Philip Korshak, known for his acclaimed bagel shop Korshak Bagels, is returning with a new concept designed to bring people together over a shared meal: a picnic.
Korshak told What Now Philadelphia he was not actively searching for a space; the opportunity was presented to him.
“There was somebody in the neighborhood that I used to live in and work in who reached out to me, not really knowing me, only having met me once or twice, and said, ‘I have a space, and I think you could make good use of it.’ There’s simply no way of understanding it except for being incredibly grateful,” Korshak said.
Korshak Picnic Provisions is set to open this spring in Philadelphia’s Passyunk Square neighborhood, at the corner of 13th and Reed streets near Columbus Square Park.
“I had no interest in resurrecting the bagel shop in any kind of way, but was still very attuned and dedicated to what I think philosophically food is about, which is a connecting piece for all humanity, and that this very space could achieve it,” Korshak said.
He continued, “I didn’t really know what kind of place it would be until I walked to the park that’s right next door to it. I saw the number of people walking around, and the idea of a shop that was dedicated towards the idea of a picnic and the action of picnicking came very clear to me.”
Korshak Picnic Provisions will operate as a bodega-style shop, stocking shelves with chips, crisps and crackers alongside prepared potato salad, tomato salad, coleslaw, hummus, guacamole, pico and soft-serve ice cream. The menu will also feature a variety of hot dogs made with bread from nearby neighborhood bakery Mighty Bread.
Hot Dog Variety
“The variety of hotdogs will be broken down into four sets and then you can kind of mix and match around them,” he said.
The first offering will be a classic hot dog topped with mustard, onion, relish and sauerkraut.
The second option will be a Chicago-style hot dog.
“The Chicago dog is typified by the amount of accoutrement that goes with it. It needs to have a poppy seed bun. It also has tomatoes, pickles, pickle spears, sport peppers, carrots, and this intensely sweet green relish,” Korshak said.
The third option will be a Coney Island-style hot dog.
“A Coney Island dog is near and dear to my heart because Coney Island is magic. I’m making a vegan chili that goes along with it–lentil and jackfruit. If you take smoked long peppers and put it with it, it does this thing that is between sweet and spicy,” he said. “The dichotomy of wanting to put vegan chili onto a beef dog amuses me. I feel that human beings too often subject themselves to categorization.”
The final hot dog option will be the Pacific Northwest dog, a tribute to Korshak’s time spent in the region.
“I liked that part of the world. When I was there, the dog they put in front of me had cream cheese smear and Asian cabbage–not quite sauerkraut and not quite coleslaw, but a tangier, zingier punch to it. That is incredible in context to a ketchup that has been doctored with fish sauce,” he said.
As guests browse and decide what to enjoy, the atmosphere will be enhanced by music playing from a record player.
“I find that human beings, or at least myself, our tendency to be able to have tolerance for time, to not become twitchy and impatient, is harder and harder,” Korshak said. “The nice thing about a record is that you can be twitchy and impatient, but it’s going to just keep playing. It will be done when it’s done.”
Korshak is excited about his new concept and looks forward to the unknown possibilities ahead.
“The idea is that a picnic is ultimately a potluck supper. There’s something really beautiful that happens when human beings subconsciously get together and say, ‘Let’s eat together,’” he said.
Korshak Picnic Provisions plans to open in May. Follow along on Instagram for updates.
