Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Franklin Fountain, Federal Donuts joining Delaware waterfront lineup this summer

Spruce Street Harbor Park and RiverRink Summerfest will also have candy from Shane Confectionery and food from the Garces Group.

Three of the city's hottest sweet shops will join the action this season at Spruce Street Harbor Park and RiverRink Summerfest, the new roller-skating venue, both on the Delaware waterfront along Penn's Landing.

Season opening is May 22.

The Delaware River Waterfront Corp. added Old City's Franklin Fountain (ice cream) and its candy shop, Shane Confectionery, as well as hometown carb-generator Federal Donuts, which will serve a fried chicken sandwich in addition to iced coffee and tiny little doughnuts.

The Garces Group will be back, this time with four locations between the two floating venues, including a summertime revival of the Iron Chef's Chifa restaurant. Retrofitted cargo containers and modified food trucks will be used for service.

The old-time Franklin Fountain, based on Market Street near Front, will be set up at Spruce Street Harbor Park in a shipping container dubbed the S.S. Franklin Fountain, whose look is inspired by '30s and '40s naval ships. Besides ice creams and cones, Franklin's signature items will be a waffle ice cream sandwich and a sundae called the Mighty Warship inspired by the USS Olympia (waffle boat, two scoops of ice cream, two toppings, and whipped cream with a cherry on top).

Shane, the oldest continuously run confectionery in America, will have a vintage-carnival themed location in the Lodge at RiverRink Summerfest serving popcorn and cotton candy plus chocolates, salt-water taffy and fudge. Shane also will have a period-theme photo booth with dress-up clothes and Boardwalk-style props.

Federal Donuts will have a spot billed as Port FedNuts in a modified shipping container on the boardwalk at Spruce Street Harbor Park. Besides cold brewed ice coffee and bags of six mini cinnamon sugar doughnuts, FedNuts will serve a fried chicken sandwich with American cheese, buttermilk ranch seasoning, Red Hot mayo, and dill pickles.

Garces' return to the waterfront will be bigger. The barges and shipping containers known as the Blue Anchor will host a seasonal comeback of Chifa, the Chinese-Peruvian concept that the Garces Group ran for a spell at 707 Chestnut St., where Rosa Blanca is. Among the Chifa menu will be pork belly bao buns, chicken wings with spicy garlic-ginger sauce, and glazed pork ribs. Expect 15 beer taps at Spruce Street Harbor Park, plus wines and cocktails.

On Spruce Street Harbor Park's boardwalk, Garces will sell franks including a Chicago-style hot dog; bacon knockwurst with truffle-apple salad; and such specials as sausage, sauerkraut, and lager fondue-topped fries. On weekends, the Distrito Taco Truck will serve tacos.

The Village Burger will be back at the Lodge, with rotating burger specials alongside fries and a veggie burger.

Also, food concessionaire Daniel Rivera again will serve soft ice cream, hot dogs, funnel cake and such at the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing.