When one hears the word, “café”, the person most likely thinks of a European-style café that is a quaint coffee shop where customers hang out alone reading, catch up with friends, or sip coffee and a croissant while finishing homework or preparing for a meeting or lecture. The word, “café”, is a French word that literally means “coffee”. Coffee was introduced in Venice, Italy around 1615 and in France in the 1650’s. The first public café was the one that opened in Marseilles in 1660. Nowadays, café does not only refer to coffee, it also refers to a restaurant, often with enclosed or outdoor seating extending onto the sidewalk, or a cabaret.
The MARKET at the FAREWAY in Chestnut Hill describes itself as a “Farmer’s Market, Café, and Specialty Foods store”. The “Café” descriptor is meant to capture the many vendors who offer prepared foods such as Chicko Tako (selling wings or rice bowls), Shundeez Market (selling delicious falafel, chicken kebabs, and hummus), Tokyo sushi (self explanatory), and Ranck’s Lunchmeats (selling deli sandwiches). There are also vendors selling more traditional items that one may expect to find in a European Café such as Poppy’s Café (coffee and tea), Barry’s Buns (cinnamon and sticky buns), and chocolate and fudge from Made by ME. We have the prepared foods that customers can enjoy as takeout food in Chestnut Hill or it can be enjoyed in the café-like atmosphere in the garage door-enclosed pavilion that is open during beautiful days. If you are looking for a more spacious and cozy chair, head to the firepit to sit in the colorful chairs often referred to as “Alice in Wonderland” chairs.
There are other cafes in Chestnut Hill such as the Paris Bistro and Jazz Café, which offers live jazz performances Thursday through Sunday. The 52-seat jazz café, with red and gold tones, is located downstairs. It’s a relaxing and romantic space with a well-stocked bar and you are sure to feel at home and comfortable in this intimate space. Also close by is the Chestnut Grill and Sidewalk Café, which has outdoor seating on Germantown Avenue and in the FAREWAY. The Grill offers American Bistro Cuisine in a casual setting.
The next time you’re looking for a café, don’t forget the MARKET at the FAREWAY for its wonderfully prepared foods, outdoor seating, quaint atmosphere and café feel. Some may refer to it as an upscale, cozy, and homey food court. It’s a hidden oasis in Chestnut Hill, tucked away behind the Chestnut Hill Hotel. Follow the pavers down the FAREWAY from Germantown Avenue, walking past the Post Office, Green Soul, and the firepit. There is also parking in the parking lot located off Southampton Avenue.