Michael Schulson and Jeff Michaud Team Up For an Italian Restaurant Just Off Rittenhouse Square

Prolific restaurateur and chef Michael Schulson plans to be running 14 restaurants by the end of this year, and more details on his next one have just been revealed. On the horizon is Via Locusta, an Italian eatery right off Rittenhouse Square. Even more interesting: It’s a collaboration with chef Jeff Michaud. Schulson and Michaud own Osteria, the former Marc Vetri venue.

Michaud has been running the kitchen at Osteria on North Broad Street since Vetri opened it in 2007. The restaurant was sold to Urban Outfitters in 2015 and then, in early 2018, to Michaud and Schulson. (Vetri has his own upcoming Italian restaurant in the works.)

Fitting for Michaud’s background, the focus at Via Locusta is on handmade pasta. He’ll be working with executive chef Ed Pinello, previously at Wm. Mulherin’s Sons.

Schulson Collective’s head bread baker, Dave Cruz, is using local grains to make Italian breads for the restaurant. The cocktails will also make use of ingredients from local purveyors.

Outfitting the space is design firm Home Studios. The designers also worked with Schulson and Nina Tinari (business partner at Schulson Collective, and Schulson’s wife) on the dramatic Giuseppe & Sons.

Look for Via Locusta on Locust Street, with the entrance on the side of the Parc Rittenhouse condo building — the one that fronts the Square and houses Stephen Starr’s popular French bistro, Parc. On the other side is steakhouse Prime Rib.

It won’t be ready until later this fall — more details to come as additional decisions are made.

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• Chefs Jeff Michaud and Michael Schulson Buy Osteria From Urban Outfitters