Phax Entertainment Group, LLC. announces today that the company has taken over ownership of Booker’s Restaurant & Bar in West Philadelphia. Originally owned by Saba Tedla, who opened Booker’s Restaurant & Bar in 2017, Tracey Syphax, along with his wife, Cheri, are now the new owners of the beloved neighborhood bistro. Phax Entertainment Group, LLC. will host a reception to meet the new owners and celebrate Black excellence as well as shine a light on this new season for the restaurant in the West Philly community on April 13, 2023.
The mission of Booker’s Restaurant & Bar is to provide an “excellent product with exemplary service.” This spirit of excellence is rooted in its name, which was inspired by Booker Wright, an unsung hero whose legacy continues to inspire many decades later. During the 1960’s, Booker Wright was an African American waiter in Greenwood, Mississippi who worked at a local “whites only” restaurant as well as owned his own “Blacks only” restaurant. Mr. Wright was a very successful entrepreneur and one who spoke openly about racism, which ultimately led to his tragic demise. It is this spirit of excellence, tenacity, authenticity, and perseverance that began with Mr. Wright and all that he accomplished in his lifetime that continues today at Booker’s Restaurant & Bar.
“As a 28-year serial entrepreneur and entrepreneurial instructor, I recognize great models and Saba Tedla has built a great model of excellent service, great food in a warm and inviting atmosphere that has made Bookers a staple go to restaurant in the heart of West Philly,” states Tracey Syphax, CEO of Phax Entertainment Group. “Our purchase of Bookers now opens endless possibilities for this well- known corridor. We are excited to become a member of this thriving up and coming neighborhood.”
According to a December 8, 2022 article by Joy Manning on Opentable.com, “Philadelphia’s food scene reflects its diverse diner population and the agricultural bounty that surrounds it. Nowhere do you see this better than at the many neighborhood restaurants where chefs showcase their personal culinary visions.” This spirit holds true for the new ownership of Booker’s Restaurant & Bar who will bring its original flavor as a complement to the current menu with such weekly specials that range from Lamb Chop Lollipops to Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops as well as the addition of Fried Chicken Wings with Waffles, along with Wings and Fries. All can be paired with the restaurant’s signature cocktails. At the April 13th community reception, guests will be able to experience a bevy of culinary treats, along with meeting the new owners and celebrating the history of the restaurant.
“Tracey and I are excited to take over a restaurant with such a great reputation and following. I have patronized Saba since Aksum and it is a surreal, full circle moment to own an establishment that made my transition to Philly feel like home,” states Cheri Syphax, COO of Phax Entertainment Group, LLC. “We will keep the menu items our regulars have come to know and love, while listening to their needs and desires for something new. We will also create dishes and cocktails that will tickle and delight their palate and look forward to serving them with the same quality and excellence they have come to expect.”
