Walnut Street Cafe Opens Friday in the FMC Tower

The crew behind Michelin-starred Rebelle in New York are opening Walnut Street Café in the new FMC Tower at Cira Centre South on Friday, June 30. It’s an all-day restaurant, reports Michael Klein at Philly.com, transitioning from morning café (with Rival Bros. coffee) to lunch to dinner service. The skyscraper that houses it is right by the Walnut Street Bridge, just over the Schuylkill from Center City — it’s the one often lit up in bright colorful patterns at night.

As Eater noted in a preview of spring restaurant openings, the Walnut Street Café team includes owners Branden McRill and Patrick Cappiello, who’s also in charge of the wine, with Daniel Eddy of Paris’ Spring as the chef and Melissa Weller of Sadelle’s in New York handing dessert. Melissa Fuechtmann is the general manager. McRill, Cappiello, and Eddy are from Rebelle; McRill and Cappiello also earned accolades at Pearl & Ash.

About Cappiello’s plans for the wine: The restaurant has a bar with 50 different wines available by the glass, writes Klein. There’s also a frozen drink machine for margaritas and the like, and an outdoor balcony with seats for 40.

Cappiello told Klein the idea behind the multifaceted Walnut Street Café “is to be as many things to as many people as it possibly can.” It’s open from 8 a.m. until 9, 10, or 11 p.m., depending on the day.

• Walnut Street Cafe: N.Y. polish at Cira Center South [Philly.com]
• Philadelphia’s Most Anticipated Spring Openings [Eater]
• Rebelle, the Pearl & Ash Team's Chic, Modern French Restaurant on the Bowery [Eater]