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Inside Little Gay Pub's Big Philly Expansion
Inside Little Gay Pub's Big Philly Expansion

Eater

time20 hours ago

  • Business
  • Eater

Inside Little Gay Pub's Big Philly Expansion

is a food and travel writer based in Washington, D.C. He covers bars and restaurants, dishes and drinks, and the people and politics behind our food. He currently serves as the food columnist for the Washington Blade . For its second location, D.C.'s popular cocktail bar Little Gay Pub looked outside its capital hometown – up I-95 to Philadelphia. This newer, bigger Little Gay Pub (commonly known by its initials, LGP), opened its doors in late May just in time for Pride month. Located in the heart of the Gayborhood, LGP brings its cheeky touch to a new two-story space that's twice as large as the original. Little Gay Pub welcomes guests with stunning stained glass. Co-owners and longtime friends Dito Sevilla, Benjamin Gander, and Dusty Martinez are all decorated D.C. hospitality veterans. Sevilla spearheaded a subterranean cocktail den below Italian restaurant Floriana, Gander managed several local LGBTQ+ bars (Nellie's, Number Nine) for more than decade, and Martinez has played a host of roles at bars, from go-go boys to general manager at Trade. Coming out of the pandemic in summer 2022, the trio teamed up to fill a void they say was missing in the D.C. bar scene: 'a space where we ourselves wanted to hang out,' says Sevilla. Little Gay Pub was born later that year in Local Circle. Its sophomore location in Philadelphia is no different (102 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia). 'While we believe there's more room to grow in D.C. eventually, we thought, how we could expand the brand, and Philadelphia is a city we love, has a great gay community, and made the most sense,' says Sevilla. They spent time thinking through how the bar would welcome in the local community. Various nods to the city, some more explicit than others, pepper the space. 'We have lots of brass eagles around the bar,' Sevilla notes. In D.C., the art and LGBTQ historical memorabilia make up an important element of LGP; nearly every square inch of wall space is a suggestive print, historical archive, political note, or pop culture signal. It's made enough of a splash to attract local celebs like Nancy Pelosi. One standout design detail in Philadelphia is Princess Diana sporting an NFL Eagles jacket. 'It's something to celebrate the city, its history, and its icons,' says Sevilla, of its reigning Superbowl LIX champions. Little Gay Pub is known for its quirky decor. Little Gay Pub Similarly, the cocktail menu is a reflection of Philly, building on the D.C. drink options. The espresso martini, now a gay bar mainstay, is a top seller, as is the summertime perennial Aperol spritz. Gander notes that 'a fun find for us is that Philly loves tequila, so we have a few more tequila options.' See: the 'Big Gay Margarita,' a giant pint glass of a margarita popular on the first floor of the bar. New for LGP in this second spot is the beer-and-shot combo, also called a boilermaker; as well as the Tailspin, a take on the Paper Plane and nod to Philadelphia's aquatic plane shipyard. Even the glassware is Philly-specific (it's also on sale). For eats, the D.C. LGP has become known for its baskets of tater tots as well as 'dino bites,' or nostalgic chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs and served on cheese boards. These menu items are also around in Philly, though Sevilla promises that local options are in the works, including potentially a cheesesteak roll. Little Gay Pub is also infamous – Insta-infamous – for its bathrooms. The two stalls have become so popular for their selfies, they inspired a viral Instagram handle (@royal_flush_lgP) dedicated to reposting mirrored selfies in front of quirky and suggestive brass finishes. Martinez says that 'In Philly, we're lucky because we have more bathroom space.' One bathroom is modern, 'hypergreen' with a chandelier, and swan faucet; 'the selfies are going crazy,' he says. The second-floor restroom offers a 'Hollywood regency vibe, reflecting the English garden atmosphere of the bar space. It's a pink version of the green bathroom. We are impressed that the selfies are a thing.' The Philly interior starts with checkered floors and pink walls. Little Gay Pub As in D.C., the goal of LGP is not to compete but complement. As fans of the Philly Gayborhood for years, they are excited to be able to contribute to a beloved neighborhood – especially as some other local bars have recently closed. According to the owners, Little Gay Pub – whether in D.C. or Philly – is imbued with intentionality. Martinez says that LGP is 'inclusive, a welcoming space for everyone in the LGBTQ community. It's multigenerational, it's a place to both start or end the night, and a neighborhood vibe.' The design process took well over a year to get the inviting atmosphere right. The first-floor area is 'broody, almost masc,' says Martinez. Upstairs, however, speaks more to the name of the bar, with 'echoes of an English Garden.' Two months after opening, Martinez says that it's 'humbling to hear how happy our customers are. We see different facets of the community. LGP is not clubby, dancey, or loud, but just an inclusive space.' Eater DC All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

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