Garces Alum to Open On Point, an American Bistro in Point Breeze

Last October, Eater reported about Breezy's Cafe's eventual departure from its 1200 Point Breeze Avenue address. Fans of the patch-eyed cafe shouldn't fret, Breezy's is on the move to a new location (still under construction). Come May 1, however, OCF Realty will sign on new tenants to the space: husband and wife team Juan and Mallory Lopez, who, with the help of Mallory's sister and brother-in-law Megan and Rahul Asher, will open On Point, a BYO American bistro serving brunch and dinner to the folks of Point Breeze.

Juan Lopez got his start under José Garces's tutelage, while Garces was still a Stephen Starr employee at Walnut Street Latin hot-spot, Alma de Cuba. Lopez worked his way up from prep cook, to line cook, to eventually following Garces to his restaurant group where he opened Amada. After bumping around all of Garces's restaurants, Lopez landed himself a chef de cuisine position at Garces Trading Company. Most recently, Lopez was in charge of food production at Garces Events.

Mallory is an industry-vet in her own right — a food runner-turned-English Professor at the Community College of Philadelphia, but a food runner through-and-through, "I never wanted to be a server, I've always loved food running." Mallory worked at Swallow, the short-lived Northern Liberties Euro-bistro, Reading Terminal's Down Home Diner, Jack's Firehouse, and Garces Trading Co., where she met her future husband.

Once they sign the lease in May, construction will start. The Lopezes plan to turn the once counter-service cafe into a full-service restaurant. Gone will be the long counter splitting the room in two, opening up space for around 45 seats. Add a walk-in refrigerator and new flooring (among other cosmetic modifications), and the couple will be looking at a full-fledged restaurant by summer's end.

On Point is proposed to be a family-friendly restaurant, with an all-American brunch menu (think omelettes, pancakes, waffles, french toast, "kind of like Sabrina's") served six days a week. A "more refined, but still family-friendly" dinner service will be offered four days a week, an avenue for Juan to really show off his cooking chops.

The Lopezes are shooting for a September opening, but are hopeful for sometime sooner.