Closings

Closings is Foobooz’s  list of restaurants, bars and clubs that have come and gone from Philadelphia’s dining scene. We remember you fondly.
Last updated 8/15/09

Closing Soon

• Gayle – Daniel Snyder is closing his Queen Village bistro as he makes way for two new restaurants opening this fall.
• Loie – The rittenhouse spot is making way for Zama.

August 2009

• Bertolini’s – The Morton’s owned Italian restaurant at the KoP mall has closed.
• Blush – Nick Farina and much have Blush’s staff have moved on to Verdad.
• Goodburger – The New York import never really caught on here. It’ll be most remembered for its relentless dance music.
• Marigold Kitchen – Marigold has been sold. There’ll be a big dinner with past chefs on August 1st.
• Remedy Tea Bar – Landlord difficulties are to blame for this Sansom Street spot’s demise.
• Tangerine – Stephen Starr’s Market Street spot is closed pending a new concept.

July 2009

• Ansill Food+Wine – Foodies took it hard when David Ansill’s self-named restaurant closed.
• Carmine’s – The creole spot ended its run in Bryn Mawr and is now Verdad.
• Oceanaire – The opulent ocean liner themed seafood restaurant has been sunk by the economy.
• Pearl & Akoya – First it was Akoya closing but shortly thereafter it was curtains for Pearl.
• Shouk – The Middle Eastern lounge at 6th and Bainbridge has been slapped with a Cease Operations placard.
• Taquet – The Wayne Hotel’s upscale restaurant will not return from renovations.
• Vincent’s – West Chester jazz and blues club is shuttered.

June 2009

• Bar Amalfi – Al Paris short lived wine bar is being reconcepted.
• Copper Bistro – The Northern Liberties BYOB has called it quits.
• MarBar – The Marathon bar has been rebranded Panda Bar.
• Merl’s – Despite a nice review in City Paper Merl’s has closed.
• Pat Bombino’s – The South Philly Italian has closed its kitchen and is open only as a bar.
• Strongbox – The luxe lounge didn’t last long.
• Susanna Foo – has closed its space on Walnut Street. The Radnor dumpling house remains.

May 2009

• Bish Bish Cafe – The shortlived Middle Eastern spot only lasted a couple of months.
• Lynda’s Mediterranean – The Passyunk Avenue spot opened but for just a split second. Now it’s closed again.
• Siam Lotus – Craig LaBan’s favorite Thai restaurant has shuttered on Spring Garden.
• Swallow – The writing had been on the wall for awhile. The NoLibs mac and cheese restaurant is gone.

April 2009

• Frederick’s – Long time Queen Village spot that no one we ever met had been to, finally closed.
• Get Happy – Dave Magrogan and Get Happy weren’t happy about the liquor license situation. Now Get Happy is closed.
• Javier – Haddonfield spot couldn’t overcome internal problems or the economy.
• Les Bons Temps – The good times never got rolling for this New Orleans restaurant.
• Maia – The super concept in Villanova didn’t quite make it a full year.
• Melting Pot – Chestnut Hill’s fondue fixture flamed out.
• Passage to India – The Walnut and Juniper Indian restaurant makes way for an IHOP.
• Philadelphia Fish & Company – The concept has gone as ownership has reshaped the longtime Chestnut Street spot into Q BBQ & Tequila Bar.
• Savona – the Gulph Mills’ restaurant closed for reservations in April.
• Shank’s & Evelyn’s has closed their South Philadelphia landmark. But hopefully we’ll see them soon in Center City.
• Tiedhouse – The Fairmount area gastropub will probably be most remembered for owner Chris Leonard’s guns blazing goodbye.

March 2009

• North by Northwest – Shut down by L&I they reopened in June.
• Old Original Bookbinders – Bookbinders closed suddenly, sighting mechanical problems. Bankruptcy must be a mechanical problem.
• Paxia – The windows are papered over and the lights are out over the South Philadelphia Mexican.

February 2009

• Cresheim Cottage Cafe – The Mt. Airy spot was done in by Germantown Avenue construction and the economy.
• Mantra – Al Paris dropped his pan-Asian pub and rechristened the spot Bar Amalfi.
• Genji - The long time Center City spot gave way to Kin Gyo.
• Aoi on Walnut Street closed to become Aki.
• Boathouse Row Bar – The bar inside the Rittenhouse Hotel has closed down.
• Chef’s Market - Long running gourmet on Market has closed its storefront. The catering business remains.
• Cosi, 2nd and Lombard – The Society Hill location of the local chain shut its doors.
• Majolica - The Phoenixville BYO had shut its doors but now it is coming back with the same name but more affordable menu.
• Charlie Brown’s – The Swedesford Rd restaurant has closed.

January 2009

• Kildare’s – Kildare’s South Street leaves its corporate overlord to become Get Happy.
• Miami Cafe – Plantain flat breads with chorizo sounded so much better than what was delivered.
• Monkey Bar – The luxe lounge on Walnut is closing to be reconceptualized as Strongbox.
• Ong’s – Chinatown’s Ong’s has gone the way of the dodo.

December 2008

• Brasserie Perrier – In the shocker of the year, George Perrier’s Le Bec-Fin sibling closed after 11 years as a Walnut Street fixture.
• Glam - Wham, bam goodbye Glam. Glam’s being replaced by the less sexy Ugly Mug.
• Rae – Daniel Stern’s big restaurant at 30th Street Station is moving to Libert Place II but it’s closed until at least Labor Day.
• Root – The local food restaurant lasted just 4 months at 1033 Spring Garden Street.

November 2008

• Sushi On the Square – The casual sushi joint at 20th and Locust has shut down and is becoming a FroYo emporium.

October 2008

• Aspen – The Fairmount neighborhood bar and restaurant was shut down abruptly in October and still hasn’t opened.
• Rick’s Steaks – The embattled cheesesteak spot bowed out of the Reading Terminal Market at the end of October.
• Sovalo – The well liked Italian restaurant on 2nd Street in Northern Liberties saw business slip and closed up shop.

September 2008

• Django – Ross Essner shutters the former 4-bell restaurant just off of South Street.
• Ecco Qui – The University City pizza and wine spot has been closed and reborn as Mikey’s American Grill and Sports Bar.

August 2008

• Barristers – The Rittenhouse sports bar has been taken over by  Cavanaugh’s forces. The interior remains largely the same.

July 2008

• Pita Pocket – The closing of the 16th and Chancellor spot has cost us some of our favorite chicken shawarma but on the good side, Mi Lah Vegetarian has come in to excellent reviews.
• Melograno – Forced out of their 22nd and Spruce location, Melograno did resurface to a quaint spot at 20th and Sansom.

June 2008

• Azure – The blow of losing a neighborhood staple like Azure had to be softened somewhat by the arrival of Dos Segundos.
• Chaucer’s Tabard Inn – The neighborhood corner bar at 20th and Lombard closed after a long run. Pub & Kitchen took over in the fall and looks set for its own long run.
• Kujaku – If you blinked you may have missed this pan-Asian spot that was on the Parkway.
• Sansom Street Oyster House – The Sansom Street institution closed as owner Carry Neff filed for bankruptcy protection. But there may be a future as the former owner’s son is interested in reopening the spot.
• Sonam – The South Street restaurant made a go of it in one might be another restaurant blackhole.
• Striped Bass – Stephen Starr closed Striped Bass at the end of June to make way for his steak and chops spot, Butcher & Singer.
• Twenty21 – The big restaurant at the base of Commerce Square called it quits in late June.

May 2008

• Clementine’s Bistro – The Passyunk eatery got good reviews but only lasted a year.
• Kaizan – We wonder why restaurants keep trying to make the Academy House work. Kaizan only lasted 6 months.
• Overtures – The long time South Street respite from South Street sailed into the past tense in May.

April 2008

• 707 – After one year and “concept debacles” 707 closed. Less than a year later Chifa will take the space.
• Cafe Gelato – The 6th and Chestnut gelato spot never seemed to catch on like Capogiro.
• Deuce – The Liberties Walk bar and restaurant went through a ton of chefs in its short existance. Now it is El Camino Real.
• Hamlet Bistro – The quaint Mt. Airy restaurant closed up at the end of April.
• Wawa – The end of April saw the closing of the 2nd Center City Wawa as the 20th and Chestnut Street location closed.

March 2008

• La Creole Cafe – The always mysterious La Creole shuttered in May. We’re still waiting for the Creole replacement.

February 2008

• Grape Street Pub – Manyunk’s live music venue closed to make way for a Mad River.
• Ludwig’s Biergarten – Center City’s lone German restaurant and bar stopped pouring for good in Feb. ‘08.
• Wawa – The Wawa at the Dorchester closed on Leap Day amid a candlelit vigil.

January 2008

• Lakeside Chinese Deli – Dim Sum enthusiasts were sad to hear the Chinatown spot’s owners had decided to call it a career.