May 24, 2016
Handout Art/Oyster House
Chef Brett Naylor, Sam Mink and Oyster House General Manager Daniel McLaughlin, who will oversee day-to-day operations at Mission.
Philly's getting another beer garden, but this one's not quite what you'd think.
Rather than outside and seasonal, Oyster House owner Sam Mink and chef Brett Naylor have paired together to open a year-round beer garden named Mission that takes up residence indoors, upstairs at Oyster House at 1516 Sansom St. To cultivate the beer garden aesthetic, they're brightening the 4,500-square-foot space with skylights and exposing the building's original brick. There will also, of course, be plant life adorning the interior, complemented by picnic table seating. Those tables are mixed among standard bar stools, a counter set next to an open kitchen and a dining room, all of which add up to a total of 160 seats.
On the food and drink end of the business, the Oyster House team is cooking up interpretations of traditional Mexican dishes, inspired by Mink's trips to Mexico City and time spent living in San Francisco's Mission District — known for its Mexican cuisine. Small plates and standard entree servings for dine-in will be on the menu, with the option of ordering lunchtime takeout. The beverage portion of the menu will be heavy on tequila varieties and mezcal (perhaps "tequila garden" would have been a more apt name ...), with an emphasis on a juice bar set to serve as a base for cocktails. On tap will be four beers, two cocktails and two house wines — one red, one white.
Mission will serve dinner and happy hour starting at 5 p.m. every day. Lunch and Sunday brunch hours, along with a full menu, are still to be announced. Keep an eye out for an opening later this summer.
