Dining news: SliCE, P'unk Burger owners open new concept; Parks on Tap releases full 2023 schedule

Philadelphia's outdoor dining scene is also booming as the warm weather returns. Beer gardens and restaurants are opening all over the city.

The traveling beer garden Parks on Tap has released its complete schedule for the current season.

A sandwich shop has opened in South Philadelphia, and the owner of an old Center City restaurant that was shuttered launched a new Hawaiian-inspired product.

What you need to know this week about Greater Philadelphia's dining scene

South Philadelphia sandwich shop opened by SliCE and P'unk Burger owners

On Thursday, the owners of two local restaurants opened a quick-service Italian sandwich shop in South Philadelphia.

Nipotina, the new concept by Marlo Dilks and Jason Dilks, is located at 2238 S. 21st St. The husband and wife duo own SliCE - a pizza concept that has locations in Washington Township in New Jersey and the Italian Market, as well as P'unk Burger, located on East Passyunk Avenue.

Nipotina can seat 28 people in the 1,000 square foot indoor dining area with counter and a 125 square foot outdoor dining space. Later this spring, more tables will be added outside. Vintage signs from Marlo's father's Italian Club and Luncheonette are displayed in the decor.

The name of the concept is a tribute to Marlo’s grandmothers who grew in her neighborhood and her father's butcher and luncheonette.

"I wanted share the story of my family and create a menu that was inspired by my Italian grandmothers' cooking. Every day, I love the smell, taste, memories and the love that is in the kitchen. She said, "I wanted to bring back those days by creating a menu that would make everyone feel at home."

Nipotina offers breakfast, lunch and an early dinner. The menu offers about 30 sandwiches, including cutlet, hoagies, breakfast, vegan, and sausage. The restaurant also serves cheesesteaks, hoagies and deli meats.

Nipotina will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 7 pm.

Poi Dog owner expands island-inspired sauce range

Chef Kiki Aranita, the owner of Center City's now-closed Poi Dog Restaurant, has launched a new product from her island-inspired Sauce Line of the Same Name.

Huli Huli is a tribute to Aranita’s childhood spent in a suburb near Honolulu. It has notes of miso, pineapple and Chinese five spice. The name of the sauce is a reference for cooking Huli Huli over an open fire.

"Huli Huli Smoke was a siren's call for us to queue up, not only in the Foodland lot but also on the backroads in Kaneohe, as well as the edge of the Swap Meet in Aloha Stadium, knowing that soon our fingers would be oil-slicked, blackened and tearing through chicken flesh, which is seasoned with pineapple and soy and then a lot more smoke," Aranita stated in a press release.

Poi Dog Sauce launched late 2020, after the restaurant closed in July 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic. Two other products are available in the line, Chili Peppah Water & Guava Katsu Sauce. According to Poi Dog, another product, Maui Lavender Ponzu is being phased-out due to supply chain issues and rising ingredient costs.

Huli Huli is sold at a price between $16.99 and $17.99 per bottle, with free shipping to anywhere in the United States. You can find it in some stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. South Philly Food Co-op and Riverwards Produce are locals.

Aranita has been nominated by the James Beard Foundation Media Award for her contribution to Food & Wine magazine in 2022. She also completed residencies with Chef Jose Garces Volver, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Bok Bar in South Philadelphia.

Parks on Tap will be in 18 locations by 2023

Parks on Tap is a mobile beer garden operated by FCM Hospitality. It returned last week, and the full schedule of events for 2023 has been released.

It will be the first full season of travel for the roving brewery since the Covid-19 pandemic. The roving beer garden will visit 18 different locations in the city during the next 23 week.

The Azalea Garden in Fairmount hosted the first Parks on Tap of the new season on Wednesday. The other locations planned include Penn Treaty Park, Fishtown, East Fairmount Park's Discovery Center and FDR Park.

The beer garden offers a variety of craft beers and wines, as well as cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.

Parks on Tap began in 2016 and is open Wednesday through Friday, from 4 pm to 10 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday, from 12 noon to 10pm, with certain exceptions.

FCM Hospitality, as part of its traveling beer garden will donate directly to the parks that it visits. Here is a schedule for the 2023 Parks on Tap:

April 12-16: Azaela Garden

Columbus Square, April 19-23

April 26-30: Pastorius Park

Penn Treaty Park, May 3-7

May 10-14: Matthias Baldwin Park

Campbell Square, May 17-21

Clark Park, May 24-29

May 31-June 4: Schuylkill Banks

June 7-11: Shofuso Japanese House

Dickinson Square Park, June 14-18

Discovery Center, June 21-25

FDR Park July 4-9

Belmont Plateau, July 12-16

Gorgas Park, July 19-23

July 26-30: Pretzel Park

August 2-6: Burholme Park

Lemon Hill, Aug. 9-13

Clark Park, Aug. 16-20

Aug. 23-27: Matthias Baldwin Park

Penn Treaty Park: Aug. 30-Sept. 4,

Columbus Square, Sept. 6-10

Sept. 13-17 Schuylkill Banks

Quick bites

Michael Schulson opened his Independence Beer Garden for the ninth season Wednesday. The Old City location, 100 S. Independence Mall West, offers 20,000 square foot of outdoor space with four seating areas, two bars and four different types of seating. Independence Beer Garden opens on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 pm to 10 pm, Fridays from 3 pm to midnight and Saturdays from 12 noon to midnight. Sundays are open from noon until 10pm. Daily Happy Hour runs from 3 pm to 7 pm. The menu includes a vegan poblano potato and lobster taco, as well as a lobster quesadilla. The culinary program at Liberty Point is overseen by Executive Chef Miguel Hernandez.

If you missed it

Marcie Turney, Valerie Safran and their team of restaurateurs are opening a new concept in Midtown Village. Darling Jack's Tavern is slated to open in early May. The restaurant, located at 104 S. 13th St. will offer American cuisine and have seating for 75 people. There are also 16 seats available at the bar. Bark Social is a new social club in Manayunk for dog owners and their dogs. The concept includes almost 15,000 square foot of dog park and cafe space as well as a self pour tap wall that offers 30 beers, ciders, and hard kombucha. Luke Silverman, co-founder and CEO of the club, said that he wanted it to be similar to the "Soho House", but for dog owners.