Bridgid’s was one of our first steps in the right direction when it came to beer in Philadelphia. The homely bistro was a Belgian beer haven before Monk’s, The Belgian Cafe, or anyone ever uttered the term gastropub. It was there before the boom, but then sort of got lost in the vast assemblage of craft beer bars Philly is now bursting at the seams with. Their food was neither here nor there—and when competing with the likes of those other establishments, good food is vital.

So they decided to step up. Peter McAndrews (Modo Mio, Monsu, Paesano’s, Popolino, and La Porta) is taking the helm behind the stoves, and he’s turning the kitchen around. For a restaurant that prided itself with European-influenced American food, it seemed to lack continuity—the old menu featured “Escargot Au Pernod” right above “Southwest Chicken Rolls”. Consistency and identity are two absolute requisites in restaurants, and Bridgid’s had it with beer, just not so much on the other end.

McAndrews is is promising a neighborhood friendly menu, with a bit of an edge. There will be Italian staples as well as edgier small plates, for those who like a litte more adventure in their Italian.

The atmosphere is everything you want out of a Fairmount bistro with a fireplace, the beer will never disappoint, and the food—well, the food’s found an unbroken home in Bridgid’s for the first time in a long while.

Bridgid’s [Official Site]