The Foodery - Center City

BigMike

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -19.4%
quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | $$$

So, after reading the reviews on BA i decided to take a drive to center city today. (something i usually try to avoid at all costs)
Parking in the city blows. I drove around for 10 minutes trying to find a spot.

I walked a few blocks until i came to the corner of 10th and pine when i saw the little foodery shop on the corner.

Let me just say, this place is small. It is really cramped inside. I was fine for a while cause no one else was looking at the beers. Then another guy came in and we kept bumping into each other.

They have a really nice selection and i was suprised that the prices weren't as outrageous as i thought. I bought a really nice mixed sixer for about $20.

As far as service. I barely got a response when i walked in and said hello. No one said a single word to me the whole time i was in the place.

Overall the place is decent. Nice selection of singles. I can't see myself frequenting the foodery as its just too much of a pain in the ass to fight traffic and try to find parking.

04-06-2009 23:34:57 | More by BigMike

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -28.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | $$$

The foodery is a conveience store turned little beer store. Cramped. Very cramped couldn't move in there if your their with one or more customers. Beer selection is ok but couldn't get any better since its so small. Theres no parking what so ever, I just went when I had my City vehicle and double parked ( the perks of driving a City of Philadelphia Vehicle.) It's a bit pricey, rather go to Craft beer outlet in NE Philly. Probably will never go here again. Just went a couple of times since I worked in South Philly but wont be heading back.

12-09-2012 16:55:27 | More by Damian74Shensky

Beerisheaven

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -24.6%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$$$

Well it has all been said before. You better hold onto your nutsack when you go into this place because that is the only thing that you can leave with that did not cost an arm and a leg. Pretty shitty looking place on Pine that has stale candy and other assorted foodstuffs to sell the stoners on Friday and Saturday night when they come in for a beer as well as munchies. Place looks dirty and not too clean but the beer selections are pretty good. Know what it feels like when it is 2AM and you are horny and in a bar and just want to take a hot hole home to bang on for a bit before you call it a night? Well this is the same feeling but it relates to beer. If you absolutely have to have a beer and price is no object, then step right up. Otherwise, save your nuts and go someplace else.

11-05-2012 20:00:38 | More by Beerisheaven

gkatsoris

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -22.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$$

A: Def no parking, and absolutely no room to move around in the store. If you're a bigger dude, 'walk sideways' LOL.

Q: Again, small. They'd be better off getting rid of the grocery side of the store, and just making it a beer store; now that's a million dollar idea- I want a kick back when you do it Foodery.

Ser: There are only a few people in the store that know beer, and when I asked them a few questions I felt like I was bothering them.

Sel: Normal finds, but some real hidden gems!!!

V: Typical prices for PA. God I'm tired of saying this.

If they went 100 percent beer, this place could OWN Philly...eliminate the peanut butter, salad dressings and etc, and blow this store open as a bottle shop.

I am a huge fan of sarcasm; not a huge fan of Douchery!!!

12-16-2011 22:39:44 | More by gkatsoris

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.4/5  rDev -19.4%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5 | $$$$

I'll start by saying that I think this is THE most expensive beer store I've ever been to, but I'll explain that in a moment. This place was recommended by my bartender at Monk's Cafe.

This is basically a corner store with 20 or so feet of free-standing beer coolers packed with rows and rows of single beers. There is also a very limited selection of beers on the warm shelves and a open-top chest with canned beer six packs. The selection is awesome, especially for PA. Russian River, De Ranke, Cascade, Bell's, New Holland, Oskar Blues (to name the things I purchased) plus Terrapin, Sixpoint, Breckenridge, a few locals, Troegs, Abita, and more, plus the usual imported suspects like Chimay, Piraat, etc.

The problems are that A) Nothing is priced (WTF!?), B) it's super cramped because of isles full of chips and corner store sundries, C) the line forms down the center isle, and D) the staff doesn't know about the beers (so I created a 10 person line behind me when I was trying to purchase a 6pk and 6 loose beers). And because of this line hold-up, I didn't feel like I could put anything back after they had to look it up with assistance from another guy and then charge me $24 for a single beer that probably should have been $18 somewhere else. My bill was $125 and I felt a little ripped off.

I'd recommend finding somewhere else to shop, but this place does have a good selection.

10-03-2011 03:53:52 | More by SFLpunk

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

So Im onboard with the majority of the reviews on this place. This place does have a great selection and the beers are grouped quite well. There didnt seem to be anything super rare but you can expect many of the beer enthusiast favorites. It is real tight quarters in there and that was pretty annoying bumping shoulders. There is a pricing book there but many of the beers werent listed so I just grabbed what I wanted and hoped for the best. I made two six packs and grabbed a soda and a Celebrator glass. Man I wanted to dunk my crotch in a vat of scolding hot soup when i saw the total price. Granted I didn't price first, and I certainly could have declined the purchase but I went with it. I thoroughly enjoyed what I purchased without a doubt, but its true, this place is super expensive and it hurt my soul a little.

09-27-2011 11:09:47 | More by BeerForMuscle

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I stopped here while visiting Philly and was quite impressed with the selection and quality of the beer on-site. Additionally, the folks in the store were very helpful answering questions. Although the printed list was not up-to-date, the two gentlemen stocking the shelves were more than helpful in assisting me.

I found several tasty treats that do not normally cross my path; however, they were a bit pricey (I still splurged though). The shop itself is quite small and the line was long, but neither of these factors was a deal breaker by any means. I was quite surprised to see a decent selection of beers from all over the country (even some things I haven't been able to find in breweries backyards).

I will certainly return here when visiting Philly in the future!

09-23-2011 19:56:34 | More by spdyfire83

islandboi8204

Hawaii

4.24/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

The Center City Foodery is a very small convenience store lined with beer refrigerators. Be careful walking up the aisles, they're a bit cramped. It’s probably one of the more expensive stores in the city and its surroundings, but you can find a lot of variety and great beers. For instance, I picked up two bottles of Parabola recently for $25, which is probably more than in New Jersey or Delaware. However, living in the city and without the car, this store is a great choice and location. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the beers.

08-02-2011 15:50:10 | More by islandboi8204

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Found this little shop on my last day in Philly (wish I found it a bit sooner). Small little bottle shop the size of a small convienience store. Basically all beer on all the exterior wall portions of the room. A very small portion for soda and glassware/beer tshirts and of course the register. The middle isles have small areas for ice cream and snacks. Looks like a nice little small town convienince store, but deticated to beer.

Quality I would assume was good. 90% of everything in the store was refrigerated only which I wasn't a big fan of since I found it on my last day. THere was a small section with some bigger Belgian style brews and other high gravity imports that weren't refigerated. There were a few winter and fall seasonals on the shelf (but high ABV atleast) that suprised me.

The service was ok, they didn't go out of the way to help you out. I asked if he had anything else not in the coolers. The guy checked, but seemed a little more concerned at telling me it'll be fine as long as it doesn't warm up to 100 degrees than going to check, but he did check which I was grateful for even though they didn't have what else I was looking for.

I was only going to give the selection part a 4, but based on teh amount of space they had I had to give it a little more respect. VERY small amount of BMC products, the rest all dedicated to craft beer. Plenty of good imports, Mikeller, Sam Smith, Leffe, De Doll, amoung many others. Good locals from the Penn, NY area, Brooklyn, FLying fish, Yards, Troegs and more. And a few others from the nation. A couple of small Russian River producst, TTerrapin, Flying DOg, North Coast, Deschutes, Duck Rabbit, Weybraucher and several more. Very few six packs sold, this was pretty much an individual sold bottles where you make your own six packs. But yes there were bombers too, but mostly 12 oz bottles.

Value was pretty reasonable. I think you got a small discount for making a six pack, but each individual bottle gets pricy, but you get what you pay for I guess. I'm glad I found it anyway, got a few good bottles.

07-23-2011 13:32:44 | More by AndyAvalanche

bpfishback

Maryland

3.41/5  rDev -19.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Small convenience store with a decent to nice selection of beer. Has six packs and singles. Fairly small amount of beers with maybe seven stand alone fridges and some beers out on shelves but has breweries like hair of the dog, lost abbey, and pretty things. The guy working the register seemed knowledgeable, I heard him helping another customer.

The only thing that gets me is the lack of price tags on the beer, I would avoid this place because of that if I were not from out of town. It is located nicely in center city though.

07-09-2011 17:49:31 | More by bpfishback