Harry A. Spivak, 66, a veteran caterer and connector in the city’s hospitality sector, died of natural causes on Dec. 31 after a short illness.
Over the decades in catering, event production, and consulting, he was known as the person who knew whom to call, how to staff a last-minute job, where to source the right equipment, and how to make complicated events run smoothly.
“He was a sage when it came to organization and bartending and everything that goes into making an event work,” said Jon Spivak, a brother who was his partner at the now-closed Max & Me Catering. “But his real gift was connecting people. He had what I call ‘a Rolodex brain.’ That was his true genius.”
Harry Spivak (left) with his uncle Herb Spivak and his brother Jon.
Mr. Spivak, the oldest of Joseph “Jerry” and Sally Spivak’s five children, grew up immersed in hospitality and music through the family’s businesses.
In 1968, Jerry Spivak and brothers Herb and Allen were among the founders of the Electric Factory, the pioneering music venue that grew into the industry’s largest concert-promotions company, Live Nation. In 1972, the Spivak brothers opened H.A. Winston & Co., a casual restaurant that grew to 22 locations on the East Coast.
Mr. Spivak himself only dabbled in the restaurant business — opening the short-lived Bala Rouge in Bala Cynwyd in 1985 with his brother Jon and cousin Adam Spivak after his graduation from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He later spent eight years in the San Francisco Bay Area before returning to the Philadelphia area to raise his daughter, Katie.
Friends say Mr. Spivak possessed a rare mix of business instinct and personal warmth. He could talk logistics one minute and relationships the next.
“He had this incredible memory,” said Jon Spivak, who is a chef. “You could mention someone you worked with 20 years ago in Colorado or New York, and Harry would remember where they went to school, who they worked for, and who they might know that could help you now.”
It also would take only one move to play the 1990s parlor game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” with Mr. Spivak.
“Harry was my first friend,” Bacon said Monday, describing him as a “kind, gentle, big-hearted man.” The Spivaks moved onto Van Pelt Street in Center City in 1967, around the corner from the Bacon family’s house on Locust Street. “I was immediately taken in by the Spivak family, and their house became my second home,” Bacon said.
Three decades ago, Mr. Spivak’s talents as a social bridge created a chapter in music history when he suggested that Bacon and his older brother Michael perform together as the Bacon Brothers. Kevin Bacon confirmed that Mr. Spivak also arranged their area debut at the TLA on South Street, then owned by Electric Factory.
“Harry and I shared countless adventures through the years on the Philly streets, the Electric Factory, the Spectrum, Northern California, and Bucks County,” Bacon said.
Mr. Spivak also was his family’s historian, a daunting role given that his grandfather — taproom owner Harry “Speedie” Spivak — was one of 13 children. “Anyone in the family could call him and say, ‘I just met someone named Susan — how are we related?’” Jon Spivak said. “Harry would immediately say, ‘She’s your grandfather’s third sister’s daughter’s kid.’”
Mr. Spivak was happiest when he was in motion — building teams, solving problems, and making sure everyone had what they needed.
“He was a jack of all trades,” said Jon Spivak. “But more than that — he was the guy you wanted in your corner.”
Jon Spivak and his Max & Me business partner Max Hansen relied on him in 2000 for catering jobs at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. After the convention, Max & Me was hired to cater aboard the Bush-Cheney campaign’s train for a three-day whistle-stop tour through the Midwest.
Harry Spivak (right) with then-presidential candidate George W. Bush and Max & Me Catering colleague Ariel Alejandro on a train after the Republican National Convention on Aug. 31, 2000.
Assigned to oversee beverages for the media, Secret Service agents, campaign staffers, and railroad employees, Mr. Spivak loaded 15 cases of beer, 21 cases of bottled water, 22 cases of sodas, and eight cases of juices, plus wines and spirits.
The baggage car used for storage, however, was separated from the kitchen and dining car by four 100-foot cars. Rather than navigate the narrow aisle, Mr. Spivak waited for station stops, unloaded the boxes onto the platform, transferred them by hand truck, and reloaded them onto the train. “My body didn’t stop hurting for weeks,” he told The Inquirer later.
Friends and relatives also remembered him for his role as the family’s fun uncle, who took nieces and nephews for ice cream, bent the rules, and encouraged adventure. “What I’ll remember most is his love of fun,” his brother said. “He didn’t take life too seriously.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Spivak became an advocate for feeding homeless people and worked to direct meals and resources to those most affected by shutdowns. “He didn’t live inside a box,” his brother said. “He did his own thing. People loved him because he had a huge heart and would do anything for anybody.”
In addition to his daughter and brother, Mr. Spivak is survived by siblings Jenny, Betsy, and Josh, and dozens of cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A celebration of Mr. Spivak’s life will begin at 1 p.m. Jan. 25 at Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., Philadelphia. Memorial contributions may be made to Chosen 300 Ministries, Box 95, Ardmore, Pa. 19003.
Max’s Steaks — the North Philadelphia sandwich shop known for its 2-foot sirloin cheesesteaks, quirky next-door bar advertising “the largest drink in Philly,” and star turn in the Creed movies — is being sold after three decades.
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board records show a recent license transfer application from corporations controlled by longtime bar owner Chuck Weiner to veteran restaurateur Rob LaScala, whose diverse holdings include the fast-growing LaScala’s Fire Italian restaurants as well as numerous steak shops and pizzerias in Philadelphia and South Jersey.
Weiner, who also owns Chuck’s Alibi at the Five Points intersection in Northeast Philadelphia, did not return a message seeking comment that was left with a family member last week.
Rob LaScala of LaScala Restaurant Group.
LaScala, who has been managing Max’s under a contract, said he also was Weiner’s longtime tenant at Chubby’s, his popular Roxborough steak shop. “He’s always been a good landlord to me,” LaScala said Friday. “Max’s is exactly like Chubby’s — right up my alley. I love those kinds of places.”
“We bought it because it’s a staple in the community, and I love high-volume places,” LaScala said. “I want to get it back to the volume it used to have.”
A cheesesteak with onions and peppers at Max’s Steaks in 2018.
LaScala said his company was rebranding Max’s. “We already renovated the place and we’re doing a bigger renovation over the next six months,” he said. “We’re doing brand recognition — shirts, hats, logos. Menu-wise, we’re expanding a little. Before, it was mostly cheesesteaks and hoagies. We added fries, wings, specialty sandwiches, and some bar food since there’s a bar. We’re not changing what it is — we’re just making it better, more efficient, and better quality.”
Weiner told Philly Voice in a 2016 interview that he got the idea for Max’s after watching the crowds at Jim’s South Street circa 1990 while eating across the street at Lickety Split, then a popular restaurant where MilkBoy is now. Max’s — named after Weiner’s son — opened in 1994 at 3653 Germantown Ave. in Nicetown, at the busy Broad Street-Erie Avenue hub. The adjacent Eagle Bar, with its Naugahyde booths, oversized cocktails, and neon signs, is Max’s de facto seating area.
LaScala said he was not involved with the neighboring Clock Bar, also part of Weiner’s holdings.
Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson at Max’s Steaks in “Creed.”
In part because of its location far from tourist hubs, Max’s reputation spread primarily by word of mouth rather than guidebooks.
That changed dramatically in 2015, when Max’s appeared in the Rocky sequel Creed. This is where Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) ate his first Philly cheesesteak under the adoring eye of Bianca Porter (Tessa Thompson) and learned that he would box Viktor Drago. The shop also had a cameo in Creed II, the 2018 sequel.
In 2017, Philadelphia marked Kevin Hart Day with a party at Max’s, located a block from the comedian’s childhood home.
What’s hot in 2026: French bars, bagels, and the Main Line, to point out just a few observations from my rundown of the more than 100 restaurants due to open this year in Philadelphia and the area. Read on for more analysis of this year’s dining forecast.
🍴 Here is the full picture: New restaurants are coming from Ellen Yin, Greg Vernick, Teddy Sourias, and dozens more.
Welcome back from the holidays!
Let’s recap what The Inquirer’s food team has been up to over the last few weeks:
The hearty, body-warming stew/soup that is pozole comes in the colors of the Mexican flag: rojo, verde, and blanco, with regional variations of each. The good news, Kiki says, is that you don’t have to go all the way to Mexico City for excellent pozole. Here are her picks.
The baked potato is having its moment, Kiki says. The Idaho spud served at Wine Dive is no small potato. It’s roughly the size of her Chihuahua and comes topped with sour cream, cheddar, bits of bacon, and scallions.
The best things we ate last year
Best dishes of 2025
We all dined out a lot last year (perhaps so did you). Here are our 21 favorite dishes of 2025, including a Hyderabadi paneer curry so hot it made Craig LaBan’s ears ring and left his face temporarily numb. And that was one of his favorites?! Read on to see what else made an impression.
Restaurant report
Restaurateur Franco Borda (that’s him shown below) loves Italian food, opera and jazz music, and South Philly. So after he closed his High Note Caffe during the pandemic, he decided to turn the joint into a nightclub. Five years later, the High Note is back, with a stage. I stopped recently to catch crooner Harry Barlo’s act, and the experience was an old-time delight. Dinner and a show for 50 bucks?
Briefly noted
Center City District Restaurant Week returns Jan. 18-31 with 100-plus restaurants offering three-course, prix-fixe dinners for $45 or $60 and two-course lunches for $20. Here’s the rundown.
Yum Grills,opening this weekend at 1135 Vine St., comes from Shahezad “Shah” Contractor and the crew from Cousin’s Burger Co. The halal shop will sell smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken over rice, and wings out of a Shell station; at the Jan. 10 grand opening (1 p.m.), the first 100 people will get a double smash burger, fries, and soda.
Gluten-free bakery Flakely is opening a proper storefront in Bryn Mawr.
Emmett in Kensington has secured a full liquor license, allowing it to broaden its wine and spirit list beyond Pennsylvania labels. The new era starts Thursday.
Why is the food sold at Pennsylvania Turnpike’s rest stops so … um … mid? Brett Sholtis found out.
❓Pop quiz
Why is McDonald’s being sued this time? Not over coffee, but…
A) The ice cream machine gave the plaintiff trust issues after being “temporarily unavailable” for the 400th consecutive visit.
B) The plaintiff alleges that the McRib sandwich is not made from pork rib meat.
C) A Happy Meal did not make the plaintiff happy. Just nostalgic and sad.
D) The “two all-beef patties” jingle has been stuck in the plaintiff’s head since 1994, causing permanent mental occupation.
I’m wondering if there is a list of restaurants that take reservations but aren’t on the two major services. I always feel like I’m missing some good places out there. — Chuck L.
You may also check Tock for restaurants not on OpenTable or Resy. For years, OpenTable was the big player. Then Resy came online and started cherry-picking popular newcomers. Then OpenTable sweetened the deals for restaurants and began to recapture the market. (My editor Jenn Ladd wrote a fascinating article about this a year ago.) Tock has been a solid No. 3, but that’s where you’ll find tables at such places as DanDan, Elwood, South, and Barcelona Wine Bar. Some restaurants — such as Uchi, Scarpetta, and Cuba Libre — use SevenRooms on their back end, so you must book through the restaurant’s individual websites.
📮 Have a question about food in Philly? Email your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com for a chance to be featured in my newsletter.
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A statement like “more than 100 new restaurants are on the way to the Philadelphia region in 2026” may seem dramatic, as if we’re living in a Semiquincentennial-fueled boom time.
But that’s how it has been during the last few years as out-of-town groups and expansion-minded local restaurateurs sign leases in a town that seems to enjoy dining out, whether at fast-casual spots or fancier restaurants.
The math maths, and the region’s roster is growing. My census last January found in excess of 110 projected 2025 openings, and by the end of the year, I counted 86 closings, including the 11 Pennsylvania and New Jersey locations of Iron Hill Brewery.
At this point, I don’t see the area’s 250th celebrations driving too many new groundbreaking restaurant deals. The timeline of big-budget restaurants — like Borromini (last year’s big splash) and Mr. Edison (this year’s) — is equivalent to the gestation period of an elephant. (Another example: Burtons Grill & Bar, which signed a lease last year for Barn Plaza in Doylestown, is targeting a 2027 opening.)
A rendering of Mr. Edison, Jeffrey Chodorow’s first Philadelphia restaurant, with a bartop carousel at left. The restaurant is due to open in the Bellevue in spring 2026.
What is apparent this year is a solid collection of culinary entrepreneurs committing capital — nothing too extravagant. Ellen Yin and Teddy Sourias both have projects coming downtown (both unnamed as yet), Greg Vernick is close to opening his first venture outside of Center City, and chef Christopher Kearse is overhauling Varga Bar’s space with design-firm partners PS & Daughters. Michael Schulson — whose last opening was Dear Daphni in December 2024 — also says he’s planning three more restaurants for 2026.
Where the growth is
The Kensington-Fishtown corridor
The city’s most active development zone remains Kensington-Fishtown, buoyed by new construction and adaptive reuse — and landlord incentives. Just like previous years, the incoming projects (like Emilia and Adda, both signed long ago) signal sustained interest from serious operators. Barcelona Wine Bar recently signed on for a second Philadelphia location, on Lee Street near Pizzeria Beddia and Hiroki. Corner bars (Ponder Bar, ILU) and fast-casual concepts (7th Street Burger, Slider & Co.) are positioned to meet everyday demand.
Washington Square West and Queen Village
Washington Square West and Queen Village have long boasted a French-leaning dining cluster(the Good King Tavern, Le Caveau, Mabu Kitchen, Sofi Corner Cafe). Now come three more: Soufiane at the Morris, Side Eye, and Known Associates (from Forsythia’s Kearse).
The exterior of Side Eye on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, in Philadelphia. Side Eye is located at 623 S. Sixth St.
University City
As University City’s life-sciences footprint grows north of Market Street, food and beverage have followed. The Triad at 38th and Lancaster will house DiDi, Kabobeesh with Karak Cha House, and Shibam Coffee, creating a dense, international hub tied to student and office traffic, adding to current occupants including Han Dynasty, Two Locals, and Corio.
Chestnut Hill
Northwest Philadelphia’s toniest neighborhood has drawn the classy concepts Lovat Square (wine shop/tasting room) and Blue Warbler (all-day cafe/bar). I also hear that Fiesta Pizza is returning, so it’s not completely bougie.
Main Line and South Jersey
The Main Line (Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Wayne, Narberth, Devon) continues to see growth mainly from locals like Bart’s Bagels, Gouldsburger’s, and Love & Honey Fried Chicken, while Merchantville, Collingswood, Haddon Township, and Marlton remain reliable for both chef-driven and neighborhood concepts. When a restaurant closes in those towns, a replacement is usually close behind.
Haddon Avenue in Collingswood.
What’s trending
Fast-casual keeps scaling
Burgers, fried chicken, halal concepts, and kiosks continue to proliferate. New York imports like Harlem Shake and 7th Street Burger are joining the locals.
Coffee is still surging
Philly’s first M.O.T.W. Coffee is opening in Center City, with Cake & Joe also on deck. Haraz Coffee House is expanding into the suburbs, while Happy Bear Coffee and Thank You Thank You are multiplying.
A “one on one” espresso and coffee at the Thank You Thank You Coffee shop.
Bakeries and bagels rebound
Bagel shops (Bart’s Bagels, PopUp Bagels, Penny’s Bagels) are moving from pop-ups and delivery into permanent homes. Pretzel Day Pretzels follows that same arc, while the homegrown Wild Yeast Bakehouse is part of a new wave of boutique sourdough operations.
More, more, more
Amma’s South Indian Cuisine will head to Bucks County for its fifth location, while Chinatown standout EMei expects two expansions. Additional growth is coming from Dim Sum House by Jane G’s, Dim Sum Factory, Amina’s Felicia Wilson and Darryl Harmon (Table 8460 by Amina, Amina Ocean), 13th Street Kitchen’s Michael Pasquarello (Piccolina), and the partners at Libertee Grounds (Lucky Duck).
The Ghee Roast Dosa at Amma’s on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.
Philadelphia’s bar scene remains active. Expected arrivals include a mix of highbrow (Liquorette, Bar Caviar, ILU), casual drop-ins (Lillian’s, O’Morrey’s), and fun (Claude’s Comedy Club & Bar).
High-end dining is also expanding: Friday Saturday Sunday is adding space, while Bucks County will see its first rooftop venue with Main Sip Rooftop. Meanwhile, established operators are relocating or upgrading — Crust Vegan Bakery is moving to East Falls, Flakely is going full retail in Bryn Mawr, Kabobeesh is shifting within University City, and Luna Cafe is relocating within Olde Kensington.
Philadelphia-area restaurant diners will have plenty of new options in 2026 — among them, a chic wine bar/bottle shop in Chestnut Hill, an all-day Italian spot from Ellen Yin and High Street Hospitality in Rittenhouse, an Asian fusion/sushi bar in Penn Center from Teddy Sourias, a retro French “bouillon” in Washington Square West, a white-tablecloth destination in Fort Washington, a Euro-style cocktail-bar collab between Forsythia chef Christopher Kearse and design house PS & Daughters at the former Varga Bar space, plus restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s swank, retro splash at the Bellevue, topped with stunning light fixtures and a Ferris wheel on the bar toting top-shelf selections.
I’ll offer first word on those projects, and — because we go high-end and low-end around here — I’ll also drop the news about a luxe tasting-menu restaurant coming to Merchantville’s recently shuttered Park Place Cafe as well as a takeout counterinside a Center City gas station.
And have you heard the one about the comedy club coming to South Broad Street?
The 2026 lineup includes a few projects announced in 2025, such as Greg Vernick’s Italian restaurant Emilia in Kensington; the New York-based Ayat, serving homey Palestinian food in a casual setting in the former Roxy Theater in Rittenhouse; chef Elijah Milligan’s Lovechild at the 990 Spring Garden building; the bold Indian restaurant Adda in Kensington, from New York’s acclaimed Unapologetic Foods; the novel, crowd-sourced restaurant called Recipe Phillyat Broad and Arch; the all-day cafe, bakery, and pub in Chestnut Hill called the Blue Warbler; the new location of Collingswood’s Hearthside; Charles Barkley’s yet-to-be-named King of Prussia steakhouse; and Savú, a mod Washington Square West lounge on two levels. (The deal to open the New York hit Pig & Khao at the former Martha in Kensington blew up last spring, but another restaurant is on the way for the space.)
The dining room of Adda in New York City’s East Village.
Altogether, well over 100 restaurants fill the rows on my 2026 tracking spreadsheet, and more surely will crop up. I can’t tag everything here. Details are scarce about Stephen Starr’s forthcoming project at the former Devon Seafood Grill on Rittenhouse Square, as they are on Pica’s timeline for its new takeout location in Delaware County.
Love & Honey Fried Chicken (1111 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr)
The Northern Liberties-based fried-chicken outlet expands to the Main Line. Grand opening: Jan. 17
Malooga (203 Haverford Ave., Narberth)
The Old City Yemeni restaurant joins the Main Line with lunch and dinner service, a bakery, and expanded space for groups and outdoor dining. Late January
The California-inspired restaurant at Ellis Preserve boasts an extensive list of domestic and international wines in a polished setting. February
A group digs into a box of PopUp Bagels.
PopUp Bagels (Anderson and Coulter Avenues, Ardmore)
The viral bagel sensation will enter the Philly market across from Shake Shack at Suburban Square; a lease for a Center City location is being finalized. Mid- to late February
Salt Korean Barbecue Steakhouse/Yugo (840 W. Lancaster Ave., Devon)
The owners of Salt Korean BBQ in North Wales are headed to the Main Line for two restaurants on the former site of La Jonquille and Shiraz. Salt will be a luxe Korean BBQ experience. The Japanese-themed Yugo upstairs, opening after Salt is running smoothly, will have a carousel bearing premium sushi. Late summer
Testa Rossa (523 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne)
Fearless Hospitality will bring a second location of its fun-loving Italian restaurant to Wayne’s former Bertucci’s. April
333 Belrose (333 Belrose Lane, Radnor)
The Main Line stalwart is undergoing a top-to-bottom renovation. January/February
Wild Yeast Bakehouse (503 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne)
New restaurants in Montgomery County, King of Prussia, and Bucks County
Academy Grill (424 S. Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington)
Michael Sloane and Jay Rosenthal, of Jasper’s Backyard in Conshohocken and the Fort in Fort Washington, are transforming Cantina Feliz’s previous location into a white-tablecloth, Italian-inspired restaurant. The menu will have seafood, steaks, and house-made pasta from Jeffrey Power, longtime chef of the nearby Dettera in Ambler, which Sloane and Rosenthal recently purchased. When Academy opens, they will close Dettera and, 100 days later, renovate and roll out what they call an approachable pan-Mediterranean concept on the site. March
Amma’s South Indian Cuisine (280 N. Sycamore St., Newtown)
The South Jersey-rooted operation’s sixth location will replace a former Zoe’s Kitchen. Spring
Cecilia (266 E. Fourth St., Bridgeport)
The crew from Blue Bell Inn and Horsham’s Copper Crow is taking over the defunct Taphouse 23 for a contemporary American bar-restaurant. March
Charles Barkley’s steakhouse (Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia)
The still-unnamed project, announced in October, attaches the NBA star to a sleek luxury dining and smoking experience, complete with personal memorabilia from his career and a walk-in humidor. No timeline
Haraz Coffee House (1459 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown)
The fast-growing Yemeni coffee house expands into a former Starbucks. Jan. 15
Lazy Dog(160 N. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia)
The Rocky Mountain lodge-themed restaurant is coming to the mall after a long delay. Late 2026 (The Mount Laurel location is not due till 2027.)
Melange on Sycamore (255 N. Sycamore St., Newtown)
Taking shape in the former Sycamore Grill is chef Joe Brown’s revival of his erstwhile South Jersey restaurants with a Louisiana-meets-Italian menu. February
Nudy’s Cafe (122 Park Ave., Willow Grove)
Diner king Ray Nudy is teeing up a location across from the Marshall’s store. Spring
RiverTide Brewing (58-B E. Bridge St., Morrisville)
Pennsbury High grads Frank Brill, Ken Terry, and Rob Staples have taken over the former Bitchin’ Kitten space. January/February
Table 8460 by Amina (8460 Limekiln Pike, Wyncote)
Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon (Amina, BlackHen, FIA, AVANA, and First Daughter Oyster & Co.) are creating a rustic farm-to-table restaurant at the Towers at Wyncote. February
New restaurants in South Jersey
Bar Tacconelli(461 Route 38, Maple Shade)
Vince Tacconelli and partners Stacey Lyons and Greg Listino are turning the former Versa Vino into a 50-seat Italian cocktail lounge serving oysters, charcuterie, fried bites, and pastas — but no pizza, as it’s four minutes from Tacconelli’s Maple Shade location. February
Duo Restaurant & Bar (90 Haddon Ave., Haddon Township)
The former Keg & Kitchen is reopening under the owners of Cherry Hill’s Il Villaggio, who plan to keep the bar menu and supplement with small plates. January/February
Eclipse Brewing (25 E. Park Ave., Merchantville)
New owner Megan Hilbert refreshed the space and expanded the outdoor setup with fire pits, patio seating, and a tented event area. Alongside house beer, Eclipse will offer alcoholic and nonalcoholic seltzers and its popular root beer, rotate food trucks and local vendors, and lean heavily into events — trivia, comedy, and pop-ups — as Hilbert frames it as a community gathering spot. Grand opening: Feb. 6.
Gouldsburger’s
The fast-growing fast-casual sandwich specialist has several on the way: 27 N. Maple Ave. in Marlton (February), 110 High St. in Glassboro (April), and 1251 Burlington Pike in Cinnaminson (spring).
Happy Place Homemade (690 Stokes Rd., Medford)
Ice cream, doughnuts, and other fun foods. Jan. 23.
Haraz Coffee House (113 Route 73, Marlton)
The Yemeni coffee house premieres in South Jersey with a location in Marlton Crossing. March
Hearthside (105–107 Haddon Ave., Haddon Township)
After eight years in Collingswood, chef/owner Dominic Piperno plans to move down the street into larger digs with a bar, lounge, and outdoor patio. He says he’d like to set up a chef in Hearthside’s existing space. Fall
After a year’s delay, Chris Fetfatzes says his bagel shop is finally coming round. Spring
Pizzeria Cusumano (872 Haddon Ave., Collingswood)
On the books since September 2021, this artisan pizzeria from third-generation pizzaiolo Sal Cusumano is back on track.“Q1”
Chef Chris Bennett (left) with June chef-owner Richard Cusack at a food event.
1793 (7 E. Park Ave., Merchantville)
Chris Bennett, chef de cuisine at Collingswood’s stellar June BYOB, has taken over the tiny Park Place Cafe for a tasting-menu restaurant whose six-course contemporary American menu will emphasize seafood, pastas, risottos, and a consistent duck entrée. Bennett, a carpenter in his first career, is building it out to feel like an upscale library, with dark woods and leather seating. He’s aiming for fine dining without formality. “I want people to leave full and happy,” he said. March
New restaurants in Philadelphia
Center City West / Rittenhouse / Logan Square
Ayat (2021 Sansom St.)
Abdul Elenani’s Palestinian restaurant is as well known, especially outside New York, for its outspokenness as it is for its mansaf (a lamb stew served over saj and rice) and maklouba (a six-layer, upside-down chicken and vegetable dish). March
Bar Caviar (256 S. 16th St.)
At Dwight D Hotel, a new bar whose Champagne list is expected to read more like a collector’s catalog than a bar menu: 50 selections in total, with 15 by the glass. Spring
Cake & Joe (1735 Market St.)
Sarah Qi and Trista Tang are opening the third location of their pastry/breakfast/lunch shop at BNY Mellon Center. January
Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese (2015 Walnut St.)
Carolyn Nguyen is moving up as Revolution Taco moves out; she’ll take over for her Viet-Cajun hybrid. Early 2026
A chill, elegant bar above the new Wine Dive. Late summer
Mac Mart (Arch Street just west of 18th Street)
After 13 years at 18th and Chestnut Streets, sisters Marti Lieberman and Pamela Lorden are pivoting to a kiosk outside the Four Seasons at 18th and Arch. It’s built for grab-and-go, drawing on lessons from Mac Mart’s successful Munch Machines vending operation. In addition to mac and cheese, the kiosk will feature rotating wraps, hoagies, and products from local food businesses. Mid-January
Mahmood Islam and Samina Akbar at MOTW Coffee, 2101 Market St.,
A rendering of Mr. Edison, Jeffrey Chodorow’s first Philadelphia restaurant, with a bartop carousel at left. The restaurant is due to open in the Bellevue in spring 2026.
Mr. Edison (the Bellevue, Broad and Walnut Streets)
Jeffrey Chodorow calls this a “new generation” supper club that honors tradition while embracing the present — pairing the clubbiness, sophistication, and hospitality-driven focus of classic supper clubs with a modern culinary approach and live entertainment from a stage. The name nods to the Bellevue, whose lighting and electrification were overseen by Thomas Edison himself. Chodorow says it will “pulse with modern electric energy,” illuminated by warm, Edison-inspired lighting. The farm-to-table menu will be supplied in large part from Chodorow’s farm in New Hope, and dishes will be inspired by the iconic Philadelphia restaurants that influenced Chodorow’s personal culinary journey, including Le Bec-Fin, La Panetiere, Jimmy’s Milan, Bookbinder’s, Astral Plane, Knave of Hearts, Frog, and Commissary. March
O’Morrey’s (1720 Sansom St.)
Main Line-based chefs Biff Gottehrer and Kenjiro Omori (Refectory, the Ripplewood, Izzy’s) are developing this cocktail bar in the spirit of the Ripplewood on the former site of Genji, which Omori’s father created decades ago. O’Morrey’s is a cheeky rendering of Omori’s last name. Early summer
Recipe Philly (1401 Arch St.)
A full-service restaurant created by local businessman Ed Baumstein, who has invited the public to submit family recipes to create the menu. The entire build-up to opening is being filmed for a reality series. May
Restaurateur Ellen Yin will open a new Italian restaurant in Rittenhouse in 2026.
An Ellen Yin project (1620 Sansom St.)
Yin and High Street Hospitality have taken a space next to Uchi in Rittenhouse for an unnamed Italian restaurant. Spring
A Teddy Sourias sushi bar (1515 Market St.)
Sourias has no firm opening date or even name for his latest restau-bar, a splashy, two-level Asian fusion space that will subsume the shuttered HSBC Bank at 16th Street, adjacent to his Uptown Beer Garden. There’s an eight-seat sushi bar that will be overseen by the crew from Kichi Omakase. No timeline
The bar inside the Teddy Sourias restaurant at 1515 Market St. on Dec. 31.
Center City East / Old City
Chibanos (1127 Pine St.)
Evan Fong Jaroff, who melds his background — his mother is Chinese and born in Cuba, his dad is Russian American Jewish — will specialize in pressed sandwiches at the former Effie’s in Washington Square West. March
Harlem Shake (1330 Walnut St.)
The old-school burger shop, whose name was borrowed from the dance created by Al B. (Albert Boyce), has an atmosphere that pays homage to Harlem, home of its original location. No timeline
The future Known Associates, on the former site of Varga Bar, 941 Spruce St., on Dec. 31.
Known Associates (941 Spruce St.)
Chef Christopher Kearse of the Michelin-recommended Forsythia and designers PS & Daughters will open a cocktail bar at the former Varga Bar. Specifics are few for now, but the line is that food will play a more substantial role than at most American cocktail bars and will have a clear European influence. “That idea really clicked for us in Milan on my honeymoon — seeing how naturally great drinks and serious, satisfying food can live together,” Kearse said. The design reflects that same depth and intention. “Nothing here is minimal,” said Phoebe Schuh, PS & Daughters’ creative director. “We want to create a room built for lingering — where layers, atmosphere, and a sense of memory reward a closer look, and support the depth and creativity of Chris’ cocktails.” Spring
Chef Christopher Kearse and his wife, Lauren Kearse, during the cocktail hour at the Michelin Guide announcements at the Kimmel Center on Nov. 18.
Mi Vida (34 S. 11th St.)
Upscale Mexican player out of Washington, D.C., is opening next to Mom’s Organic Market in East Market. January/February
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). Late winter/early spring
Savú, 208 S. 13th St.
Savú (208 S. 13th St.)
Kevin Dolce’s Hi-Def Hospitality has converted Washington Square West’s Cockatoo into a modern, bi-level dining and late-night lounge, with weekend brunch and Champagne brunch parties on Sundays. Jan. 30
Soufiane at the Morris (225 S. Eighth St.)
Soufiane Boutiliss and Christophe Mathon of Washington Square West’s intimate Sofi Corner Cafe are expanding into the genteel Morris House Hotel with an elegant but approachable restaurant inspired by France’s classic bouillons and brasseries. Menu will be split between small-plates bar offerings and full entrees: pâté en croûte, frog’s legs, bone marrow, smoked beef tartare, duck à l’orange, cassoulet, and mussels prepared with cream and curry, alongside Moroccan-influenced tagines. Breakfast, lunch, and brunch service will continue outdoors during the day, while the indoor dining room will open in the evenings only. February
Tun Tavern (207 Chestnut St.)
Montgomery Dahm, who owns Tun Tavern in Atlantic City, is retrofitting Old City’s Lucha Cartel into a tribute to the Marine Corps and is targeting early spring. (There’s a whole legal saga surrounding the name; the nonprofit group planning its own re-creation of the Tun around the corner hopes to open in 2027.) March
Society Hill / South Street
Kampar (611 S. Seventh St.)
Ange Branca hopes to reopen her Malaysian restaurant sometime in 2026; it’s undergoing extensive repairs from a February 2025 fire. No timeline
Taste Taco Bar (300 South St.)
Hi-Def Hospitality is readying this indoor/outdoor taco bar at the former Jon’s Bar & Grille. Spring
The long-delayed third location, just off Second and Girard, from the Center City Sichuan specialist is on track for 2026; its name hasn’t been set. Spring
Emilia (2406 Frankford Ave.)
Chef Greg Vernick and chef de cuisine Meredith Medoway lead a neighborhood trattoria featuring a seasonal menu built around house-made pasta and live-fire cooking. Late January/early February
ILU (2118 Dauphin St.)
A low-lit cocktail bar with Spanish tapas from Vintage Syndicate in the former Old Philadelphia Bar. February
Joe & Kay(702 N. Second St.)
Owen Kamihira (El Camino Real, Superette) and sons are behind a Northern Liberties izakaya — on the books for two years — named in honor of his grandparents, who owned a farm in Washington State before the family was interned during World War II. March
Matt Kuziemski has taken the old Penalty Box for a convivial 12-seat bar (amid 42 seats overall) with eclectic decor sourced from Thunderbird Salvage. Next week
7th Street Burger (1216 Shackamaxon St./1215 Frankford Ave.)
New Yorker Kevin Rezvani keeps the smash-burger menu simple; this location is just north of Girard Avenue and across from Frankford Hall and Fette Sau (another New York transplant). March
Slider & Co. (2043 Frankford Ave.)
William Johnson and Anesha Garrett are going the pop-up route at 2211 Frankford while awaiting their permanent home nearby. Spring
Terra Grill (1099 Germantown Ave.): Chef Laurent Tourondel, also behind Scusi Pizza, will tend this wood-fire grill at Piazza Alta. February
South Philly
Brunch Bulls (1638 W. Passyunk Ave.)
Brothers Derrick “Dee” and Jarrick “Jakk” Long are setting up an all-day bruncherie, where they’ll also serve their own liquor brand, Jakk & Dee Spirits Co.Spring
Claude’s Comedy Club & Bar (1123 S. Broad St.)
Reid Benditt, who publishes the comedic gem Philly Jabroni, plans a comedy club with a full bar featuring beer, cocktails, and fun food. (You don’t need a show ticket to sit at the bar, but it wouldn’t hurt.) Spring
EMei plans to open at the former Marra’s, as seen Nov. 30, its closing day after 98 years.
EMei (1734 E. Passyunk)
The Chinatown landmark takes the former Marra’s in South Philadelphia. Summer
Bartender Sam Ahern’s cozy, Euro-influenced homage to her spunky great-great-grandmother, who ran a speakeasy in North Jersey. Early 2026
Love & Honey Fried Chicken (1523 E. Passyunk Ave.)
The fried chicken chain heads to South Philadelphia. Spring
Long hot and provolone-stuffed Swabian pretzel from Pretzel Day Pretzels.
Pretzel Day Pretzels (1501 S. Fifth St.)
James and Annie Mueller’s pretzel-delivery operation gets a takeout home in South Philadelphia’s former Milk + Sugar. They bake classic soft pretzels, plus German-style variations rarely seen locally, including Swabian pretzels with a large, split-able belly and thin, crunchy arms. The shop will offer several stuffed options. February
Schmaltz (1300 S. 18th St.)
Jewish-inspired breakfast and lunch spot in Point Breeze from spouses Jeremy Asch and Abby Armstrong, who plan coffee, egg-and-cheese sandwiches on house-made English muffins (with pickle-brined crispy tofu as a vegan option), latkes, and blintzes. No timeline
Side Eye (623 S. Sixth St.)
Hank Allingham has taken the former Bistrot La Minette for a bar serving chef Finn Connors’ “French-ish” food alongside beer, $13 cocktails, and European wines. January
The Jeweler’s Row coffee-geek haven goes for its second location. No date
North of Center City / Loft District / Spring Garden
Lovechild (990 Spring Garden St.)
Well-traveled chef Elijah Milligan, taking over the former Lucky Well space with friends Simon and Yaminah Egan, plans an eclectic menu blending Japanese and Mexican cuisines, with a wood-fired grill as a centerpiece. They’re going for sleek and chic with cushy seating. The bar program will focus on clarified cocktails. The Lovechild name carries personal meaning for Milligan, who was raised by a single mother and is a single father himself. Spring
Chef Elijah Milligan in the space that will become his restaurant Lovechild at 990 Spring Garden St.
South Sichuan II (1537 Spring Garden St.)
A sequel for the South Philadelphia takeout. January/February
Yum Grills (1135 Vine St.)
Shahezad “Shah” Contractor and crew from Cousin’s Burger Co. are behind this halal shop selling smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken over rice, and wings out of a Shell station; at the Jan. 10 grand opening (1 p.m.), the first 100 people will get a double smash burger, fries, and soda.
West Philly / University City
Amina Ocean (4101 Market St.)
Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon (Amina, BlackHen, FIA, AVANA, and First Daughter Oyster & Co.) are going the seafood route for their long-awaited restaurant at 3.0 University Place. Summer
Burrito Feliz Cantina (4403 Chestnut St.)
Miguel Nolasco’s Burrito Feliz food truck — no relation to the Cantina Feliz restaurants in Fairmount, Manayunk, and Ambler — is partnering with Brewery ARS on a brick-and-mortar. No date
Kabobeesh and Karak Cha House (3748 Lancaster Ave.)
Asad Ghumman’s popular Pakistani restaurant and the street-food sibling are moving a mile within University City into bigger quarters at the Triad Apartments. January
Fahad Azam and Khurram Ghayas are franchisees of this Yemeni coffee shop, prepping for opening at the Triad. January
Northwest Philly
The Blue Warbler (8001 Germantown Ave.)
First-time restaurateur Fred Mogul calls this an “unfussy” all-day bakery-cafe-tavern serving “edgy, eclectic comfort food” accompanied by coffee, cocktails, wine, beer, and nonalcoholic drinks. February/March
Crust Vegan Bakery (4200 Ridge Ave.)
Meagan Benz’s vegan bakery, relocating from Manayunk to East Falls, will be an expanded shop/cafe in a century-old building just off Kelly Drive. January
Lovat Square (184 E. Evergreen Ave.)
Damien Graef and Robyn Semien — he’s lead sommelier at Philly’s Four Seasons, she’s a journalist who runs a podcast company called Placement Theory, and together they own Brooklyn’s long-running Bibber & Bell wine shop — are taking over Chestnut Hill’s former Top of the Hill Market and Mimi’s Cafe. Phase one, beginning in coming weeks, will be a wine shop featuring about 30 indoor seats, wines by the glass, tastings, and snacks. A 70-seat courtyard with a full dinner menu is planned for spring, followed by a late-fall opening of a full cocktail bar and restaurant.
Mermaid Bar (6745 Germantown Ave.)
Pizzaiolo Dan Gutter and business partner Alex Carbonell are redoing the shuttered Mermaid as a yet-to-be-named bar-restaurant whose pizzas will resemble Circles & Squares, the Kensington shop that became Gutter’s first brick-and-mortar location in 2019. (Gutter also has Pizza Plus in South Philly.) There will be a full bar, a large outdoor patio, and two levels: a bar downstairs and a dining room upstairs. Summer
Philadelphia’s restaurant landscape in 2025 was shaped by a combination of ambition and depth: large, market-moving openings at the top end (Borromini, Dancerobot, Uchi, Honeysuckle, Tequilas/La Jefa); suburban newcomers that mattered (Michael, Neos Americana, Salt & Stone); and dozens of smaller additions that boosted neighborhood options.
All told, I count more than 125 newcomers, not including the ubiquitous Wonder locations and multiunit bakery franchises like Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours.
The hottest areas were Rittenhouse and Kensington in the city, and Conshohocken in the suburbs.
Top Openings: Philadelphia
Center City / Rittenhouse / Fitler Square / North Philadelphia
Amma: The polished South Indian restaurant has relocated about two blocks away into more sumptuous quarters at 15th and Walnut, picking up a glassed-in bar.
The Bread Room: A bakery-cafe hybrid from High Street Hospitality on Chestnut Street, around the corner from High Street and Jefferson Hospital, that focuses on laminated pastries, breads, and other daytime fare.
Dancerobot: Chefs Jesse Ito and Justin Bacharach’s sequel to Royal Izakaya is a sultry hideaway on Sansom Street in Rittenhouse.
The dining room at Honeysuckle.
Honeysuckle: Chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate have a new stage for Southern cooking rooted in Black culinary traditions on North Broad Street, building on what they started with West Philly’s Honeysuckle Provisions.
Kissho House: Chef Jeff Chen’s refined, two-level Japanese experience in Rittenhouse offers omakase downstairs and an izakaya on street level on Locust.
Uchi Philadelphia: The national Japanese restaurant raises the bar for luxury sushi on Sansom Street in Rittenhouse.
Fishtown/Kensington/Northern Liberties
Amá: Chef Frankie Ramirez’s modern Mexican restaurant on Front Street showcases regional cooking with a serious mezcal and tequila program.
El Chingón Fishtown: Chef Carlos Aparicio’s second location of his acclaimed South Philadelphia taqueria is a beer-garden setting on Frankford Avenue.
Evan Snyder grilling a halibut at Emmett.
Emmett: Chef Evan Snyder is winning plaudits for his Levantine-inspired cooking at the former Modo Mio/Cadence/Primary Plant Based space on Girard Avenue.
Fleur’s: Chef George Sabatino cooks French dishes in an intimate setting in a former furniture store on Front Street.
Forest & Main Fishtown: The Ambler brewery’s first city tasting room, in the former Cheu Fishtown on Frankford, features creative bar food from chef Dane DeMarco (Gass & Main).
Mana Modern Chinese: Modern Chinese BYOB on Second Street in Northern Liberties blends playful dim sum and inventive takes on classics in a mod setting.
Fairmount / Francisville
Javelin: This low-key Fairmount Avenue sushi bar offers a full cocktail bar.
Stephen’s Cafe: This kosher dairy cafe attached to the Chabad of Fairmount, in the former Rembrandt’s, features baking by Shevy Sputz, who also sells her babka, knishes, and other Eastern European baked goods at the local farmer’s market.
South Philadelphia / East Passyunk / Graduate Hospital
Bomb Bomb Bar: Zeppoli/Palizzi chef Joey Baldino revived a classic South Philly corner bar, infusing it with an Italian seafood menu and plenty of downtown energy.
Sao: Chef Phila Lorn and his wife, Rachel, are behind this snug Cambodian-inspired seafood bar on East Passyunk, a sequel to their hit no-rules noodle spot, Mawn.
Supérette: This chill European-style wine bar/cafe/bottle shop on East Passyunk from Chloé Grigri, Vincent Stipo, and Owen Kamihira emphasizes simple plates and easy elegance.
Namaste Indian Bistro: This Indian-Himalayan bistro at 46th and Lancaster is an offshoot of the original in Warminster; there’s also a new location in Collingswood.
Out West: Down North Pizza’s sequel at 52nd and Walnut combines an ambitious coffee program with breakfast and lunch sandwiches in a community-friendly space.
Northwest Philadelphia
The Borscht Belt: The Bucks Jewish deli has opened a counter at Chestnut Hill’s Market at the Fareway.
Burtons Grill & Bar (Wayne): This polished, New England-rooted American grill features a long cocktail list and an unusually thorough gluten-free/allergy-friendly playbook.
Eataly (King of Prussia Mall): The giant Italian marketplace combines multiple restaurants, retail counters, and specialty grocery under one roof.
Hank’s Place (Chadds Ford): Rebuilt after a devastating 2021 flood, this Brandywine mainstay is a cozy diner known for old-school favorites and Wyeth sightings.
Michael Coastal Italian Grille (Collingswood): Chef Michael DeLone leans harder into coastal Italian cuisine after rebranding the upscale Nunzio’s and freshening the environs with new hardwood.
Neos Americana (Conshohocken): Kurt Benkurt and Annalise Long have upgraded their Daniel’s into a refined Mediterranean-leaning dinner destination and bar focusing on mezze, grilled meats, and seafood.
Peter Chang (King of Prussia): Peter Chang, once chef for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., offers Sichuan classics.
Revell Hall (Burlington): Chef Joey Sergentakis is behind this modern restaurant on the Delaware riverfront, the former Cafe Gallery, billed as “semifine dining.”
Salt & Stone (Conshohocken): Demetrios Pappas is behind this polished restaurant emphasizing seasonal Greek-American cooking and craft cocktails.
Thymari Mediterranean Gastro-Taverna(Swedesboro): This Greek-inspired BYOB offers taverna-style dishes, with a wine list sourced through Kennedy Cellars.
Triple Crown (Radnor): Fearless Restaurants has gone with an equestrian theme for its restaurant/event space at the Radnor Hotel.
Other Noteworthy Openings
Philadelphia
Amina (Northern Liberties): Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon moved their West African-inspired Southern spot from Old City into the former SIN.
Avana (Center City): Comfort food and American classics from Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon at Park Towne Place on the Parkway.
Casa Borinqueña(Kensington): Lourdes “Lulu” Marquez-Nau owns this casual Puerto Rican spot serving plant-based versions of classics like pinchos, arroz con gandules, and maduros.
Casa Oui in Queen Village.
Casa Oui(Queen Village): Chef Isabel Nocelo and C.J. Cheyne’s all-day café-restaurant blends French pastry energy with a nighttime menu that leans Mexican, plus a full bar.
Céline(Center City): It’s a cocktail lounge and nightlife-focused venue built around DJ-driven vibes and a reservation-led bar program; a Korean barbecue restaurant counterpart, HYO, is on the way upstairs.
Cerveau (North Philadelphia): Pizza Brain cofounder Joe Hunter created this roomy space at the 990 Spring Garden building to focus on sourdough pizza, handmade pastas, and small plates, with a full bar.
Cormorant (Kensington): This corner bar from the partners behind Vintage and Garage offers an amaro-leaning cocktail list, classic drafts, and no-proof options.
DaVinci & Yu (South Philadelphia): Marc Grika offers a playful mashup of Italian American and Chinese American comfort food on East Passyunk.
The bar at Doho in Mount Airy.
Doho(Mount Airy): This cozy bistro, inside Catering by Design, fuses Latin American and East Asian flavors, with a full bar.
Fetch (Manayunk): A dog park with a bar and a light food menu has succeeded Bark Social on Main Street.
First Daughter Oyster & Co. (Old City): Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon offer New England-style seafood at the Renaissance Philadelphia Downtown Hotel.
Good Hatch Eatery (West Philadelphia): The popular South Philly bruncherie has expanded to 48th and Pine.
Newsroom Philadelphia (Northern Liberties): A bar-restaurant concept blends media themes with late-night energy, tucked behind an ersatz soda machine.
Olive Roots Cafe (Queen Village): A Mediterranean cafe emphasizes coffee/matcha drinks and croissant sandwiches.
Percy (Kensington): The team behind Forîn Cafe runs this unfussy but stylish diner with a bar and late-night lounge under the El.
A feast at Pinolero.
Pinolero (Kensington): Lilliam Orozco and daughter Sarah are behind this stylish Nicaraguan restaurant in Harrowgate highlighting wood-fire cooking and Central American beverages.
Rhythm & Spirits (Center City): This music-theme bar and restaurant combines cocktails and Spanish-Italian food at One Penn Center (aka Suburban Station).
Rival Bros Coffee(Washington Square West): The Philly coffee chain debuted a swank spot in the Jessup House.
Rockwell & Rose (Center City): This stylish steakhouse has taken half of P.J. Clarke’s footprint in the Curtis Building, across from Washington Square.
Say She Ate Cafe (Center City): There’s great name wordplay and Mumbai-influenced, vegan food on the menu at this fast-casual cafe on South Street just off Broad, carrying on the Govinda’s tradition.
Scusi Pizza (Northern Liberties): Chef Laurent Tournodel’s colorful pizzeria/cocktail spot opened at the Piazza Alta, in advance of a luxe concept called Terra Grill.
The Fulton(Conshohocken): This contemporary Irish tavern serves hearty classics at the former Old Mansion House.
Kaede Sushi & Noodle Co. (Conshohocken): “Sushi speakeasy” is the theme of this stylish room upstairs from Guppy’s Good Times, with food from the team behind Kooma.
The Local (Phoenixville): A breakfast-and-lunch newcomer from the Lock 29 team leans into scratch-made classics and rotating specials.
Maison Lotus (Wayne): This refined Vietnamese coffee bar/restaurant from Win Signature Restaurants (Azie, the Blue Elephant, Teikoku, Mikado Thai Pepper, Mama-San) subsumed the former Margaret Kuo.
Mama Chang(Colmar): A family-style Chinese dining room from chef Peter Chang features Sichuan heat.
Tommy’s Tavern & Tap(King of Prussia): The New Jersey sports bar has set up an outpost outside the mall.
Toastique (Newtown Square): This all-day cafe turns “gourmet toast” into the main event, backed by juices and grab-and-go bowls.
Vanilla Café (New Hope): A sweets-forward cafe does coffee, pastries, and desserts with Instagram-friendly polish.
New Jersey Suburbs
Feed Mill Eatery (Medford): Five brands — Crumb Sandwich Joint, Casa Blanca Taqueria, Davey Stacks Burgers & Cheesesteaks, Mattarello Pizza, and Walterhaus German Fare — have set up at the historic Feed Mill complex, per early word from South Jersey Food Scene.
Flying Pig Tavern & Tap (Riverside): This new outpost of the Bordentown sports bar replaces Towne Tavern.
Julio’s Casa de la Birria (Sewell): The family behind Vineland’s Julio’s on Main has opened a sequel in Echo Plaza: a quick-service taqueria.
Lula’s Empanadas (Haddon Heights): Yaslyn Lora has made the leap from takeout window to full storefront dining room.
Magnify Brewing (Medford): An Essex County craft brewery has opened a laid-back taproom with a beer garden.
Main Street Tacos (Maple Shade): This strip-mall taqueria from David and Israel Morales emphasizes bold flavors.
Max’s Cafe’s neon sign still shines over Pudge’s Pub in Gloucester City.
Pudge’s Pub (Gloucester City): The former Max’s Seafood Cafe has been reconceptualized as an everyday tavern featuring cheesesteaks inspired by Pudge’s Steaks of suburban Philadelphia renown.
On the positive side, many shuttered restaurant spaces didn’t stay vacant for too long, providing a reminder that endings often double as beginnings.
January
Copabanana South Street closed after 45 years amid bankruptcy and following a brief move off the corner of Fourth and South Streets. Copabanana University City is separately owned and unaffected.
Hawthornes Café, the South Philadelphia brunch fixture, closed after 15 years. The location is now the Lodge by Two Robbers.
Ultimo Coffee’s Rittenhouse location closed after about seven years over what were called plumbing issues. It’s now Musette Rittenhouse.
February
Big Ass Slices in Old City closed after nearly eight years for myriad reasons.
Martorano’s Prime, the Italian steakhouse at Rivers Casino run by South Philly native Steve Martorano, closed after a year and a half. The casino, which oversaw operations, rebranded it as Sapore Italian Kitchen.
Mulherin’s Pizzeria in East Market closed after less than a year amid a legal dispute.
Pod, 3636 Sansom St.
Pod, Stephen Starr’s longtime futuristic pan-Asian spot in University City, closed, just shy of its 25th anniversary.
March
Añejo and Figo in Northern Liberties, Chika in Rittenhouse, and Izakaya Fishtown — all run by Glu Hospitality — closed as the company imploded.
April
Blair Mountain Biscuit Co. in Blackwood abruptly shut down after nearly four years.
Crime & Punishment Brewing in Brewerytown cited various reasons for its closing after 10 years, including a shift in drinking culture.
Rudee’s Thai Cuisine in Wynnewood closed after six years, giving way to Delish Thai.
Bar at SIN, 1102 Germantown Ave., on Nov. 12, 2023.
SIN (Steak Italian Nightlife) in Northern Liberties closed after 16 months to make way for Amina, which relocated from Old City.
May
Hale & True Cider Co. in Bella Vista closed after seven years; it is now a location of Carbon Copy.
Manatawny Still Works shut down its entire operation after 11 years, including three tasting rooms, with two days’ notice. The location at 1321 N. Lee St. in Fishtown is now Pip’s, a tasting room from Ploughman’s Cider Co.
Ross & Co., the Hatboro sports bar that succeeded a Bernie’s Pub location, closed abruptly after a little more than a year.
Seorabol’s Olney location closed after 31 years with the retirement of founding chef Kye Cheol Cho. Chef Chris Cho’s Center City outpost remains open.
Stardust Cafe, which only briefly succeeded the Pop Shop in Collingswood, closed. The space is the new location of Jersey Kebab, which relocated from Haddon Township.
The Cauldron, a magic-themed bar in Washington Square West, closed along with all U.S. and U.K. locations. The Philadelphia location was open for about three years.
Campbell’s Place, a fixture in Chestnut Hill for 30 years, closed as the owners said they wanted to start a new chapter in their lives.
ESO Ramen Workshop/Neighborhood Ramenleft its final location, in Society Hill, as owners moved to Japan.
Federal Donuts & Chicken shuttered its Whole Foods Market location in Wynnewood after four years.
Banh Mi & Bottles closed after about nine years as the family has decided to install a different business in the storefront at 712-714 South.
DaMo Pasta Lab’s location at 12th and Sansom Streets closed after about six years. The newer spot, on 20th Street near Rittenhouse Square, remains.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant — all of them —sank in bankruptcy after nearly 30 years. The assets of some of the breweries have been purchased, and tenants are being sought for a few Philly-area locations, including West Chester.
Jansen, chef David Jansen’s fine-dining spot in Mount Airy, closed after nearly 10 years as Jansen moved on to become chef at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club.
Lucha Cartel, the Old City Mexican hangout, was sold after 12 years. It is being rebranded as a location of Tun Tavern, a 21st-century version of the colonial birthplace of the Marine Corps. Owner Montgomery Dahm said it is expected to open in March.
Austrian Village in Rockledge closed after 53 years, following the death of its chef.
Big Charlie’s Saloon in South Philadelphia closed permanently after the death of its owner, Paul Staico, on Nov. 30.
A view of Cantina La Martina taken from the steps of Somerset Station.
Cantina La Martina, chef Dionicio Jimenez’s acclaimed Mexican restaurant in Kensington, closed after nearly four years. He’s pursuing a new location.
Essen Bakery, facing financial pressure, confirmed the permanent closing of its shops in South Philadelphia and Kensington after nine years.
Isot, the Turkish BYOB on Sixth Street near Bainbridge, closed after 10 years at the end of its lease.
Keg & Kitchen in Westmont closed after 15 years with the retirement of owners Kevin and Janet Meeker. It will reopen under new ownership as Duo Restaurant & Bar from the operators of Cherry Hill’s Il Villaggio.
Laurel, Nicholas Elmi’s East Passyunk bistro, closed after 12 years as its lease was winding down.
Marra’s, the landmark South Philadelphia Italian restaurant, closed after 98 years with the sale of its building to Dan Tsao, who is opening a branch of EMei there.
Max’s Seafood Cafe in Gloucester City abruptly closed and is now Pudge’s Pub.
Osteria 545 in Paulsboro closed after nearly five years over economic issues.
Rocco’s at the Brick in Newtown closed abruptly after about eight years over a landlord issue.
Core de Roma’s final location, in Bala Cynwyd, closed after five years. Owners Judy and Luigi Pinti wrote on their website: “After the report of a professional building Inspection company we have decided to not exercise the options to buy or extend the lease for another five years. Also, not finding adequate staff and problem with the parking forced us to close the restaurant.”
Il Fiore, the upscale Italian spot in Bryn Mawr Village that succeeded the Marc Vetri-run Fiore Rosso in mid-2024, has closed. Management’s note suggests that a new occupant is forthcoming. (Il Fiore was not related to the longtime Collingswood BYOB of the same name.)
Mac Mart’s Rittenhouse location closed after 9½ years. It’s relocating in January to a kiosk at 18th and Arch Streets.
Marple Public House in Broomall has ended its nearly six-year run. It will reopen Jan. 2 under new management as Page & Pour Tavern.
Park Place, the intimate tasting-menu restaurant in Merchantville, closed Dec. 20 after nine years. Chef-owner Philip Mangararo announced on social media that he is moving on.
Society Hill Hotel’s operators, Brian Linton and Mike Cangi, announced that they were closing New Year’s Eve after a year and a half. While retaining the boutique hotel, they’re ceding the street-level restaurant to Michael Pasquarello’s 13th Street Kitchens (Cafe Lift, Prohibition Taproom, La Chinesca). Pasquarello told The Inquirer that he would open it in late winter or early spring as Piccolina, a dimly lit Italian bar and restaurant with raw bar, house-made pasta, Neapolitan pizzas, a few large plates, cocktails, and an Italian-only wine list.
Zsa’s Ice Cream marked its finale after 14 years in Mount Airy. A year ago, Danielle Jowdy announced the shop’s “grand closing” as she sought to find a buyer.
Michelin stars, oysters, coffee houses, food halls, and a billion-dollar newcomer shaped the 2025 Philadelphia restaurant scene.
The awards keep rolling in
As Philadelphia gears up to mark the Semiquincentennial, its restaurant scene sits squarely on the national radar.
Michelin inspectors seemed to have had a good first impression of Philadelphia’s dining scene. At the Nov. 18 ceremony, which attracted more than 500 culinary professionals from around the world to the Kimmel Center for the U.S. Northeast Cities awards, nearly three dozen Philadelphia restaurants earned recognition. Center City’s Friday Saturday Sunday and Her Place Supper Club, and Society Hill’s Provenance received a star, while 11 others were designated as “recommended.” Ten others were conferred Bib Gourmand selections for serving what Michelin calls “exceptional food at great value.”
Coffee houses became Philadelphia’s most important third spaces — places to sit, work, talk, and linger without alcohol or reservations. Yemeni coffee chains, in particular, expanded.
Oysters are everywhere as raw bars multiplied. Sao reimagines seafood through a Cambodian influence. Lauren Biederman (Biederman’s) is behind Tesiny, a South Philadelphia raw bar; restaurateur Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon offer bivalves at their First Daughter Oyster & Co. at the Renaissance Philadelphia Downtown Hotel; and chef George Sabatino and partners have put a raw bar front and center at Fleur’s, their French spot in Kensington.
Food halls grow up, and find their footing
You could describe Eataly, the Italian emporium that opened in October in King of Prussia, and the new Feed Mill Eatery in Medford as food halls because of their everything-under-one-roof setup. But they have common ownership. The new Gather Food Hall and Ridge Hall, however, are assemblages of local operators united for a common mission.
Gather Food Hall in the old Bulletin Building.
Gather, in the former Bulletin Building across from 30th Street Station, has not only gathered Mexican, Cambodian, Peruvian, Indian cuisine, and pizza in University City, it has created a model to combat food insecurity among college students. Gather’s operators partner with Believe in Students, a national nonprofit, and have pledged to give out5,000 low-cost meals in its first year, backed by a $250,000, 10-year commitment from developer Brandywine Realty Trust.
People dining in Ridge Hall in front of Mary’s Chicken Strip Club in Ambler.
Nothing in 2025 unsettled the local industry more than the rapid expansion of Wonder, going from zero to 20 locations in Philadelphia and South Jersey, with even more on the way.
Menus for various cuisines at the Wonder location in Media.
Wonder, backed by $1.5 billion in venture capital, sells food via walk-in, app, and delivery from a diverse lineup of menus by such chefs as Bobby Flay, José Andrés, and Marcus Samuelsson. Want a steak, a pizza, an order of nachos, and a grilled chicken sandwich from the same place, all delivered in 30 minutes? That’s the wonder of Wonder.
Wonder, based in the New York City area, calls itself a food hall. In reality, it’s a ghost kitchen. Food is prepared at a central kitchen and trucked down to each location, where workers (not actual cooks) set up and reheat the dishes in ventless kitchens.
For diners, the appeal is convenience and, for now, price. But as Wonder blankets the region with ads and offers of half-price orders and free delivery to gain a foothold, it is disrupting the industry.
Wonder steers diners away from local shops. It turns choosing a restaurant into scrolling menus on an app, not supporting places you may know. And by pushing everything toward delivery and pickup and by undercutting prices, it makes it harder for independent restaurants — especially neighborhood takeout spots — to survive on already thin margins.
In a year when so much of Philadelphia’s food culture emphasized independent owners and the importance of community, this contrast is striking.
What a year for the Philly-area pizza scene. To recap 2025’s newcomers, we saw full-service settings that treat pizza as one pillar of a modern Italian restaurant, such as Cerveau in Spring Arts, Corio in University City, Scusi in Northern Liberties, and the hypermart Eataly in King of Prussia. Fishtown’s roster expanded with Marina’s Pizza, from the grandson of a local pizza magnate. The late-night scene, moribund for the last five years, now has 15th Street Pizza & Cheesesteak in Rittenhouse. Other newcomers include Angelina’s in deep South Philly, Rhythm & Spirits in Suburban Station, Puglia on South Street, and Italian Family Pizza on the Parkway.
New social rooms treat pizza as an anchor for hanging out (the Borough in Downingtown, the Pizza Pit in Bensalem, and Gloria Sports & Spirits in Warrington). Expansion was also on the table: The Main Line hit Johnny’s Pizza opened an offshoot in Wayne, and Santucci’s tacked on new spots in University City and Deptford.
The burbs saw ambition from Anomalia in Fort Washington, Antica in Warrington, Barclay Pies in Cherry Hill, Classic Pizza in Bala Cynwyd, Not Like the Rest in Pine Hill, Taco-Yote in Moorestown, and Genova Pizza 2 Go in a Williamstown gas station. There was even a nerdy newcomer: Apizzeria 888 by Sebastian, a “pizza lab” in Elkins Park that feels like a cult favorite in the making.
Saloon alumnus Marty Angelina and Franco & Luigi veteran Brian Cunningham serve abundantly topped New York-style pizza along with a menu of sandwiches, chicken cutlets, pastas, and stuffed long hots wrapped in bacon from this Seventh and Oregon Avenue space, formerly the Pizza Shop and Ralph & Rickey’s. The pizza that gets the most attention is the Honeyroni, a mix of pepperoni, ricotta, and hot honey, available by the slice or the pie. Its location makes it an easy jump to the sports complex. (Bonus: John’s Water Ice has a pickup window here in season.)
Cerveau
Pizza Brain cofounder Joe Hunter is behind this neighborhood drop-in disguised as a colorful playground in the 990 Spring Garden building, with a cicchetteria menu (small plates and the mini-sandwiches known as tramezzini), plus a few large plates at dinnertime. The stars are the puffy-crusted, 16-inch Neapolitan-ish pizzas, which are on the cheffy side: The French Onion, with mornay, caramelized onions, and comte, is a winner of a white, and nostalgics should find a soft spot for the Crab Rangoon — a take on the Chinese takeout staple — topped with cream cheese and lump crab with a swirl of sweet chili.
Corio
They’re creating in University City these days, and not just at the high-tech “innovation district” that Drexel University and Wexford Science + Technology are putting together. Chef Dave Feola puts out some traditional, thin-crusted 14-inch pies at this comfortable Market Street bistro, such as a Margherita with a San Marzano base and buffalo mozzarella and a spicy sausage Bolognese. But the seasonal selections get wilder, like braised rabbit in a tomato sauce dotted with ricotta and Calabrian chili oil, or the hazelnut pesto with roasted poblano and pecorino over béchamel.
15th Street Pizza & Cheesesteak
When it’s creeping past 2 a.m. and the bars are letting out, you need a munchie run: That is what drove brothers Andrew and Michael Cappelli, who own Cappelli’s, a late-night pizzeria on 13th near Locust, to open this corner parlor and cafe in the former Starbucks at 15th and Latimer. It’s open till 3 nightly, with a case that’s stocked with slice options. The plain cheese and the pepperoni are the big sellers, as you’d imagine, but they sell plenty of the buffalo chicken ranch (rounds and Sicilians), broccoli spinach ricotta (rounds), and Margherita Sicilians. If pizza isn’t singing your song, they’ve got overloaded cheesesteaks coming off the flattop.
Italian Family Pizza
You may have to tilt the pizza box slightly to navigate the doorway of Steven Calozzi’s rustic parlor in the former Subway shop at 17th and the Parkway. Calozzi, a pizzeria lifer from Bucks County (by way of Seattle), is turning out whopping, 24-inch Trenton-style pies: cheese on the bottom, with a thin, crispy crust. (A 12-inch is available, too.) There’s a tomato pie drizzled with pecorino and olive oil, a sauceless white pizza, a cheese pie (heavy on the toppings), and a Sicilian. Dine-in on two levels is a plus when you have a family attending an event on the Parkway.
Marina’s Pizza
Mason Lesser is 24, but he’s been around the pizza world all his life through his maternal grandfather, Angelo Lancellotti, who owned dozens of local pizzerias over the decades. Lesser, who named his Fishtown storefront after his mother and grandmother, offers thin-crusted New York-style pies (18-inchers for whole, 20-inchers for slices) that meld both fresh and low-moisture mozzarella with minimal sauce (a simple combo of tomatoes, salt, basil, and olive oil); all pizzas get a finishing dusting of pecorino-romano and glug of EVOO. His upmarket pie is the Riviera, with pepperoni, creamy stracciatella, basil hot honey, and basil. It’s open for dine-in or pick-up.
Puglia Pizza
Cosimo Tricarico left Philly (and his Caffe Valentino in Pennsport) a few years ago for his native Puglia. In his Philly comeback, he’s set up Puglia at Ninth and South, turning out an assortment of football-shaped Romans, traditional rounds, plus sfilatini —thin, pressed baguette sandwiches with fillings like meatballs and vegetables. It’s open for dine-in.
Rhythm & Spirits
Lee Sanchez’s something-for-everyone menu at his mod bistro inside the Suburban Station building (aka One Penn Center) includes five pizzas — all thin-crusted 14-inch rounds with sturdy bottoms and good crunch. There’s plenty of heat from the Trevi, with spicy pepperoni cups, pickled serrano peppers, hot honey, and blobs of whipped ricotta. Also of note is the Funghi, whose wild-mushroom mix gets a topping of Dijonnaise, fresh mozzarella, and rosemary gremolata.
Santucci’s
It’s hip to be square at this old-Philly institution — now up to 14 locations (including new outposts in University City and Deptford) under one branch of Joseph Santucci’s family. The pan-baked square crusts envelop a firm, crackly bottom, and the sharp sauce stays bright, ladled on top of the cheese.
Scusi Pizza
Chef Laurent Tourondel, the New York restaurateur behind an international portfolio of steak houses, Italian restaurants, and pizza concepts, is behind this sophisticated pizzeria/cocktail bar in Northern Liberties’ Piazza Alta. For the French-born chef, pizza is personal. “I was telling my staff that I cooked for a living, but pizza for me was always a hobby.” Twenty years ago, after Michelin awarded a star to BLT Fish, Tourondel’s chef de cuisine announced that he was quitting to open a pizzeria, a growing category. Inspired, Tourondel trained in Naples and returned to New York to launch La Mico and later take over a longtime pizzeria on Long Island, where he refined a crispy, airy-crusted style. At Scusi, chef de cuisine Georgeann Leaming offers a by-the-slice pizza bar as well as two Sicilian pies, along with calzones, salads, sandwiches, and soft-serve for dessert. Tourondel is also behind Terra Grill, a wood-fired grill restaurant, planned next door for early 2026.
Pennsylvania Suburbs
Anomalia Pizza
The phrase that pays at this humble, stand-alone slice shop near the Fort Washington SEPTA station is “drunken grandma”: That’s Frank Innusa’s crispy, almost buttery-bottomed squares topped with fresh mozzarella and ribboned with a thick, creamy vodka sauce amped with pancetta. Other hits include the stromboli and the uncommon mozzarella in carrozza — basically, a mozzarella stick in sandwich form (cheese tucked inside bread, crusted with bread crumbs, and fried). There’s seating for dine-in.
Antica Pizza Co.
Whether you’re after thin or thick crusts, 12- or 16-inch, there’s something for everyone among the grandmas, Sicilians, and New York pizzas at this roomy, contemporary strip-mall spot in central Bucks County. If you’re indecisive, there is the capricciosa, which has a little bit of everything on top. The oven also turns out pinsa (the Roman-style flatbread) and schiacciata for Tuscan-style sandwiches.
Apizzeria 888 by Sebastian
Owner/pizzaiolo Sebastian Besiso is the first to say that you may not like his pizza, especially if you prefer more conventional New York or Neapolitan styles. His “Roma” — available in limited qualities at his one-man hole-in-the-wall takeout in Elkins Park — is built with two kinds of aged cheese, a smear of a slightly sweet tomato basil sauce, and an almost impossibly thin crust that shatters around the edges as you bite. There is no flop whatsoever. Apizzeria pies have the crunchy, cheese-on-the-bottom qualities of Chicago tavern-style, though Besiso slices them into conventional eighths, not party squares.
The Borough
This newcomer in Downingtown is many things: a family restaurant and sports bar downstairs, with a sushi bar and event space upstairs. It’s also a serious pizza destination thanks to consultant Ptah Akai, whose pies are puffy, neo-Neapolitan-ish, with sturdy crusts and a light char. The sliced garlic gave a subtle roast to a cheeseless tomato pie that he made for me off-menu. His Forager, with basil pesto and three kinds of mushrooms, was balanced and did not sink under the mozzarella. There’s also a plain cheese, pepperoni, and a Margherita. Important, non-pizza-related tip: The adjacent parking lot is not the restaurant’s, and tow trucks abound; park across the street in the municipal lot.
Classic Pizza
Staten Island-born pizzaiolo Paul Brancale has taken over the Bala Cynwyd location of EVO Pizza for a slice shop built around old-school New York styles, including thick, soft Sicilians; crispy-crusted, rectangular grandmas; and 18-inch round pies that are thin and crispy, in the Joe & Pat’s/Rubirosa tradition. He’s making his own fresh mozzarella from curds, and the sausage comes from Martin’s at Reading Terminal Market.
Eataly
Pizza at this massive Italian emporium in KoP Mall splits cleanly into two lanes. The full-service restaurant, La Pizza & La Pasta, serves classic, whole Neapolitan pies in a classy setting. For something faster, the marketplace counter sells Roman-style pizza by the slice; with a small seating area, it’s built for both lingering or grabbing a quick square mid-shop.
Gloria Sports & Spirits
It would be easy — and wrong — to write this place off as a sports bar. What matters is the pizza: light yet sturdy 13-inch pies from Vetri alum Brad Daniels, whose resumé also includes the high-end Tresini in Spring House. The toppings show real thought, from a saganaki-inspired pie with preserved lemon, feta, and oregano to the broccoli-forward “Brock Party” with ricotta sauce and roasted garlic. Even the red pies are dialed in, finished with restrained Bianco DiNapoli sauce and fior di latte instead of generic mozzarella.
Johnny’s Pizza
Having wowed our tasters for The Inquirer’s 76, John Bisceglie has added a Wayne outpost to his bustling Bryn Mawr pizzeria. Located in a strip center near the farmers market, it’s set up mostly for takeout, but there’s a comfy dining room to enjoy unforgettable pies both thick and thin(ish), rectangular and round, red and white. We’re particularly fond of the white pies, topped with fresh mozzarella, lemony ricotta, caramelized onions, pecorino-romano, and parsley and baked on a sesame-seed crust.
The Pizza Pit
The no-frills, 14-inch pies — especially the upside-down (with provolone on the bottom) and the cheeseless tomato — pair well with the brews on tap at this counter setup inside the industrial-looking “mixing room” at Bensalem’s Broken Goblet Brewing, run by veteran pizza man Bob Meadows and his business partner, Chris Margarite.
South Jersey
Barclay Pies
This cheery, spacious spot offers gluten-free crusts (using Caputo’s flour) along with a line of conventional pies, plus other foods (chicken tenders, wings, fries, cookies) that are gluten-free from inception. The lineup: five red pizzas (plain, pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, and a vegan Margherita featuring cashew milk mozzarella cheese by Miyoko’s Creamery) and four whites (arugula, mushroom, broccoli, and buffalo chicken). Allergen info and protocols are up on their Instagram. Plain and pepperoni slices are available over lunch.
Genova Pizza 2 Go
Come for a fill-up at this branch of Audubon’s Genova Pizza, tucked inside Marathon Gas. The grandma pies, with their crispy, olive oil-slicked crusts, the thicker-crusted Sicilians, and deep dish are the big draws. If you’re on your way somewhere, note that you can eat at the counter, if you’d care to spare your car’s interior.
Knot Like the Rest Pizzeria
Gary Lincoln’s latest South Jersey pizzeria is not like the rest: It’s all online for delivery, and walk-in customers must use kiosks for slices and pies, available also for dine-in. Highlights include the Pickle (pickles, bacon, cheddar, mozzarella, ranch dressing), Zinger (secret sauce, steak, banana peppers, mozz, American cheese), and Knotty Vodka, with its edges ringed with garlic knots.
Taco-Yote
There are seven Mexican pizzas on the menu at this vibrant taqueria in downtown Moorestown from Carlos Melendez of Conshohocken’s Coyote Crossing. The 16-inch rounds (not too thick or thin) aren’t just getting “taco toppings,” either; there’s mole poblano with pulled chicken, red onions, and toasted sesame seed; birria topped with guajillo and morita-seasoned brisket, with consommé on the side, and a sweet-and-savory al pastor with achiote and the kick of chile de árbol salsa.
In late 1996, Carlos Melendez took a chance on a watering hole off the beaten path in Conshohocken and created Coyote Crossing, still one of the suburbs’ most popular Mexican restaurants. Ten years later, he opened what proved to be a short-lived outpost in West Chester before deciding to double down by expanding the original restaurant.
And that seemed to be enough until one night last year when he and his wife, Steffany, were out to dinner at Maurizio’s Bistro, near their home in Moorestown. Melendez struck up a conversation with owner Maurizio Randazzo.
“He told me, ‘You know what, Carlos? I’m tired. I’m having knee surgery, and I just don’t want to do this anymore. I’d like to sell it,’” Melendez said.
Melendez initially was reluctant to open another restaurant, but his wife urged him to look at it as a creative exercise. “And she was right,” he said.
Taco-Yote — a mashup of “taco” and “coyote” — opened Dec. 12. It’s a deliberate shift from Coyote Crossing. Moorestown is dry, so there is no bar. It’s also much smaller, with a lower price point and a menu engineered for takeout and delivery as much as for dine-in.
The al pastor pizza at Taco-Yote in Moorestown.
The food reflects Melendez’s upbringing in Mexico City and his decades in restaurants — he worked with Tequilas founder David Suro at the Carlos ‘n Charlie’s chain many years ago. The design is bold with hand-painted artwork and an intimate feel.
His mother-in-law, Ada Marina Estela, painted several pieces in the restaurant, including a prominent Frida Kahlo-inspired portrait in the main dining room. Steffany Melendez, a fashion designer, is behind “everything you see — the colors, the artwork, the aesthetic — that’s all her,” Carlos Melendez said.
Dining room at Taco-Yote in Moorestown. The portrait of Frida Kahlo was painted by Ada Marina Estela, mother of Steffany Melendez.
Central to chef Oscar Velasquez’s menu is a custom grill designed by Melendez and built by a fabricator in Tennessee, similar to one at Coyote Crossing. Fueled by charcoal and wood, it allows for live-fire cooking.
Maurizio’s pizza oven is now pumping out pizzas inspired by Mexican street food: tacos al pastor, mole poblano, shrimp, birria (with consommé on the side), and rajas poblanas.
Dining room at Taco-Yote in Moorestown.
“One of the biggest challenges with Mexican food is how it travels,” Melendez said. “If you order tacos, no matter where they’re from, by the time they arrive the tortillas are soggy, so we package it differently. We separate the protein from the tortillas. You get the protein, you get the fixings, and you get freshly made corn tortillas. That way, when you assemble the taco yourself, the tortilla hasn’t had time to absorb moisture.”
He said they apply similar thinking to pizza. “If you put sauce directly on the dough, it eventually makes the pizza soggy during transport,” he said. “We put the cheese down first. That way, the sauce isn’t in direct contact with the dough, and the pizza travels much better.”
The Cuban sandwich at Taco-Yote in Moorestown.
The menu also includes family-style meals — fajitas and similar dishes — where everything is packaged separately so customers can assemble them at home.
And then there is a Cuban sandwich.
“When I was a kid, my father [the actor Carlos Duran] would visit occasionally. My mom would drop me off at this sandwich place in Mexico [Tortas Don Polo] while we waited for him, because he was always one or two hours late. I’d sit at the counter and watch them make Cuban sandwiches for hours. I memorized the whole routine. That sandwich stayed with me. It has American cheese, Oaxaca, queso fresco, and Chihuahua cheese, pulled pork, chipotle dressing, avocado, and — very important — pickled jalapeños.” The bread is lightly buttered and heated so it’s soft.
“We put that sandwich on the menu because it’s personal,” Melendez said. “I’ve been making it for myself for years.”
Taco-Yote, 33 E. Main St., Moorestown, 856-323-5500. Hours: noon to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
