Philly’s Largest Restaurant Re-Opens With a 700 Lb Smoker, BBQ Dishes and 35,000 Sq. ft. Dining Space!

Philly’s Largest Restaurant Re-Opens With a 700 Lb Smoker, BBQ Dishes and 35,000 Sq. ft. Dining Space!

Fire up the smoker! FCM Hospitality and owner Avram Hornik announce the reopening of Philadelphia’s largest restaurant starting this weekend. Craft Hall is officially back on the Waterfront at 901 N. Delaware Avenue starting Thursday, January 14th with outdoor dining, take-out and delivery, and starting Saturday, January 16th with expansive indoor dining. As restaurants adapt their operations to survive the pandemic, look for Craft Hall to pivot and turn the menu focus to BBQ, smoked meats and hearty pizzas. Executive Chef Adam Iazarick and his team will put the 700 lb. smoker to full use in creating a menu that is delicious and hearty as the perfect mid-winter pandemic comfort food. Look for indoor dining, outdoor dining, beer and cocktails, cocktails to go, take-out, pick-up, and delivery (GrubHub, DoorDash/Caviar, UberEats). The initial seat count is estimated and being finalized at around 125 indoor seats, and around 40+ outdoor seats. Free parking is available in the Craft Hall parking lot, as well as on nearby streets and other free local parking lots in Northern Liberties and around the Waterfront. Hours will be Wednesday to Friday, 4:00pm to 11:00pm; Saturday, 11:00am to 11:00pm; and Sunday, 11:00am to 10:00pm.

“We are proud to be able to open our largest property with the return of Craft Hall this week,” said FCM Hospitality and Craft Hall owner Avram Hornik. “Craft Hall is the perfect example of simplicity done extremely well. You can not fake the taste of slow roasted or in-house smoked meats. We are extremely proud of the time and talent we invest in our food, and are excited for people to see what we’ve been working on the past few months! The pandemic gave our staff some time and freedom to explore a new menu direction and retarget to our new audience that has developed during the pandemic. Everything is hyperfocused on our local communities and their offerings.  BBQ is the perfect food for families and sharing. Come in, get a little messy, and leave feeling full and happy!”

SEATING

Traditionally Craft Hall can seat 500 guests inside at one time. Craft Hall will reopen with an estimated 125 socially distanced seats in a mix of picnic table seats, high tops and traditional 2 and 4 top dining tables.

Craft Hall will also now offer covered heated outdoor dining in the patio section of the property – accessible when you check in at the host stand and go through the restaurant and down through the outdoor doors on the lower level.  Plywood beams were erected over the existing fenced area and cloaked in clear material – a fresh air heater was installed to warm the space and provide additional circulation. Look for around 40 seats outside.

FOOD

One of the original concept ideas for Craft Hall when it opened was BBQ – and now that idea is back to put the facilities 700 lb smoker to good use; offering the perfect pandemic comfort food, while giving the entire culinary team some creative flexibility for this reopening.

Executive Chef Adam Iazarick and his culinary team has created a hearty new menu of smoked and BBQ favorites to appeal to the hyperlocal neighborhood diners, plus to provide some comfort food relief during the cold mid-winter months of the pandemic.

Craft Hall, FCM’s beer and bread kitchen and restaurant, will now pivot for the reopening with a brand-new extensive BBQ menu featuring pulled pork, brisket burnt ends, brisket, pork spare ribs, pork shoulder, smoked chicken, BBQ jawn pizza and much more. Menu highlights include the following:

BBQ Jawn Pizza –
Brisket, Pulled Pork, Lancaster Cheddar, Crispy Onion
Bread products and pizza dough are from Lost Bread Co.

Jon’s Almost Famous BBQ Tower –
Choice of 3 meats and 3 sides; Meats include: classic dry rub pork spare ribs, jerk rub half chicken and black pepper crusted brisket; Sides include: mac and cheese, black eyed peas, braised collard greens; All meat smoked in a massive, rotating smoker with 700 lb. capabilities

Vegetarian Options –
Portabella “Cheeseburger”
Eggplant Sloppy Joe
Sourdough Grilled Cheese

Smoked Pork Belly Sliders –
Sharp Provolone, Pepper Relish, Arugula, Milk Bun

Brisket Poutine
French Fries, Gravy, Fried Cheese Curds, Chive

Craft Hall will also still offer a menu for children as is continues to welcome families. Selections for Little Ones include All Beef Hot Dog, Cheeseburger, Pulled Pork Sliders or Chicken Tenders  for only $8.00.

COCKTAIL AND BEER HIGHLIGHTS

Both warm and cold cocktails are available. The beer menu is composed of Mainstay Independent Brewing options. With the brewery on premise, if guests enjoy their brew they are welcome to purchase a 4-pack or case to go.

Cocktail highlights include:

Smores Skyy Vanilla –
Hot Choc, Honey, Cinnamon, Marshmallow $10

Apple Spiced Toddy –
Crown Royal, Apple Cider, Lemon Juice, Honey, Cinnamon $10

Spiked Pumpkin Latte –
Titos Vodka, Pumpkin Puree, Rum Chata, Coffee $10

Coffee Cascade –
Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Irish Cream, Coffee and Hot Chocolate $10

 American Mule –
Titos, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer

Pear Spritz –
Grey Goose Pear, Lemon Juice, Sparkling Wine, Club Soda

Beer highlights include the following brewed on premises:

Meander –
A dry hopped Pale ale that blends the citrus notes from Citra hops and Grapefruit Zest. Medium bodied, cooper gold in color with a citrus palate and aroma.

Poplar Pils –
Imported malt from Bavaria combines with Tettnang and Hallertau hops to create a bone-dry brew with a bracing hop forwardness. Light bodied, dry and full of Nobel hop aroma.

ENTERTAINMENT

Craft Hall is reopening at the perfect time for football fans. Guests will not have to worry about missing a moment of the action in this oversized space that houses 8 HD TV’s and 2 giant projection TVs. Separate sound areas allow for the capacious venues to play various games and sounds simultaneously. Live acoustic music will return for Saturday and Sunday afternoon entertainment around mid-February.

HAPPY HOUR

Monday to Friday
4:00pm to 6:00pm daily
Rotating $5 food menu
$10 Margarita Pizzas

FLYERS/SIXERS

$5 wings
$5 brisket poutine
$5 select Mainstay drafts

SUPER BOWL

$65 per person up to four people Game Time Tower including Buffalo Wings, Glazed Spare Ribs, Fried Cheese Curds, French Fries, Nachos, Standard Open Bar Package

PLAYGROUND

The playground will remain closed until further notice. Management is actively working on safe options for kids and families – including exploring outdoor options.