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Author: Michael Klein

  • Lovat Square debuts in Chestnut Hill as a wine shop, and there’s a restaurant on the way, too

    Lovat Square debuts in Chestnut Hill as a wine shop, and there’s a restaurant on the way, too

    Since moving to Glenside in 2016, Brooklyn transplants Damien Graef and Robyn Semien have frequented the Evergreen Cheese Shop in Chestnut Hill, located in a charming courtyard that fringes a parking lot off East Evergreen Avenue, steps from Germantown Avenue. As time went on, the couple took note of two empty buildings next door to the cheese shop, the former homes of Top of the Hill Market, which closed in 2019, and Mimi’s Cafe, which closed in 2022.

    As entrepreneurs— the couple own a Williamsburg wine shop together, and Semien runs the podcast company Placement Theory — their gears started turning. “We’d always had this loose idea that maybe someday we’d open [another] wine store, but the logistics are hard,” Semien said.

    Part of the bottle selection at Lovat Square.

    In 2023, they chatted up John Ingersoll, the Evergreen Cheese owner, who referred them to the landlord for the space at 184 E. Evergreen Ave.

    Graef and Semien were not entirely sure what they wanted to create. “We said, ‘Let’s put one foot in front of the other and see how far we get,’” said Graef. “Turns out, pretty far.”

    After sitting dark for four-plus years, the Evergreen Avenue courtyard will light up again this week with the opening of Lovat Square, which the couple plan to unfold in stages: first as a bottle shop, then as a garden restaurant, and eventually as a full bar and dining room.

    Lovat Square’s bottle shop and tasting room opens Thursday, with about 30 seats, wines by the glass, and a small menu of snacks. The wine selection — just under 400 labels, with about 200 more on the way — doubles as both retail inventory and will become the backbone of the restaurant’s wine list.

    Thursday’s opening is a hopeful sign for Chestnut Hill, stung from the recent closings of Iron Hill Brewery and Campbell’s Place. Other coming attractions in the near future will be the Blue Warbler, a day-into-evening restaurant at Germantown and Willow Grove Avenue, and a reopening of Fiesta Pizza on Germantown Avenue near Gravers Lane.

    Before relocating from New York with their two children, Semien and Graef opened the Brooklyn wine shop Bibber & Bell in 2013. Since 2022, Graef has been lead sommelier at Jean-Georges at the Four Seasons Hotel. Semien spent 16 years at This American Life and now executive-produces Question Everything, a show focused on journalism in America.

    A table at Lovat Square houses a collection of Champagnes and other bubbly wines.

    Lovat Square — pronounced “love it,” named after a shade of green often used in tweed — will start with a by-the-glass program of about 15 wines, though Graef expects that number to fluctuate as additional bottles are opened for tastings, events, and informal pours. Snacks — house-made pickles, focaccia, sour cream soubise with potato chips (with optional trout or ossetra caviar), and a cheese plate created by Evergreen’s Ingersoll — will accompany the wine during the initial phase. More substantial food will come later as the outdoor and indoor dining spaces open.

    “I think of the wine-shop phase as a cocktail party: small bites while we build toward the main course,” he said.

    Co-owner Damien Graef pours Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Sainte Anne for sampling at Lovat Square.

    Graef is focusing on independent winemakers. “You’re not going to find Josh or Caymus [wines] here,” Graef said. “But we’ll have something for the person who likes that style. The through-line is small producers who are serious about their land and what they’re making.”

    The shelves skew European, with a particular emphasis on Italy and France, but also include wines from the United States, South America, and Eastern Europe. There’s a long table devoted just to Champagne and other bubbles.

    The spring opening of the courtyard garden will expand the menu into full dinner service, with seating for about 70. Just under half of those seats are expected to be under a canopy by late summer, extending usability into the shoulder seasons.

    Lovat Square’s final phase, targeted for late fall, will bring a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar, including an 18-seat bar and counter seating along the front windows of the former Mimi’s, a separate building in the courtyard.

    Lovat Square opens Thursday at 184 E. Evergreen Ave.

    Graef, born in the Bay Area but raised in New Jersey, has spent his career in restaurants, beginning as a dishwasher at 13 before moving through kitchens and into front-of-house roles. In the early 2000s he worked at Il Buco in New York, where he met Semien (also a Bay Area native) and Lovat Square manager Patricia Jo Peacock. “I thought I knew something about wine [then], but that was very short-lived,” Semien said.

    At the time, Graef was a beer-only drinker — and “not like great beer or anything: Negra Modelo and Yuengling.”

    While Graef was at Il Buco, wine director Roberto Paris demystified wine for him. “Getting to meet winemakers for the first time and having them eat family meal with us and get to taste their wine and talk about these little corners of Italy that they were coming from made it more accessible for me,” he said. “That really turned me onto all of this, and then I just fell deep down that hole and have not gotten out since. And it’s only got worse.”

    Graef later worked at Chanterelle in TriBeCa before running Aurora in Brooklyn, known for its Italian wine list. As Lovat Square ramps up, he is transitioning to a part-time role at the Four Seasons.

    The Chestnut Hill project, the couple said, reflects both their professional histories and their lives in the neighborhood.

    “We’re trying to build our favorite place,” Graef said.

    Lovat Square, 184 E. Evergreen Ave., lovatsquare.com. Initial hours: noon to 10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.

  • The landmark Kibitz Room deli in Cherry Hill, which closed last month, has filed for bankruptcy

    The landmark Kibitz Room deli in Cherry Hill, which closed last month, has filed for bankruptcy

    The Kibitz Room in Cherry Hill, which shut down abruptly about two weeks ago after 25 years, has filed for bankruptcy protection, seeking to liquidate its assets.

    An attorney for the deli filed paperwork Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Camden, claiming assets of less than $50,000 and liabilities of $100,001 to $500,000. A hearing on the Chapter 7 petition was scheduled for March 3.

    The Kibitz Room, in Holly Ravine Plaza at 100 Springdale Rd. in Cherry Hill, on Feb. 2, 2026.

    Social media posts on Jan. 30 noted that the deli, owned by Sandy Parish, had apparently closed without notice.

    Meanwhile, former owner Neil Parish — Sandy’s ex-husband — told Patch in an article published Monday morning that he was talking to the landlord about reopening the deli. Their son Brandon commented on a public Facebook post midday Monday that he was working on reopening “under a new entity. Unfortunately the previous ownership was out of my hands but I did run the store for the last nine years until I left to open the other location. … It surely wasn’t from lack of business!!”

    Veteran deli operator Russ Cowan opened the Kibitz Room in Holly Ravine Plaza in 2001. Two years later, Neil Parish bought it using their daughter’s bat mitzvah gifts as the down payment. “She got four years at Syracuse, all covered,” Neil Parish said in an interview last year. “It was a good investment.”

    After Neil and Sandy Parish split up in 2016, Sandy ran the Kibitz Room with their son Brandon, now 32. Neil moved to the Baltimore area, where he ran delis before returning to Philadelphia.

    Brandon Parish stopped working in Cherry Hill early last year when he and his father opened the Kibitz Room King of Prussia in Valley Forge Center, which is not involved in the bankruptcy.

    Sandy Parish did not return messages seeking comment, nor did her son.

    In an interview last year, Brandon Parish said he had worked at the Cherry Hill deli since he could stand on a milk crate and wash dishes.

    “I didn’t want to be in camp,” Parish said. “I didn’t want to be at school. If it wasn’t the lacrosse field, I wanted to be at the shop. It was just the whole environment. The people who worked there were a second family.”

  • After 41 years, Center City’s longest-operating Japanese restaurant has closed

    After 41 years, Center City’s longest-operating Japanese restaurant has closed

    At Shiroi Hana last Thursday at noon, plates, bowls, and ramekins filled the dining room tables. But this was not lunchtime at Center City’s longest-operating Japanese restaurant. It was a tag sale.

    Owners Patti and Robert Moon were cleaning out the place in advance of the building’s sale in coming weeks. The kitchen was silent and the sushi bar cleared out.

    Shiroi Hana served its last meal in January after 41 years. “It’s sad. Very sad,” said Patti Moon, who with her husband, Robert, took over in 1998. In 2010, the couple also opened Doma, a Japanese-Korean restaurant, at 1822 Callowhill St.

    An order of delivery sushi from Shiroi Hana, ordered recently.

    The modest Shiroi Hana opened in 1984 at 222 S. 15th St. — across from what was then Bookbinders’ Seafood House — as part of a nationwide group of restaurants owned by Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church. (Many of the restaurants shared the name “Hana,” meaning flower.)

    In the late 1990s, Patti and Robert Moon, in their early 30s, were running Grill Master Deli at 17th and Spruce Streets when they heard that the restaurant was for sale. Given their last name, “for some reason that mattered to [the church],” Patti Moon said. “There were other people trying to buy it, but they gave it to us. We were young. I guess it was luck. It was meant to be.” (Robert Moon said he was not related to the self-proclaimed messiah, who died in 2012.)

    Patti and Robert Moon in 2010, at Doma, their BYOB.

    The restaurant, modest at first but bearing a quiet elegance after the Moons gave it a 1999 makeover, had a small brush with fame under its original ownership. In 1989, Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall rolled in with a bodyguard and manager, “gobbled about $100 worth of sushi,” signed autographs for the staff, and left a 25% tip, according to a Philadelphia Daily News account.

    Shiroi Hana was a favorite among Inquirer critics. Shortly after its ’84 opening, Elaine Tait praised an offering called sushi heaven — “a generously and artistically filled lacquer tray crammed with sushi and sashimi” — and proclaimed it “almost too much of a good thing.” It was priced at $20 (about $61 in today’s dollars).

    Patti Moon (left) and Robert Moon with longtime manager Michiko Kadekaru at Shiroi Hana on Feb. 5, 2026.

    Last week, critic Craig LaBan said Shiroi Hana “remained a favored hideaway for an intimate lunch until the end, especially beloved by Elizabeth,” his wife. “My kids grew up eating there, and it was always her choice for lunch with a particular friend because the food was great and they knew just how we liked it, down to the tiniest details. She’ll forever miss their chicken katsu bento box.”

    Patti Moon said they closed because of shifting trends. Japanese dining has increasingly moved toward chef-owned omakase restaurants, she said, a model that is difficult for non-chef operators to sustain. “For a long time, we were lucky,” she said. “Our head chef, Hiroshi Abe, had been there since 1984. He stayed almost 35 years. When he left about three years ago, people noticed. Business wasn’t the same.”

    Manager Michiko Kadekaru looks through mementos from Shiroi Hana with co-owner Robert Moon.

    Longtime manager Michiko Kadekaru — who started in 1990 and became, in Robert Moon’s words, “the heart and soul of the restaurant” — has indicated that she would retire, though the Moons hope that she will continue working for them at Doma.

    “She started in her 30s and now she’s in her 70s,” Patti Moon said. “She was crying on the last day — and so were we.”

  • Peace is declared in the Tun Tavern name dispute, which pitted Marine vs. Marine

    Peace is declared in the Tun Tavern name dispute, which pitted Marine vs. Marine

    There will be one Tun Tavern opening in Old City, now that a long-running dispute over the name of one of Philadelphia’s most storied colonial landmarks has been resolved.

    The settlement of a federal lawsuit, announced late Friday, has cleared the way for the Tun Legacy Foundation — a nonprofit led by Marine veterans and Philadelphia-area organizations whose origins trace back to the original Tun Tavern — to use the full name on its planned historic reproduction on Second Street.

    Montgomery Dahm — who through his company Aljess owns the trademark as well as Tun Tavern, a brewpub in Atlantic City — has agreed to drop his lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in June 2024. Aljess will retain the right to open Tun Tavern restaurants in other locations across the United States.

    Tun Tavern trademark owner Montgomery Dahm (right) celebrating at his short-lived Philadelphia restaurant on Chestnut Street during a commemoration of the Marines’ 250th anniversary on Nov. 10, 2025.

    Dahm told The Inquirer that he would no longer pursue plans to open a Tun Tavern at 207 Chestnut St. — just around the corner from the foundation’s proposed site, which is now a parking lot on Second Street just south of Market.

    Last fall, Dahm and partners took over the Chestnut Street building, previously Lucha Cartel restaurant. They opened it as Tun Tavern for a party on Nov. 10 to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary — likely heightening pressure on the nonprofit. Terms of the settlement were made confidential, both parties said.

    Tun Tavern history

    The legal fight had become an emotional flash point among Marines, history advocates, and preservationists, and the truce removes the remaining obstacle facing the nonprofit’s effort to re-create a site that looms large in both local and national lore.

    The original Tun Tavern — whose site is now beneath the southbound lanes of I-95 near Walnut Street — dates to 1686 or 1693, depending on the source, when English traders Samuel and Joshua Carpenter built a tavern at Water Street and Tun Alley along the Delaware River. At the time, Philadelphia rose sharply from the waterfront; taverns, warehouses, and wharves were accessed by stairs leading up to Front Street.

    Reenactors line up on Second Street during the Tun Legacy Foundation’s celebration of the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary on Nov. 10, 2025.

    Over the decades, the Tun changed names with its owners and evolved into a gathering place for civic life. In the 1740s, under Thomas Mullan, it was known several nights a week as Peg Mullan’s Beefsteak Club, named for his wife. Located less than a mile from what is now Independence Hall, it became popular with members of the Continental Congress.

    Artist Frank Taylor’s drawing of Tun Tavern, created in 1922.

    In 1775, the Tun served as the first recruiting station for what became the Marine Corps. That same year, John Adams drafted the Articles of War that helped form the U.S. Navy in one of the tavern’s upstairs rooms. In June 1775, George Washington was honored there at a banquet marking his appointment as commander of the Continental Army.

    The tavern also hosted meetings of several colonial-era organizations that still exist today, including the Freemasons; the St. Andrew’s Society; the Society of St. George; and the Friendly Sons and Daughters of St. Patrick. Three of those charitable aid societies — St. Andrew’s, St. Patrick, and St. George — continue their work in Philadelphia more than two centuries later.

    The Tun was demolished in 1781. Visitors seeking the tavern today are directed to a historical marker on Front Street near Sansom Walk, several blocks from where the building once stood. Multiple efforts have been made to restore or re-create the tavern as a living piece of history.

    Incidentally, no one knows what the original Tun looked like. Artist Frank Taylor, whose 1922 drawing is the top hit in most online searches, was not born until 1846.

    Latest effort to revive Tun Tavern

    The most recent revival effort gained momentum in 2024, when the foundation purchased a surface parking lot on Second Street between Market and Chestnut Streets for $4.4 million. The foundation announced plans for a three-story reproduction combining a restaurant and museum, with all operating profits earmarked for charitable causes, including veterans’ initiatives and scholarships.

    The group had hoped to open in time for the Marines’ 250th anniversary, but that timeline slipped as legal and logistical challenges mounted.

    Complicating matters was the trademark. Dahm, who opened Tun Tavern restaurant and brewpub connected to the Atlantic City Convention Center in 1998, owns the trademark through Aljess. A Tun Tavern also operates at the National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, Va.

    In April 2024, the nonprofit applied to trademark “The Tun,” the historic name of the original tavern. Two months later, Aljess sued in U.S. District Court, arguing that use of “Tun” would create confusion with the Atlantic City restaurant.

    Historical reenactors celebrate at Tun Tavern in Old City on Nov. 10, 2025.

    The conflict escalated in September 2025, when Dahm announced plans to convert Lucha Cartel into his second Tun Tavern.

    On Nov. 10, as Marines marked the Corps’ anniversary, the dispute played out in public. Thousands of Marines and their families gathered on the foundation’s parking lot site, while several hundred attendees and Revolutionary War reenactors celebrated at the Chestnut Street restaurant, which had been lightly redecorated for the occasion. Dahm closed the restaurant shortly afterward to begin renovations — plans that are now shelved.

    “We’re charging the hill together, now that we’re no longer in a lawsuit,” Dahm said Saturday.

    A cake was served during the Tun Legacy Foundation’s celebration of the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary on Nov. 10, 2025.

    For the Tun Legacy Foundation, the settlement marks a turning point.

    “This lawsuit was the last external obstacle to getting the project done,” said Craig Mills, the foundation’s board chair, a Marine veteran, and executive shareholder at the Center City law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.

    Mills said the foundation has secured the rights to plans and drawings prepared by architectural firm Ballinger, which he said donated a significant portion of its services. Those plans, he said, are complete and approved, with zoning and permits in place.

    With the legal uncertainty resolved, the remaining challenge is financial. Mills said the foundation has raised just under $11 million toward a budget of about $21 million.

    Mills said the foundation wanted to raise more before putting shovels into the ground. “We want to have enough reserves to weather the early months,” he said. “Restaurants don’t make much money right out of the gate, so we want to be prudent and break ground confidently.”

    Mills said the settlement should help accelerate fundraising. While donations never fully stopped during the lawsuit, he said, some potential supporters were hesitant to commit.

    The agreement also resolves the naming question that sat at the heart of the dispute. While the foundation had planned to operate as “The Tun,” Mills said the settlement grants the right to use the full historic name.

    “This really could be a great thing for Philadelphia,” Mills said. “Every great historic city has a period pub — Alexandria, Williamsburg, you name it. Philadelphia hasn’t had one since the original Tun closed long ago. It would be meaningful to bring that back and give it to the city again.”

  • The best things we ate this week

    The best things we ate this week

    The bloom shroom at Manong

    At Manong, chef Chance Anies’ bustling, casual Filipino steakhouse in Francisville, customers are feasting. They’re going all in and ordering 1-pound burgers on puffy, house-baked Hawaiian buns for themselves. (“I love that. Such a bold move,” Anies says.) The charcoal-grilled chicken — a half-chicken marinated in soy, calamansi, lemongrass, annatto, and butter — is selling well, too.

    Everybody, it seems, orders a bloom shroom. As Manong is Anies’ homage to Outback Steakhouse, he chose to hold the onion for his crunchy, photo-worthy appetizer — one of Manong’s few vegan offerings.

    The kitchen skewers a package of enoki mushrooms at the base to keep them uniform and flat, macerates them in a salt cure for about 20 minutes to get them to sweat, and then dredges them in a mix of cornstarch and ground dehydrated garlic. After a few minutes in the fryer, they get a hit of furikake — nori, brown sugar, chili powder, and dehydrated orange peel. You get a side of what Anies calls “salsa rosada,” a mix of banana ketchup and house-made vegan mayo.

    You know what they say: “No rules, just right.” Manong, 1833 Fairmount Ave., 445-223-2141, manongphilly.com

    — Michael Klein

    The chicken liver mousse at Emmett comes with some awfully convincing mini Eggo waffle dupes.

    Chicken liver mousse at Emmett

    I giggled when the chicken liver mousse at Emmett was placed in front of me. Six doll-sized, rosewater-scented Eggo-like waffles — but most certainly not actual Eggo waffles — are arranged around a silken quenelle of chicken liver mousse. The dish is both adorable and delicious, the mousse simultaneously light and unctuous, covered in a generous rain of crumbled smoked peanuts. Spheres of concord grape jelly add balance and nasturtium leaves bring a tart freshness. It’s a great interpretation of chicken and waffles, and one I can’t wait to go back in for. Emmett, 161 W. Girard Ave., 215-207-0161, emmettphilly.com

    — Kiki Aranita

    The octopus at Apricot Stone.

    Charred octopus from Apricot Stone

    For my 25th birthday, I cracked open a celebratory bottle of Eagles Super Bowl LIX bubbly and tucked into a smorgasbord of Apricot Stone’s shareable plates: crisp pita chips with bowls of nutty muhammara and whipped red pepper-feta dip, flaky cheese boreks, and tabbouleh. The star of the spread, however, were three charred octopus tentacles plated on a bed of lentils with juicy beefsteak tomato slices. The octopus was succulent and meaty, with evenly spaced grill marks that gave it a smoky aftertaste. Combined with the lentils and tomatoes, the dish was bright and transporting: If I closed my eyes, I was feasting on a beach in the Mediterranean, not a table with a clear view of Girard Avenue’s dirty, hardly melted snowdrifts. Apricot Stone, 428 W. Girard Ave., 267-606-6596, apricotstonephilly.com

    — Beatrice Forman

  • All Bahama Breeze locations are shutting down, and here’s why

    All Bahama Breeze locations are shutting down, and here’s why

    The cocktail blenders will go silent in two months as all 28 locations of Bahama Breeze, the tropical-themed chain restaurant, shutter. Parent company Darden Restaurant has decided to wind down the long-struggling brand after 30 years.

    Orlando-based Darden announced Tuesday that the locations in Cherry Hill and King of Prussia Malls — which opened in fall 2003 — are among 14 that will close permanently by early April.

    The 14 remaining, mainly housed in standalone buildings in the South, will be converted into other Darden concepts over the next 12 to 18 months. The move will end a brand that once counted more than 40 locations nationwide.

    People outside of a Bahama Breeze restaurant in 2021 in Orlando.

    Bahama Breeze is just a tiny piece of Darden, whose portfolio of more than 2,100 restaurants and $12 billion in annual sales makes it one of the largest full-service operators in the United States. Its brands include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, the Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, and Eddie V’s.

    Bahama Breeze had become a tougher fit as casual dining increasingly chased value and convenience through delivery options. Its sprawling menu — encompassing such options as coconut shrimp, conch fritters, jerk chicken pasta, and Jamaican stuffed plantain bowls — also was seen as a liability.

    In a statement, Darden said it had completed a review of “strategic alternatives” for Bahama Breeze and concluded that the brand no longer fits its long-term growth strategy.

    While Darden did not release specific financials for Bahama Breeze, the chain has been a consistent underperformer. Over the last decade, the ownership group has repeatedly scaled back investment and closed locations with sagging sales.

    Darden did not release the number of employees per location. It said it would work with affected employees to offer transfers to its other restaurants where possible.

    The company will still be a major player in the Philadelphia area. Within five miles of the Bahama Breeze in King of Prussia, for example, Darden owns the Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Yard House, and Eddie V’s, plus the LongHorn in West Norriton. Within five miles of the Cherry Hill Bahama Breeze, it owns locations of the Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Olive Garden, and LongHorn in Cherry Hill, as well as Yard House in Moorestown Mall.

    The local Bahama Breeze locations made the news over the years. In 2017, six employees at the King of Prussia location had contended that they were fired after skipping work for joining a “Day Without Immigrants” protest; the company disputed that.

    On a lighter note, in 2023, retired NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson had dinner at the Cherry Hill location and left a $1,000 tip for his server, who was waiting tables to supplement her income as a middle school teacher.

  • Secret romantic restaurants | Let’s Eat

    Secret romantic restaurants | Let’s Eat

    Need a date-night restaurant? We offer 12 that you may not know about.

    Also in this edition:

    — Mike Klein

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    12 romantic restaurants you may have never heard of

    Romantic meals aren’t all going down at buzzy hotspots or white-tablecloth institutions. They unfold in neighborhood fixtures you’ve overlooked, suburban newcomers flying under the radar, or dining rooms more popular among locals than Instagram. We feature 12 such spots around the region, including Northridge at the Woolverton Inn, tucked into the woods just outside of Stockton, N.J., where chef Lance Knowling (above) sauces a plate. Read on for our ideas.

    💡Because Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, the reservation books at the city’s buzziest restaurants are already just about locked up. Consider this your reminder that love is flexible — and so is the calendar.

    What’s hot in hot chocolate

    Why settle for Swiss Miss when you could sip on velvety cioccolata calda, piquant cinnamon- and chili-laced dark chocolate, or creamy chocolat chaud in cozy cafes across the city? Let Hira Qureshi show you what’s hot in hot chocolate.

    How to cater a Super Bowl party

    This year’s Super Bowl may be Birds-less, but a watch party requires food even so. Our food team has you covered for tips on the best cheesesteaks, hoagies, wings, and tomato pie, plus beer and wine. (In our case, whine.)

    Di Bruno’s cutting back

    Gourmet grocer Di Bruno Bros. is closing three of its five locations, including two on the Main Line. Meanwhile, customers say they saw this coming, contending that quality had dipped in recent years.

    Deli drama in Cherry Hill

    The Kibitz Room in Cherry Hill’s Shoppes at Holly Ravine shut down last week without notice, and its future is unclear. Owner Sandy Parish — who took over last year when her former husband, Neil, and son, Brandon, left to open the Kibitz Room King of Prussia — did not reply to a message seeking comment.

    Here’s the history: The Kibitz Room was founded in 2001 by Russ Cowan, who now owns the nearby Radin’s in Cherry Hill. Two years later, Cowan sold it to Neil Parish, his manager. The business evolved into a family-run operation, with son Brandon taking over after the Parishes divorced. Neil Parish moved to the Baltimore area, where he ran delis, until he and Brandon opened the unrelated Kibitz Room King of Prussia in Valley Forge Center in spring 2025. That location is still open.

    The best things we ate last week

    The food team has been out in the cold, and our tasty finds include a taste of home in Northern Liberties, two warming bowls in South Philly, and these yummy maritozzi from a bakery in Roxborough that keeps quirky hours.

    Scoops

    Fishtown and Kensington have a lot of restaurant variety nowadays. There’s the usual and now … the unusual. Here’s first word about Philly Curio, targeting a March opening at 2240 Frankford Ave. on the Fishtown–Kensington line. Troy Timpel, founder of Villain Arts and organizer of the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention, is setting it up as an intimate, art-driven restaurant-bar built around his private collection of curiosities. Framed tribal masks will line the walls. Each table will be a glass enclosure featuring a different preserved animal form, including skeletal and taxidermy displays. (Gives new meaning to getting stuffed at dinner, I suppose.) Inspired by Alligator Soul in Savannah, Ga., Timpel is seeking a chef to execute his idea for a Cajun-Creole menu of small plates and unconventional proteins such as rattlesnake. Beverage offerings will include a limited draft list, bottled beers, an extensive wine selection — including natural and nonalcoholic options — and a full cocktail program.

    Recent Rowan grad and Elixr Coffee barista Kaitlyn Tran and her mother, Sue Chen, are planning a summer launch for Sora Cafe, a matcha- and coffee-focused cafe at 12th and Sansom Streets, where Edible Arrangements was. Tran says they’ll take a serious, intentional approach to matcha. The menu also will include Taiwanese-style shaved ice desserts made with real fruit.

    Restaurant report

    February’s restaurant openings include two restaurants’ expansions to Narberth (including Malooga, shown above); a chic, two-level restaurant/lounge in Center City; and an intriguing wine bar/bottle shop in Chestnut Hill.

    Briefly noted

    The Tasties, the annual restaurant awards overseen by the Delicious City podcast, drew 600-plus revelers to Live! Casino the other night. Beatrice Forman presents the pageantry and the winners.

    Zsa’s, the Mount Airy ice cream parlor, is coming back this weekend under a new owner.

    Chateau Rouge, Jeannette Jean’s French/West African BYOB in Graduate Hospital (listed among The Inquirer’s 76), has extended its $45 Center City District Restaurant Week menu throughout February in recognition of Black History Month.

    Sunrise Social has launched a surf-and-turf special at its Fishtown and Cherry Hill locations, with proceeds benefiting chef/photographer Reuben (“Big Rube”) Harley, who is battling stage 4B prostate cancer and coping with heart and kidney failure. The $32.99 dish features lamb chops, lobster tail, and three-cheese grits. Harley and Sunrise Social founder Aaron Anderson ran ghost kitchens during the pandemic as well as Big Rube’s Fried Chicken together at Subaru Park in Chester. Rube’s GoFundMe is here.

    East Passyunk Restaurant Week returns for its 14th edition from Feb. 23 to March 6 with 21 participating restaurants offering $20, $40, and $60 options. Details are here.

    New Ridge Brewing in Roxborough says it will be closed by fire longer than previously believed. Firefighters were called to 6168 Ridge Ave. on the morning of Jan. 29.

    Miller’s Ale House’s Northeast Philadelphia location (Grant Avenue and the Boulevard) told the state that it will shut down March 30, putting 49 employees out of work.

    Fourteen Bahama Breeze restaurants, including those in Cherry Hill and King of Prussia, will close on or before April 5, parent company Darden Restaurants has announced. Fourteen others will shut down over the next year and a half. Both Philly-area locations opened in late 2003.

    The Original Charlie’s Pizza’s location in Northeast Philly’s Morrell Plaza announced that its last day will be Feb. 28. Owners say they were unable to negotiate a new lease. (Here’s a backgrounder on the original Charlie’s, which operated for decades on the Boulevard near Adams Avenue.)

    ❓Pop quiz

    The shuttered dive bar McGlinchey’s is on the market. What is the asking price?

    A) $2.45 million’

    B) $1.2 million

    C) $3.7 million

    D) $5.2 million

    Find out if you know the answer, and perhaps put in a bid of your own.

    Ask Mike anything

    There’s been signage for a cafe called Yolotl at the corner of 17th and Tasker Streets in Point Breeze for months, but no sign of an opening. Can you shed some light on what’s going on with it? — Will F.

    Yolotl (Nahuatl for “heart” or “spirit”), a Mexican cafe, will be a joint venture between Drexel senior Yenni Meneses-Aparicio and her mother, Juana Aparicio, who owns Pancho’s Cafe in Northern Liberties. (No relation to El Chingon chef-owner Carlos Aparicio.) Meneses-Aparacio says it will offer specialty coffees, juices, tres leches cakes, and other desserts, plus a few light savory options. She attributes much of the delay to the fact that it’s a complete restaurant build-out. They’re hoping to open in March.

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  • A first look at Side Eye, the French-ish bar opening (finally!) in Queen Village

    A first look at Side Eye, the French-ish bar opening (finally!) in Queen Village

    Sixth and Bainbridge’s French scene is coming back with the new Side Eye, an all-day bar opening Saturday in the mid-19th-century building that housed the late, great Bistrot La Minette.

    Owner Hank Allingham has shifted away from La Minette’s tightly focused French bistro style in favor of what he calls “French-ish” food alongside beer, $13 cocktails, and European wines.

    Side Eye owner Hank Allingham (left) with lead bartender Ryan Foster inside the bistro.

    Side Eye is meant to be flexible — “the kind of neighborhood spot you can use for most situations,” Allingham said. “You can come for a date-night dinner, eat alone at the bar, or watch a game.”

    This is the ownership debut of Allingham, who grew up locally and spent his previous career working in restaurant finance and operations for companies such as Sally’s Apizza in New Haven, Conn., and P.J. Clarke’s in New York and Philadelphia.

    The exterior of Side Eye, 623 S. Sixth St.

    When it came time to open his own place, he and his wife, Kat, wanted to be in South Philadelphia and searched broadly between South Street and Snyder Avenue.

    “I know this isn’t technically ‘South Philly,’ but Queen Village is beautiful and incredibly historic,” he said. “A lot of the facades — including this one — are really special, and from a curb-appeal standpoint, it’s hard to complain.”

    A bourbon old fashioned, hot penicillin, and vieux pommier at Side Eye.

    The location at 623 S. Sixth St. was, in fact, a dream home for the Allinghams’ restaurant. Shortly after moving back to Philadelphia, the couple dined at Bistrot La Minette before its closing in mid-2024. “We remember saying to each other, ‘If only this space ever became available,’” Allingham said. “Then it did.”

    The opening, initially targeted to December, has been a case of hurry up and wait. “The holidays just sort of slowed the world down, frankly. When we got approval on Dec. 17, I was fairly certain we were going to be waiting awhile just because of the timing.”

    The Side Eye team (from left): Abbey Smith, front of house manager, Ryan Foster, lead bartender, Finn Connors, chef, and Hank Allingham, owner.

    Side Eye is named in memory of the couple’s dog Sheba, who would at first give the side eye to anyone she didn’t know. She died in 2021.

    The cozy room includes a 20-seat bar (relocated to the opposite wall), with an additional 12 seats along a rail. There are 40 seats in the dining room, a rear dining room with 16 additional seats, and a seasonal patio.

    In the kitchen is executive chef Finn Connors, most recently at Sally in Fitler Square, with earlier experience at Wilder and Osteria. Connors makes nearly everything in house, including breads, pastries, pastas, and desserts.

    Tagliolini at Side Eye.

    Dishes include tagliolini tossed with café de Paris butter; peppercorn burger finished with jus and Fromager d’Affinois on a seeded bun; French onion soup with 12-month Comté; triple-cooked frites; moules marinières with baguette, crab fat, nori, witbier, and crème fraîche; and stuffed cabbage filled with braised short rib, mushroom duxelles, and tomato Bordelaise. Desserts include a classic crème caramel, served warm and finished with salt.

    Menus will shift throughout the day from lunch into dinner. Ninety minutes before closing, the kitchen will pare things back and add a late-night menu with snacks such as a raw bar with oysters on the half shell and shrimp cocktail.

    Side Eye owner Hank Allingham prepping tables inside the bistro.

    The beverage program, overseen by Messina Social Club alumnus Ryan Foster, includes eight cocktails priced at $13, eight draft beers, and a French-leaning wine list highlighting small producers.

    Side Eye eventually will be selling wine to go, with bottles displayed along the outer portions of the back bar, in a retail-style presentation similar to the one at South Philadelphia favorite Fountain Porter. The to-go selection, largely separate from the by-the-glass list, will rotate regularly, beginning with six reds, six whites, a few sparklings, skin-contact wines, and a rosé.

    Among the beers will be Budweiser served in frozen mugs.

    Budweiser?

    “Because we like it,” Allingham said.

    Side Eye, 623 S. Sixth St. Hours on opening weekend: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and 5 to 11 p.m. Sunday. Hours starting Feb. 9: noon to midnight Monday through Thursday, noon to 1 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. Fifty percent of Feb. 7’s proceeds will be donated to People’s Kitchen.

    The exterior of Side Eye, 623 S. Sixth St.
  • A Main Line town leads the charge of new Philly-area restaurants for February

    A Main Line town leads the charge of new Philly-area restaurants for February

    February’s crop of restaurant openings includes two restaurants’ expansions to Narberth, a reopened brewery in South Jersey, a chic restaurant/lounge in Center City, an intriguing wine bar/bottle shop in Chestnut Hill, and two French newcomers.

    Restaurants can take awhile and owners are often hesitant to pinpoint an opening date. I’ve listed the targeted day where possible; for the rest, check social media.

    Duo Restaurant & Bar (90 Haddon Ave., Westmont): Brothers Artan and Arber Murtaj and Andi and Tony Lelaj, who own the Old World-style Italian Il Villaggio in Cherry Hill, are taking over Haddon Avenue’s former Keg & Kitchen with a pub serving a bar menu supplemented with seafood.

    Eclipse Brewing (25 E. Park Ave., Merchantville): Last August, food trucker Megan Hilbert of Red’s Rolling Restaurant became one of the youngest brewery owners in New Jersey when she bought this 9-year-old Camden County brewery, open as of Friday.

    Lassan Indian Traditional (232 Woodbine Ave., Narberth): The second location of the well-regarded Lafayette Hill Indian BYOB takes over the long-ago Margot space in Narberth.

    LeoFigs, 2201 Frankford Ave., as seen in January 2026.

    LeoFigs (2201 Frankford Ave.): Justice and Shannon Figueras promise the delivery of their long-awaited bar/restaurant, with an urban winery in the basement, at Frankford and Susquehanna in Fishtown. The food menu will be built around comfort-leaning small plates.

    The bubbly selection at Lovat Square in Chestnut Hill.

    Lovat Square (184 E. Evergreen Ave.): Damien Graef and Robyn Semien (also owners of Brooklyn wine shop Bibber & Bell) are taking over Chestnut Hill’s former Top of the Hill Market/Mimi’s Café property for a multiphased project: first a wine shop with indoor seating, then a courtyard with a full dinner menu, followed later by a cocktail bar/restaurant component. Opens Feb. 12

    Malooga (203 Haverford Ave., Narberth): The Old City Yemeni restaurant is expanding to Narberth with lunch and dinner service plus a bakery, with expanded indoor/outdoor seating and space for groups.

    Mi Vida (34 S. 11th St.): Washington, D.C.-based restaurant group Knead Hospitality + Design is bringing its upscale Mexican concept to East Market, next to MOM’s Organic Market. Target opening is Feb. 18.

    MOTW Coffee & Pastries (2101 Market St): Mahmood Islam and Samina Akbar are behind this franchise of Muslims of the World Coffee, offering a third-space experience at the Murano.

    Napa Kitchen & Wine (3747 Equus Blvd., Newtown Square): A California-inspired restaurant rooted in Midlothian, Va., opens in Ellis Preserve with an extensive domestic and international wine list in a polished setting. Opens Feb. 9.

    Ocho Supper Club (210 W. Rittenhouse Square): Chef RJ Smith’s Afro-Caribbean fine-dining supper club starts a six-month residency at the Rittenhouse Hotel, tied to the Scarpetta-to-Ruxton transition, serving tasting menus through July. Now open.

    Piccolina (301 Chestnut St.): A low-lit Italian restaurant and cocktail bar at the Society Hill Hotel from Michael Pasquarello (Cafe Lift, La Chinesca, Prohibition Taproom). Targeting next week

    Pretzel Day Pretzels (1501 S. Fifth St.): James and Annie Mueller’s pretzel-delivery operation is becoming a takeout shop in the former Milk + Sugar space in Southwark. Expect classic soft pretzels plus German-style variations (including Swabian-style) and stuffed options.

    Merriment at the bar at Savu, 208 S. 13th St.

    Savú (208 S. 13th St.): Kevin Dolce’s Hi-Def Hospitality has converted the former Cockatoo into a modern, bi-level dining and late-night lounge with a New American menu from chef Maulana Muhammad; it just soft-opened for dinner Thursday through Sunday and weekend brunch.

    Bar-adjacent seating at Side Eye.

    Side Eye (623 S. Sixth St.): Hank Allingham’s all-day neighborhood bar takes over for Bistrot La Minette with “French-ish” food from chef Finn Connors, plus cocktails, European-leaning wines, beer, and a late-night menu. Opens 5 p.m. Feb. 7 with 50% of the night’s proceeds going to the People’s Kitchen.

    Soufiane at the Morris (225 S. Eighth St): Soufiane Boutiliss and Christophe Mathon (Sofi Corner Café) say there’s a 90% chance of a February opening for their new spot at the Morris House Hotel off Washington Square. It’s billed as an elegant-but-approachable restaurant inspired by classic French bouillons/brasseries, with a menu spanning small plates and full entrées alongside Moroccan-influenced tagines. Expect evening service indoors, daytime service outdoors.

    South Sichuan II (1537 Spring Garden St.): A second location for the popular Point Breeze Sichuan takeout/delivery specialist, near Community College of Philadelphia; this one will offer more seating.

    Zsa’s Ice Cream (6616 Germantown Ave.): The Mount Airy shop’s end-of-2025 “grand closing” proved short-lived after a sale to local pastry chef Liz Yee. Reopened Feb. 7.

    Looking ahead

    March openings are in the offing for the much-hyped PopUp Bagels in Ardmore, as well as the long-delayed Terra Grill (a stylish room in Northern Liberties’ Piazza Alta) and ILU (the low-lit Spanish tapas bar) in Kensington.

  • 12 romantic, under-the-radar restaurants in Philly and the suburbs

    12 romantic, under-the-radar restaurants in Philly and the suburbs

    Some of the region’s most romantic meals aren’t happening at buzzy hotspots or white-tablecloth institutions. They unfold in neighborhood fixtures you may have overlooked, suburban newcomers still flying under the radar, or dining rooms better known to locals than Instagram. Here are a dozen such places — newer openings and longtime standbys where intimacy comes from lighting, pacing, service, and the feeling that the room is yours for the night. — Michael Klein

    Abyssinia

    The promise of romance sparks when a combo platter hits your table at this time-honored West Philly restaurant with a not-so-secret bar upstairs. Maybe you and your lover’s fingers graze as you tear the same piece of spongy injera, or your hands touch while scooping up a pile of doro wot, a delectably spicy and berbere-laden chicken stew. First called Red Sea when it opened in 1983, Abyssinia is considered Philly’s first Ethiopian restaurant and has an unofficial rep as nothing more than a neighborhood spot or the place for a large-yet-affordable group dinner. That doesn’t mean it isn’t without its own brand of first (or fifth, or 500th) date magic: The waitstaff is small, which means you’ll have more than enough time to run through the get-to-know-you questions and stare into each other’s eyes before your platter arrives, distracting you with garlicky beef tibs or aromatic misir wot. If things are going well, head to Upstairs at Abyssinia, the charming second-floor cocktail bar formerly known as Fiume with a rotating schedule of live music and comedy shows. — Beatrice Forman

    229 S. 45th St., 215-387-2424, instagram.com/abyssiniabarrestaurant

    Casablanca Mediterranean Grill

    One moment, you’re standing in the Italian Market, the next you’ve been transported to a Middle Eastern living room tented with richly embroidered fabrics, a flickering hearth, and kilim-draped couches beside low tables with brass trays. The name suggests Morocco, but the Baruki brothers, Walid and Talal, draw on their Lebanese and Syrian background for a pan-Mediterranean experience. The prix-fixe menu required on weekends and during special events is ideal for couples and friendly double-daters who like to relax and share, grazing first on a trio of mezze (cumin-y slow-roasted eggplant is the star) before diving into the generous entrees. Tender Moroccan roast chicken with lemon and green olives was my favorite (order it mild, with a side of fresh harissa spice), while the Syrian-style mujadara of bulgur wheat, lentils, and caramelized onions is a vegan winner. Uncork a bottle of Lebanese red wine from the full bar, settle into your pouf, and linger over some a la carte menu extras (like the silky signature hummus with spiced ground beef) until complimentary baklava and sweet mint tea arrive to send you dreamily back into the South Philly night. — Craig LaBan

    Casablanca Mediterranean Grill, 947 Federal St., 267-324-5165; casablanca-grill.com

    Coco Thai Bistro

    The atmosphere inside this Narberth BYOB is a cross between a tropical greenhouse and Anthropologie’s home decor section. Plants line the walls and wrap around the staircase of the two-story dining room, with monstera leaves and elephant ears folding over tables and chairs. A hefty dose of twinkle lights adds to the atmosphere. It’s the kind of place where you’ll see older couples alongside high school sweethearts celebrating their one-month anniversary. There’s a solid menu that combines homestyle Thai curries with street food. Think fried grouper fillets to dip in a chili and garlic sauce, or pad kra tiem (a garlic-pepper stir fry). Corkage is just $5, so you can splurge on dessert: tang yuan, or rice balls stuffed with black sesame paste, served in a bowl of warm ginger tea. It’s like a wintery version of mochi. — Beatrice Forman

    231 Haverford Ave., Narberth, 610-667-7634, cocobistro.com

    Jolene’s

    This chic, modern West Chester bistro from 3 West Hospitality (who also own the less-upscale Slow Hand, Square Bar, Jitters, and Brickette Lounge) blends French-leaning food with a strong cocktail and wine list in a moody, unstuffy dining room with a semiprivate adjacent bar. The downtown location makes it easy to turn dinner into a longer night, with a walk afterward or a second stop nearby. It’s romantic in a social, lively way — ideal for date nights that start with dinner and stretch into drinks and conversation. — Michael Klein

    29 E. Gay St., West Chester, 484-999-3656, joleneswc.com

    La Belle Epoque

    Named after France’s golden age, La Belle Epoque has been a Media staple for more than 20 years, serving Burgundy-style French cuisine in a quaint dining room that looks not unlike an Emily in Paris backdrop. The restaurant has an extensive wine list with bottles that hit seemingly every region of France — rosé from the Rhône Valley, riesling from Alsace, and sauvignon blanc from Bordeaux — alongside a menu of hearty bistro entrees. There’s the classic steak frites and filet mignon with potatoes, but the way to really impress your date is to try something a tad more adventurous, like escargots de Bourgogne (chewy snails served in the shell with a garlic-butter sauce), pan-roasted duck in a sweet pomegranate and red wine reduction, or bucatini topped with chanterelles and a dollop of caviar. Planning to go the distance with your boo? Make plans to return in the summer for Dining Under the Stars, Media’s yearly open streets program that adds an extra layer of romance. — Beatrice Forman

    38 W. State St., Media, 610-566-6808, labellebistro.com

    L’Olivo Trattoria

    This new Northern Italian-leaning trattoria brings a sense of warmth and familiarity to Exton’s Eagleview Town Center, where chef Francis Pascal and wife Nui (Birchunville Store Cafe and Butterscotch Pastry Shop) have jazzed up the former Suburban Restaurant & Beer Garden. There’s a hushed air of formality in the dining room, while those seeking more energy opt for the bar or adjacent lounge seating. Pay close attention to the pastas, notably the luscious creste di gallo napped in ricotta and lemon zest, and the signature perciatelli Nui Nui, which Pascal created for his Thailand-born wife: hollow, bucatini-like perciatelli tossed in a rich Thai red curry sauce with coconut milk, lemongrass, and chunks of Maine lobster. Italian labels predominate the wine list, although the cocktail shakers get quite the workout, too. — Michael Klein

    L’Olivo Trattoria, 570 Wellington Square (Eagleview Town Center), Exton, 610-340-8115, lolivotrattoria.com

    Malbec Argentinian Steakhouse

    At first glance, this Argentinian steakhouse doesn’t exactly scream “romantic”: The cowprint pillows, framed photos of cowboys, and signature large hunks of steak are not for couples seeking an upscale-steakhouse level of fancy. But what Malbec excels at is the details: flan is served in the shape of a heart, a staff who will gladly pipe “felicidades” in caramel sauce on the plate for anniversary or engagement dinners, a showstopping paradilla platter intended for two. The last combines a marbled short rib with skirt steak, chorizo, and blood sausage (debatedly an aphrodisiac) spiced with onions and a hint of cinnamon. Less carnivorous couples can opt for the seafood paella for two, which comes in a cast-iron skillet piled high with saffron rice, calamari, shrimp, and mussels. Naturally, the wine list features more than a dozen Argentinian malbecs, including one of the world’s first white varieties. — Beatrice Forman

    400 S. Second St., 215-515-3899; malbecsteakhouse.com

    Mary

    Serial entrepreneur Chad Rosenthal’s latest spot in downtown Ambler is a compact BYOB whose bar serves as intimate side-by-side seating while the two- and four-tops along the walls give adequate privacy. Count on steady, unpretentious service and Rosenthal’s tight but creative menu — usually just a few starters (like a grilled cheese tartine and coq au vin chicken wings) and four entrees (steak frites au poivre and a showstopping burger with melted provolone over slow-simmered onions and banana peppers). — Michael Klein

    Mary, 47 E. Butler Ave., Ambler, 267-468-7580, maryambler.com

    Northridge at Woolverton Inn

    Up a winding country road and through the trees, corporate career-changers Mary and Mario Passalacqua have restored the 1830s stone barn adjacent to their country inn into a restaurant and event space that’s minutes from downtown Stockton and the Delaware River. Beneath a cathedral ceiling is Northridge’s intimate dining room, complete with a fireplace, rustic charm, warm lighting, and enough room between tables to keep conversations private. It’s BYOB, though they sell wines from nearby Federal Twist Vineyards. Chef Lance Knowling’s prix-fixe menu — two courses, but opt for a third so you can linger longer — leans toward seasonal American comfort food, including steaks. Note that Sunday supper is à la carte and usually includes Kansas City-style barbecue ribs. — Michael Klein

    Northridge at Woolverton Inn, 6 Woolverton Rd., Stockton, N.J., 609-397-0802, northridgebarn.com

    Revell Hall

    Chef Joey Sergentaki and partners are breathing new life into the former Cafe Gallery/Riverview in downtown Burlington. Their High Street restaurant balances historic character with a polished dining room located peacefully away from the industrial-chic, concrete-topped cocktail bar, which can get noisy at happy hour. The menu is built for sharing — seafood, meats, and globally influenced dishes that encourage tasting across the table. By day, the Delaware River views are spectacular, while in the evening the dining room glows beneath globe lighting. — Michael Klein

    Revell Hall, 219 High St., Burlington, N.J., 609-232-7555, revellhall.com

    Spring Mill Cafe

    Set in a 19th-century farmhouse just a short drive from Conshohocken’s office parks, this country-French BYOB has been one of the Philadelphia area’s most quietly romantic spots since chef Michele Haines opened in 1978. Low ceilings, candlelight, and small, well-spaced tables encourage conversation, while the menu — now overseen by son Ezra — features comfort classics like pâté, rabbit, and slow-cooked meats. Count on friendly, unhurried service. In warmer months, the garden patio adds another layer of charm, especially at dusk. Spring Mill isn’t flashy or trendy. It’s romantic in the old-fashioned sense, built around the feeling that time has slowed down for the night. — Michael Klein

    164 Barren Hill Rd., Conshohocken, 610-828-2550, springmill.com

    Stina

    Maybe it’s the quirky, eclectic gold-framed art carefully jigsawed onto the warm brick walls. Maybe it’s Melina Mercouri’s husky voice wafting through the speakers, entangled with the strains of a bouzouki. Or maybe it’s the warmth that emanates from Stina’s live-fire brick oven. But put all of these things together and wrap them up with plates of tender grilled octopus, shatteringly crisp spanakopita, and beef-filled dolmades (all generously portioned but not too big for two to share) and you have magic. Stina is an impossibly charming BYOB, a perfect venue to huddle at a small table with your love. You may also feel the love of its married owners, chef Bobby Saritsoglou and Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou (for whom the restaurant is named). Their love for one another and for their community is felt in every carefully considered crevice of the restaurant. — Kiki Aranita

    1705 Snyder Ave., 215-337-3455, stinaphiladelphia.com