Occupying the corner of 6th and Fitzwater, Salt & Pepper provides a welcome addition to the Sunday brunch scene. Situated in a residential neighborhood in South Philly, this tiny two month old BYO offers traditional yet well executed Sunday morning favorites.
Despite a barrage of pallid green tile that lends itself more to a powder room than a restaurant, a wide range of Beatles music saves the brunch atmosphere. The menu itself is short, but options range from yogurt granola berries ($8) to an open faced steak & eggs sandwich ($12). I devoured French toast with blueberry sauce ($8) and a side of bacon ($4). The French toast was slightly overcooked and lacked sufficient fluffiness, but the blueberry sauce helped offset this slight feeling of discontent. The extra crispy bacon served to fill the void in my stomach left by the small portion of French toast. The eggs benedict ($10) proved to be prepared much more skillfully, as the eggs were not overly runny and were served over lean strips of Canadian bacon. Accompanying on the side were well-seasoned home fries ($3) diced in tiny cubes.
Regarding drinks, we donned our country club grandmother tennis apparel and sipped mimosas with our brunch. As this is a BYO, be sure to bring along your champagne of choice, and add orange juice for a mere $2. Bloody Marys, made out of your own vodka, are another popular choice among the substantial Sunday morning crowd.
Upon leaving, the dinner menu at Salt & Pepper caught my eye. It is slated to change roughly six times per year, mostly with the seasons. However, appetizers such as the seared salmon with cucumber dill, grapes, and frisee ($8) and entrees like the wild mushroom risotto with haricots verts and parmesan ($16) appear to be popular fixtures. With stellar, affordable food and a mellow atmosphere, Salt & Pepper is a promising newcomer in Philly's sea of BYOs.
