We received word Zot closed last weekend, we didn’t remember till Michael Klein posted about it last night. Next door neighbor Madam Saito of Le Champignon de Tokio says she will be take over. [The Insider]

Also buried on our iPhone, Benny the Bums at the Holiday Inn Stadium has closed. Evidently a scene in Always Sunny in Philadelphia wasn’t enough to save the sports bar.

Bart Blatstein has taken the reigns of Vino at the Piazza at Schmidt’s from Michael Maglio. [Phoodie via Grub Street]

Champps King of Prussia was hit by fire early Friday morning. [6ABC]

Former Khyber Pass owner David Coleman Headley has been charged with planning terrorist attacks overseas. [The Insider]

Alison at Blue Bell has closed as Alison Barshak and filed for bankruptcy protection at her still open  Alison 2 in Fort Washington. [The Insider]

the second location of Shank’s Original is set to open in December at Pier 40 on the Delaware River. [Meal Ticket]

Check out the Insider for what’s going on at the original Shank’s and Evelyn’s location in South Philadelphia. [The Insider]

Where else can you get your Stumptown Coffee fix? Savona in Gulph Mills has added the coffee geeks coffee to its menu. Savona is the first area restaurant to add the Brooklyn roasted coffee to its menu. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, a Florida based chain is heading to Lancaster Avenue in Wayne. [Main Line Dine]

Mom’s Kitchen joins Joseph Tucker’s mini-empire of two Joe Pesce restaurants and Thomas’ Ristorante. Mom’s is an Italian comfort food restaurant in Collingswood. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

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]

JL Sullivan’s in the basement of the Bellevue is reconceptualizing ast Tavern on Broad. The McFadden’s offshoot is aiming to reopen with this latest theme on September 17th.

A quick visit to their web site revealed Dexy’s Midnight Runners. So it can’t be all bad, right?

Tavern on Broad [Official Site]

Meal Ticket spots the new menu for Robert Halpern’s version of Marigold Kitchen. His “post-modern” menu includes intriguing ingredients like bacon toffee, spicy caramel froth, Guinness foam and avocado in the style of foie gras. Be sure to also check out the photo gallery. Opening is set for September 1st. [Meal Ticket]

Positano Coast is honoring the gift certificates of seafood-centric restaurants that have gone by the wayside. The Old City eatery will honor Oceanaire and Bookbinders gift certificates for full face value up to $100.

Le Cochon Noir is taking its West Philadelphia barbecue business indoors with a 7,000 square-foot space along Parkside Drive. October 15th is the current target date. [Meal Ticket]

Bill Murphy, former chef at Blue Angel, Continental and Teplitzky’s is opening Cicchetteria, an Italian small-plater looking to open at the location of Di Vino just off of Rittenhouse Square in October. [The Insider]

Soul of Jamaica is the Lansdowne offshoot of South Street’s Jamaican Jerk Hut. It opened August 15th and features a similar menu. [Meal Ticket]

Bump is coming under new management and will shortly be closing for renovations. The bumped-up Bump should return in early September. [Philly Gay Calendar]

Sprinkles, the froyo contender in West Philadelphia is aiming for a mid-September opening. [Meal Ticket]

The Wrap Shack on 18th off of Rittenhouse Square is adding a liquor license. Beer, wine, mixed drinks and fortified smoothies will be on the new menu. [The Insider]

DiBruno Brothers wine bar replacement for DiBruno Pronto has been delayed and not  just by a few weeks but until after the new year. [Grub Street]

Michael Klein gets all obituary-like and what-not with his note that Dresher’s Carambola has passed into the Great Restaurant Beyond. [The Insider]

We can’t say we were surprised when we received word that Gayle will be closing on Friday, September 4th. There have been plenty of rumors swirling and dropping the liquor license turned out to be the writing on the wall. What was a bit unusual though was that the news didn’t sneak out via a disappointed employee but rather was released by a big-time New York PR agency.

Daniel Stern has a lot of big plans for the Fall. He’s looking to open R2L and MidAtlantic. He even has a Daniel Stern Restaurants web site (complete with three letter acronym, DSR). We hope this is one step back and two steps forward for the talented chef.

Complete release after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Grub Street has the details on the pedigreed Fond that’s opening by the end of the month on East Passyunk. [Grub Street]

Jet Wine Bar is looking to open sometime this fall among the hair and nail salons on the 1500 block of South. [The Insider]

The new Tampopo on 44th Street has a few new dishes on its menu, like noodles with braised pork. [Meal Ticket]

Mike Stollenwerk’s Fish is looking to open September 9th. It will not be a clone of Little Fish. [Grub Street]

D.P. Dough looks forward to serving drunk Penn students. [Meal Ticket]

Phoodie hopes Milkcrate Cafe, the cafe and record store setting up on Girard Ave will be the solution to its Fishtown coffee problems. [Phoodie]

Good Food Market has been delayed but the web site is up. [Meal Ticket]

The lowdown and the menu for Fuel on East Passyunk [Meal Ticket]

Remedy Tea Bar is closing this Thursday. Problems with the landlord. [Grub Street]

Long rumored for a re-conceptualization, Stephen Starr’s Tangerine closed after dinner service on Saturday.

Tangerine calls it quits [Meal Ticket]

A pie diner? Why that’s exactly what we’ll be getting with Sweetie’s Pie Diner at 1822 Spring Garden come October. Sweet and savory pies plus salads and soups. [Meal Ticket]

The signs are up at the Famous 4th Street Deli’s 19th Street location. Two weeks out is the best guess. [The Insider]

The Sidecar Bar & Grille gets nods of approval for its upstairs expansion. There will be a bar and dining area but no outdoor deck. [Meal Ticket]

Private opening of the Penthouse Club on Castor Avenue is set for August 7th. [Icepack, City Paper]

We do kind of recall hearing the American Pub was coming but like Meal Ticket, we totally missed its opening last month under the Clothespin. [Meal Ticket]

Coo’s Sports Bar on North Broad is promising a late August opening with 32 flat-screen TVs and 20 beers on tap.

Goodburger on Chestnut Street has closed. No more dance music and burger. [The Insider]

The Stephen Cook version of Marigold Kitchen is closing tomorrow and they’re going out with a bang. Current Marigold chef and future head of Percy Street Barbecue, Erin O’Shea, former chef and Zahav master Michael Solomonov as well as Cook are collaborating on the menu.

Meal Ticket has a copy of the menu for the long-ago sold out dinner. Mmmmm,  ribeye cap and lobster with sour cherry and foie gras.

Want to see the Marigold Kitchen farewell dinner menu? [Meal Ticket]
Marigold Kitchen [Official Site]