When Phila and Rachel Lorn first started talking about Mawn, they originally wanted to do a seafood-centric restaurant. What the culinary couple ended up opening, of course, was one of the city’s most exciting dining destinations, a Cambodian noodle house with “no rules,” as Phila is fond of saying. But the idea to eventually do a seafood spot never went away.
Two years later, Mawn’s anticipated new seafood sibling Sao has arrived on East Passyunk Avenue, and is sure to follow that same no-rules mantra.
For the team’s second venture, officially opening Wednesday, September 10, they’ve partnered with Jesse Levinson, a former bartender and the husband of Rachel’s childhood friend. The whole project, like Mawn, is deeply personal. Rachel’s father was from Margate, New Jersey, and Levinson’s ran a fish market in Connecticut, so their shared love of seafood runs deep. The name is a reference to how Phila’s mother, a Cambodian immigrant, pronounces the word South — as in, “Sao Philly.”
A fish dish from Sao. Neal Santos
The timing, in many ways, couldn’t be better. Since Phila was recognized by the James Beard Foundation as 2025’s Emerging Chef for his work at Bella Vista’s Mawn, the whole team was even more excited to open Sao about a mile south (1710 E. Passyunk Avenue).
“It inspired us to be more courageous,” Phila said.
Sao’s James Beard Award-winning chef Phila Lorn. Neal Santos
The menu will include a section of crudos that you can order by weight, with a talented fish chef slicing to order in the middle of the kitchen.
“It’s a reference to Jewish delis,” says Rachel, of the option to order crudo by weight. It’s also an invitation to indulge.
“Something happened after the pandemic where people want to live luxuriously because life is fucking short, dude,” he Phila. Sao also plans to offer a unique caviar program, but Phila declined to give additional details. “Let’s just say it’s buttery,” he laughs.
In addition to raw dishes, there will be plenty of cooked dishes. Look for whole fish, broiled oysters, and one noodle dish — only one, they made sure to specify. Much like the kitchen at Mawn, which is split between the noodle station in the main dining room and the rest of the kitchen in the back, there are two kitchen areas at Sao. Up front will be the raw bar, while hot food will come out of the kitchen.
Hot dishes at Sao. Neal Santos
A neon-lit wall at Sao. Neal Santos
The team reimagined the space that formerly housed Ocho Rios Parilla by extending and refinishing the bar and updating many of the design elements.
“The vibe is supposed to be Palizzi meets Oyster House meets gangster old South Philly, New South Philly,” Phila said. “It’s hard to tie all that in so we’ll use music.”
There’s a South Philly row house vibe to the restaurant, accentuated with additions like a railing reminiscent of local stoops and a bathroom door pulled from an old vestibule. Phila wanted to include a fish tank behind the bar (“like you see in old houses, you know?”), but Rachel and Levinson convinced him not to. Instead, they’ll project video of fish swimming on the back wall.
Sao is a little bigger than Mawn, with a total of 32 seats, including bar seats where you’ll be able to watch the shuckers and raw bar team do their thing. Eventually they may add a few outdoor tables.
The other big change from BYOB-only Mawn will be Sao’s bonafide bar program, led by Levinson. They’ll do classic cocktails (“I hate made-up shit,” Phila said), some beer, and some wine. It’s an opportunity to fill out the offerings they can’t do at Mawn, for which they still have zero ambition of acquiring a liquor license.
Rachel said they’ll hold a few bar seats and one table for walk-ins, but if Mawn’s popularity is any indication, it’s sure to be a hot reservation. The restaurant will be open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., with lunch service to come later. Reservations are available on OpenTable.
“We want to create the same kind of experience that we’re creating at Mawn,” Rachel added. “That means having the staff be pooled, everyone working together. You’ll have everyone taking care of you here, just like at Mawn.”
Preview service in Sao’s dining room. Neal Santos