Portraits of Philly: Beverage Director D’Onna L. Stubblefield

Resy: How long have you been working in restaurants? Have you worked in restaurants in other cities?

D’Onna L. Stubblefield: I’ve been in restaurants since my early 20s, so I’d say around 15 years. Although I’ve mostly spent my time working in cities like Philly and Pittsburgh, I’ve had small stints overseas in France and Italy working in food and bev.

What makes the food scene in Philadelphia different? How does it stand out? 

I always explain Philly as a place where it doesn’t matter what level of food you’re serving, you just can’t suck. Philadelphians love this city and can be very critical about what it produces, and that criticism has led to an overabundance of really outstanding food. I’ve had takeout that’s blown me away as much as the top restaurant in this city, and I think it’s all because even if you wanted to be mediocre, there’s always a Philadelphian to tell you to step it up. Authenticity is so important in this city, and I believe it leads us to being one of the greatest food cities in America.

What are you excited about eating and drinking right now? Where are you going out when you have a night off? Whose work is inspiring you?

I personally love experiencing places that have their own unique perspective on food or beverage, those who are kind of staying in their own lanes and not really looking outside of themselves at trends or what the public would want. They are giving us a piece of themselves and inviting us into their world and don’t really need our input.

Places like Pietramala in Northern Liberties, or Stina and Café Nhan in South Philly, and Poison Heart are places I love to go on my off time. They can be pretty popular amongst locals, but for me they are quiet spots that I can enjoy as a regular person looking for a night out and not think about work.

Philadelphia is blowing up. There are more than 100 new restaurants set to open in the city this year. How do you think that will change the industry? What do you hope changes from that growth and what do you hope stays the same?

I really hope that authenticity doesn’t suffer under so much growth and demand. Philly is getting so much attention now, but I hope the city and the food scene doesn’t lose its scrappiness.

What do you think the city needs more of and less of as all this development happens?

I grew up having diners and small mom-and-pop spots as third spaces. You don’t find a lot of those day-into-night, blue-collar spots anymore, and I hope that comes with all this development.

How do people in the food community show up for one another these days? Where are you seeing the community coming together and how?

The people in the restaurant industry support food and beverage businesses way before guests buy into them. I’m constantly telling guests and friends from all over where to go when they visit, because I want this city and these businesses to thrive. If they don’t survive, there’s no way I can keep yelling at people that Philadelphia is the greatest city on earth.

I know you’re heading out of town for a while. Anything you’re excited about catching in Philly before you go?

I’ve got a Philly bucket list where I plan on eating as much as possible. Mostly it’s all these smaller Asian restaurants on Washington Avenue, all these little hole-in-the-wall spots where you can get a heartfelt meal in a quiet space with the best vibes.