Early this year, restaurateurs began looking to the post-pandemic world. Deals were signed, concepts were fine-tuned, and the thousands of parts required to open a restaurant were set into motion.

Whereupon everything slowed to a crawl.

Amid this glut of optimism, equipment became hung up in supply-chain limbo, furniture was stranded on cargo ships, short-staffed government agencies were swamped with paperwork and inspections, and hiring managers struggled to find workers.

But the logjam of restaurant projects is beginning to break. Though the labor situation is still dire and food costs are unstable, fall 2022, leading into 2023, feels like a busy season on the order of 2019.

Where we’ve been

Overall, 2022 has not been the most auspicious year for new restaurants in the city, where the lunch trade has largely dropped off the table as office workers still stay home.

Some of the brighter newcomers include:

Amina in Old City (with its Southern U.S.-meets-Nigeria theme), the ambitious El Mezcal Cantina in Point Breeze and Cantina La Martina in Kensington, the Korean bistro Kpod from Stephen Starr and Peter Serpico. Avram Hornik’s vast outdoor Liberty Point, the Japanese stylings of Kevin Yanaga at Omakase by Yanaga and Izakaya by Yanaga, under one roof on the Fishtown-Kensington line, Paulie Gee’s Soul City Slice Shop in Washington Square West, the versatile Wilder in Rittenhouse, and three BYOBs whose intimate airs bring us back to a simpler era: Olea in Old City, Mabu Kitchen in Washington Square West, and 1911 BYOB in South Philadelphia. Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company, the chic cocktail bar, resurfaced on a back alley.

The scene in the suburbs, meanwhile, has been far more interesting as restaurateurs acknowledge that many people in the counties don’t mind staying put. Marc Vetri and Jeff Benjamin opened Fiore Rosso, a posh Italian steak house, in Bryn Mawr. Vetri alum Brad Daniels dishes rustic Italian at his Tresini near Ambler. Homeroom, a minuscule bruncherie from CookNSolo alum Henry Morgan, has a big following in Gladwyne, as does Maya and Kala Johnstone’s soulful FoodChasers’ Kitchen in Elkins Park and Autana, Levi Hernández and daughter María José's Venezuelan BYOB in Ardmore. Conshohocken landed Fayette Street Oyster House & Grill, a remake of Pinefish, Peter Dissin’s former downtown restaurant. Two South Jersey newcomers offer live music and food in stylish surroundings: Essie’s, Mike and Chèrie Gillespie’s Creole spot in Clementon, and Wilson’s, Mark and Mame Wilson’s jazz and blues restaurant in Hi-Nella.

Time out for fun

It’s all fun and games at the new Twenty One Pips in Ardmore, the new version of Matt Hendricks’ Fairmount board-game restaurant, Thirsty Dice, and Cauldron Magical Pub, a fantasy-themed bar in Washington Square West, is like a Potions class at Hogwarts.

What’s coming in the city

The big splash, due late fall, will be Bankroll, the high-concept sports bar from Stephen Starr on the former site of the Boyd Theater (1910 Chestnut St.) that is designed to immerse customers into their sportsbook apps.

Pearl & Mary, an oyster bar, is expected this fall at 114 S. 13th St. from Michael Schulson. It’s on the southwest corner of 13th and Sansom Streets, across from his newish Prunella.

Chloe Grigri and her father, Bernard Grigri, of Bella Vista’s The Good King Tavern and Le Caveau, plan an expansion later this year or early 2023.

Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran of Safran Turney Hospitality are redoing the former Lolita space (106 S. 13th St.) and are breaking through next door for what they call “a tavern-style bar and restaurant that remembers a lost era.” No name yet; projected opening is early 2023.

Boot & Saddle, mixing music and food, is fixing to come back at the end of 2022 at 1131 S Broad St.

Rival Bros Coffee is planning a cafe at Poth Brewery, 3145 W. Jefferson St. in early 2023. Rival Bros is also working on Enswell, an all-day cafe, on the ground floor of The Touraine (1528 Spruce St.).

Manatawny Still Works will open two tasting rooms: 49 W. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore this fall, followed by one on North Lee Street in Fishtown.

Mulherin’s at East Market, an offshoot of the Fishtown hit Wm Mulherin’s Sons, is due to open in late 2022 or early 2023 at 1175 Ludlow St., next to Iron Hill Brewery. This is from Method Hospitality, backers of Wilmington’s Quoin Restaurant.

Bark Social, a dog-friendly bar, is looking at fall/winter at 4371 Main St. in Manayunk.

Barcade’s second Philadelphia game-bar location is on track for early 2023 at the Hale Building, 1326 Chestnut St.

Alice, a bistro from Garces alum Dave Conn, is looking at a winter opening at 901 Christian St., across from the new Roxanne.

The team behind Bloomsday in Society Hill will open Fell to Earth, Philadelphia’s first vermoutherie, in South Philadelphia in 2023.

Chotto Matte, a chic Japanese-Peruvian restaurant centered on a bar and robata grill, will open in Jessup House, the 20-story high-rise at 12th and Sansom Streets — but not till fall 2023.

Movers and shakers

Jose Garces, who will be part of the new Wells Fargo Center food lineup with Stephen Starr and Marc Vetri, will open a Buena Onda at the Concourse at Comcast in the late fall, joining Termini Bros. and Di Bruno Brothers underground at 1701 JFK Blvd. Garces and his partners are opening several more Buena Ondas, as well as Garces Trading Co. locations.

Glu Hospitality (Derek Gibbons and Tim Lu) is about to open a dozen new concepts and properties, including at least six new locations for Bagels & Co.; The Peabody, the sports bar on the Temple University campus coming this fall/winter; a brick-and-mortar location of Hunnies Crispy Chicken; a food hall in Brewerytown; and several new concepts in Center City in partnership with chef Kevin Yanaga.

Fishtown and Kensington remain hot

Kalaya Thai Kitchen expects to open its larger, liquor-licensed restaurant this fall in a former warehouse on Palmer Street between Front Street and Frankford Avenue, across from LMNO and Evil Genius.

Van Leeuwen will open its third Philadelphia ice cream shop at 1601 Frankford Ave. in late fall.

Dock Street Brewery’s tasting room in Fishtown is on target for “later this year” at 1229 N. Front St., becoming neighbors with Two Robbers Fishtown, the burgers-and-hard-seltzer shop at 1221 N. Front.

Dim Sum House by Jane G’s third location is due to open in the winter in the Liberty Square development, 1214 N. American St.

Jason Evenchik of The Vintage Syndicate plans Starbolt (1936 N. Front St.), a bar, restaurant, and event space converted from an old ironworks in Fishtown.

South Philly-bred Steve Martorano will open Martorano’s Prime at Rivers Casino Philadelphia in Fishtown in 2023.

Coming to the burbs

To create The Pullman at the Bryn Mawr train station, Two Dames Dining Group has stripped the former Tango down to the stone walls. They’re going for old-time luxury.

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar is expanding its footprint to Providence Town Center in Collegeville.

Chef Arthur Cavaliere is branching out from East Falls (In Riva, Black Squirrel Pub & Haunt, Foghorn & Fletcher) to Coatesville, with The Record Kitchen + Bar, serving contemporary fare in a former newspaper office:

Shake Shack plans locations this fall and winter in Conestoga Crossing in Lancaster, Airport Square in Montgomeryville, and Springfield Square North in Springfield, Delaware County.

Kismet Bagels plans a late October/early November opening for its bialy-focused stand at Reading Terminal Market.

Kiko’s, a Peruvian restaurant, is planned for 624 Collings Ave. in Collingswood in the fall.

Ristorante Lucca & Piano Lounge, aiming for elegance, is due this fall on the former site of Mastoris Diner in Bordentown.

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, the Queens dumpling destination, plans a winter opening at Towne Place at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill.

Blue Point Grill, a seafood restaurant out of Princeton, is looking at a 2023 opening in Newtown Shopping Center in Bucks County.