What goes best with pumpkin pie? Pumpkin brandy, obviously. Jonn Klein, owner of Bella Vista bar, The Dive, has whipped up another batch of his famous pumpkin brandy, which I wrote about last year:

It’s made with real pumpkin—not the canned stuff—plus a healthy dose of rum, vodka and brandy spiced with nutmeg and clove. Served warm, this mellow beverage is evocative of an exceptional pumpkin pie.

He’s only made 10 gallons, so it’s available for as long as it lasts. $5 a glass.

The Dive [Official Site]

Tonight Jonn Klein of the Dive goes for neighborhood approval for his new spot, Watkins Drinkery at the old Bella Rosa II on 10th Street, just south of Morris.

So if you’re a neighbor, show your support at St. Agnes (Broad and McKean), tonight at 7pm.

It’s been an exciting month for those of us who reside in South Philly. First there was news that Starr has finally decided to grace us with his presence by buying the Broad Street Diner and then there is this fresh scoop:

Jonn Klein, owner of The Dive, is in the process of buying the Bella Rosa II on 10th & Watkins Streets, just south of Morris, and turning it into Watkins Drinkery, which will be a neighborhood bar with food. The orange sign is up in the window and the license transfer process is in the works. There’s no opening date, but the license transfer takes 60-90 days, then once the license is transferred Klein plans on closing down for about a month for renovations and upgrades. If you’re unfamiliar with the Bella Rosa II, it’s a small bar on 10th Street about two blocks south of 1601, but to really get the full story on the Bella Rosa II, you’ll want to click here.

Interestingly, the bar that previously occupied the space that 1601 now occupies was also a nuisance bar. Back in 2004, there was quite a controversy over 1601’s opening (click here for the South Philly Review’s take on it and the neighbors response), but it opened anyway and it doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone. In fact, as someone who believes in the transformative power of a well-run hospitality business, I’d say it has made the neighborhood more appealing. See Sidecar for a similar tale of nuisance bar regeneration.

Tonight is games night at The Dive where you can play childhood classics like Hungry, Hungry Hippo, Operation, Boggle and starting at 10:30, TWISTER.

Kirstin Henri’s Eat Beat has us intrigued about homemade pumpkin brandy being served at the Dive.

Although the recipe is a closely guarded secret, loquacious owner Jonn Klein swears it’s made with real pumpkin—not the canned stuff—plus a healthy dose of rum, vodka and brandy spiced with nutmeg and clove. Served warm, this mellow beverage is evocative of an exceptional pumpkin pie.

FOOD : EAT BEAT [Philadelphia Weekly]

PW’s Brian McManus highlights the story of Jonn Klein, owner of the Dive and his run in with a curmudgeon and Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections.

Diving For Answers [Philadelphia Weekly]

The Illadelph has a first look and name for The Georges Perrier, Chris Scarduzio restaurant set for the Comcast Center. The name is Table 31, which may seem a quizzical name till you realize that’s considered the best table at Brasserie Perrier. Table 31 will be a monster of a restaurant. More than 15,000 square feet over 3 floors. [The Illadelph]

A.D. Amorosi’s Icepack reports that the Dive is rumored to be closed or closing. This is in contrast to a recent Dive My Space bulletin says that not only are they open but they’ve got their smoking waiver. [Icepack, City Paper]

Rumor has it Copa Too won’t sit empty too long as Fergie’s ex-manager Jo Gunn is looking to open Jose Pistolas, a “beer bar with Mexican flavor.” [Icepack, City Paper]

A couple of new Italian restaurants have landed. Franco’s Trattoria has taken the spot once held by Verge off of Kelly Drive in East Falls. And 23rd and Walnut has a new Italian BYO Salento where Fellini’s Cafe. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Joe Sixpack tackles the question of what is a dive.

The question: What is a dive bar?

You’ve got Noah Webster, who defines it as “a shabby and disreputable establishment.”

There’s Wikipedia, which refers to a “dated or rundown appearance and atmosphere.”

And Word-Detective.Com says the name goes back to the 19th century, when many disreputable joints were located below street level. An adventurous evening out literally meant “diving into a subterranean world of bad booze and even worse company.”

OK, it’s sounding pretty negative.

But when you talk to beer drinkers, you find they have a warm feeling for a favorite dive. Several online search sites, for example, run “best dive bar” polls, and readers describe them in the kind of glowing terms that a tavern owner usually clips out and pastes onto the wall.

Want a comfy bar? Just dive right in [Joe Sixpack, Daily News]