What began as a pandemic-era supper club designed to bring people together is now evolving into a brick-and-mortar restaurant and bar.
Santé Social, meaning “cheers” in French and spearheaded by Daniel Solway, is opening at 1546 Passyunk Ave. in Philadelphia’s East Passyunk neighborhood.
“Right in the heart of COVID, I moved to South Philly in the Italian Market area and had a pretty large apartment. My roommate was a chef at the time, so we started doing dinners. We did Venmo for payments, Google Forms for reservations and just cobbled a bunch of things together—thifted tableware, IKEA glasses, folding chairs from my dad’s basement,” Solway told What Now Philadelphia.
Over the course of two and a half years, they hosted more than 100 dinners and collaborated with other local chefs.
“It would be a tasting menu format—four to five courses. I’d do beverage pairing, maybe a welcome cocktail. We’d bring a little Amaro cart at the end and bring out porron, which is like a Spanish wine pitcher to pour cider into people’s mouths. We definitely liked the party element of the dinner party,” he said.
Solway said it started as something fun but ultimately “scratched an itch” for working in a restaurant.
“As time went on, people would book us for private events. We started becoming like a catering company. We did a few little weddings, we did a lot of events in New York and Philadelphia. My chef friend in Brooklyn, who served as an inspiration, and I ended up getting this cool gig to work at this small hotel in France for two summers,” he said.
Solway began searching for a permanent space, and after a little over a year, the East Passyunk location came to him through an opportunity.
“It had to do with timing. In the span of a week, I found out friends of my brother had purchased this building and there was space on the ground floor. And another friend’s restaurant was closing, and her liquor license was becoming available. These two things aligned quite nicely,” he said.
Santé Social will feature a “maximalist” aesthetic in its interior design.
“I love the Barnes museum because there’s so many different pieces all on one wall, and it’s both kind of chaotic and cohesive. That’s kind of the vibe I’m going for. We’ll be displaying some art from local artists, and we’ll have a bright, warm interior. We can make it sexy without it being too dark and moody,” Solway said.
The menu is still in development, but the concept is focused on small plates. It will also feature a curated cocktail program, along with a wine and beer list and nonalcoholic options.
Solway also plans to offer weekly programming, including wine and cocktail classes, along with collaborations with local businesses and a planned wine tasting trip.
He looks forward to the community aspect Santé Social will bring.
“It’s all about bringing people together. When you cheers, you can’t do it by yourself. It’s that moment of communal celebration. At the core, it’s creating a place where people can socialize and create community,” Solway said.
Santé Social is targeting a fall 2026 opening. Visit its website and follow along on Instagram for the latest updates.
