PHILADELPHIA, PA — Yasser and Kate Aiq, the husband and wife owners of Renata’s Kitchen, the beloved University City restaurant that has built a loyal following with its Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired menu and brunch favorites such as shakshuka and lemon poppy pancakes, are celebrating ten years in business by throwing an open house for the neighborhood on Wednesday, May 10th from 5 to 8 p.m. The free party, which is open to the entire community, will take place on Renata’s expansive outdoor patio. Guests will be treated to lite bites, butlered hors d’oeuvres, carving stations and complimentary welcome cocktails courtesy of Revivalist Spirits.
“We wanted to have this party to say ‘thank you’ to the community for supporting us over the past decade,” said Chef/Owner Yasser Aiq (pronounced IKE). “We would not have survived without the continued support of friends, neighbors and our incredibly loyal customers who stood by us through some tough times.”
The Aiqs have experienced an incredibly challenging journey throughout their 10 years in business in University City. They opened as Café Renata at 43rd & Locust in 2013, only to be gutted by fire in March of 2015. In September of 2015, the Aiqs emerged from the ashes and relaunched as Renata’s Kitchen at 45th & Baltimore before moving into their current, 5,000 square-foot bi-level location at 3940 Baltimore Avenue in the Trolley Portal Gardens project in February 2020, and were then hit with all of the challenges that the Coronavirus pandemic brought to life three months later. “The community has always rallied around us — whether it was to donate to our fundraiser after the fire or ordering from us regularly throughout the pandemic — our customers have inspired us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start over again and again, and for that we are forever grateful.”
That sense of community has inspired the Aiqs to donate proceeds from alcohol sales during the open house event (which includes specialty cocktails and Mediterranean wines) to the Workshop School, a West Philly-based high school that honors the diverse interests and learning styles of students, and builds a curriculum focused on project-based instruction, internships and real-world experiences that prepare them for postsecondary success.
“It’s because of the community that Yasser and I get to do what we love every day,” said Kate. “This event is for us to thank them for their love, for their kind critiques, and for being in our corner day in and day out through the good times and the bad.”
Learn more about Renata’s Kitchen by visiting https://www.renatas-kitchen.com. Learn more about The Workshop School by visiting https://www.workshopschool.org.
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