23 restaurants are due to open in September in the Philly area
Quite a selection, including taverns and brunch spots, plus revolving sushi and Filipino fast food.
After a summer largely devoid of restaurant openings in Philadelphia and its suburbs, September is delivering a surfeit of new options in all sorts of styles and price points — from bagel cafes and taquerias to a fancy chef’s table and a cheffy pasta and wine bar.
Here are September’s actual and predicted openings. (“Predicted” is the watchword. Between staffing shortages and a dearth of health inspectors to do the final checks, restaurant delays are commonplace.)
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Ambra (705 S. Fourth St.): The cozy companion to Southwark in Queen Village is looking at a late-month reopening. Chef Chris D’Ambro promises fireworks from his new chef’s table set up in the kitchen. [Edit: The reservation book will open Sept. 21 for bookings beginning Oct. 6.]
Bagels & Co. (1317 Frankford Ave.): A companion to the original, in the Piazza in Northern Liberties, is coming to Fishtown. At least five more shops are on the way.
Buena Onda Radnor (220 N. Radnor Chester Rd., Radnor): Jose Garces’ Baja taqueria heads to the Main Line. (Another location will open in the Comcast Center this fall.)
BurgerFi (1584 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill): The burger chain sets up in a former mattress store in Cherry Hill; opening is set for Sept. 9.
Cafe la Fleur (72 N. Bremen Ave., Egg Harbor City, N.J.): Renault Winery plans a Parisian-inspired bruncherie.
Cafe Lift (142-44 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield): The Philly Loft District brunch-all-day-every-day destination opened Sept. 6 in downtown Haddonfield.
Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse (1921 Sansom St.): The venerable sports bar cuts the ribbon this week in its new home one block west of the original. This location includes larger TVs and a pizza menu.
El Chingon (1524 S. 10th St.): Mexican chef Carlos Aparicio’s solo debut in South Philadelphia will feature cemitas, tacos, and a section of plant-based dishes.
Enzo’s Pizzata (1849 Wolf St.): West Passyunk will get a pizzeria in a corner spot where Indian and Chinese restaurants were previously.
Garces Trading Co. (Cira Centre, 2929 Arch St.): In its new location across from the back of 30th Street Station, the Garces brand will be a coffee shop, restaurant, bakery, marketplace with grab-and-go offerings, wine shop.
Jollibee (7340 Bustleton Ave.): The Philippines-based fast-food giant with an enormous following has made its Pennsylvania debut in Northeast Philadelphia.
KOP Tavern (128 Town Center Rd., King of Prussia): The KOP Diner has been redone as a family-friendly bar-restaurant, under the direction of executive chef Daniel Weller, opening Sept. 13 with a something-for-everyone menu including a game-day 3-pound cheesesteak served with a pitcher of craft or domestic beer and an order of oversized cheese fries for $69.
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar (1721 Chestnut St.): The syndicated sushi restaurant, opening on two levels of the former American Eagle & Aerie store, has a cool concept: Your plates on the conveyor belts are color-coded by price (much as the old Pod in University City did). You rack up enough plates to win prizes.
Luna BYOB (227 S. 20th St.): New Italian BYOB north of Rittenhouse Square, from the crew at Burrata, will replace the longtime Casta Diva.
Nipotina (21st and Wolf Streets): Marlo and Jason Dilks of P’unk Burger and the Slice Pizza locations, are opening a sandwich shop in West Passyunk.
Pietramala (614 N. Second St.): Chef Ian Graye’s Instagram has been dazzling with examples of his plant-based cooking, which he’ll showcase in his solo debut in the former Blackbird Pizza in Northern Liberties.
Pizza Wheel (314 Old York Rd., Jenkintown): Now in its opening week, this BYOB from the owners of the nearby West Avenue Grille dishes sandwiches, pastas, and brick-oven pizza.
Redcrest Kitchen (625 S. Sixth St.): Adam Volk’s long-delayed full-service neighborhood bar-restaurant (whose building at Sixth and Bainbridge Streets flooded out shortly after he leased it) will showcase his fried chicken.
Roxanne (912 Christian St.): Chef Alexandra Holt’s cozy American BYOB is “openish” in the former Italian Market location of Sabrina’s Cafe; she offers a $75 tasting menu.
Saami Somi, specializing in the boat-shaped filled Georgian sourdough creations called khachapuri, is coming to Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Filbert Streets.
Taco Heart (1005 E. Passyunk Ave.): Nano Wheedan brings Austin-style breakfast tacos to a South Philly triangle on Seventh Street just north of Washington Avenue.
Tulip Wine Bar (2302 E. Norris St.): This snug, energetic wine bar with wines from Chester County’s WayVine pairs pastas from chef Alexander Beninato, all overseen by chef Jason Cichonski; it’s in the old Over Easy Breakfast Club space. Reservations have been filling up during its current weekend previews; a la carte service will begin Sept. 22.
Two Robbers Fishtown (1221 Frankford Ave.): Hard-seltzer brand Two Robbers is setting up a flagship burger-and-seltzer bar in Fishtown. When news first bubbled to the surface, it was known as Burgers & Seltzers.