A few restaurant notes
"Brewpub" at Liberty Place?; Starr's Mexican concept needs a name; Starr's beer garden plan; new restaurants coming to Collingswood and Blue Bell.
A "brewpub" coming to Liberty Place's food court? Not so. Insiders say that the only alcohol-based tenant negotiating a lease is Vintage Irving, the NYC wine bar I told you about last week.
Stephen Starr says he is backing away from the name "Mexico City" for his Mexican concept coming to 2013 Chestnut St. and is casting about for something different.
Starr also says the beer-garden project that he's planning across from Johnny Brenda's at Frankford and Girard will be outdoor-only in its first summer. Plans were rumored earlier this week on the blog Phoodie.info. Starr also told me that the name is not "Bier Garten."
Francisco Cabrera and his wife, Cecilia, are looking to open El Sitio, a moderate-priced South American BYO steakhouse, in the shuttered Word of Mouth at 729 Haddon Ave. in Collingswood. They're hoping to be up within three weeks.
Toto Schiavone of Fox Chase's Moonstruck now says "late March" for Beccofino, his Italian concept in Blue Bell. Apparently, the plan to position a stove in the middle of the dining room created extra pain with Whitpain Township.