Silk City Diner, Lounge & Garden has a long history in Philadelphia. The diner car was built in 1952 by the Paterson Dining Company in Paterson, New Jersey. At the time, Paterson had a thriving silk manufacturing industry and was nicknamed the “Silk City.” Hence, the diner car, also manufactured in Paterson, was dubbed a “Silk City Diner.” By 1954, the diner was installed next to a cocktail lounge in Philadelphia at 5th & Spring Garden and began serving Philadelphians brunch, dinner, and nightly entertainment happily since. 

Silk City’s original management closed down the diner in 2006, leaving it free to be purchased and creatively re-worked by new owner Mark Bee (who also owns N.3rd Bar & Restaurant and Franky Bradley's). After a year-long process of construction and re-development, the new Silk City opened in 2007. While Mark kept the name “Silk City,” he completely revamped the diner and lounge in addition to building a 3,000 square foot enclosed Garden that is open year round, with heating in the fall & winter. Mark oversees a menu that offers New American cuisine for dinner and brunch, with a beer list mingles select imports with American standards & craft beers. Craft cocktails, and classic party drinks, like the Painkiller and Frozen Blood Orange Margarita, are offered at both brunch and dinner.  

The new Silk City Diner, Lounge, & Beer Garden continues to receive accolades, including a feature on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives.” In 2010, the Beer Garden was voted Best Outdoor Dining Space in the city of Philadelphia. So come on by sometime to Silk City, where everything old is new again. 

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