Owners Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico announced on April 25, that due to damage done to the entire building when an apartment in the complex caught fire, Sonny’s Cocktail Joint and Wine Dive had to close and that the formal opening of Rabbit must now be delayed at 1506 South Street. When What Now Philadelphia spoke to Chris Fetfatzes via phone, he said that they do not have a timeline of when any of the three businesses would be open again, but he does stress that they will be back. They are hopeful that the opening and re-openings could happen by the end of summer or early fall.
In fact, as of April 25, the wine bottle shop at Hawthornes and Pivot Coffee, at 738 S. 11th Street is open and ramping up their available wine selections and Quick Sip is also fully operational for wine, beer, and bubbly delivery to customers’ homes.
While this reality is disappointing, Chris Fetfatzes was upbeat. Fetfatzes describes Rabbit as a very personable cocktail bar that brings hospitality forward and that they wanted to bring the old romanticism of hospitality back with the bar. The other two bars use modern technology like QR codes but with Rabbit, they want the customer who can’t decide what they want to drink to be able to interact with the bartender and get exactly what they want.
Rabbit is solely going to be a cocktail bar and it will not have a food menu. Rabbit has a set menu of drinks: tart, sweet, juicy, bitter, and refreshing, but will give the customer the chance to tell the bartender what they want and to find the perfect drink. Wine Dive is still the wine-centric spot with an impressive wine list.
Fetfatzes stressed that they want high technique cocktails at Rabbit, but with real soul and a real vibe for the customers to enjoy and feel comfortable with. He feels that the DNA of their restaurant group includes an intriguing and stimulating environment that he feels is key to their experience.
Of these three bars, only one, Sonny’s Cocktail Joint, has food, but since they are all so close, it’s easy to switch from one experience to another depending on your whim or needs. Sonny’s food menu is playful, with items like Boujie popcorn and Deez hot nuts as appetizers and then more complex dishes like the mushroom bánh mì, a blackened salmon gyro, along with bar staples like hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and bbq brisket sandwiches.
The owners look to the future with enthusiasm and Fetfatzes said, via a statement, “We are down for a bit at these properties but not out. We will pick ourselves up and redirect our creative energy to our other properties during this time of transition. We are still more excited than ever about special events coming back and bringing back our beloved Hawthornes Block Party on Saturday, May 14th…In the meantime, thank you again Philly, and we will see you at Hawthornes and Tio Flores – and we will look for you around our beloved part of South Street!”
