a third story in order to appeal to today’s modern purchaser seeking more space.
Here are four homes for sale in Passyunk Square, Philadelphia that recently caught our eye:
Interested in buying a home in Passyunk Square? Browse listings and see how much you could save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer commission rebate in Philadelphia.
