Edible Sister Cities Food Tour
DISCOVER A TASTE OF THE SISTER CITIES!
ROAD TRIP
New Hope Pennsylvania in a Day
NEW HOPE HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF THOSE CUTE TOWNS that Philadelphians visit for the day. With a riverside setting, artsy shops galore, and plenty of restaurants and bars, the walkable Bucks County village has lots of charm. For a while, the food scene felt dated, but things are changing. Since Sherri and Kevin Daugherty came to town, they’ve breathed new life into New Hope. In the last few years, the couple rescued the iconic Bucks County Playhouse from foreclosure, then opened a hip food hall, a new riverfront restaurant and bar and, most recently, the new 12-room, waterfront Ghost Light Inn, which houses celebrity chef Jose Garces’ newest restaurant, Stella. Add in a couple of wine-oriented destinations and all of a sudden, New Hope is more worth a visit than ever.
9AM
COFFEE AT SKYROAST COFFEE
Start the day at SkyRoast Coffee—where fresh-roasted beans are the name of the game. Enjoy them in a pour over, cold brew, traditional cup of coffee, or espresso pulled from an attention-grabbing, hammered- copper Italian lever espresso machine. A few iced teas are available on tap, too. Conveniently, SkyRoast is located in Ferry Market, which is where you’ll be having brunch.
Bonjour Crêperie at Ferry Market. PHOTOS BY KEVIN CRAWFORD
10AM
BRUNCH AT FERRY MARKET
The first meal of your day is more of a moveable feast. New Hope’s first food hall features everything from chocolate to gyros to local beer. Choose your own adventure at Ferry Market by picking up tasty items from a few different vendors. Maybe go for a crunchy chickpea-topped salad at Little Radish, pulled pork tater tots at the Pork Shack, a barrel-aged brew from Weyerbacher, and finish with a cannoli- flavored macaron at Sciascia Confections. For sweets to stay or go, stop by the Big Cookie Co. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but the Nutella PB & Chocolate Chunk ranks high on our list.
NOON
LUNCH AT NEKTAR
Al Fresco dining is one of the hallmarks of New Hope’s restaurant scene, but Nektar kicks it up a notch with an indoor/outdoor space that overlooks a tree-shaded creek. Settle in for lunch with a glass of wine or a flight from the two dozen unusual options available from the restaurant’s nifty tap-like wine system, called a cruvinet. To eat: small plates with a Mediterranean vibe, plus a nice cheese and charcuterie selection.
Bucks County Playhouse
2PM
TAKE A STROLL ALONG THE RIVER
After brunch and lunch, it’s time for a walk. Just across the street from Nektar, walk the new promenade that runs between the Playhouse and the Ghost Light Inn along the river. If you’re searching for gifts for your favorite cooks, head back to Main Street to Heart of the Home, where you’ll find beautiful tableware, cutting boards, salad bowls, and more. Stroll another block along Main Street to get to the bridge that connects New Hope to Lambertville, New Jersey. Walking across the bridge is a favorite activity for visitors here—how often do you get to stand in two states at once?
5PM
WINE TASTING AT BUCKINGHAM VALLEY VINEYARDS
Just a few minutes outside of New Hope, a visit to Buckingham Valley Vineyards is a nice way to break up the day. Wine tasting here is done a little differently: You’ll pour your own tastes from bottles of dry and sweet white, red and fruit wines. There’s also sparkling wine made in the traditional Champagne method. Enjoy a glass outside in view of the vines and flower- filled garden.
Stella
7PM
DINNER AT STELLA
The most exciting new place to eat in New Hope is Jose Garces’ Stella. The Iron Chef’s passion for his Luna Farm, a 40-acre weekend retreat in Bucks County, led him to open this locally rooted, stylish restaurant. Local produce, meat and seafood take center stage in dishes like Pocono rainbow trout, chicken and dumplings, pork ribs and spaghetti pie with black truffle.
Nina’s. Photo by Michael Persico.
9PM
ICE CREAM AND WAFFLES AT NINA’S WAFFLES
Just a short walk from Stella, wrap up the day at Nina’s Waffles, which stays open late on weekends. Nina’s ice cream—in fruity flavors like blueberry, banana walnut, and strawberry pretzel—is made right in Bucks County. Get it served on top of a hot, caramelized Liège style waffle.
SUGGESTED READING: Pick up a copy of Edible Jersey’s Winter Issue to read all about Lambertville, the quaint New Jersey town just across the river. You might want to explore both destinations on the same road trip.
Your Day at A Glance
SKYROAST COFFEE
32 S. Main St.
908.224.0500
skyroast.coffee
FERRY MARKET
32 S. Main St.
609.240.5983
theferrymarket.com
NEKTAR
8 W. Mechanic St.
267.743.2109
nektarnewhope.com
HEART OF THE HOME
28 S. Main St.
215.862.1880
heartofthehome.com
BUCKINGHAM VALLEY VINEYARDS
1521 Durham Rd., Buckingham
215.794.7188
pawine.com
STELLA
50 S. Main St.
267.740.7131
stellanewhope.com
NINA'S WAFFLES
31 W. Mechanic St.
215.862.1660
ninaswaffles.com
QUICK TIP
With so much to see, do and taste, you might want to make a weekend of it. Stay over at the Logan Inn or Hotel Du Village.
LOGAN INN
10 W. Ferry St.
215.862.2300
loganinn.com
HOTEL DU VILLAGE
2535 River Rd.
866.683.3586
hotelduvillage.com
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