This sounds good to us, shredded lamb tacos with a Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale at St. Stephen’s Green. [St Stephen’s Green in Fairmount]

Plenty of photos and praise of Stephen Starr’s Parc. [Parc: Rittenhouse Square’s Latest Starr]

Jonathan Westein writes about the meals you can get at G-Ho’s La Va and their Oreo cake. [Love of La Va]

Ansill Food + Wine is a little bit of Europe in Queen Village. And on Tuesdays it’s BYOB. [Ansill Food & Wine in Queen Village]

From neighborhood watering holes to the realm of the beautiful people. Tis the season to dine outside and The Bite has a plethora of suggestions.

Why Dine Inside [Metro Philadelphia]

Tonight marks the official grand opening of Time so stop by for that.

Another idea would be to grab an outside table anywhere. If you’re in the Art Museum area both the Belgian Cafe and St. Stephens Green are great alfresco choices.

$3 pints of Flying Fish’s Love Fish are only one of the good things to be found at St. Stephens Green. Adam Erace suggests you do yourself a favor and stick to the bar side.

It’s all about the bar at St. Stephen’s Green [Philadelphia Weekly]
St. Stephens Green [Official Site]

St. Stephens Green’s chef, Ben McNamara certainly has a fan in Craig LaBan. LaBan gushes about McNamara who he calls, “one of the most consistent cooks I’ve covered over the last decade.”

Longtime McNamara-lytes will recognize all of the chef’s old favorites, reflecting a blend of his classic European style with some of his bar-food updates.

There are his delicate risotto crabcakes, with sweet lumps of crustacean molded into pillows of rice, set over basil butter sauce. Toothsome homemade gnocchi come in porcini cream. And then, there is the chicken cheesesteak, an open-faced baguette toasted with brie, then piled high with tenderly braised poultry, oyster mushrooms and shallots.

2 Bells – Very Good

St. Stephens Green [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Depending on who you believe Vango has an opening day set. Icepack reports it being Saturday, November 10th. However an ad on page 64 of City Paper lists the date as this Saturday. Vango soft-opens Saturday with an official opening set for November 10th. Michael Fee who has experience at Nobu is the chef. [Icepack, City Paper]

G, downstairs from Davio’s sounds pretty cool. And big. This 10,000 sqft lounge is set to debut November 29th, it’ll have Philadelphia first like “movable wall panels and ‘electronic wallpaper,’ projection technology that can change the mood of the lounge in a few clicks.” [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Le Virtù is just about set to open at 1927 E. Passyunk Ave. Shockingly this isn’t a BYOB. But it is Italian. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Just married couple Scott and Erin Wallace who own Manayunk’s Old Eagle Tavern are transforming the former Felicia’s at 11th and Ellsworth into the Devil’s Den, a beer bar with 28 taps by the end of the year. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Butcher’s Cafe which long lived in the shadow of Sabrina’s has closed. Todd Bergman has moved on to New Wave Cafe where chef Ben McNamara has headed North to St. Stephens Green. [Food and Drinq]

You have until noon today to get tickets to Taste of Philly for just $15.

It’s day four of our photo essay on restaurants that are opening soon. Today we take a look at some spots in West Philly and Fairmount.

First stop today is the Belgian Cafe. The latest from Fergie and Tom Peters will bring a Monk’s vibe to Fairmount.

More after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Center City Sips tonight. Go get some cheap drinks and apps. Then check out the new St. Stephens Green on Green Street in Fairmount. Yesterday was the grand opening, but from the sound of the feedback on PhillyBlog, it sounds like a place worth checking out.

Check out some of the newest restaurants and bars coming to Philadelphia and even Wayne, PA.

Silk City Diner reopens under the direction of Mark Bee tomorrow evening.
St. Stephens Green is looking to open in Fairmount next Tuesday.
Teresa’s Next Door is bringing a real beer bar to the Main Line.

Miami Cafe is set to open around June 11th in the spot that once housed Abilene on South Street. Cuban Sadwiches will be featured heavily as well as fried plantains served with shrimp, chicken or chorizo. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Almaz Cafe isn’t just about coffee. There are also affordable Ethiopian dishes at this 20th Street coffee shop. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Go North, at least that’s what the owners of L’Angolo are thinking as they plan to open a Salento, an Italian BYO where Fellini Cafe once resided. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Byblos owner Diaa Sawan is bringing Vango Lounge and Skybar to South 18th Street this August. It’ll be a 120-seat bi-level spot with Japanese fusion cuisine. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Silk City should be back in business next Thursday and the yet to be open Stephens Green already has a new name, St. Stephens Green. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Seats are still available for Rae’s wine dinner on June 19th. [Foobooz.com]