Kensington Quarters

I’ve had KQ on my bookmarks for awhile so while in town for lunch I took the opportunity. The things I loved about the restaurant are the décor and design. The displayed charcuterie and cuts of meat give it real authenticity. The lunch menu was a bit lacking though. It was a very short menu and my ham, egg, on ciabatta just wasn’t impressive. The bread was just too thick to enjoy. My date did really enjoy her mushroom frittata so I’ll assume the best. I’ll probably come back and try again.

I’m going to start with saying that Kensington Quarters served the best wild boar pasta I’ve ever had. The place has a 1940s butcher shop/​restaurant feel to it. The service is quick and perceptive, although I came with a larger party no one sat with an empty glass or plate. The food is what new American food should be, clean, delicious, and innovative. Definitely recommend this place.

Loved my birthday dinner at Kensington Quarters! The outdoor patio is a beautiful spot to have some delicious food and wine and catch the sunset with a large group, and if you’re lucky the entire patio will serenade you with the sweet musical stylings of the birthday song when the waiter brings out dessert with a candle!
Our waitress was super helpful and guided us in the right direction with which specials to order and which to skip (appreciate the honesty) and which rose would pair well with our first plates (and was affordable). The bartender mixed up some delicious drinks, compete with dramatically clapped thyme and even took requests for mocktails and no egg whites.
The food! Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful and the portion sizes were just right! 6 ladies shared:
— 6 month aged ham special with snap peas– this ain’t your Easter ham. Thinly sliced and nestled within crisp veggies in a light vinaigrette. Perfect.
— The swordfish in delicious butter sauce you’ll want to eat with a spoon. Crisp radishes and asparagus and greens bathed in butter. Favorite entrée.
— Beet salad– bright, refreshing, with delicious cheese sauce which was put on the side for our pregnant friend).
— Baked brie with pesto sauce and pine nuts– gooey deliciousness.
— Pork shoulder with potato cakes — so tender and delicious.
–Lamb Bolognese fettucini– so good and a large portion.
— Mushroom lasagna– great flavors, but not my favorite.
— Kouign Aman– flaky croissant like pastry with cardamom ice cream and pistachios. Perfect end to the meal and not too heavy.
With 1 bottle of wine total came to $ 40 per person with tax and tip which was a great value for all that we got! Highly recommend, definitely worth the trip to Kensington.

I’ve been here once before for the charcuterie board and drinks. Amazing. Decided to try it for brunch on a Sunday afternoon. Listen. This place is awesome. They know what they’re doing. Bloody Mary’s are spicy, the pork shoulder eggs Benedict was one of the best benedicts in town, and the scrapple french toast blew our minds. Service is great. Do try to make it out.

We had lunch here today first time ever here and I must say it was excellent. I ordered the mushroom frittata and the soup was an almond and watercress gazpacho. everything was delicious just a bit on the salty side which I like but you could probably ask for less salt in preparation. The frittata was served with a salad of mixed greens it had a very light amount of dressing that was absolutely the most delicious dressing I ever ate! it was lemon/​lime with just a slight hint of sweetness. I could have had a heaping plate of those greens and nothing else. Also served with two slices of sourdough bread with ovoo drizzled on them. The frittata was good as well. The food is a bit pricey but the atmosphere is pleasant service was very good the restaurant very clean. Definitely worth it.

Kensington Quarter sure doesn’t kid around when it comes to the meats. At brunch last Sunday, I enjoyed my best scrapple to date and a flavorful medium rare steak served alongside the prettiest eggs I’ve had in a while. The yolks were a deep golden color with a fresh taste; I imagine they’d be incredible soft boiled with toast.
Although the steak was flavorful I would not reorder because the cut was noticeably tough. Regardless, I am very interested in returning to get the entire butcher-​to-​table experience at dinner.

I enjoyed the beet salad which is served with spiced almonds, tarragon and feta. I also had the mushroom lasagna (mycopolitan mushrooms) tomato sauce and porcini bechamel.
The service is excellent in the dining room but there is room for improvement with the level of friendliness at the Butcher’s counter.
That said, I am very impressed with the selection at the counter and am a big fan of the brown eggs they sell, which have an orange yolk, not a pale yellow one like the ones at conventional gross-​ery stores.
I buy the raw dog food from their freezer section and the quality is high, but so is the price. Actually, I really like this place but the prices on everything are high so I don’t go there as often as I’d like. If you have the extra scratch and need to treat yourself, this place will not disappoint.

Went here on a Sunny Sunday afternoon for brunch. The food was some of the best I have had in Philly. I had the scrapple maple infused French toast with a sunny egg. It had a sinful town beurre sauce with fresh sage. The scrapple had a crunchy outside with a moist interior. It melted in your mouth. It was so fresh, I thought it would squeal «oink»! The maple syrup was cut by the superlative brown beurre sauce which lightened what could have been a heavy and too sweet dish. The farm egg on top was perfectly done and a delight. My wife had a spicy Bloody Mary which was homemade and not a mix. They tossed in plenty of fresh horseradish and some jalapeño peppers. Quite an eye popper! She had a delicious mushroom and cheddar quiche.
The service was pretty good but not as good as the food. They had a little trouble keeping up with my drink order. The indoor and outdoor spaces are informal and fun. Good for a small or large group.
The butcher shop is amazing and worth going out of your way to visit. Via the trolley from center city it is a mere 20 minutes door to door.
Great restaurant and space. Butcher shop is fantastic.

With hundreds of new apartments being built all around this area, Kensington Quarters is in the right place, and its concept — an eclectic small menu and a terrific butcher shop — is spot on for the expected rush of well-​to-​do newly arriving Kensingtonians. The meat display is enticing but quality has its price. No quibbles here.
As for the restaurant, the experience was rather mixed. First the good (actually very good): the tagliatelle with duck ragu and brandied pears could not have been more perfectly cooked for home-​made pasta although I would have liked more duck and fewer pear pieces. Also, the portion was on the small side. We shared the mixed charcuterie plate and the pork head cheese was a stand out while the cooked salami was merely an ok selection. Again, generosity is not what comes to mind with this plate and the two small pieces of bread that came with the three meats and (ok) local gouda were woefully inadequate. A request for at least one more piece so all three of us could enjoy the charcuterie led to the longest bread wait ever but finally, another couple of small slices arrived.
The burger and the tuna salad dishes were both disappointing. The heavily toasted brioche bun of the small burger (with very good meat) was too dry and brittle to be enjoyable, especially since the aioli spread was miniscule. The worst dish was the tuna salad with its grey and stringy pieces of overcooked tuna (pieces of good ventresca out of a can would have been so much better).
The space is airy and well designed, there is a good number of outdoor tables for warmer days. Service was friendly and adequate.

While visiting Philly for the weekend a friend recommended we check out Kensington Quarters for Sunday brunch. We walked for almost 40 minutes to get here (not that we mind walking) and it was well worth it!
We got an onion & cheddar tartine, salami scramble, and veggie frittata. Everyone loved their orders. My eggs were nice and fluffy with large chunks of the salami mixed throughout and the toasted sourdough was delicious!
It was too cold for us, but it looks like there is a nice outdoor patio for when it warms up.
Highly recommend!

DH and I had a wonderful time at Kensington Quarters on Friday night. The restaurant was spacious with very sterile industrial chic décor. Upon entering we came to a glass display of the butcher shop delights, as we past the meat counter, there was a little bar on the left and a kitchen where you can peek in to see the chefs at hard work. There was a nice outdoor courtyard illuminated by a light bulb canopy, it would have been perfect to dine outside had there not been a little chill in the area, I image it’s probably popular of day drinking when the weather is nice.
We were seated at two top and our waiter quickly came over with a cocktail list. He was very knowledge about in their bourbon selection when DH quizzed him to find the perfect pour.
We started off with the shaved lamb leg and the pork liver pâté. The lamb was delicious, so thinly sliced with robust smoky flavor and a buttery texture. I would have been nice if the meats was accompanied by some condiments and baguette, but we made due with the bread and oil for the table. I was hoping for some type of mustard.
The Pâté was delicious, again would have been nice to be able to spread it on some pointed toast, but I was just as happy devouring it without it.
Duck Ragu Tagliatelle– by far my favorite plate of the night, the tagliatelle was a perfect light al dente-(I loathe heavy pasta as far as I’m concerned this is the goldilocks of pasta) the creamy sauce and pears complimented the duck. I could have eaten an entrée portion of this dish.
Beet Salad was presented nicely and all the ingredients were fresh a nicely sized portion– filling but not overly stuffed.
KQ Burger– I looked over and DH was taking a picture of this burger to text to someone, claiming that this burger is one of the top burgers on his list. I can’t comment, but I didn’t get offered a bite, which rarely happens.
For our dessert course, we opted for the liquid diet and hate the digestiff flight service. They were nice, but I found the liqueur to be a little biting for my taste. DH enjoyed them, but he’s never really met a cocktail he didn’t enjoy.
I would also like to note that the tableware was PRISTINELY clean! Which I notice everywhere. The glasses were smooth and sparkling and none of the flatware had any über annoying water spots as I’ve seen in countless establishments. Bravo– KQ, it’s great way to put the finishing touch on a table setting that is often neglected elsewhere, because the details matter!
All in all, we had a great date night out, it’s been months since our DD was born so I was in dire need a good night out. The waiter was enthusiastic and engaging and the food was delicious, it was a thumbs up in our book!

I had the most lovely meal last night at Kensington Quarters.
March 10. 78 degrees. A twinkly-​lit and spacious outdoor patio. A glass of cider. And the best damn burger I’ve had in months (maybe years!).
What makes it the best damn burger?
1. Incredibly fresh meat. You can see the dead cows from inside the restaurant.
2. Perfect meat to bun ratio.
3. It fit in my hands. No mess, no fuss.
4. An incredibly savory special sauce that sings.
5. They have a charcoal grill, so you get that backyard flavor.
While my burger came out a little more medium than medium rare like I had ordered, it honestly didn’t matter. The flavor was there. And to me, that is big.
Served with pickles and a small portion of rosemary potatoes, this burger will leave you full and immensely satisfied– but not feeling like you overdid it.
I am eager to return to KQ.

Went on a Saturday, they have amazing charcuterie plates (get the mixed charcuterie– you get everything and it is all delicious!), I especially loved the pâté with honey.
My date and I shared the scallops and pork loin, and we were blown away by both. The pork loin comes with cabbage sauteed in some sort of mustard sauce which was beyond any expectation either of us had. The scallops came salted and with squash which was a great compliment, and though it was delicious, we had never had a pork loin as good as this one!
For dessert we had an amaro flight. We had never had them before but they gave great recommendations which were all delicious in different ways. Definitely converted us to amaro lovers.

I’ve been here twice, and both meals were excellent! Just 2 «need to know» notes
–For a butcher shop– the pastas were fantastic! and fresh!
–For a butcher shop– you can only order a steak on Sunday? (kind of a let down for a Saturday night)

I can’t speak to the butcher part of this store, but the restaurant portion of this place is wonderful! We ordered pork shoulder, tagliatelle, mushroom lasagna, charcuterie plate, and desserts and everything we had was perfect. Happy hour at the bar between 5 – 7 for food & drinks as well!

One of the more memorable meals I’ve had that was part of Philly top 50 list.
Lasagna (mushroom?) and pork shoulder are must tries. The ice cream brownie and panna cotta deserts were also very well done.
Group of 4 adults and 1 baby, we spent about $ 180 total including drinks. Definitely one of the cheaper options on the top 50 list and probably one of my favorites.
Wait staff was very friendly and very knowledgeable in terms of the food and drink recommendations. Nice laid back ambiance, not too loud but not whisper quiet. All in all a great dining experience

I’ve only been to Kensington Quarters a couple of times for a libation. I’ve never sampled the food, so this review is for the aesthetic and cocktails only. My go to cocktail is the Canela– tequila, st germain, and lime topped with freshly grated cinnamon. Wine is available on tap, which is pretty cool! The downstairs bar is never crowded and a great dimly-​lit spot for a drink with your date… just don’t look behind you if you’re squeamish about seeing freshly butchered meats. If you want to spoil your pup, grab some hearts and livers on the way out– they sell as dog food for an affordable price.

Always great to see another restaurant in the Fishtown/​Northern Liberties area.
Great cocktails and concept. A few inconsistency issues however. Service was good but we never received bread. The outdoor seating was nice but we were under constant attack from flies and swarming ants.
The charcuterie plate was nice as well as the spelt with bacon. The pork entrée was ok. The plum tart with Brie ice cream was phenomenal.
I was surprised that a butcher shop/​restaurant didn’t have any steak. I honestly don’t mind spending over $ 100.00 per person as long as the experience meets expectations. Unfortunately they fell short here.

Our goal at the beginning of Philly Cooks — one of the greatest local foodie events — was to seek out a booth that wasn’t insanely crowded. We decided to start in the back corner.
I didn’t realize that I’d be falling madly for a beautiful, wonderful, meaty heaven of a restaurant just seconds later. It all started with the cured pork loin. It came with a little potato chip too. It was glorious. Good god.
Kensington Quarters shot to the top of my to-​visit list.
A couple weeks later, a reservation for six was made. I arrived first (because I was super eager, obviously) and I sat at the bar to order a drink. With some help from the bartender, I chose the Brooklyn Black Double Chocolate Stout. One and done! Awesome stout too.
Once my friends arrived, we walked past the butchering area and were seated in the dining room at a wooden plank table.
We tried a TON of the plates. I can’t remember them all because it’s been a good month now and also since I just checked their menu and it’s mostly different. A return trip is IN ORDER! Who’s in, Unilocal friends???
Anyway. So at the time, I couldn’t remember the name of the Philly Cooks sample that I had. With some help from our FANTASTIC server (in caps — seriously, she was so peppy and helpful with answering our 100,000 questions), it was determined to be the cured loin. I put in an order for that (so much love! our server even laughed at how happy I was when I ordered it!) and also for the pork cutlet from the small plates section — which is no longer on their menu but was so thin and juicy and siiiiigh.
I also tried bites from my friends’ plates, including the pig foot lasagna (also not on the menu anymore, but it was delicious despite having foot parts in it) and the pork shoulder (emoji hearts here please). There was also some pasta in the mix at some point. I remember that much. And ummm… some other meats? Yes? I lost track of all the plates, frankly.
We tried all of the desserts too. The chocolate, chocolate, chocolate was my least favorite — alas, it’s not on the menu anymore either — because it was too spicy. The best was the pear and lavender tort. From the latest version of the menu, I see a brown butter cake and I need it. Need.
So really. Who wants to visit?

Full disclosure, we did not eat anything during our visit, we just sampled their entire bar. Our bartender was very nice and explained all of the ingredients that we didn’t know. While the prices are a bit steep, I will say that these drinks are usually made with freshly muddled and organic ingredients.
I did the Canela (twice) and it was awesome. I have a feeling I would have been REALLY unsteady on my feet if I had a third. Tequila brings out the best in me. My aunt did the Pollo Rosso which has an egg white that keeps the drink nice and frothy for the entire experience.
This spot had a nice vibe and is definitely a place for the meat lover in your life (see my pictures.)