TV Restaurants

What Happened to Geechee Girl Rice Cafe After Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 17 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Closed December 2014

Current status

Closed

As of October 2026, Geechee Girl Rice Cafe has closed — confirmed via whyy.org, January 6, 2015.

What the source shows: WHYY reported that owner Valerie Erwin closed the restaurant for good after a final dinner service on December 31, 2014. How we decide a status →

What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Geechee Girl Rice Cafe served Gullah-Geechee-inspired Southern cooking built around rice-based dishes, reflecting the Lowcountry culinary traditions of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. The restaurant, opened by chef Valerie Erwin, operated in Northwest Philadelphia at 6825 Germantown Avenue. According to WHYY, Erwin closed Geechee Girl for good after a final dinner service on December 31, 2014, ending a twelve-year run. WHYY reported Erwin saying, "For me, it's bittersweet," as she moved toward food-justice work rather than continuing as a restaurant chef. A Yelp listing for the address, last updated in September 2025, continues to mark the restaurant as closed. Census Bureau geocoding of 6825 Germantown Avenue places the property's ZIP code as 19119.

The episode Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 17

Episode 9
Aired
Title: From Pound Cake to Pot Pie · What was featured: Gullah-Geechee-inspired Southern rice cuisine
How Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 17 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season 17: 22 of 33 still open

All 13 Season 17 episodes →

Nearest open restaurants By distance from 6825 Germantown Ave

  • McNally's Tavern

    Philadelphia, PA 1.9 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate

    Open

  • Dalessandro's Steaks & Hoagies

    Philadelphia, PA 2.0 mi away

    Food Paradise

    Open

  • Hot Diggity

    Philadelphia, PA 4.6 mi away

    Food Paradise

    Open

  • Richie's Deli & Pizza

    Philadelphia, PA 5.4 mi away

    Food Paradise

    Open

  • Umai Umai

    Philadelphia, PA 6.3 mi away

    Food Paradise

    Open

  • Osteria

    Philadelphia, PA 6.4 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate

    Open
All 147 TV restaurants in Pennsylvania →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 2 references

  1. whyy.org https://whyy.org/articles/geechee-girl-closes-after-12-year-run-serving-southern-comfort-food-in-northwest-philly/
  2. Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/geechee-girl-rice-cafe-philadelphia
See something wrong?

We work hard to keep every status accurate and dated, but restaurants change fast and our sources aren't perfect. If something here is wrong — a status, a name, an address, anything — tell us what you're seeing and where you saw it, and we'll check it.

Tell us →

Share

Record ddd-0610 · checked by Cal Marchetti.