Take in our live music while you enjoy the extraordinary food and drinks at Sor Ynez every third Thursday of the month from 6pm to 8pm!
Live Music Monthly at Sor Ynez
Welcome Sor Ynez!
Welcome the newest member of our Family!
Sor Ynéz is, at heart and soul, a Mexican restaurant. Our cuisine is rooted in traditional, Mexican ingredients and methods, but our focus is on a modern and sustainable future. Our food is fresh, flavorful, and vibrant. Located in Kensington, at American and Berks Streets. Convenient to public transportation, and free parking 🙂
Please enjoy all the wine to-go at Jet’s Bottle Shop, visit Jet Wine Garden for spacious outdoor socializing, Rex 1516 for outdoor dining among the plants and stars, and the take-out window at Café Ynez, where we will soon again be enjoying outdoor dining.
Holiday Gifts!
We have gifts for the Food and Wine lover in your life! And… shipping not required! All of our gifts can be purchased online and are available for pick up. No delivery worries!
Serving the Biggest Crowd
Did you know our gift cards can be used at any of our restaurants? Yes! Buy a card, and use it at Jet, Rex, OR Ynez! Or all 3!
Feed Your Southern Soul
Want a little comfort in this rough year? Our gift-wrapped and ready-to-please Pimento cheese OR Crawfish Potpie (heat and serve) from Rex 1516 are the answer! Add a to-go cocktail to feed *your* soul, too.
Dr. Jill’s (soon-to-be) World Famous Inauguration Wine Pack
Well, our Dr. Jill created this pack as a biographical homage to our incoming President and Vice President, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! It comes with a “Bad Things Happen In Philadelphia” ornament, and information on just why these wines were selected!
We have plenty of additional wine gift packs waiting just for you! And you may as well throw in some cheese.
Make a Fresh Start
Whether you want to start off your day or night, it is always right with some fresh juice-mixers from Cafe Ynez! Order our Mango Mint, Blood Orange, or Blackberry Thyme and open a bottle of your favorite spirit! May we recommend tequila? Oh, starting the day? A little sparkling wine never hurts…
South of the Border Collab Menu
December 10th and 11th, $55 for two. Add Booze!
Café Ynez and Jet Wine Bar are partnering with El Merkury and Jezabel’s for a one-of-kind “South of the Border” tasting menu! What is the connection? These restaurants are all woman owned and fabulous, of course!
Sofia, Jezabel, and Jill invite you to pre-order this 3-course menu serving tastes of Mexico, Guatemala, and Argentina. Add some wine or margarita’s from Jet and you’ve got a celebration! Your meal will come with heating instructions, just heat and serve!
What’s for dinner???
First course: Mini Pupusas with Chicharron or Quesillo & Bean
Second course: Taco Platter with Chicken Pibil or Adobo Cauliflower
Third course: Passionfruit Pavlova
Pre-orders, only. Orders must be placed by 10am the day before you intend to pick up
Pick up is at Jet Wine Bar (1525 South Street) on Thursday 12/10, 3-7pm and Friday 12/11, 3-7pm
Don’t forget something to drink and breakfast for the morning!
This is the first in a series of tasting menus supported by Let’s Talk Philadelphia. This is an alliance of women restaurateurs across the city, jointly promoting our sustainable success through the pandemic, and beyond. We are proudly collaborative and supportive, and are stronger together.
Let’s Talk is a national collaboration – across 10 cities – of over 200 women restaurateurs, founded five months ago by Chicago’s Rohini Dey, Ph.D., owner of Vermilion, with the goal of bringing together women restaurateurs for collaborative action and support. Let’s Talk is a part of the James Beard Foundation Women’s Leadership Program.
How we do Hamilton
Hamilton: an American Musical has hit Philly. But you probably knew that!
What you may not have known is that Sojourn Philly offers two ways to keep the fun going – or join in if you haven’t seen the show!
Rex is your home for southern food and hospitality, just off the Avenue of the Arts, and just a 15 minute walk from the Forrest Theatre.
Dine with us for favorites like Crawfish Potpie, Fried Chicken, or our award-winning Pimento Burger, and be sure to have the Divine Rebuke to Human Pomposity. This cocktail is inspired directly by an essay (of the same name) that Hamilton wrote regarding the harmonious balance alcohol provided to the whims of nature (namely, hurricanes).
Jet is your global vineyard! We are located across the street from Rex 1516, also a 15 minute walk from the Forrest Theatre.
At Jet, we are celebrating Hamilton AND our love of Pennsylvania wines! All October long, we’ll highlight the Commonwealth’s vinous bounty, while connecting our local wines to a statesman with local connections, Alexander Hamilton. Enjoy wines and fun facts associated with Hamilton: his role preventing the secession of “Westsylvania” (no, really!) whilst the first Secretary of the Treasury, his job as aid to General Washington when the Brits took Philly, and his special connection to the Liberty Bell. This “tour” is available as a flight of 4 wines for $20, all month long. Featured wineries include Fero Vineyards, Stony Run Winery, and Penns Woods Winery.
Vegan Restaurant Week and Sojourn Philly
Join us for Vegan Restaurant Week at ALL of our restaurants!
Philly’s first-ever Vegan Restaurant Week is happening September 16th-22nd, and we are happy to participate with an individual, vegan dish at Cafe Ynez, Rex 1516, and Jet Wine Bar. Proceeds benefit the Peace Advocacy Network.
So, what will you find?
Vegan Burrito: sauteed shallots, corn, whole black beans, baby spinach, pico de gallo, avocado, & quinoa in a wheat flour tortilla w/side ensalada verde $9
Our Vegan Burrito is available everyday, but during VRW, $1.50 from each burrito will go to Peace Advocacy Network.
Vegan Mediterranean Dip Trio: muhammara & two types of hummus, toasted pita, fresh veggies, & olives $15
This is a special take on this tasty trio. We’ll give $3 from each Trio sold to the Peace Advocacy Network.
Red Beans and Rice: Carolina Gold rice, tomato-braised Sea Island red peas, and scallions $10
Chef Swain knows Rice & Beans, and during VRW we’ll donate $2 from each dish sold of this special recipe to the Peace Advocacy Network.
Who Has Philly’s Best Burger?
We Do!
Rex 1516 has always had the best burger, IMHO, but now it is official.
Congratulations to Rex 1516 Executive Chef Justin Swain, whose kitchen consistently makes a burger that people crave.
Will you be our Valentine?
Tacos, caviar, cured meats and cheese… where can you get this and more on Valentine’s Day? At Cafe Ynez, Rex 1516, and Jet Wine Bar, of course.
BYO tequila or wine (or anything you want!) to Cafe Ynez for flavors of Mexico City and try our Valentine’s Day specials:
- Chicken al Pastor Tacos……$8
Marinated Chicken, Queso Fresco, Cilantro, Radish, lime, & jalapeno salsa on 2 soft corn tortillas. - Salmon……$17
Pan-seared Salmon on Cannelloni Bean Ragout & Fennel Salad - Cordero……$18
Pan-Roasted Rack of Lamb, Pimiento Romesco, parsely & micro greens
Feeling fancy and want a bit of Southern Comfort? Then Rex 1516 is for you.
- Crawfish Arancini $8
- Celery Root Soup $10
Smoked maitakes, crispy celery root, Three Springs farm apples - Pan-seared Salmon $23
Hopping John, collard pesto - Fried Chicken & Caviar $50
Fried half-chicken, paddlefish & tobiko caviars, chive biscuits, Alabama white bbq sauce, cucumbers - Triple-Chocolate Cake $9
Dark chocolate cake, milk chocolate frosting, Chocolate cookie crumble
Yes, of course there will be Specialty Cocktails
- Jack Rose $9
apple brandy, rye, lemon, house-made grenadine - Velvet Slipper $11
Raspberry brandy, crème de cacao, cream, shaved chocolate - Seelbach $10
Bourbon, angostura & Peychaud’s bitters, sparkling wine
Thinking Pink? Jet Wine Bar is the place to be.
Jet will have appetizers perfectly paired with pink wines:
- Sea Scallops with a grapefruit gastrique & bacon $12pairs perfectly with Via de la Plata Sparkling Brut Rose Cava, Spain $10
- Lamb Sliders, pomegranate glaze, spicy slaw $13pairs perfectly with Vina Real Rose Rioja Alavesa Rioja $9
- Charcuterie and Artisnal cheese plate, chef’s choice $15pairs perfectly with Escudo Real Rose Minho Vinho Verde $9
Like your wine in flights? Flight of all 3 for $14
All Valentine specials are available a la carte, full menus also available. We can’t wait to see you!
New Year’s Eve with Sojourn!
What are you doing New Year’s Eve?
Join us! Whatever your plans, we have something for you.
How does eggnog and crawfish deviled eggs, or a French 75 and chicken and caviar(!) sound? Then Rex 1516 is for you! Check the full menu here
Want ALL the bubbles and cheese (plus Chef Yasi’s cheese ball!)? How about Serbian Riesling and Italian Sausage Rolls? Then come out to Jet Wine Bar!
Perhaps you have your own bubbles? Then bring them to BYO Cafe Ynez to have with lobster brisket, filet of beef with cherry gastrique, or good old-fashioned tacos!
How we do Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving!
Who likes a parade? Philly held the first (of course) Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1920*. Of course the parade is often followed by… food! Thanksgiving is definitely one of our favorite food holidays. So, how do we celebrate after the parade? In lots of different ways, it seems. We asked our restaurant family how *they* celebrate Thanksgiving. This is what we learned:
Jill and Evan often celebrate with friends and reserve the Christmas holidays for family. What is on the menu? Anything and everything. Evan has made house-ground chestnut-flour ravioli (pro tip: just buy the damn chestnut flour!), paella, roast turkey, agnolotti – you name it. Jill finds wine to pour, which always changes, but which inevitably includes that Piedmontese gem, Arneis. Why? It is crisp enough for aperitivo, and its full flavor and creamy texture stand up to most foods you can throw at it, Her favorite is the Ceretto Langhe Arneis Blange. Find it if you can.
But, when it comes to traditional food, it is Jill’s mom’s turkey gravy that stands out. How does she make it? Well, sort of by feel.
Chef Yasi celebrates the holiday with her family and, as befits the chef, makes the stuffing! Do you want to make her all-full-of-goodness-and-love apple and onion dressing? Well you can because she gave us the recipe.
So, let’s see, there is “dressing”, “stuffing”, and… “filling”? Yep! That isn’t the most commonly-made Thanksgiving distinction, but Heather’s Mom’s “filling” (for filling *your* stomach, of course, and not the birds’!) does the trick. DO NOT ask her to eat the stuffing, she is not a fan of the offal (yum! giblets!).
If you happen to be with Qamara and her family, chances are you’ll be playing a lot of games – but Qamara won’t be competing, or anything. Nope. Not Qamara. Never.
You will also be eating. What will you be eating? Probably her Mom’s hand-made rolls. How does she make them? Looks like we’ll have to get that out of her next time… maybe we’ll challenge her to a game?
Not everyone goes “home” to eat, even if they go see the folks. If Heather isn’t having her share of “filling”, find her and her family out at Penang. Justin, too, spends the night on the town – er, Stadt. You’ll find them at the Cannstatter Club (Cannstatter Volksfest Verein), eating this club’s German influenced, but also traditional, feast. I see schnitzel, and pickled beets with onions, yes, but also roast turkey (with giblet gravy!) and Virginia ham. But wait, there’s more! Karaoke and Bingo are also on the agenda! Watch out, Family Swain, when Qamara finds out about the bingo she may crash the party 😉
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
*Photo from Special Collections Research Center. Temple University Libraries. Philadelphia, PA, information sourced here