Fork: etc.

The atmosphere: Décor was impeccable, it immediately put me at ease. I loved the communal table where it was close enough u didnt feel alone but big enough that you didn’t have to have a conversation if u didn’t feel like it.
The food: The chicken salad was too healthy for me. It is one of those things to eat if you want to lose weight. The ingredients were fresh but my tastebuds were bored by my choice. We also had the potato and leek soup which was superb! It was pureed just right that you can slurp it up. The turkey panini was also excellent. Very flavorful.
Price: Expect to cough up some cash for these goodies! $$$ for lunch!

Found this place on a whim for breakfast on a stop over in Phily. I wanted to see the liberty bell and walked over early morning. I was so happy I found this place. I’m totally coming back next time I’m in Phily.
I got eggs and dinned in– I was very impressed by the table service at what I expected to be more of a coffee shop. The coffee was perfect and my omlet was so tastey. I loved the atmosphere too– it totally felt like a local spot, with people stopping in for their morning coffee before work. It totally reminded me of the café’s I used to love in Wellington, NZ. I’ve already told a few people to check it out on their trips through Phily.

My colleagues and I had just gotten off a flight and was in-​between checking into our hotel and going to a conference when we decided to stop in for lunch. Fork: etc is quaint and lovely. Immediately walking into the space, you feel like you just walked into a small little sandwich shop in Italy. I believe we were eating in the café/​market area. There were artisan breads on display as well as beautiful, yet simple sides and sandwiches. The signage was just lovely. The details taken to make this space so special really made the entire experience very nice. When I approached the counter, the Muffaletta sandwich caught my eye (and my grumbling stomach) and it did not disappoint. As hungry as I was, I was not expecting this small sandwich to fulfill me in the way that it did. It was more than enough for one person, I was stuffed! The prices are reasonable, the ambience is great and the service was stellar. It was a definite great start to a wonderful time had in Philly. Thanks for the hospitality, Fork!

On a particularly hungover Thursday I headed to Fork: etc. for a quick breakfast and coffee before meeting up with coworkers for a meeting (shoot me!). I got the toasted bagel with smoked salmon ($ 7.50) & an iced coffee ($ 2.50).
Both were great — the bagel was pretty good and the salmon was fantastic, as was the coffee — and the service and overall experience was very good.
A great little spot in the area for a quick drink or bite. Will definitely be back!

Hungry and burning time while I wait for my passport, I drop in to this cute little place. 1^st impression, place is very unique with a great atmosphere. With the chic deli style, this place has a communal table in the center and tables to the front. The servers are very friendly and helpful. Judging from the crowd, you can tell this is a local favorite.
I ordered their grilled veggie panini and a side of braised vegetables, which came quick in less than 10 minutes! Very light and delicious. To my surprise they serve coffee, so I ordered a double skim latte and was recommended to try their ginger molasses cookie… O.M.G… The girls were not kidding when they say this cookie was a coffee’s best friend!
Def coming back when I’m visiting Old City Philadelphia again

So, I went to Fork Etc. for lunch yesterday as I work around the corner and wanted a good, well done sandwich — because I deserve it. It’s a very cute setting and I see what people are saying about the communal table. Listen, it’s like this: I sit in an office all day talking to people and sharing my space. When I go out to lunch, I don’t want to talk to more people and share my space. I want to cry silently at a table — ALONE. Undisturbed. In solitude. So yeah, that’s why folks are blah about the communal table.
The other thing I am blah about is the roast beef panini. It broke my heart because I love everything on the sandwich from roast beef, to cheese, to whole grain mustard and horseradish. Perfect equation in my mind. However, I was sorely disappointed. The roast beef was a gelatinous pile of fat and was way over cooked and greasy. It killed the entire sandwich and it’s the main ingredient! It completely ruined my lunch-​time bliss, covered my hands in grease, and my heart in angst. And for $ 8.50 — Fork can go fork itself, seriously.
I’m giving it 2 stars because the girls at the counter were super sweet and helpful. I don’t know if I’ll try it again, my bitterness runs deep.

I stumbled on fork one day and was pleasantly surprised. Today I had lunch there and decided to write a review.
First of all I guess part of the reason I’m a fan of this spot is that there is nothing like it in old city. I like the food set out and we’ll warm it up idea a lot. It’s sort of like a deli that’s gone through an upgrade. It’s also nice that they serve wine and our local Yards beer on tap. They always have some good options, including a soup that a lot of places do away with come spring.
I see some people complaining about the communal table which I find really old. I think it’s very charming, and by no means are you on top of the people around you. If you have a huge problem with that sort of seating there are other options for those who prefer no human contact, ha.
I had the potato leek soup today and a veggie sandwhich. Both were very good. If you need a cute, quaint, quick spot in old city this is for you!

I love coming here for a coffee or a fancy snack but picky eaters be warned!
the menu is limited and it’s a little pricey, but you’re getting quality ingredients. Atmosphere is cozy and welcoming to stay for a bit.

While a little on the pricey side, Fork: etc. is one part of the coffee shop triumvirate in Old City. There are 3 highlights for coffee in this area: Café Olé, Old City Coffee, and Fork: etc. I will say that in recent history, I’ve been a little disappointed with Old City. Olé still holds my top spot, but after a really nice visit to Fork: etc., I can see why it has a loyal following.
First of all, they serve La Colombe, which is the quickest way to my heart. On the side of my coffee, I had a molasses and ginger cookie, which was incredible. Their breakfast and lunch options looked very nice as well, but the only downside would be the cost. Old City is the main tourist drag — the bell-​gazing thoroughfare as I like to call it — and as such, places like Fork are going to bump up their prices a bit. For us Philly yokels, it can be hard to justify spending 10 – 15 bucks on a coffee and a small bite.
But I’m here to review the quality. And with the friendliness of its servers and the substance of its dishes — carried 10 feet over from the kitchen naturally shared with Fork, the main restaurant — I’d say this is a worthy stopover. If you’re a visitor to Philly and you can’t make it to the La Colombe by city hall (15^th and Ranstead), definitely grab a coffee at Fork: etc. La Colombe is one of the great exports of Philadelphia, and one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever tasted.

Old City is a neighborhood built on hype. The galleries are nothing special. The restaurants are generally bland. The pretty historical places are congested with a class human worst than Invading Mongols: tourists. This hype is has allowed Old City to set prices higher than almost anywhere else in Philadelphia.
Fork: etc suffers from this syndrome too. It is exspensive, but unlike the rest of Old City, the quality matches the price. I’ve never had bad coffee or a bad meal here. The breakfast is their strong point, so PLEASE find a way to go here breakfast or brunch.
I have a problem with communal tables. I’m American and I don’t like sharing space. There, I said it. I don’t like sharing, especially if I must share with a Minnesotan soccer mom with a serious case of Front-​Butt, Pre– Clinton Fanny pack, citrus colored skin, and wailing brats named Daxery and Ember– Jane. Then there are the business men with their big talk of how they will buy the world.
The communal seating takes away from a place that could be a comfortable place to eat. There are (I think) three tables and some stool seating too. But I never go here to escape and take in my surroundings.
The clerks are pretty, thank god. When you walk through old city, absorbing the people of the world as they gape mindlessly at a reproduction of Benjamin Franklin’s house, you begin to realize how ugly the people of the world really are. Like the back end of monkeys, most folks.

The community table is a great idea, but in reality when the ass next to you can’t move his suit jacket hanging on the back of the spare chair and you have half the seats taken by other people’s crap, you wish for a waitress and seats.
French toast was a little on the underdone side; I’d like to see a more crisp crust on it, but the flavor was definatley there. The tart apple butter sauce ontop was fresh and a perfect compliment for the fall weather and the sweet custard of the french toast. The 2 pieces was a perfect portion for a Sunday brunch.
The omelette was average… maybe a little better than average. Great ham selection, cheese options weren’t really what I want to taste in a ham and cheese omelette. I think a swiss, or even a good goat cheese would have worked better.
Coffee was good, def. better than the Starbucks/​DD options elsewhere. Food came out relatively fast when ordered at the counter and I could see this being a fun place on a slow day, but on the weekend with the crowd at the door and the overcrowded community table your best bet is to get the food to go!

Really perfect brunch place with nice ambiance and good food.
Amazing, AMAZING omelets. I had a spinach and cheese one and the spinach was sauteed perfectly so that it had just the right amount of crunch and flavor.
My only complaint about our experience was that they charged us for two coffees when we only ordered one. Once they realized this, they seemed a little annoyed and kind of implied that it was our fault. They did remedy the situation by offering us a baked good. I kind of just wanted the money back, but the cinnamon bun we got was delicious.

I stopped into Fork with three objectives in mind: 1) Protein for breakfast. 2) Tea. 3) Cookies.
I am happy to report, dear Unilocalers, that I accomplished all 3 objectives in one stop at Fork before boarding BoltBus back to my domicile, Brooklyn. I had the turkey BLT, which was scrumptious, although hint to management: put pesto on the bread instead of light mayo. The English breakfast tea I had was full bodied and turbo, but still smooth. The chocolate chip cookie was crisp and delicious, just the way I like CC cookies.
Fork, come to NYC!!! We need more non-​chain yummy sandwich/​breakfast places that aren’t greasy!
P. S. Domicile is a nerdy term for primary residence [bows head].

Cool lunch spot in Olde City for a quick bite.
The atmosphere is pretty nice and chill, with a huge table in the middle where everyone can sit.
The menu offers delicious, and somewhat light, variety of soups and sandwiches. We got the smoked salmon salad sandwich that was REALLY good, actually. I had never had salmon salad, but this was tasty salad in between a delightfully toasted bread.
The soup, I’m not a huge fan of. We ordered the gazpacho, and the portion was a bit too much. The flavors weren’t too amazing either. But we still finished it – we just didn’t enjoy it as much we had anticipated.
Overall, I really like this place and I’d definitely go back.

Did you know Fork Etc is exempt from the City’s health codes? I sure didn’t, until I went inside to grab some lunch in mid-​July and saw a patron with TWO dogs walking around the place. The service staff behind the counter nonchalantly ignored the two canine visitors and said absolutely nothing. These were NOT service dogs, and were being loud enough to take notice.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a dog lover. Hell, my Unilocal profile picture is MY dog, but I’m not one of those people who thinks that the rules are for everyone else except me. I know my furry critter is not permitted inside restaurants and I would NEVER even attempt to do so.
If Fork: etc’s staff is so willing to overlook this obvious violation, I can only imagine the other things they are overlooking in their food prep/​safety.
It’s a shame, because I’ve been there dozens of times before and the place is a great spot to grab lunch. I’m in agreement with the others about the price v. quantity of the three veggie sides – they do scrimp a bit on the amount they serve you. Other menu options: the veggie burger is good and the egg salad was a bit heavy/​too rich previously.
The chilled cucumber soup was tasty on a recent visit, but after I dined with dogs, I’m not sure if I’ll return.

Great little place to stop in, grab a healthy (smallish) sandwich in Old City. Best in the area for that in my opinion. Similar to Rotisseur in Center City or Plenty in Passyunk. This place sells beer though, so one-​up to you for that.

I have only been to Fork: etc. one time and I will not be returning.
I work right near Fork: etc. and decided to walk over one day during lunch for a soup and salad. I liked the ambience and the look inside, and their menu overall was good. This review is mostly due to the way they handled an unfortunate situation. I ate the vegan chili, which was very good and also a small mixed green salad with a lemon vinaigrette, the dressing of which was also good. Halfway through my salad, I found a moving slug on the plate of my salad. I immediately went up to the counter and told the cashier, and she asked me if I wanted anything else. At that point, I had lost my appetite and told her no, and she took my plate. There was no apology and no offer of refund.
That same afternoon, I sent an e-​mail to the Fork: etc. contact on their business card detailing my experience at their restaurant. I have yet to receive a response about this, which is hardly what I expected after finding a live bug in my food. Overall, I would not head back to Fork: etc. or their affiliates based on the poor handling of this situation.

What a cute little spot in the heart of Old City! A gorgeous square wood communal table is the first thing that drew my eye when I first walked into Fork Etc. late in the afternoon on Friday.
My companion and I were just swinging by for a quick beverage — bottles of Victory’s Fists of Feury. We took our beers over to the super cushy and comfy banquet close to the giant window, perfect for people-​watching.
I am very much looking forward to returning for lunch or a quiet meal in the evening, where I’ll watch the world pass me by.

I was super excited to try out fork etc. And after looking at the menu a few times I had my mouth set on a salad. Alas when I arrived at they didn’t have the salad :(I was crushed. I scanned the menu for something sans meat and it took a while but I decided on the potato leek soup. I deducted a one star because of the lack of veggie friendly options.
The soup was good could have used more salt but was hearty and it hit the spot.
The atmosphere was very chill and the seat near the window was great for people watching.
I’d be open for checking out some of the entrees. They had some pretty good looking deserts as well.

That cilantro mayo that comes with the veggie burger at Fork Etc is really, really, really, really great. This establishment gives me further proof that adding cilantro improves everything (including water and crying babies).
They have a few other things to eat too, I guess. Sadly, none were as impressive as the veggie burger. The roast beef sandwich is a bit dry and I would probably not get it again.
On the action-​movie-​parallel-​satisfaction-​scale, this place is Con Air.