Philly is a foodie’s paradise…Keep things friendly at Sabrina’s Café & Spencer’s Too, serving up comfort food after you make it to the top of the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art just up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The Skinny: The portions are huge, but the menu celebrates organic and local ingredients, and every dish can be customized to fit your dietary requirements. The chefs cook only with a reduced-fat blended oil of olive, canola and vegetable.
Order: The turkey burger made just from Italian Market ground turkey and fresh seasoning (no butter or egg), the brunch menu’s whole wheat pancakes made with butter-free batter and whole wheat flour, or the egg white primavera frittata made without butter and with all local market veggies, including fresh eggplant, peppers, tomato, and summer squash.
You’ve heard good things come to those who wait. The old adage is certainly true at Sabrina’s, where the long waits have become almost as famous as the eats. Not to worry; when the tattooed, bandanna-bedecked staff brings out that turkey bacon and spinach frittata, and the unbelievably thick-cut cream-cheese-stuffed French toast, you’ll be back in line the next day. Brunching hours: Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m.
Woah! Let’s start with the totally awesome and fun space – huge and open, with an open kitchen, tons of great artwork on the walls, knick knacks and tchotchkes and colorful tables and chairs, mixing styles and eras like there was no tomorrow…Stuffed Caramelized Challah French Toast with Cream Cheese & Bananas topped with Vanilla Bean Maple Syrup. This was No Joke. I can’t believe how decadent and creamy and sweet and over the top this was. Thank God I was sharing, otherwise I might’ve had a seizure.
“Sabrina’s has a first class dinner for a little more than the price of a diner. Everything here is always fresh and delicious and there’s always something new. I also love how everyone is welcome – students, tourists, hipsters, couples with kids and older people. You can bring anyone here and they’ll find something they love. The staff treats everyone great.”
Gerald Kolpan, 10 Year Sabrina Customer
Locals know to phone in their names and wait it out with coffee and the paper at home, and you can, too. Here’s what everyone is waiting for: apple and sharp cheddar omelets, stuffed and caramelized challah French toast with vanilla-bean maple syrup, and the barking Chihuahua breakfast (a burrito filled with scrambled eggs, black beans, red peppers, and pepper-jack cheese). Brunch overshadows lunch and dinner, but it shouldn’t—those are delicious and hearty, too.
“Great for dinner, too. We went to Sabrina’s location on Callowhill Street on a Saturday night…Everything was excellent – the food, the service and the price. We were impressed by the size and diversity of the menu. The hostess who seated us was very welcoming and quickly offered to open our wine…We will definitely be back.”
Rated “Excellent.”
Does a fine job of serving comfort food with an eclectic twist, and at fair prices that make for great neighborhood dining…I am addicted to the polenta cheese fries: thick rails of deep fried corn pudding flecked with spicy chiles.
Helpings are sizable, the coffee is good, and the wait staff is helpful. The Barking Chihuahua Breakfast Burrito is a spicy mound of Mexican comfort food that will keep you satiated all day; Sabrina’s even serves a vegetarian cheese steak, if such a thing can really exist.
Sabrina’s is amazing. I wish I’d discovered this gem sooner. I’ve been here for dinner twice before. Both times I was blown away. I’ll keep this short since my fellow yelpers have already established Sabrina’s fabulousness.
My favorite dinner entrees in descending order:
1. Meatloaf with sweet mashed potatoes- it’s the best, hands down. I never thought I’d order meatloaf at a restaurant, but I am soooo glad I did (or rather, boyfriend did and let me eat off his plate).
2. Fish Tacos
3. Short Ribs with sweet mashed potatoes
4. Roasted Pork Chop
The mussels in red sauce are an excellent starter.
You will be ready to explode after a visit to Sabrina’s but it’s well worth it. Add BYOB to the mix, and I can’t find a single negative thing to say about these guys.
Hey Diabetics… RUN TO SABRINA’S…
Whole Wheat Pancakes…. Say whaaaat?!
Sugar Free Syrup….. Say whaaaat?!
Customizable breakfast platters that allow you to trade the carbs!
Finally, a brunch place that GETS US and UNDERSTANDS OUR FREAKING SAD NO SUGAR SUCKY DIABETIC PAIN! (I’m Hypoglycemic)
I can enjoy Brunch again thanks to Sabrina’s and am not forced to order a boring bland breakfast of unflavored Egg Whites & a couple pieces of fruit.
This is a great spot for Breakfast or Brunch in Philadelphia but DO arrive early! The Free Hot Coffee in the waiting room is a double score though and the food is worth the wait. So many options, so much flavor.
I may not be able to eat added sugar anymore but Sabrina’s allows me to think that I can!
“Arguably the best brunch in town, this veg-friendly eatery offers a creative menu at fantastic value. They don’t take reservations, so come early or expect at least an hour wait. The menu changes weekly, but specials have included a lox and onion omelette, the Barking Chihuahua Breakfast (a burrito filled with scrambled eggs, black beans, red peppers and pepper jack cheese, all topped with sour cream and spicy tomato sauce) and pumpkin pancakes served with walnut-cinnamon butter and vanilla sauce.”
“Best Dishes to Eat in Philly” (Dec 2009)—
“Stuffed French toast at Sabrina’s — Challah slices loaded with cream cheese and bananas — the dish that got everyone talking brunch in this town.”
“The Best Brunch Spots in Philadelphia” (Feb 2009)—
“Both outposts of this cramped-and-casual BYOB — Italian Market and Art Museum area — are easy to spot on Sunday mornings: Even in winter’s cold, there’s a crowd outside waiting for a table in the quirky dining room and some of that unbelievably thick French toast. The brunch menu has its share of savory breakfast specials, too, like a recent South of the Border eggs benedict with black bean potato cakes and a roasted poblano mole.”
