Jaxon Set to Open in Northern Liberties

In the space the once housed Il Cantuccio, a shoebox Italian BYOB on the corner of 3rd Street and Fairmount Avenue, will soon become Jaxon, a farm-focused BYOB by Tony Schiro.

Schiro, once the proud owner of one of Philly's original gastropubs, The Latest Dish (1996-2013), closed his restaurant and upstairs nightclub, Fluid, and has since fathered a child, now three years old, named Jaxon. The space, with its tiny open kitchen, has already seen some light cosmetic changes — Il Cantuccio's red walls and exposed brick are now replaced by dark woods and white brick, making for an even cozier setting. Hanging non-Edison bulbs replaced ceiling lamps, and the exterior awnings were made a bit more modern.

Kitchen-wise, Schiro hired two young-buck chefs, both with impressive resumes, coming off stints at some of Philly's most lauded eateries: chef Ed Conwell, most recently of Kanella South and Vernick, and his sous, Doug Dreisbach, who opened La Colombe Torrefaction in Fishtown after serving time at Serpico and Little Fish. Schiro and his chefs are already invested into the local farm scene, partnering up with Zone 7, Plowshare Farms, Greensgrow, and Overbrook, to name a few.

The team is aiming for a March 9 opening. Stay tuned for pictures and menus.