PHILADELPHIA — Philly empties out on summer weekends, when the Shore crowd beats a path down the Expressway. Streets are quiet, parking spots abound, and the city’s businesses brace themselves for the slow season.
That made the line outside Small Oven Pastry Shop’s walk-up window on a recent Sunday afternoon — in 100-degree heat — all the more surprising. They had come for the soft serve.
“Between cold brew and ice cream, this weekend was crazy,” said Small Oven owner Chad Durkin. He’s been whipping up seasonally flavored soft serve in-house every weekend since Memorial Day, which kicked off with strawberry-rhubarb and malted vanilla bean. Durkin launched the warm-weather project last summer and has been refining recipes since.
