On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Loading...
really good coffee, amazing sparkling lemonade, and tasty bagel sandwiches - i love b2. the servers are always friendly (unlike last drop).
tables can be pretty scare sometimes (especially in the winter).
they're totally cool with bringing dogs in, too!
It's a well established fact that McThrill is hooked on indie coffeehouses (who knew?). And since I had already frequented Benn'as on a couple occasions, I've been interested in trying it's squared counterpart. So since Meredith's BBQ extravaganza brought me to the area anyway, I decided to give it a try along the way.
Over aside from their being much more space nside, I couldn't see much that was different from Benna's, same artsy staff, same strong coffee, same variety of delectable treats, same price. which is normally good and worthy of the same review grade. However with Black n Brew not too far away, and hooking all of that up plus brunch and breakfast burrito I'm kind of inclined to lean toward them (and not just because I need to stop in and see if my friend Carly still works there!).
But B2 was a grand place to sit and read a book in. And apparently I managed to miss out on things like veggie sandwiches and vegan soft serve ice cream. So it looks like I'm set for round two!
Not that Benna's was enough for the South Philly home-body or DIY hipsters as I'll coin them. You know what I mean...
The ladies who are home-schooled, took many hobbies including knitting, poetry, vegan-cooking, sewing and taking dresses from their grandmother and reworking them to make themselves look cool for this day and age. They also go to that underground bike shop where they buy exclusive vintage parts from the cycles that were in the 1962 Tour De France! Ooolaalaa! Not to mention they all wish they could be Virginia Woolf minus the suicidal river moment...
Ok maybe I'm being a lil' too cynical here and I'll take it down a notch.
Luckily B2 isn't as cliquey in the sense as Benna's ( B1? ) is and maybe that has changed? I haven't been to Benna's in years but I remember it was pretty much a coffee shop for girls that looked like Raggedy Ann meets Karen O's make-up artist and if the Lilith Fair Movement still existed, this was the closet thing to it... complete with Indigo Girls B-sides playing as you order a leisbo... I mean latte.
Opps... Ok guess I am being a bit tad cynical.
Again B2 has more male guys working behind the counter but these guys represent the kind of guy these girls want to date, marry, or brag about. Which none of these guys will ever be committed to saying "I do" unless it means something else... ahem.
The music here is a misshapen mess of every indie-mainstream song you may or may not have heard of on itunes? That doesn't make any sense... neither does putting indie on front of everything just so it gets these peoples attention.
To the point!
The food and beverage here isn't bad but as you walk in you get these eyes piercing at you from every corner, peering over their ibooks typing away. Judging you perhaps and already writing a blog of what you're wearing, talking about, and what to order at the front counter. Ok that's just utter hysterical paranoia and I won't stand for that. I'm better than these people, right? Right?!
Maybe...
But the purpose of a coffee shop or any space that is supposed to provide R & R is exactly that! I don't go there to show off what new nonsense I have read in some clever book that no one in their right mind would find time to read or listen to some indie-noise-band-crap that someone said holds the secret of universe within track nine. It's bullshit. I just want my coffee. I don't want to see your bike, your hair, your friends bragging about the sex party, or anything else that isn't worth what precious time we have left on this planet!
"Can I help you?"
"I'll have an iced coffee, room for milk"
*snickers from the other end of the store*
"I'm watching you!!!! Ya twitter me! Write some LOOOOSSSEEEERRR is putting milk and not organic almond soy in his coffee. You make me sick!"
"That will be 2.25 man"
"Here keep the change. And as for you!!! Were you talking about REM cycles?"
Good coffee, can get a bagel with tofutti cream cheese and they have vegan soft serve.
Place would be perfect with maybe a few more menu items I could eat and if it was closer to broad street.
Overpriced and over it!
barring the clientele, this place is pretty swell.
the kid had to use the bathroom, and needed a sugar boost--B2 came through on both. their apple juice is pulped/juiced/whatevered right there, and is DELICIOUS.
seriously...it was like an apple in a cup. sooooooo good.
I love getting the poppy seed bagel, cream cheese, whitefish salad and tomato here, and washing it down with an iced tea.
There's always seating - and big roomy tables, too - and there's wi-fi.
The queue to order and pay is a tad confusing, and the servers are ... something. Neither friendly nor unfriendly. They are not like Last Drop servers ("I am infinitely more hip then you and am so superior to you I refuse to acknowledge your presence") - but I get the odd sense when I am in there that I'd wandered into some tight group of friends that I am not a part of. At Chapterhouse, Philly Java Co. and La Columbe, you just order and sit and that's that, but I get an odd sense of not quite belonging at B2 when I am there.
Ellen O. said it well. Maybe it is the patrons and not the staff. They all seem so intertwined, though.
It's a good spot, though.
B2 is a welcoming neighborhood cafe with a surprisingly wide and delicious selection of sandwiches, cookies, and other treats. The coffee is so-so, but the baked goods rock my world.
Service here is never rushed- so don't pop in when you're on a tight schedule. Enjoy the slow pace and the animal and vegan friendly space.
I love the variety of people I see here- artists sketching, kids playing, dogs resting. Set me up with a bagel sandwich and a seat by the window, and I can easily read and eavesdrop for hours.
I really like B2. As others have pointed out, the queue is confusing and the baristas send out a judgemental and aloof vibe to nonregulars, which makes this place seem a bit uninviting. I can't really blame them. After years existing in close proximity of Geno's steaks and listening to people order "expresso" and "café oh-lay" I'd probably be callous to humanity as well. I just wish they'd feign even a moderate interest in life, is all. Cute place, great fare, good coffee, and right across the street from the best pub in the city.
For as much as I love the original, first Benna's location, I was stoked when I found out that Benna's was opening a second location in South Philly. I figured that it would have the same vibe, but unfortunately, I was dead wrong.
I have a mixed bag of feelings for B2. First, I love the location and the space. Just like Benna's, B2 boasts a long coffee bar where you can sit at your stool of choice, chat, and order refill after refill from the friendly staff. However...
There's something hanging in the air... just a little something that's different from Benna's... can't quite put my finger on it...... Oh yeah! That's what it is --- Hipster pretentiousness!
In my opinion, the crowd that hangs at B2 is much different from the crowd that frequents Benna's, in that it seems as though every up n' coming South Philly hipster knows one another and they all hang out here at any given time of the day. Every time I go and consider getting a coffee "for here" I always change it "to go" because I simply don't feel comfortable hanging with a bunch of kids who play the "one-ups-man-ship in cool" game. I never dug that scene, and I'm simply too old & jaded to get into it now.
With that being said, B2 is not responsible for the type of patrons who choose to hang out at the establishment. I am happy that they seem to be successful and I wish them well. I'll just be sending my well wishes from the other location.
Whenever I go into B2, I almost always see a friend. It's a very neighborhoody place. There is the "everyone has laptops out and is working" element sometimes, but there's also that social atmosphere that coffeeshops had before the laptop age.
The big tables are great to spread out at, but it can get cramped. One minor strike against them is that different workers will charge you different prices for the same thing. But they're all nice people, so I don't really mind.
what a great place (and what a great corner w/POPE across the way). Lovely big tables and nice natural light, counter for those who are chitchatting with the staff. Everyone seems to be friends here, which makes me feel like someone's younger sister eavesdropping on the cool kids' conversation, but I'll take that over crowded places with no atmosphere or bad atmosphere.
Good veggie sandwiches here-- apple, gorgonzola, walnuts, honey was delish. I wish they had options other than baguette or bagel, like just plain old sliced bread, but that is a total nitpick. They have soft-serve here in the summer too-- what coffee shop has soft serve??! Now that was a good idea.
though i do love B2, due to its proximity to my bus stop AND my apartment, i've never been a fan of their awkward set-up.
i'll start with the only thing that really, really bugs me. when you come in, you get served as if you're at a bar ordering a drink. while it's nice when you're not in a rush, it's a little frustrating when there are a billion other people trying to order (ie., on a saturday or sunday morning, especially).
they really know how to pull a shot or make a cappuccino. their coffee, however, isn't my favorite.
the food, however - DELICIOUS! great bagels, sandwiches, and baked goods. and the smoothies? swoon.
This review is biased, but I think we can all deal with that. I'm only giving this an average rating because I wasn't particularly turned on with the place at all during my (unfortunately brief) visit.
The place is small, it's hard to read the menu (is it because the menu is all artsy and "original" or is it because it's just simply confusing?), and it seems like the type of place that's always crowded (yes, it was crowded when I visited). However, it seems like a hip place to be when you're drinking coffee. A medium is two bucks, and it's a pretty large medium. Throw in the soy milk at no extra charge and that's definitely a plus.
There's local art on the walls, the entryway is covered in announcements for events, concerts, band websites, et cetera, which is better than nothing. Also seems like the food menu is pretty good, though the counter was completely full and the tables were pretty full too when I stopped in today (a Sunday) around noon. Maybe a visit on an off hour will be good so I can give this place a second chance?
Oh, as Kristin M. said, the staff is great. They were friendly and kept on top of things despite the huge line and all the kids who couldn't keep their mouths closed when chomping down on their baguettes and omelets.
Whoa. The caption for 2 stars sums up my B2 experiences pefectly: "Meh. I've experienced better."
I think all neighborhoods can benefit from a little coffee house on the corner (unless we're talking about Cafe International a little farther down Passyunk - you know what I'm talking about) and the addition of B2 (in place of the abysmal E's) is no exception. I simply don't think their coffee is that great. Further, there's something with the layout that just screws up my Chi. I never know where to look or where to order. It's pretty cramped and...I dunno. It's just not my thing. The staff is beyond lovely, though! And I hope they stay in this location for awhile.
Great place to chill, work and read with good coffee and food. It's pretty crowded on the weekends so save chilling for weekdays. Can't write a review of B2 without mentioning owner Nancy Trachtenberg who is always cool and friendly. Try the Benna Cap and Almond Croissant.
Eh. I don't really get the rave reviews for this place. I went in today to get an iced coffee, and I was really thrown off by the layout. It was cramped and odd, and not really cozy at all. The people seemed to be having a nice time, and the gentleman who served me was fairly nice, if perhaps a bit indifferent to my being there. And I have to agree with Greg B. on the menu thing. It's nice that they're trying to be different and artsy, but all I could see when looking from afar was a jumble of letters. Very tough to read. The coffee was enjoyable and I got a refill for $1, but just not really my cup of tea (or coffee, har har har). I guess I'll have to give it a second chance to try the food, because that seems to be their strong point.
there's just something about their coffee...particularly their small, $1.00 size. either i create the perfect ratio of cream and sugar every time, or their coffee is something special.
you decide.
Coffee bar! There's a bar where you can read the paper and drink coffee. Bring your own mug if you wanna. You should tip. Remember to tip.
I have to admit. I'm a sucker for iced coffee. I don't even feel bad anymore about spending $2+ on it because it is like my lifeblood and it keeps me going. SO, what's a South Philly girl to do with no Starbucks in a 10+ block radius? Go to B2!!! (or Gleaners, but thats a different review)
I always felt like I would be intruding on someones reading group at Benna's, but I have to say, I get a different vibe here. It's more spacious with more room for customers and beautiful natural lighting. The layout is a huge improvement over E's, and has a bar counter and bar stools like Benna's (which I think is genius!)
Although there are a ton of tempting food and beverage options written on the blackboard menu, my main mission whenever I hit up a coffee shop is the iced coffee and theirs is a real treat. It cost between $2-2.50 for a large depending on whether you get it to stay or to go and is delicious! Strong enough, not watery, not too much ice - just the way I like it. Plus they don't charge you extra for soy milk if that's what you prefer.
Nancy defintely knows how to run a coffee shop. I feel fortunate to share a 'hood with such a fine establishment.
I love this coffeeshop. The staff remembered me during my second visit and went out of the way to make sure my friend and I had exactly what we wanted. The smoothies are great, along with their coffees. I haven't tried their sandwiches, but they look awesome. It's a nice place to sit and read, work on your computer, or people watch.
i have officially defected from black and brew, after an incident with bad milk, i wandered sneakingly across the street to B2. Love, love, love this place. dog friendly, staff is great, and i have even found myself craving the vegan peanutbutter cookies, which is big for me as i denounce all desserts vegan. i also love that they allow me to convince myself that i'm having a "smoothie" when we all know that when it has ice cream its a milkshake!
I am so happy that B2 opened up in my neighborhood. This place has great coffee and pastries like the original Benna's, but it also includes fresh juices and smoothies. The staff is really great too. Yay!
I agree. This is my new favorite spot!
B2's is the younger roomier sibling of Benna's Cafe and just as good if not better. Good coffee, fresh bagels, Tofutti "cream cheese", VEGAN SOFT-SERVE ICE-CREAM, and it's dog friendly.
B2 is great! The staff is always pleasant even when it gets really busy. Their espresso is pretty good, and I love that they have tofutti cream cheese. They stock a few yummy vegan baked goods, such as whoopie pies, brownies, and cookies. I wish they'd branch out and hook us vegans up with some cupcakes and banana bread (or other loaf-style/breakfasty goodies) too, though!
this place is adorable. the staff is really friendly and the decor is really inviting. i love that everything is hand written and that there's local art along the walls, but everything is done in a tasteful clean way. nothing is over done. all the food looked wonderful and they have vegan soft serve ice cream... wow.
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Italian Market
Category: Coffee & Tea
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Washington Square West
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Graduate Hospital
Category: Coffee & Tea
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Philly is home to a lot of traditional coffee…
