All the May restaurant openings in the Philly area: Pizza, po’boys, taverns, and tastes of Spain

May’s crop of new restaurants and food options is all over the place: white-tablecloth dining and taverns in the burbs, a po’boy shop in the city, a pizzeria in South Jersey, and a revival of a bistro in Wilmington. And the bakery game is rising to the occasion, too.

June promises another rush of projects, and meanwhile in Old City, I’m seeing a new restaurant row emerging on Market Street.

Academy Grill (424 S. Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington): Jeffrey Power, chef at Ambler’s recently shuttered Dettera, will resurface in nearby Fort Washington in the former Cantina Feliz building with an Italian-inspired white-tablecloth restaurant featuring seafood, steaks, and house-made pasta. Opening is aiming for late May.

The Kibitz Room (100 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill): The corned beef and pastrami are back at this Cherry Hill Jewish deli, which reopened Saturday under new/old management. The backstory has more twists than a challah.

Merrick’s Tavern (165 King of Prussia Rd., Radnor): Brandywine Realty Trust’s new $60 million Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel is looking at a late-May debut of a tavern offering regional American dishes and a cocktail list anchored by bourbon, rye, and local beers. Pomelo Rooftop Terrace, opening this summer, will operate year-round with botanical-forward cocktails and a locally sourced menu.

Moro Bistro (2000 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington): Chef Michael DiBianca is reviving his once-popular downtown Wilmington bistro, which operated in a townhouse a few blocks away, from 2002 to 2016. He’s taken the former Brandywine Brasserie, which closed last August. The new dinner menu isn’t a reprint, but it revives a few features such as the bone marrow and “tuna study.” Opening is Sunday, with Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. (Starting May 13, it’s open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, plus Sunday brunch.)

Pizzeria Cusumano (872 Haddon Ave., Collingswood): On Sept. 21, 2021, I posted that third-generation pizzaiolo Sal Cusumano was planning an artisan pizzeria in Collingswood, a passion project to supplement his My Angelo’s shops in Berlin and Voorhees. Permitting issues and construction now in the rear-view, he told me that he is tweaking his pizzas for an opening that is in sight — perhaps by late May.

P.J. Whelihan’s (2920 S. Eagle Rd., Newtown): The sports bar’s second Bucks County location (and its 26th) opened Monday in the Village at Newtown shopping center, replacing an Iron Hill Brewery.

Rick’s Tavern (201 W. Seventh Ave., Conshohocken): Chef Derek Davis, who oversaw the rise of the 1990s Manayunk scene, is running the show at this Italian-leaning neighborhood spot on the former site of Pizza Time Saloon. Backed by the owners of Guppy’s and aiming for mid- to late-May opening, it’ll blend nostalgia with polish — serving classic pies alongside house-made pastas, cocktails, and wine.

Scratch Kitchen by Gallo’s (575 Horsham Rd., Horsham): The team behind Gallo’s Seafood in Northeast Philadelphia is taking over the former Farm & Fisherman with a seafood-leaning, from-scratch approach, picking up items from Gallo’s burger bar. It’s positioned as a neighborhood gathering place with comfort cooking.

Webster’s Tavern (18 MacArthur Blvd., Somers Point, N.J.): Whelihan’s alum Chris Webb is revamping shuttered Shore landmark the Windjammer into a high-energy, sports-forward bar by Memorial Day weekend.

Biederman’s Rittenhouse (276 S. 20th St.): Lauren Biederman expands her “appetizing” shop to Rittenhouse, taking over the former Audrey Claire corner at 20th and Spruce. The new location (no date known yet) will mirror its Italian Market original with hand-sliced smoked fish, bagels, and caviar, while adding prepared foods — bringing a polished, New York-style lox counter to a storied Center City address.

ILU (2118 E. Dauphin St.): Jason Evenchik, Patrick Iselin, Sal D’Amato, and Scott Coudriet have taken over Kensington’s Old Philadelphia Bar with a Spanish restaurant featuring a tight drink list created by Dan Greenbaum (The Beagle, Attaboy) with a clear Iberian point of view, aperitivo, and a serious sherry program: manzanilla, fino, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado, and PX. It soft-opened over the weekend with drinks at the 40-seat concrete bar, which twists and turns through the narrow storefront. The Madrid-style food menu (more than tapas) from chefs Pat Szoke and Andrew Butler starts Friday.

LeoFigs (2201 Frankford Ave.): This long-delayed Fishtown restaurant and basement winery from husband-and-wife team Justice Figueras and Shannon Leocata Figueras (hence, LeoFigs) aims to pair scratch-made comfort food with a curated wine and cocktail program. Soft-open now for drinks, it leans into a social, late-day vibe: “food hall for wine” energy. Chef Nathan Bayletts’ menu will start within two weeks.

Love City Brewing and Sophie’s BBQ (4323 Main St.): Callowhill’s Love City Brewing is teaming up with Delco’s Sophie’s BBQ for a new Manayunk venue pairing craft beer with a full-service smokehouse kitchen inside a two-story taproom on Main Street. Opening is Friday.

The Monto (226 Market St.): This Irish pub from the veteran publicans behind Fergie’s is a couple of weeks from taking over the former Mac’s Tavern space in Old City. Named for a Dublin folk song, it pairs a classic Celtic bar feel with a kitchen led by sandwich specialist N.A. Poe, blending cheesesteaks and cutlets with Irish pub dishes.

Palm Vintage (1414 S. Penn Square): Houston Yang’s day-to-night cafe and cocktail bar, opening soon across from City Hall in the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, will start at 7 a.m. — coffee, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, focaccia sandwiches, salads, and chirashi — with a sit-down, take-a-moment vibe. When their liquor license is active, it will transition after 4 p.m. into a sushi-and-cocktail scene.

Philly Po Boy Co. (102 W. Berks St.): Brothers Chris and Greg Lynch say “late May” for their taste of New Orleans under the Berks Street stop of the L: classic po’boys stuffed with fried shrimp, oysters, and roast beef and Cajun staples like gumbo and jambalaya.

Soufiane at the Morris (225 S. Eighth St.): Soufiane Boutliliss and Christophe Mathon of Washington Square West’s intimate Sofi Corner Cafe are hoping for a May 28 grand opening at the nearby Morris House Hotel, where they plan an elegant but approachable restaurant inspired by France’s classic bouillons and brasseries, alongside Boutliliss’ Moroccan-influenced tagines.

Taste Taco Bar (300 South St.): Kevin Dolce (Taste Cheesesteak Bar, Savú) says he is about two weeks from opening his Mexican bar beneath the Larry Fine mural at the former home of Jon’s Bar & Grille at Third and South.

333 Belrose Bar & Grill (333 Belrose Lane, Radnor): I’m told “late May/early June” for the reopening of this Main Line landmark after a seven-month renovation that will flip the dining room and bar.

Tiffany’s Bakery (4254 Main St.): The classic Philly bakery sets up in Manayunk with pastries, bagels, and the like, along with morning coffee; opening is targeted for mid- to late-May.

Universal Bread Bakers (2921 E. Thompson St.): Expect serious, no-frills French breads in an old Port Richmond garage from Romania-born baker Adrian Sulea, who ran a similar shop for a decade in Waterville, Maine, before he and his wife relocated to Philly. It’s expected to soft-open shortly.

Valentina (2501 Meredith St.): Chef Landi Prendi, a caterer and culinary instructor, is taking over the former Figs in Fairmount with an Italian BYOB; it’s due to open late month.

Ayat (2021 Sansom St.): After two years, Abdul Elenani’s acclaimed, New York-rooted Palestinian soul-food restaurant is getting closer to rolling out its 280 seats over two floors in the former Roxy Theater in Rittenhouse.

Bar Caviar (256 S. 16th St.): The Dwight D Hotel in Rittenhouse is getting a luxe Champagne and caviar specialist.

Bar Cicci (1620 Sansom St.): Ellen Yin and company head to Rittenhouse with espresso, panini, pastries, cicchetti, wine, and aperitivi in a salon next to Uchi.

The Blue Warbler Corner & Garden (8001 Germantown Ave.): Fred Mogul is edging ever closer to opening his “unfussy” all-day bakery-cafe-tavern serving “edgy, eclectic comfort food” accompanied by coffee, cocktails, wine, beer, and nonalcoholic drinks.

Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese (2015 Walnut St.): Carolyn Nguyen is revamping Rittenhouse’s Revolution Taco, where she was a partner, into a personal, Viet-Cajun hybrid.

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.

Claude’s Comedy Club & Bar (1123 S. Broad St.): Reid Benditt, publisher of the humor zine Philly Jabroni, says his long-in-the-works South Philly comedy club is almost ready for its punchline.

Known Associates (941 Spruce St.): Chef Christopher Kearse of the Michelin-recommended Forsythia and designers PS & Daughters are getting closer to opening their cocktail bar at the former Varga Bar in Washington Square West.

Lillian’s (1900 S. 19th St.): Sam Ahern envisions her corner bar at 19th and Mifflin as a cozy, Euro-influenced homage to her spunky great-great-grandmother.

Manna Bakery (110 W. Berks St.): Saif Manna, known for his Levantine and Palestinian baked goods, is preparing for a June soft opening at the shuttered Essen Bakery in Norris Square.

Ogyu (60 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore): This Japanese tabletop BBQ restaurant from the group behind Hiramasa and Osushi is getting ready to fire up at the former Iron Hill Brewing location in Ardmore Plaza.

Riptide Tavern (4388 Main St.): Taqueria Amor owner Tim Spinner is heading next door for what he calls a shore-inspired Manayunk neighborhood spot, outfitted with old surfboards, beer mirrors, jukebox, and other memorabilia he has collected over the years. The menu will be short and flexible, with items such as a prime rib French dip, gambas al ajillo, fried zucchini, and crab dip, alongside cocktails, crushes, and budget-friendly beers. House rule: no cell phone use.

Steel City Brewing (132 E. Lincoln Highway, Coatesville): Phil and Kate Ferro say “30 to 45 more days” for their brewery/community hub inside Chester County’s first YMCA.

Verena (1515 Market St.): Teddy Sourias is back on track with his splashy Asian fusion restaurant at the former HSBC Bank at 16th Street, adjacent to his Uptown Beer Garden.

Much development is taking shape in Old City, as work wraps on the Market Street Old City Improvement Project and the Tun Tavern reincarnation moves forward on Second Street below Market.

Let’s focus on a stretch of the south side of the 200 block of Market, where I shot this photo the other day. At 222, there’s Frame Philly, which opened in 2022. Next door, at 224, will be Qahwah House, a Yemeni coffee chain, aiming for a summer opening. At 226, Fergus Carey and partners are close to opening the Monto, an Irish bar. At 228 is Sonny’s Famous Steaks, established in 2000. At 230, Bakir Gunaydin and his partners from Oh Brother, a cheesesteak spot at 206 Market, are readying Baba Döner, a döner-kebab shop, for what they tell me will be a July opening. Then cross Bank Street to 232 Market, where a hot pot restaurant is in its early planning stages at what years ago was Tangerine and, more recently, Kick Axe Throwing.