Archive for the 'Opening Soon' Category

What will the restaurant at 10 Rittenhouse be? Michael Klein reports Serafina or Todd English could be interested in the space. If  we had to pick just on the web sites, we’d have to go with Todd English. That Serafina site creeps us out. [The Insider]

Hawthornes is looking to open November 18th. There will be over 1,000 beers for mix-a-sixes and 16 beers available by growler. There will also be lunch and brunch. [Meal Ticket]

It’s official, Win Signature Restaurants, who run Azie on Main upstairs is renting out the rest of the Maia space for an American comfort food/bar concept. [The Insider]

Varga Bar has added a new speed lunch menu. You get a soup and a sandwich for $9 in 30 minutes flat. Among the optionss are a roasted pork loin sandwich, Kobe Chili-cheese dog and a grilled cheese. [Varga Fall Lunch]

“Next Food Network Star” contestant Katie Cavuto was rumored to be coming to South Street but she’s opening her Healthy Bites To-Go on the 2500 block of Christian. [The Insider]

MangoMoon has tweaked its menu towards more of a Bangkok street food approach. The Thai sausage is still available. [Meal Ticket]

Catelli Ristorante in Voorhees is celebrating its anniversary with a $15 entree menu all month. [See Specials]

Stephen Starr is seeking an executive chef for a new Latin cuisine restaurant. [Grub Street]

Con Murphy’s officially opens today at 17th and the Parkway. It has been in a soft opening mode for a couple of days now.

Coo’s is having their official grand opening this Saturday with a masquerade party. [Beer Lass]

Coup de Taco’s fusion style tacos will be serving up tacos from Penn’s campus starting on Monday. [Meal Ticket]

The Aspen is coming back as Lucky 7 . It should be more bar than restaurant in this incarnation. [Beer Lass and the Insider]

Marty Grims who just opened Chew Man Chu is looking to open Timber in Abington at the spot that formerly housed Inn Flight. [Restaurant Club]

Two new restaurants are coming to West Chester. Nonna’s: A Giunta Tradition is going to be serving up Italian food next Spring. Indian Thai Spice Bistro is offering 85 seats and two kitchens, one for Indian, the second for Thai. [West Chester Dish]

Coquette’s sheriff’s sale is halted. [The Insider]

The Wrap Shack went out and got themselves a liquor license and a new name. Now the Wrap Shack Kitchen & Bar, the Rittenhouse Square spot has converted its sandwich counter into a 10-seat bar with 3 flat screen TVs.

And now through the end of the year they’re offering a $10 special on three new wraps.

• The New York Strip Wrap and a pint of draft beer
• Tilapia Fish Taco Wrap and a pint of draft beer
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Crepe with warm marshmallow and vanilla ice cream and a frozen white chocolate milkshake with vodka, crème de coco, and Bailey’s Irish Cream.

They are also offering $1 pints during all World Series games.

Wrap Shack Kitchen & Bar [Official Site]

If you thought the burger craze of the summer was over you are sadly mistaken. The Bite looks into how it’s continuing this fall and doesn’t even get into the $7.17 Kobe beef burger at Union Trust or 500°, the burger shop by the Rouge owners that is planned for Sansom Street.

Want to enjoy some of Center City Philadelphia’s favorite burgers, then check out the Foobooz Burger Cruise this Tuesday. We’re hitting up Barclay Prime, Good Dog, Noble: American Cookery and Pub & Kitchen. Get your tickets here.

This fall, there are buns in every oven [Metro Philadelphia]
Rouge opening a burger shop [The Insider]

The Percy Street Barbecue team of Steve Cook, Erin O’Shea and Michael Solomonov headed to Texas to research barbecue and find the perfect brisket. Filmaker Chandler Kaufman went along and documented the trip. Check out the video on the Percy Street site.

Their favorite place? Smitty’s Barbecue. Lockhart, Texas.

Percy Street is still aiming for a November opening. Probably the third week.

Percy Street Barbecue [Official Site]

Philadelphia Magazine is reporting that Jose Garces will be taking over Letto Deli (yes, the location once reportedly going to Stephen Starr) and will be turning it into a beer and brats spot.

We love the idea of make your own brat combos with choice of sausage, bun, toppings, sauces and mustards. Not to mention there’s something very cool about that slanted-roof building. Just do us one favor Jose, make it affordable.

Breaking: Joes’s Newest Project [Restaurant Club]

Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar will be opening Friday. There will be 2 dueling baby grands, room for 125 and a menu put together by Brendan Smith of *Smiths. [Meal Ticket]

If Jose Garces decides to open a New York restaurant he says it will be an Amada. [Grub Street]

Meal Ticket has a slideshow and the menu for Grey Social,  French bistro spot that is promisingly swimming against the Old City current. [Meal Ticket]

Grey Lodge didn’t stop their refurb with new urinals, they also have gotten a glorious new sign. [The Grey Lodge]

Year after year Zagat polls diners to find out who is most generous. And year after year Philadelphia comes out on top. [KYW 1060]

Shinju Sushi at 930 Locust Street is moving to the former site of Aso Sushi at 719 Walnut Street. They’ll also get a cool new name, The Fat Salmon. [Meal Ticket]

MidAtlantic has started weekday lunch. [The Insider]

Sarcone’s Deli is adding a franchise in Delaware. [The Illadelph]

This week in Philadelphia Magazine’s Restaurant Club Newsletter.

• Breaking: Two New Pizza Joints for Starr
  Though Stella’s only been open for weeks, it’s already a huge hit. And Starr’s thinking we could use even more pizza. We’ve got the scoop on some of his latest pizza projects.
• First Look: November Reviews
  Joy Manning visits Avril, Fond and Sycamore
• Dish on Your Favorite Dish
  Is there a menu item that you order every single time? Email your favorite restaurant dishes.

Restaurant Club Newsletter [Philadelphia Magazine]

Michael Klein reports that Stephen Starr has rented the Midtown IV Restaurant building at 2013 Chestnut Street. But what will it be?

Starr says it won’t be another Pizzeria Stella and that he will keep the bar in the back and the private entrance onto Ranstead. Starr floats the idea that he might do Mexican that isn’t El Vez. Mexican is certainly under-represented around Rittenhouse Square.

Or could it be one of the other concepts previously floated, like the Greek diner once hoped for Broad and Ellsworth. Or the Love Burger concept once  proposed for the Letto Deli? Any guesses?

Stephen Starr’s next restaurant [The Insider]

A.D. Amorosi says Katie Cavuto’s Healthy Bites will be filling out the rest of the Chef’s Market/Capogiro space on South Street as the  next Food Network Star contestant gets her own store. [City Paper]

Chew Man Chu is getting set to open at the base of the Symphony House. Michael Klein has the rundown on “effervescent” chef  Tyson Wong Ophaso. [The Insider]

Masaharu Morimoto is planning a series of yakitori-based quick service restaurants in American airports. Skewers will be the name.

Whipped Bakeshop has opened on Belgrade Street in Fishtown. It’s part workshop and bake shop with coffee and cupcakes. [Meal Ticket]

Tavolo is the second restaurant for Warminster chef Augusto Jalon. This one will be in Huntindon Valley. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

There’s no stopping the Tiffin juggernaut. In addition to the announced Elkins Park )11/2 opening) and Wynnewood (2010)

Pico de Gallo’s Baja Room is open across from the original Pico de Gallo at 15th and South. [Meal Ticket]

Le Bec-Fin has a new pastry chef. Cedric Barberet who worked previously at Las Vegas’ M Resort and was Executive Pastry Chef at Donald Trump’s private club, Mar A Lago in Plam Beach.

Coquette is closed and is facing a sheriff’s sale. Cary Neff says he’s re-conceptualizing and will reopen. [The Insider]

Swan song accolades for ROOT liqueur in the final edition of Gourmet. Nicholas Jarrett of APO Bar+Lounge also gets a shout out. [PDF]