Uwishunu.com

By Kelly White

Cafe Lift is one of the first restaurants to brave the Loft District. It’s also one of the spare few eateries in the area. The lofty, Euro-style bistro is inside a stone-walled converted warehouse. It’s an easy to miss spot, clouded by towering apartment complexes, factories and abandoned buildings. Yet the cafe has quickly won over errant diners lost on their way to Honey’s. Those who try the amuse bouche of chocolate chip bread pudding that tends to appear at most of the meals, well, they never forget lunch at the Lift.

While the coffee bar knocks out drink orders for the building’s inhabitants, the rest of the chic, industrial setting buzzes with tables and a manageable crowd. I have yet to experience a wait, or a dish that arrives a moment on the late side.

Lift take their eggs seriously. At any given brunch, there are six choices of frittata, along with a daily special. Smoked Salmon Frittata is bound with capers, balsamic onions, and ricotta. If that’s not Italian enough for you, perhaps you should consult the Cannoli French Toast. The custard-soaked challah beats dessert–chocolate chips, pistachios and homemade ricotta cannoli filling. Lunch revolves around crespelles (Italian-style crepes) and pressed paninos. And do remember to get lost on your way to Honey’s more often.

Cafe Lift is open from Tue-Fri, 7:30am-4pm and Sat-Sun, 10am-3pm

Cafe Lift
428 N 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
215-922-3031
www.cafelift.com