It’s Thursday evening in London and I’m dressed in Eagles gear—it’s time for Passyunk Avenue!
Passyunk Avenue is an amazing Philly dive bar located in the Fitzrovia section of London. Obviously, if you’re not from Philly, this may have very little significance to you. If you are, however, this could be one of the coolest places you ever visit.
We discovered it’s magic on our very first night in London. The Eagles were playing the Carolina Panthers that day, and we needed a place to watch the game. But—who would be showing the game over here? Fortunately, with a little research, I discovered the existence of Passyunk Avenue, and I have to say, what a find! Being in London, surrounded by Eagles fans, all from the Philadelphia area; well—to watch an Eagles game in this environment, in a foreign land, on the other side of the Atlantic ocean—I just don’t have the ability to put it into words.
Hearing the sound of Eagles chants down the road, emitting from a different bar altogether, somehow made you feel at home—in London. It was amazing!
I have no intention of telling the same story. And though this was our second visit to Passyunk Avenue, tonight’s experience was significantly different. When we were here on Sunday, there was a serious gathering of fans at the restaurant; however, the overall presence of Eagles fans in the city was still quite low at that point. Things were different now—we were only a few days away from the Eagles/Jaguars game that would take place at Wembley Stadium, and the Eagles frenzy was in full force.
A Necessary Reservation
Whilst we dined at Passyunk Avenue on Sunday, we found ourselves chatting with Rob, the restaurant manager. Knowing the crowds would increase with each passing day, he told me to shoot him an email if we wanted to return throughout the week. Thankfully I did, or we would never have gotten in. We were set for Thursday at 7pm!
Making Our Way to Passyunk Avenue
Oh what a difference a few days would make. When we were here on Sunday, the streets were pretty quiet. Tonight—much different! As we made our way to the restaurant—still a block away—we walked amongst the crowds, many donning Eagles gear. At one point, I heard one member of a group say, “I think it’s this way.” I knew immediately they were referring to Passyunk Avenue. After confirming my suspicion, I told them to follow us—for we knew the way.
I was concerned, however, that they would be unable to get in. You see, they were turning people away on Sunday, and tonight was even busier—much busier!
By this point in the week, Passyunk Avenue had been broadcasted all over the news back home. It was now a “known place” to visit if you made the trip for the Eagles game. Outside the restaurant, slews of people stood waiting to get in. It was packed; thankfully we had a reservation!
Passyunk Avenue
I wouldn’t believe I could feel this way, but I did. I was in London, thousands of miles away, yet when I sat down, I though to myself, it’s good to be home! That’s how it felt! Whenever I’m in Philly, grabbing a cheesesteak is always a nice treat. This was the same treat. It was the same feeling. It felt like home!
We were seated at the handicap table … I’m not sure if this was ok or not, but I rolled with it. Sunday was obviously unique, given the opportunity to watch a live Eagles game amongst Eagles fans in London. There may not have been a game on tonight, but the energy level somehow seemed elevated. The restaurant was showing the replay the Eagles Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots; and this, as you might imagine, will bring out the best energy in any Eagles fan. There were reporters on location—not British, rather from back home in Philly. Eagles nation was in full force. It was good to be there!
Swoop and Cheerleaders
There was a light from the news cameras that lit up the restaurant. I knew the mystique of this Philly dive bar in London was attracting the media, but I wasn’t sure if they were simply here to cover the hype, or if there was a special treat in store.
It wouldn’t be long before a commotion at the front door grabbed our attention. Whatever was happening, it was happening outside. Peering through the crowd I began to make it out—cheerleaders. How cool! What started out as dinner amongst fellow Eagles fans was developing into a pep rally. And what pep rally isn’t complete without Swoop, the Eagles mascot? Not this one, ‘cause Swoop was in the house! This place was rocking! Could it get better? Yes, as it turns out, it could.
Some Players and a Trophy
What happened next was completely unexpected, and quite remarkable. Our wings showed up! Ok, that was pretty cool, but that’s not what I’m referring to. As our wings were placed on the table, the crowd began to erupt even louder. Something was happening. Sitting on the table in front of us, our wings looked delicious; however—we began to realize what was causing this elevated energy level, at which point, the wings were abandoned.
I knew what I was seeing, I just wasn’t sure if it was real. It looked like the Vince Lombardi Trophy. In case you don’t know what this is, it is the trophy that goes to the winner of the Super Bowl. In this case, the Eagles were the most recent winners.
It was in fact the Vince Lombardi Trophy. As they approached, I recognized former Eagles Wide Receiver Brent Celek as the one carrying the trophy. I was able to throw him a ‘high five’ as he passed by—a moment I was fortunate to capture on video. Jon Dorenbos (former Eagles long snapper and current magician) followed behind. That moment was certainly magical! Within minutes, I was receiving texts from back home, sending me video from the news feeds. We were spotted!
This place was alive! We could have chosen any day of the week to come here—by sheer luck, we got this one right. The experience was a bit surreal. It was awesome!
The Party
The elements of the evening created something special. Here we were: in London, at a Philly bar, filled with Philly fans, with the Eagles mascot, cheerleaders, a few players, and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. You might want to consider the delightful wings and their phenomenal cheesesteak a bonus to the whole situation.
Needless to say, the energy in the room was also very special. I sat in a room full of people; none of which I knew, yet we were all best friends. I was even impressed to find an Irishman—brogue and all—in London to support the Birds. We chatted while in line to use the bathroom, and, later on, shots of Jamison were showing up—compliments of my new friend. I guess that’s as Irish as it gets in London. As it turns out, if I recall correctly, his sister lives in the Philadelphia area, hence the Philly association. What can I say—good people!
Owner of Passyunk Avenue
Let me say, meeting the owner of Passyunk Avenue, JP Teti, was just as thrilling as meeting the players. After all, it was his place that created the excitement we found ourselves caught up in. He was indeed the man of the hour!
He seemed every bit as thrilled to be a part of the festivities as anyone in the room. He may have been the owner, but at heart, it was obvious he was a true Birds fan! He had even explained that he zips around the city on a motorized scooter, donning a helmet with Eagles wings down the sides.
I can not begin to express the sincere thanks to JP and his crew. Their unique establishment and amazing atmosphere gave rise to one of the coolest experiences ever. This night would be hard to top!