Chef Greg Vernick Makes a Splash With a New Seafood Restaurant This Fall

Lauded Philly chef Greg Vernick of beloved local fixture Vernick Food & Drink will open his sophomore restaurant — a contemporary seafood-centered eatery — late this fall.

Vernick Fish, in addition to a forthcoming concept from iconic French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, will land within the upcoming Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. Vernick has nabbed a 3,400 square foot ground-floor space at the intersection of Arch and North 19th Street, with space for 200 customers divided between an indoor dining room, an 870 square foot patio, a bar, and a private dining area.

Over six years in business, Vernick says he has evolved the menu at his eponymous Vernick Food & Drink (the American restaurant for which he earned Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic at last year’s James Beard Awards) toward lighter seafood and vegetable-focused options in response to customer demand. And such patrons’ desires will drive his second neighborhood-friendly engagement — that’s in addition to Vernick’s own affinity for ocean animals, partially inspired by sterling seafood he experienced traveling along the Northeast and Pacific Northwest coasts.

Future diners can expect a seasonally-inclined, seafood-centered menu with flavors from around the world. Think both raw and cooked fish and shellfish dishes, with proteins mostly sourced from North America. Veggies will claim ample menu real estate, too.

While the cocktail program is still in the works, the wine list will hinge on white and sparkling options.

Four Seasons

As for aesthetics, renowned hotel and restaurant designer Adam Tihany will helm Vernick Fish’s look. Tihany has worked with heavyweights from the Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental, as well as with chefs Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. As his inaugural project in Philly, he’s going for a somewhat industrial space with a partially exposed ceiling and terrazzo floor. Overall, expect a comfortable space with bronze and antique brass embellishments, plus an earthy color palette.

Vernick Fish

• All Vernick Food & Drink coverage [EPHL]