New Restaurant Alert: AVANA is Opening on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Will Feature Southern Cuisine with African Influences
Restauranteur Felicia Wilson has been busy running and opening some of the city’s best restaurants. Even if you are unfamiliar with her name, chances are you’ve eaten or heard of one of her many restaurants including Amina and BlackHen in Old City, Fia, which is located inside the Fairfield Inn & Suites at 13th and Spruce Streets, and Amina Ocean, which will open during the summer of 2025 in University City. Now Felicia is poised to open another restaurant along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
AVANA is scheduled to open its doors on Sunday, December 29th at 5 pm on the ground floor of the East Tower of Park Towne Place at 2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. AVANA will be a 4,300 square-foot Modern American Comfort restaurant. The name translates to “beautiful flower” in Swahili, while Amina, which features a menu reflecting southern cuisine with African influences, represents a warrior goddess of Nigeria.
The restaurant will feature a 108-seat dining room, a bar and lounge area with another 30 seats, and an outdoor terrace that can seat another 120 guests. In May, Park Towne Place’s pool will open, allowing Wilson to provide food and beverage service for one of the largest pool decks in the city, which includes extensive amenities, cabanas and extraordinary views of Philadelphia’s skyline. AVANA will offer catering on and off-site, and the restaurant will be open seven days a week for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Piano and acoustic music will be featured daily during happy hour and weekend brunch, which will commence in mid- to late-January.
“The foot traffic in the Art Museum area is non-stop, but there are so few places to eat, so I jumped on this opportunity the moment I learned that the space was available,” said Wilson. “Our menu will offer something for everyone, and we look forward to meeting our neighbors and seeing new faces in what we hope the local residents and neighborhood will really love. My first three years in Old City have been nothing short of incredible, and I imagine my time on the Parkway will be even better, since we’ll be able to serve more guests.”
The extensive menu, created by Chef/Partner Darryl Harmon, will feature a raw bar; Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail; a Seafood Tower with lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters, and more; Crunchy Cauliflower; a Braised Oxtail Personal Pizza; Jerk Chicken Skewers; Cheesesteak Churros; Crispy Calamari; Tuna Crudo; soups; salads; King Salmon; Watermelon Glazed Chilean Sea Bass; Lazy Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese; a Veal Chop; a number of different pastas; several cuts of steak, including what Harmon refers to as an “Aerialist Dry-Aged Tomahawk,” which is suspended above the plate via a “resting stand”; a variety of sandwiches and 10 Oz. burgers including “Friendsgiving Everyday” — a turkey burger with cornbread stuffing, crispy Brussels sprouts, and orange cranberry smash; and “The Mc.Rib,” which features boneless beef short ribs, house-cured dill pickles, dehydrated onions, and black cherry barbecue sauce. There will also be a wide variety of side dishes and tableside preparations, including tableside Caesar salad and innovative dessert preparations as well. Prices will range from $14-$18 for shared plates, $12-$16 for soups and salads, $16-$25 for burgers and sandwiches, $25-$55 for house specialty entrees, $22-$32 for pastas, and $40-$95 for steaks.
Mixologist Dajah Jones of Sip Lightly will lead the beverage program, which will include craft cocktails, locally-distilled spirits, craft beer, and wine.
The eclectic space, which is being designed by Dominique Calhoun of Remix Living, has expansive views of the Parkway, with a very floral interior featuring odes to Amina. The color pallet has jewel tones of blues, greens, and pinks in a room that Wilson describes as having a “tribal feel.” The outdoor terrace, which is heated and covered and contains a fireplace and TVs, can accommodate small weddings and private affairs for up to 100 guests.
Owned and operated by AIR Communities, one of the city’s largest providers of apartment homes, Park Towne Place was added to the National Historic Register in 2011 and underwent a large-scale redevelopment in 2014. The community now boasts an award-winning public art program, encouraging visitors to come and enjoy the grounds and experiences at Park Towne. “We are thrilled to welcome Felicia, Chef Harmon, and the entire Avana team to Park Towne Place,” said AIR Communities Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Patti Shwayder. ”We’re passionate about building relationships, being a good neighbor, and creating world-class living experiences for our residents, and Avana’s presence at Park Towne helps us achieve all of those things and more.”
