Essential Philadelphia Restaurant Townsend Is Moving Close to Rittenhouse Square

Looks like the mystery of what chef Townsend (Tod) Wentz is doing with his rented Walnut Street address has been solved: He’s moving French restaurant Townsend closer to Rittenhouse Square. According to the Inquirer, the restaurant will close on September 1 and reopen at 2121 Walnut Street on September 15 (just in time for restaurant week).

Townsend, on the list of essential Philadelphia restaurants, serves elegant French fare paired with excellent cocktails. It’s taking over the former space of short-lived Talk, from the owners of now-shuttered Marigold Kitchen. With the new address, the restaurant will have a larger kitchen and be more accessible to customers in Rittenhouse and the suburbs. A representative for the restaurant teased that, “The new space will be a cleaner look, along with an updated vision for the food.”

The restaurant’s current address at 1623 East Passyunk Avenue will eventually become a new restaurant, and will be used for private events and pop-up dinners in the interim.

Wentz, who also owns Italian restaurant A Mano and Spanish tapas bar Oloroso. He’s also opening an American pub called Pearl Tavern in the former Irish Pub space at 11th and Walnut, next to Oloroso, in a few weeks.