August 10, 2021
Zahav/Vetri Cucina/Facebook
Zahav, a renown Israeli restaurant in Society Hill, and Marc Vetri's Vetri Cucina in Center City recently joined a growing list of Philadelphia eateries that are implementing COVID-19 vaccination policies for indoor diners. The new policies come as the United States combats a surge in new cases and hospitalizations due in part to the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.
Want to dine at some of Philadelphia's most high-profile restaurants? You may be asked to prove that you're vaccinated against COVID-19 before you're allowed to sit down for indoor dining.
Zahav in Society Hill, which was named the best restaurant in the country by the James Beard Foundation in 2019, will require proof of vaccination from all indoor diners starting Aug. 31, according to its website. Chef Michael Solomonov and business partner Steve Cook announced the same policy will be in place at other restaurants they operate together as CookNSolo: Abe Fisher in Center City and Laser Wolf in Kensington.
Another renown Philly chef, Marc Vetri, took to Instagram this week to announce that his restaurants, Vetri Cucina in Center City and Fiorella in South Philly, will ask guests to show proof of vaccination before they are seated indoors starting Sept. 7. Vetri, an outspoken critic of Philadelphia's ban on indoor dining at the height of pandemic restrictions, said on social media that the vaccination policy is being implemented to "avoid further shutdowns."
"While we understand and appreciate that vaccinations are a personal choice, this is simply a policy based on current scientific guidance in the hopes that we can do our part to help reduce transmission and avoid further shutdowns," Vetri wrote. "No one wants to go back to that!
"Should you, for whatever reason, choose not to get a vaccination, you can still feel free to avail yourselves of our outdoor dining at Fiorella…which is most of the seating there," he continued. "We expect that, much like last year, guidance will continue to change and as it does we will update our policies continuing to provide a safe and comfortable environment for both our team and our guests."
As the United States confronts a surge in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations brought on by the highly contagious delta variant, you'll find proof-of-vaccination policies in place at restaurants, bars and performance venues across the country.
Below is a running list of Philadelphia restaurants with vaccination policies for diners.
• Abe Fisher (1623 Sansom St.)
• Cafe Ynez (2025 Washington Ave.)
• Cotoletta Fitler Square (2227 Pine St.)
• Dante & Luigi's (762 S. 10th St.)
• Eeva (310 W. Master St.)
• Evil Genius Beer Company (1727 N. Front St.)
• Fiore Fine Foods (757 S. Front Street)
• Fiorella (817 Christian St.)
• Fountain Porter (1601 S. 10th St.)
• Honey's Sit N Eat (800 N. 4th St.)
• Irwin's (800 Mifflin St.)
• Jose Pistola's (263 S. 15th St.)
• Kalaya (764 S 9th St.)
• Knock Restaurant and Bar (225 S. 12th St.)
• Laser Wolf (1301 N. Howard St.)
• Le Virtu (1927 E. Passyunk Ave.)
• Local 44(4329 Spruce St.)
• The Lunar Inn (3124 Richmond St.)
• Martha (2113 E. York St.)
• McGillin's Olde Ale House (1310 Drury St.)
• Messina Social Club (1533 S. 10th St.)
• Misconduct Tavern (1511 Locust St. and 1801 John F. Kennedy Blvd.)
• National Mechanics (22 S. 3rd St.)
• Pistolas Del Sur (1934 E. Passyunk Ave.)
• Pizza Brain (2313 Frankford Ave.)
• Sancho Pistola's (19 W. Girard Ave.)
• Sor Ynez (1800 N. American St.)
• Standard Tap (901 N. 2nd St.)
• Tattooed Mom (530 South St.)
• Tavern on the Hill (8636 Germantown Ave.)
• Ten Stone (2063 South St.)
• Time Restaurant (1315 Sansom St.)
• Vedge (1221 Locust St.)
• Vetri Cucina (1312 Spruce St.)
• Zahav (237 St. James Place)
If you know of other Philly-area restaurants that are implementing vaccination policies, email tips@phillyvoice.com.
