Philadelphia’s sidewalk dining may be the bane of restaurateurs who fret about the street competition not having the overhead expenses of a brick-and-mortar place, but it’s a distinct part of the city’s culture. It also distinguishes Philly’s street ambience from those less-colorful towns that lack a hefty and diverse supply of street vendors. Then there’s this: the number of vendors whose sidewalk success led to full-fledged restaurants has only grown in recent years. A recent example is South Philly Barbacoa, which started as a cart, moved into a small storefront in South Philly, then evolved into El Compadre on South Ninth Street about the time it had won national praise from Bon Appétit magazine.
