The 13 Most Anticipated Restaurants in Philadelphia, Fall 2018

There’s no turning back now: Philadelphia has made a solid name for itself as a restaurant town, and the list of notable newcomers just keeps growing. From Korean barbecue in Midtown Village to American barbecue in Callowhill, from a stylish Japanese bar in Fishtown to a cozy Mediterranean BYOB in South Philly — plus a bit of everything at the new Bourse food hall — here are 13 highly anticipated eateries expected to open in Philly this fall.

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Harry Field/Schulson Collective

Giuseppe & Sons

Location: 1521 Sansom Street, Center City

Key Players: Michael Schulson, Nina Tinari, Vincent Termini Sr., Vinny Termini, Joe Termini

The Situation: Michael Schulson is teaming up with the Termini Brothers Bakery family for a two-in-one Italian restaurant. On street level, look for a cafe with baked goods and sandwiches, including roast pork, meatball, chicken parm, and other classics. Downstairs is a stylish restaurant with plush booths and a menu of Italian-American favorites like Sunday gravy with spaghetti, meatballs, and sausage. For dessert, Termini’s beloved cannoli, of course, plus cookies and other hits from the famed bakery.

Projected Opening: Mid-September

Seorabol [official photo]

Seorabol

Location: 1326 Spruce Street, Midtown Village/Gayborhood

Key Players: Chris Cho

The Situation: Chef Chris Cho is bringing his family’s standout Korean restaurant into Center City. Expect Seorabol on Spruce Street to have a similar menu as the original in Olney with Korean barbecue, bibimbap, tofu stews, and more.

Projected Opening: September or October

Nunu

Location: 1414 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown

Key Players: Ben Puchowitz, Shawn Darragh

The Situation: The team behind Cheu Fishtown, Cheu Noodle Bar, and Bing Bing Dim Sum are opening another eatery with inventive, playfully inauthentic takes on Asian cuisines. Nunu will be a Japanese bar with yakitori, katsu, and cocktails made with spirits like Suntory whiskey. It’s going in next door to Cheu Fishtown and will share an outdoor patio and an indoor/outdoor bar with Cheu, where diners can order from either restaurant.

Projected Opening: September

Elwood

Location: 1007 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown

Key Players: Adam Diltz

The Situation: Adam Diltz, formerly of Farmicia and Johnny Brenda’s, is adding to the Fishtown restaurant lineup with Elwood, a 24-seat BYOB. The menu will draw from the chef’s Pennsylvania Dutch heritage and from local history: Diltz says he’s studying the Colonial, Federal, and Victorian eras of the region for inspiration. Outside of Philly, he’s worked at No. 9 Park in Boston and Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

Projected Opening: Late September or early October

Attico [official]

Attico

Location: 219 S. Broad Street, Center City

Key Players: Cambria hotel

The Situation: Rooftop restaurant Attico is getting ready to debut at the new Cambria hotel on Broad Street. Both management and chef have changed since Eater first reported on it, but we do know there will be plenty of outdoor tables with city views — and what more do you need?

Projected Opening: Late September

Green Soul

Location: 1410 Mt. Vernon Street, North Broad

Key Players: Robert Bynum, Benjamin Bynum

The Situation: The brothers behind some of Philly’s best Southern restaurants and music venues are relocating Green Soul and adding live entertainment. The restaurant, previously in Chestnut Hill, will re-open off North Broad Street right next to their restaurant/jazz club South. It’s more casual than South, with a menu of health-conscious Southern fare.

Projected Opening: September

Jonathan Moore

Aether

Location: 1832 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown

Key Players: Scott Anderson, Fia Berisha, Stephen Distler

The Situation: Chef Scott Anderson and restaurateurs Fia Berisha and Stephen Distler of Mistral in King of Prussia and Princeton and Elements in Princeton head into Philly for the first time with Aether. The chic seafood spot will serve lobster rolls, shrimp po’boys, crab linguine, raw bar items, and natural wines. Mistral KOP’s current chef de cuisine, Chris Boyce, will be moving over to Aether in the same role.

Projected Opening: Early October

Mamoun’s/Facebook

Mamoun’s

Location: 300 Market Street, Old City

Key Players: Jay Patel

The Situation: Legendary New York City falafel shop Mamoun’s is opening its first Philly location. Mamoun’s has been selling hummus and pita sandwiches stuffed with falafel, shawarma, and chicken kebabs in Greenwich Village since 1971 and now has restaurants in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Texas. The upcoming Philly shop is one of several franchise locations in the works.

Projected Opening: Mid-fall

Lucky Well/Facebook

The Lucky Well

Location: 990 Spring Garden Street, Callowhill

Key Players: Chad Rosenthal

The Situation: Chef Chad Rosenthal is opening a Philly location of his popular Ambler barbecue restaurant, The Lucky Well, at 10th and Spring Garden in what’s now being called the Spring Arts district. Look for Memphis-style barbecue and sides like cornbread, sweet potato mash, and mac and cheese.

Projected Opening: November

Courtesy of Philadelphia Museum of Art

Stir

Location: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Art Museum

Key Players: Frank Gehry, Starr Catering Group

The Situation: The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s ongoing renovation includes an upscale restaurant designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, who is in the process of transforming much of the museum’s interior in a major multi-year project. Stir’s centerpiece will be a flowing wood sculpture that spans the ceiling in the main dining room. Starr Catering Group is operating the restaurant, which will have a American menu focused on locally sourced and seasonal food from executive chef Mark Tropea.

Projected Opening: October 9

Stina

Location: 1705 Snyder Avenue, South Philly

Key Players: Bobby Saritsoglou, Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou

The Situation: Chef Bobby Saritsoglou, best known for Greek restaurant Opa, and Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou, co-founder of Philly AIDS Thrift, are opening Stina in Newbold. The small BYOB will serve pizza and Mediterranean dishes made in a wood-fired oven, and give part of its proceeds to local charities, community projects, and school programs.

Projected Opening: Late October or early November

J. Fusco/Visit Philadelphia

Bourse Marketplace

Location: 111 S. Independence Mall East, Old City

Key Players: 30 vendors

The Situation: Philly’s new food hall, set in the historic Bourse building in Old City, will sell everything from poke bowls, ramen, and dumplings to Korean-Mexican tacos to gussied-up grilled cheese. Several of the vendors are locals, with Stargazy’s Sam Jacobson and Mighty Bread Co.’s Chris DiPiazza teaming up for that grilled cheese at the Mighty Melt stall and Sylva Senat of Maison 208 bringing the sliders and fries with Baby Buns. Look for lobster rolls from Easton-based 3rd & Ferry, Egyptian fare from Ka’moon, ice cream from Scoop DeVille, and much more.

Projected Opening: The Bourse won’t open all at once, but at least some of the stalls should be open by October.

Somo SoPhi

Location: 3101 S. 13th Street, South Philly

Key Players: James Morrissey, Jahri Evans, Takia Evans

The Situation: James Morrissey is opening a second location of his Somo Manayunk and this one has NFL player (and Philly native) Jahri Evans and his wife, Takia Evans, on board. Somo SoPhi in deep South Philly has a sports theme, but it’s not your typical sports bar. Look for a lounge on the first floor with a living green wall made of moss, and a cocktail bar and dining room on the second level. In warm weather, there will be outdoor seating on a terrace and on the sidewalk.

Projected Opening: Mid-September

Looking Ahead:

Vernick Fish

Joe Beddia has been working on a new Fishtown restaurant since he closed his wildly popular Pizzeria Beddia. On board are Nathalie Richan, Nick Kennedy, and Greg Root — the team behind Suraya. This one will be a sit-down spot with a liquor license, opening early 2019.

Early 2019 will also see the opening of two destination restaurants tied to the Four Seasons hotel in the new Comcast tower at 18th and Arch. Philly’s own James Beard Award winner Greg Vernick is going the seafood route with Vernick Fish on the ground floor of the building. Towards the top of the tower, acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten — Greg Vernick’s former boss — will open his first Philly restaurant. Vernick’s casual cafe on the second floor should open well before either of the restaurants, likely in September.

Here’s another one penciled in for early 2019: the Spanish celebrity-backed Tatel, a stylish fine-dining restaurant with locations in Madrid, Ibiza, and Miami. It’s going into the new building rising at 1910 Chestnut Street, where the Boyd Theater stood.

Husband and wife Joe Cicala (formerly of Le Virtu and Brigantessa) and Angela Ranalli-Cicala are working on Cicala at the Divine Lorraine at 699 N. Broad Street, an upscale southern Italian restaurant inside the historic luxury hotel turned apartment building. They’re going for a January 2019 opening.

Along with Giuseppe & Sons opening this fall (see above), Michael Schulson has a steakhouse in the works in Midtown Village/the Gayborhood, next to his Sampan and Double Knot. Expect a late 2018/early 2019 debut.

Foursquare

The Lucky Well

111 E Butler Ave, Ambler, PA 19002

Foursquare

Seorabol Restaurant

5734 Old 2nd Street, , PA 19120 (215) 924-3355 Visit Website

nunu

1414 Frankford Avenue, , PA 19125 (215) 278-2804 Visit Website

Attico

219 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 Visit Website

The Bourse

111 South Independence Ml East, , PA 19106 (215) 625-0300 Visit Website

Vernick Fish

1 North 19th Street, , PA 19103 (215) 419-5055 Visit Website