Tasting menu and portrait of Amanda Shulman by Neal Santos for The New York Times

Have you heard of Her Place Supper Club in Philadelphia? Chef Amanda Shulman is helping to establish a new type of restaurant business model that feels both exclusive and cozy. She’s also able to utilize an effective Instagram & website mobile marketing strategy that streamlines her online food content and customer communication. According to her website,

“Her Place is kind of like a restaurant but kind of like a dinner party. The menu changes biweekly, sometimes daily, sometimes a la minute. Imagine showing up to your mom’s friend’s house for dinner and just eating whatever she makes — it’s a little like that. The food leans French and Italian with some Jewish touches swirled in. We have two seatings of 24 guests, at 6pm and 8:30. We have wine and cocktails!! xx, Amanda”

The “herplacesupperclub” Instagram page bio includes the address, briefly explains the reservation process, and also jokes that they’re “open sometimes.” The business hours seem to change a little depending on the week. If you’re interested in dining there, it’s very important to check the latest update via the Instagram page or her website. https://www.herplacephilly.com The current menu (October 10th-21st) is available online (her sweet potato gougeres and apple pie doughnuts sound incredible) as well as a link to make reservations on Tock.

They designate Monday evenings for walk-ins only. It’s a less expensive menu ($50) from 5:00pm-9:00pm that is posted on Instagram that morning. They accept reservations for the other nights of the week (they sell out very quickly). It is also important to note that Her Place does not accommodate dietary restrictions. It’s a tasting menu, so once you are seated, the family style courses will come out without the need to order specific dishes. They have recommended wine pairings and a cocktail list for you to choose from. I haven’t been yet, but I can’t wait to have the chance.

Her Place, formally a tiny pizza joint, seats only 24 guests at a time. It’s so small in fact, that Amanda was hesitant to call it a restaurant at first. She offers a $75 prix fixe menu Tuesday-Friday that highlights local seasonal produce (summer melon tomato salad and spring asparagus with ramp ranch and popcorn shrimp), French influence (mascarpone & tiger fig paris brest, sweet corn gougères, and strawberry profiteroles), and some incredibly nostalgic American beauties (an apple pie tart with a mountain of shaved clothbound cabot cheddar, lemon meringue cake, and New Jersey blueberry pie with sour cream). I love seeing her plates on my Instagram feed; they never fail to inspire me and make my mouth water!

What I love most about her business model is that her enthusiasm and authenticity absolutely radiate through the menu and dining experience. Amanda creates unique but simple dishes that excite her and she genuinely makes her guests feel like they’re being hosted by a friend. Or seven close friends, rather. Her Place Supper Club is made up of seven employees who work together to create a cutting edge menu and business model for chefs. They’re only open for service a few nights per week. I imagine there are also additional work days for the chefs to plan and prepare components for the dishes, but they have a reasonable schedule. She wanted to establish a healthy work life balance in an industry where that is exceedingly rare! I’m an Amanda fangirl for sure.

Anderson, Brett. “The New Generation of Tasting Menus Won’t Test Your Patience (or Your Wallet).” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 Sept. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/06/dining/new-wave-tasting-menus-fine-dining.html.

Additional photos via https://www.instagram.com/herplacesupperclub/

“Her Place: Supper Club in Philadelphia, PA.” Her Place | Supper Club in Philadelphia, PA, https://www.herplacephilly.com/.