El Fuerte De Loreto - Caia Farrell

El Fuerte de Loreto

El Fuerte de Loreto is a small restaurant located in a tiny pocket of South Philadelphia, a narrow three story building that takes up the end of the block. On the corner of South and Gerrit street, the side of the building is covered in murals, with potted plants strategically placed against the old brick. Three or four outdoor tables are placed on the tiny sidewalk next to the building, the plants separating each seating arrangement. The front of the building is just as quaint—with potted flowers and planted trees vibrantly standing out against the dull sidewalk. The entrance to the restaurant is tight, a small white door the result of a few stone steps. The inside of the building is larger than expected—roughly nine or ten tables with five tables seating four or more people, while the rest accommodate for two or three. 

The white tables stand out against the bright green walls, the stained glass on the left side of the interior shining distorted light that splashes across the hardwood floor. My eyes flicker towards the back of the restaurant, where a glass case displaying desserts and other goods sits, a cash register residing on top next to an empty tip jar. Even further back, the kitchen, constantly bustling with sound and the sizzling cooking meals, makes its presence known as servers bustle in and out of the swing door that connects the main room to the back. The ATM at the front of the restaurant catches my eye, providing for anyone lacking physical money, as the restaurant has a “cash only” policy, catching customers by surprise, given many restaurants take all forms of payment nowadays. 

The owner, a man in his mid forties with a black goatee and a clean cut head of hair, never fails to make any of his dining guests feel at home. The servers follow his lead, as they assist each and every customer from ones dining in to those taking out. This time, on a particularly chilly Sunday morning, the restaurant is warm and inviting, a savior of the biting of the outside cold. The owner emerges from the back kitchen, sporting a green Eagles shirt and a wide smile. 

“Hello, hello!” he says, patting new customers on the back and leading them to tables. He finally lets the waiters take over in bringing food out, taking meal requests, and rearranging tables to accommodate party size. Given that people in the neighborhood come from places all over the world, though specifically in South and Central America, a local Mexican-owned breakfast and lunch restaurant acts as a pocket of comfort. The food varies from Huevos Rancheros, and Chilaquiles, to burgers, steak and eggs, and best of all—smoothies. El Fuerte De Loreto has done an impeccable job creating a comfortable atmosphere and a vibrant community in an otherwise uneventful pocket of South Philly.