Vango Lounge & Skybar

Vango Lounge & Sky Bar at 116 S. 18th Street - the boldest of Philadelphia’s restaurant lounges starring some of the best names in the food and DJ business. At somewhere around 8,000 square feet, Vango is as massive a space as it was an undertaking to get just the right custom made elements from around the world to fill the big rooms. “That’s why it took so long,” says Sawan. “Everything had to be unique. No. Everything is really and truly unique, personal even.” Perhaps that’s why Sawan decided to oversee the vision of Vango with help from several prominent designers. Along the walls of its second floor walkup, there’s over 200 carved out spaces into which is an illuminated vodka bottle. If that sounds strange, it’s meant to. Says Sawan: “We put up the bottles. The vodka companies gave us the product.” Smart!