Philadelphia restaurant group leans into the word of the year — pivot — launching new concept Pivot Coffee and Soupery, complete with outdoor igloos for the winter opening

Husband-and-wife team Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico in mid-December announced the opening of their newest restaurant, Pivot Coffee and Soupery, in Philadelphia. As a full-service concept opening in the dead of winter amid a coronavirus pandemic, if there is any concept that embodies the idea of a pivot, it’s this one.

To add even more to the challenge, the opening was Dec. 17, a day that brought the year’s first Nor’easter  — and with it up to several feet of snow — to cities across the East Coast.

Pivot Coffee and Soupery is the sixth concept from the restaurant group that includes Hawthornes, Wine Dive, Tio Flores, Quick Sip and The Cambridge. The new concept is their first full-service coffee shop, which also offers soup, wine and baked goods, and features outdoor igloo dining as well as a giant takeout window.

"Pivot Coffee and Soupery is designed as the ultimate pivot for our family and all of our employees," said Fetfatzes in a statement. "We spent months looking ahead, seeing where the trends are going, watching the data and talking to our team about what we could do to keep everyone employed and things operating through next summer at the very least. Pivot involved the installation and construction on the front of the building and a major shift inside as well. The all-encompassing takeout window is inviting, and we hope will make everyone feel safe and comfortable."  

Pivot is located next-door to the group’s restaurant Hawthornes, which is currently closed for indoor dining, and will serve Pivot Coffee after 4 p.m. when Pivot closes.

"We designed this to have everything we personally would ever want at one coffee shop and cafe — it's the dream place we always wanted," said Fetfatzes

Click through to learn more about the new concept.

All photos by Eddy Marenco