Eastwick-Southwest Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA

Originally occupied by the Lenni Lenape Indians, the area was first developed by Dutch, Swedish and British settlers. Eastwick was named after Andrew Eastwick, a pioneer locomotive builder who purchased Bartram’s Gardens and maintained the historic garden as part of his summer estate. After he died, the garden was turned over to Philadelphia’s park system to ensure preservation.

Mostly rural, swampy marshland, the area's land was reclaimed to build the Philadelphia International Airport in the 1930s. The surrounding residential area became known as “The Meadows," providing a rural lifestyle within the city.

The area developed organically as a racially integrated, tight-knit community. However, in the 1950s, Eastwick was slated for the largest urban renewal project in the county, with Korman managing the reconstruction. Residents were displaced, yet the development plan was never realized and the integrated fabric of the community was damaged in the process.

Due to its proximity to the Philadelphia International Airport and its urban location, Eastwick hosts a variety of fast food restaurants alongside more upscale chain restaurants around the airport. For the most part, Eastwick hasn't caught on to Philadelphia's restaurant revolution. However, several restaurants worth checking out reside in the area.

Taste of Asia, a family-owned-and-operated restaurant and bar in Eastwick, features Southeast Asian cuisine. Located conveniently close to the airport and on the 36 trolley line, Taste of Asia serves up an extensive menu of Thai and Laotian specialties alongside Vietnamese, Chinese and American dishes. Prepared with quality ingredients, particularly fresh vegetables make the fresh asparagus stir-fry a seasonal favorite. Signature Thai dishes include pad Thai, seafood yellow curry, stir fried chicken and basil and chargrilled tamarind salmon. Laotian favorites include green papaya salad, minced chicken salad and Laotian sticky rice. Vietnamese pho dishes and meat dishes such as very tasty steaks, grilled lamb and crispy duck also receive praise from locals. A live DJ, late hours and happy hour specials, including $2.50 domestic beers, $5 cocktails and $3 appetizers, help the low-key and popular bar service.

Despite its unassuming storefront at an awkward commercial intersection, Falone's remains a long-standing neighborhood gem. People rave about Falone's cheesesteaks thanks to the quality of the meat, the even distribution of melted cheese on the sandwich and a high meat-to-bread ratio. In addition to its popular cheesesteaks and chicken cheesesteaks, Falone's menu also features quality breakfast sandwiches, breakfast platters, hoagies, burgers, deli sandwiches, fries and milkshakes. At only around $6, the cheesesteak provides a good value, and Falone's stays open late, often until 2 a.m.

Nightlife in Eastwick centers around an assortment of dive bars and restaurant bars. Facilities such as the Elmwood Roller Skating Rink, in operation since 1946, provide entertainment options. For dance clubs, live entertainment and more upscale bar options, residents take a quick trip into Philadelphia.

I-95 serves as the southern boundary for Southwest Philadelphia, providing very convenient access to the Philadelphia area as well as the Eastern seaboard. One of Philadelphia’s other major highway arteries, I-76 (the Schuylkill Expressway), runs close to the eastern boundary of Southwest Philadelphia.

Get around Southwest Philadelphia easily by trolley, train, bus and car. Most areas of the neighborhood feature ample sidewalks and some bike lanes for those traveling on foot or by bike.

SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 36 connects Center City Philadelphia with Southwest Philadelphia, including the Eastwick neighborhood. In Eastwick, the line runs along Island Ave and terminates at the Eastwick Loop, located at 80th Street and Island Ave. The trolley journey from the eastern loop at City Hall to the terminus loop in Eastwick takes approximately 40 minutes. The SEPTA Airport Line train that runs every 30 minutes and connects Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and the airport stops in Eastwick as well. The ride from Eastwick station to the airport takes only 7 minutes and costs $3.50. Many of SEPTA’s bus lines also run through Southwest Philadelphia, providing connections throughout the city.

Several taxicab companies, such as City Cab Co. and Crescent Cab Co., have headquarters in Southwest Philadelphia due to its proximity to the airport. It's possible to hail cabs on the street thanks to the airport traffic. Uber also provides ride-share services throughout the Philadelphia region, including Southwest Philadelphia.

Located adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), with Interstate 95 serving as the boundary between Eastwick and the airport, travel times to the airport are the fastest in the city. Average travel times from different points in the neighborhood average out to approximately 4 miles and a 10-minute drive.

The Eastwick Community Garden, the largest community garden space in the city, covers over 7 acres of space that has been lovingly tended to for over 40 years by local residents.

Cibotti Park, focused on recreation, provides a basketball court, a sports field, two baseball fields and several sets of playground equipment. In addition to the equipment, the park hosts baseball camps, one-on-one baseball instruction, flag football leagues and football leagues.

Suffolk Park provides mostly open, green lawn spaces and treed areas for the neighborhood. A small collection of playground equipment provides some play space for children as well.

The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge borders Eastwick and Southwest Philadelphia on the west. The wildlife refuge was established in 1972 to preserve and restore the Tinicum Marsh, the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. Despite its urban location, over 1,200 acres of marshland hosts over 300 different species of birds, wild animals, reptiles and amphibians. The wetlands hosts over 10 miles of hiking trails and provides a variety of popular canoeing and fishing spots.

The average rental rate for a one-bedroom apartment in Eastwick hovers around $893 per month. The typical price for a pint of beer ranges from $3 to $5. Gas prices in the Eastwick area cost between 10 to 12 percent higher than the national average, which falls approximately 2 percent below the average gas price in Philadelphia. A ride on public transportation from Eastwick in to Center City Philadelphia costs a flat fee of $2.25 in cash or $1.80 with a SEPTA token.

Anchor stores at Penrose Plaza, the neighborhood’s leading shopping center, include a ShopRite supermarket and Dollar Tree. Other retail locations include several national banks, Kicks USA and Rent-A-Center.

Southwest Philadelphia hosts the “Philadelphia Auto Mall” on Essington Avenue, where a large collection of car dealerships line the streets. Across the street from the Auto Mall, you’ll find the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. Housed in a state-of-the-art facility, the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market boasts over 700,000 square feet of space, making it the largest fully enclosed, refrigerated wholesale produce outlet in the world. Bigger than 14 football fields, the expansive space houses over 24 independent produce distributors. Dating back to colonial times, the market was originally located at Dock Street and moved to the new facility on Essington Avenue in 2011. Open to the public as well as commercial buyers, the market does over 1 billion dollars of business a year. Remember to bring your coat as the entire building is refrigerated.

Another unexpected Southwest Philadelphia gem, the Philadelphia Pet Hotels & Villas, has been named the winner of the Best Pet Boarding Facilities on the Philly Hotlist for the past 4 years. This 5-acre facility provides a suite of services ranging from doggy daycare to pampering and grooming products and services to full boarding facilities.