South Street Is Getting a Poutine Shop Next Week

SOUTH STREET — Smoke’s Poutinerie is slated to open at 411-413 South Street on Monday, May 22. It’s the first East Coast address for Smoke’s — set in what was a Subway sandwich shop — but several more are in the works. Cousins Raj Rana and Balrup Hundal of Imperial Restaurant Group, who are opening the South Street franchise location, have plans to set up seven additional Smoke’s locations in Philly, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. The chain serves 30 different types of poutine, including a created-in-Canada Philly Cheesesteak version — which could be a risky move in this town. There are also traditional and veggie versions.

UPDATE: Smoke’s Poutinerie pushed back the opening date. It’s now scheduled to open Tuesday, May 30. [Eaterwire]

CENTER CITY — Asbury Park, New Jersey-based restaurant group Smith is opening a Philly location of Porta, a pizzeria with locations in Asbury Park and Jersey City. But unlike the Jersey sites, the Philly Porta is getting a wine cellar and a “cheese cave tasting room.” It’s going into 1214 Chestnut Street and will serve Neapolitan-style pies. [Eaterwire]

CENTER CITY — And right next door, at 1216 Chestnut Street, Smith is putting in a Brickwall Tavern and Dining Room, which focuses on craft beer (the Asbury Park location has more than 20 on tap) and pub fare, like bar snacks, burgers, mac and cheese, ribs, and pulled pork, along with bowls of mashed potatoes with a range of toppings, including fried chicken and braised beef short ribs. The two restaurants will fill out 22,000 square feet total, with seats for 600. Brickwall is already in Asbury Park and Burlington. Both Brickwall and Porta are slated to open in the fall. [Eaterwire]

CENTER CITY — There’s a new option on Market Street for your morning coffee stop. Pod opened last week in the Loews hotel (1200 Market Street), pouring La Colombe coffee alongside a range of pastries and to-go snacks, like potato chips, Theo chocolate bars, and small, heat-up containers of oatmeal and Dr. McDougall’s noodles. It’s take-away only. [Eaterwire]