The top five Philly restaurant stories of 2023

The Philly news included James Beard winners, the speedy demise of a sports bar, the revival of a cheesesteak landmark, and the demolition of a diner. There's also a bar trend worth noting.

The five-seat bar at Superfolie, 1602 Spruce St., on its opening night, March 7, 2023.Read moreMichael Klein / Staff

by Michael Klein

Published Dec. 26, 2023, 7:00 a.m. ET

Looking back at the Philadelphia area’s restaurant scene for 2023, you’ll see soaring highs and crashing lows — pretty much life as usual.

As in any year, there was a solid crop of new restaurants (among them Alice, Almyra, Bolo, Gilda, Loch Bar, My Loup, and Rosemary), a few revivals (including High Street’s move to Ninth and Chestnut Streets, Pod’s return to University City after a year and a half as the Korean-influenced Kpod, and Royal Tavern’s post-pandemic resurrection on East Passyunk), along with inevitable closings (such as the impending shutdowns of Izakaya at the Borgata as well as the Lucky Well in Ambler, becoming the new home of Cantina Feliz in 2024.)

Here are five storylines that kept life interesting.

1. James Beard winners: Philly shows off

Philadelphians won three major categories of the James Beard Awards as Friday Saturday Sunday was named Outstanding Restaurant and Ellen Yin Outstanding Restaurateur, while Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon of Kalaya won for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Aside from civic pride, the Beards drew attention from national food and travel publications, giving Philly restaurants a loud voice in the food world’s public relations-fueled echo chamber.

2. Bankroll: What goes up must come down

Bankroll, Philadelphia’s splashiest sports bar of all time, bet big and lost, a $25 million investment gone after less than four months. I’m told that the space at 1910 Chestnut St. will pick up a new tenant, possibly two, in 2024.

3. The rise of cute, cozy bars

Not a story, per se, but a trend. We seem to enjoy getting together again over cocktails. The year saw the debut of such Rittenhouse nightspots as Superfolie, a boîte; Vinyl, a bar-lounge with live music; Enswell, a lounge-y cafe (which just added weekday lunch). Across town, there are the new 48 Record Bar in Old City, Poison Heart in SpringArts, Next of Kin in Fishtown, and Post Haste in Kensington. They follow the late-2022 openings of Andra Hem and the revival and relocation of Franklin Mortgage. Here’s a summation.

4. Jim’s Steaks’ impending return

When a fire in the basement of Jim’s Steaks destroyed the business his father built in 2022 at Fourth and South Streets, Ken Silver got creative. He bought the fire-ravaged Eye’s Gallery next door and decided to tie the buildings together. It’s due to open in mid-February.

5. Melrose Diner meets a wrecking crew

Everybody who knew went to the Melrose Diner. After being damaged by fire in 2022, the icon at the crossroads of Passyunk Avenue, 15th Street, and Snyder Avenue met the claw of an excavator in September as owner Michael Petrogiannis decided to clear the property and install a mid-rise, mixed-use building on the lot. In 2025, the building, with a new Melrose on the ground floor, is expected to open. The old signs, memorabilia, and recipes for baked goods are being preserved.