The Industry Bar Opening in Philly

PHILADELPHIA, PA – This spring, owners Dave Garry and Heather Gleason of Center City’s wildly popular Good Dog Bar along with partner Tom Darby will debut The Industry (1401-1403 East Moyamensing Avenue, (215) 271-9500), a neighborhood restaurant and bar serving seasonal American dishes alongside an incredible list of craft beers, creative cocktails and boutique wines.  The three named their new restaurant “The Industry” in homage to the restaurant hospitality business that they love, and to the people who help make this city’s dining scene first-rate. 

“The Industry will be a regular spot for our South Philly neighbors, people looking for a great bite and a drink and the talented professionals who work ‘in the biz’ in the Philadelphia area,” says Gleason, a veteran of Philadelphia’s restaurant business.  “It will be a friendly, laid-back place where we welcome first-time guests and regulars like we’ve known them for years.”

Chef Pat Szoke will create a seasonally influenced, made-from-scratch menu of snacks, small plates and entrees for dinner and brunch.  Twenty-nine-year-old Chef Szoke has worked in many top kitchens in Philadelphia including The Farm and Fisherman, Vetri and Buddakan.  Dinner items may include:  House-made Charcuterie;  Beer Can Poussin, young chicken smoked over a beer can for moisture and flavor;  Bone Marrow with shallot marmalade and house-baked foccacia;  Shaved Vegetable Salad featuring a rotating array of fresh vegetables;  Black Pepper Sausage with pickled baby carrots and fennel;  and snacks such as Potted Trout, Buffalo Sweetbreads and Pork Face Nuggets, house-made testa that is breaded and fried into bite-sized morsels.  Dishes will range in price starting with bar snacks at $5.  The Industry will offer daily food-and-drink specials, such as the midweek Burger & Bubbles, featuring two burger options paired with either a glass of champagne or a pony bottle of Miller High Life poured tableside. 

For Brunch, which will be served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Chef Szoke will break up the menu into three categories:  Hangover Cures, Fuel and Staples.  Scrumptious dishes may include:  House-Baked Breads, both sweet and savory;  Shrimp and Grits;  Duck Confit Hash with eggs;  Hillbilly Philly, fried chicken topped with cheddar cheese and sausage gravy served on a biscuit;  Burger Benedict, sliders served on English muffins topped with a quail egg and a beer cheese fondue;  and House-made Granola, topped with Meyer lemon infused yogurt and fresh fruit. 

The Industry’s open, 80-seat dining room will have a welcoming atmosphere with comfortable areas for dining and lounging.  Local artisan Ben McBrien will add rustic touches by incorporating reclaimed wood throughout the space including custom dining tables, intricate ceiling lattice-work and an entire wall crafted from mixed timbers.  An 18-seat bar and communal dining table will be crafted from pieces of walnut with live edge showcasing the striking natural elements of the tree.  White subway-tiles will frame an open kitchen, and walls will be adorned with black and white portraits of local hospitality professionals. 

At the bar, cocktail master Bob Achilles will mix up a list of tempting drinks including:  Ghost of Mary, a tomato-water based Bloody Mary;  Gin Richie with ginger syrup, fresh lemon syrup and local ale;  Penn’s Port Fizz, light rum with lemon juice, house-made simple syrup, egg white and club soda with a float of port;  and Mummer’s Punch, a group punch bowl meant to be shared among four to six guests.  A rotating selection of 12 draught beers will focus on local craft offerings, while a small list of beer bottles will complement the draughts.  The Industry’s wine list will focus on domestic and international wines from small producers and will offer five white and five red wines by the glass.

One important feature of the restaurant is the commitment to all who punch the clock for the hospitality business.  A discount will be offered to all “industry” workers (with valid proof), seven days a week.  They will also serve food late, until 1 a.m. daily, and brunch throughout the afternoon, until 4 p.m., to accommodate the often unusual schedules worked by industry folk.

“Philadelphia has one of the most vibrant and close-knit communities of restaurant and hospitality workers, and we want them to know how much we respect their hard work and devotion to caring for their guests,” says Garry.  “Part of ‘hospitality’ is taking care of others, after they’ve worked a long shift, we want ours to be a place where they can relax.”

Garry and Gleason’s Good Dog Bar is one of Center City’s most popular spots for reinvented bar food and craft beer, wine and cocktails.  It has been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and has earned rave reviews and a fiercely loyal following since opening in 2003.  Darby is also a partner at Good Dog and owner of the popular ice cream shop Dreamsicles, in North Wildwood, NJ. 

The Industry will serve dinner Monday through Sunday from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m., with the bar open until 2 a.m.  Brunch will be served Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.  For more information, please call (215)-271-9500 or visit them online at www.theindustrybar.com.  Follow them on Twitter @theindustrybar and Facebook www.facebook.com/theindustrybar for specials, promotions and other industry goodies.