Pitches wanted (Philadelphia's food scene) | ~25-50 cents per word

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: EATER PHILLY

Eater Philly is a local news site based in Philadelphia that reports on restaurants and bars, chefs, dining and dining trends, food pop-ups and food trucks, and the business of restaurants throughout the city. It is part of the Eater network and under the Vox Media umbrella.

Eater Philly accepts pitches related to Philly’s food scene from freelance contributors on the following:

• Dining and drinking maps, guides, and food crawls related to neighborhoods, cities, and cuisines in the Philly area. During the pandemic, these stories will be focused primarily on takeout and delivery options.
• Reported features on local restaurants, bars, chefs, food trends, etc. Eater Philly is giving particular preference to pitches that focus on changes in the world of eating and drinking during the pandemic. We’re also open to agriculture, urban farming, and grocery pitches.
• Photography and illustrated stories featuring local restaurants or dining with a strong reported angle
• Opinion pieces with a strong news hook and voice for our Eater Voices column
• Timely news not already on Eater Philly’s radar

The site does not accept pitches about recipes, home cooking, or food holidays (as in, National Hot Dog Day) or conduct restaurant reviews. While Eater Philly does occasionally accept opinion pieces and personal narratives, those pitches must come with a strong writing voice, clear conclusions based in fact or with solid evidence, and a reason to exist on Eater Philly specifically.

All pitches should include a subject matter with a clear angle, an overview of how the story will be structured and what the story hopes to conclude, and an obvious connection to the dining scene in Philadelphia. The site typically follows AP style.

When submitting a pitch as a writer new to Eater Philly, please provide a short summary of who you are and why you want to write this story, as well as links to any previous relevant work.

HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF WHAT EATER PHILLY COVERS:

News

• A Philly TV Host Started a List to Highlight Overlooked Black-Owned Restaurants. It’s Now a Map With 200 Locations.
• Inside Fiorella, Marc Vetri’s Pasta Destination Set in a South Philly Butcher Shop
• This Sushi Restaurant Takes Contactless Pickup to the Next Level by Using a Robot
• South Philly Barbacoa Chef Blesses the City With a New Mexican Restaurant
• After Building a Fan Base, the Philly Couple Behind UnSoul Food Is Opening a Vegan Restaurant

Dining Guides and Maps

• Where to Find the Best Water Ice in Philly
• This Small Pocket of South Philly Offers a Cambodian Feast
• A Cheesesteak Is Never Too Far Away Thanks to These Spots That Are Open and Delivering
• Where to Eat in Collingswood
• A Guide to Philly’s Essential Beer Gardens

Reported Features

• The Upscale Restaurant That Pioneered Philadelphia’s Mexican Food Scene
• Step Aside, White Claw: In PA We Drink Four Loko Slushies
• A Juneteenth Celebration Led by Philly Chefs Plans to Give Out Hundreds of Meals to the Community
• How Three Very Different Philly Restaurant Groups Pivoted to Takeout
• Behind the Scenes at Mike’s BBQ, Where the Ribs and Brisket Cheesesteaks Sell Out Every Day

Send pitches to Eater Philly editor Dayna Evans at dayna.evans@eater.com or to philly@eater.com. Please put the word “Pitch” in the email subject line with a brief description of the story.

Tips are also welcomed, if you have an idea for a story but don’t want to write it. For sensitive information, there are several ways to reach out, detailed here.

Eater Philly tries to respond to every pitch. If it’s been three weeks and you haven’t heard, feel free to resubmit. If it’s a truly timely pitch, please indicate that.

OUR BEGINNING BASE RATES:

• Updates to existing maps start at $75
• New maps start at $125
• Short 400-600-word news stories start at $200 and up
• Anything longer goes up from there depending on length and scope

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Questions / submissions: dayna.evans@eater.com

Website: https://philly.eater.com