{"id":215492,"date":"2025-09-10T12:38:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T12:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/215492\/"},"modified":"2025-09-10T12:38:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T12:38:10","slug":"25-summer-restaurant-openings-you-may-have-missed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/215492\/","title":{"rendered":"25 summer restaurant openings you may have missed"},"content":{"rendered":"

While you were out enjoying your summer and such, dozens of restaurants were opening. Let me catch you up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also in this edition<\/b>:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Mawn jawn: <\/b>It\u2019s a big, big week for chef Phila Lorn and his wife\/partner Rachel, as national accolades pour in<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Sao power:<\/b> Mawn also has a new sequel, Sao<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Tomato pie:<\/b> We\u2019ll have you know that our writer is now a connoisseur<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Girl Scout cookies:<\/b> There\u2019s a new flavor<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u2014 Mike Klein<\/a><\/p>\n

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Big and fancy (like Triple Crown, shown above, and Stephen Starr\u2019s Borromini) and small and cozy (like Kinto and La Jefa Milpa): Here are 25 restaurants that opened during July and August. Read on for the rundown<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Just a few months ago, chef Phila Lorn was honored as this year\u2019s Emerging Chef<\/a> by the James Beard Foundation for his debut restaurant, Mawn.<\/p>\n

    Oh, he has emerged, all right.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Yesterday, he was named one of Food & Wine\u2019s best new chefs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    2. \n

      Also yesterday, the New York Times named Mawn (along with Meetinghouse in Kensington) one of the 50 best restaurants in the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    3. \n

      Tonight, Lorn, his wife, Rachel, and friend Jesse Levinson open Mawn\u2019s sequel, a similarly tiny but mighty ambitious spot called Sao. I\u2019ll tell you about the couple and the restaurant, and tell you how to snag some of Philly\u2019s most sought-after reservations<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Craig LaBan knows why people will wait more than an hour for the heat-blistered crusts and artfully light touch of the pizzas at Olde Kensington pizzeria Char<\/a>.<\/p>\n

      Kiki Aranita didn\u2019t grow up around here, but after eating 24 different tomato pies, she is officially a convert<\/a>. <\/p>\n

      \ud83c\udf45 Our guide to the Philly area\u2019s best tomato pies<\/a>. <\/p>\n

      You\u2019ve had the Schwarburger and Kyle\u2019s Cutlet at the Phillies game. Now that the Phils have signed Harrison Bader, you can also have Bader Tots<\/a>. <\/p>\n

      Scoops<\/p>\n

      Jax Cafe at the J Spot<\/b><\/a>. Physician\u2019s assistant Jacqueline Clarizio is behind the J Spot, which will have a med spa in the back and a healthful-food cafe out front. It\u2019s set to open Oct. 7 at 22nd and Lombard Streets. Inspired by such lifestyle concepts as Heimat in Los Angeles and Remedy Place in New York, Clarizio says Jax Cafe will be open to the public with food by Aneu Kitchen (chicken Caesar wraps, sandwiches, toasts, pastries, and cold-pressed juices); coffee from Herman\u2019s; pastries from Metropolitan Bakery; and tomato pie from Gaeta\u2019s. A loyalty app will connect the cafe and med spa, allowing customers to earn points at one and redeem them at the other. Back of the house will feature a cold plunge and full sauna. \u201cPeople always said to me, \u2018Oh, you can\u2019t do that in Philly,\u2019 and I said, \u2018Watch me,\u2019\u201d Clarizio said. \u201cI think we could be a much healthier city, and I wanted to make it a place where people could come and get a light bite or grab-and-go food.\u201d She is a former dancer and biochemistry major who studied at Thomas Jefferson University. Jax will also spotlight student art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts through revolving exhibitions.<\/p>\n

      Shibam Philly.<\/b><\/a> University City\/Powelton Village will get a second Yemeni coffee house this fall as two tech entrepreneurs are bringing a branch of Dearborn, Michigan\u2019s Shibam Coffee to a new apartment building at 3748 Lancaster Ave., perhaps by Thanksgiving. Drexel graduate Fahad Azam builds software products and is partnered with Khurram Ghayas, an application support engineer who also has a background in construction and property management. In addition to the Yemeni coffees, they\u2019ll serve sandwiches. The region\u2019s first Yemeni coffee franchise, Haraz<\/a>, opened last spring at 3421 Chestnut St. A second Haraz is preparing for a soft opening during the week of Sept. 22 at 23 W. Girard Ave. in Fishtown. <\/p>\n

      Restaurant report<\/p>\n

      The influx of out-of-towners continues:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n

        Uchi<\/b><\/a>, the Philadelphia-bound Japanese restaurant from Texas-based, James Beard-winning chef Tyson Cole, will be previewed in two dinners next month \u2014 first at Vernick Fish and second at River Twice \u2014 while its construction continues at 1620 Sansom St. Read on for details<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      2. \n

        Kitchen & Kocktails<\/b><\/a> owner Kevin Kelley <\/b>says he\u2019s hoping for a mid-October opening for the Philadelphia location of his vibe-y, Dallas-based Southern-comfort restaurant. This could be a record turnaround for a major restaurant flip: He got the keys to the former Del Frisco\u2019s Grill at 225 S. Broad on Aug. 1. Kelley says Kitchen & Kocktails will seat more than 300 people over 7,200 square feet on the ground floor of the Cambria Hotel, making it among the largest Black-owned restaurants in the city.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Briefly noted<\/p>\n

        Chef Robert Irvine<\/b> will sign purchased bottles of Irvine\u2019s Gin and Irvine\u2019s Vodka<\/a>, as well as Irvine\u2019s Espresso Martini cans, beginning at 4 p.m. Friday at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits store at 3151 Market St. (enter on JFK Boulevard) in University City. The booze is a joint venture with Lansdale\u2019s Boardroom Spirits. The gin is $23.89, the vodka is $17.99, and the martini cans are $3.99 but must be purchased with the gin or vodka to be signed.<\/p>\n

        World Arepa Day<\/b> is Saturday, and Puyero Venezuelan Flavor owners Gilberto Arends and Manuela Villasmil will host chefs Amaryllis Rivera-Nassar (Amy\u2019s Pastelillos), Jennifer Zavala (Juana Tamale), and Yun Fuentes (Bolo) to create four arepas from noon to 9 p.m. Profits from each arepa ($16) will go the Nationalities Service Center. Puyero <\/a>is at 524 S. Fourth St. in Queen Village. Details are here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        Radin\u2019s Deli<\/b> owner Russ Cowan will give away catering-size black-and-white cookies to his dine-in and takeout customers, while supplies last, starting at 9 a.m. Sunday to mark his family\u2019s 125th anniversary in the deli business. (The Radin brothers started in Manhattan<\/a>.) Cowan opened Radin\u2019s in Short Hills Shopping Center in Cherry Hill last year. Sept. 14 also happens to be National Black & White Cookie Day.<\/p>\n

        The Girl Scouts<\/b> have unveiled a new cookie for 2026: Exploremores, which will have chocolate and marshmallow flavors with a toasted almond cream center. I\u2019ll be out on some cold corner with my daughter starting in January, when cookie season begins.<\/a><\/p>\n

        Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia\u2019s Food Pharmacy<\/b>, whose mission is fighting food insecurity, has launched CHOMP for CHOP<\/a> as a fundraiser with a $50,000 goal. Participating restaurants and food businesses will donate proceeds from Nov. 10-16 \u2014 be it from a specific item, a special menu, or a flat donation. So far, Zahav, Scampi, Am\u00e1, Federal Donuts, Riverwards Produce, Santucci\u2019s Original Square Pizza, El Chingon, Forsythia, Little Water, and Huda have signed on. Details are here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        \u2753Pop quiz<\/p>\n

        A shortage of what key ingredient is vexing the owners of local beverage shops?<\/p>\n

        A) matcha<\/p>\n

        B) boba<\/p>\n

        C) cocoa<\/p>\n

        D) taro<\/p>\n

        Find out if you know the answer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        Ask Mike anything<\/p>\n

        Will there be a Center City restaurant week this fall? \u2014 Herb B.<\/p>\n

        Thanks to your question, I messaged the Center City District, which confirmed that it would be skipping this year\u2019s usual September Center City District Restaurant Week. The next outing will be in January. There\u2019s all kinds of thinking about the concept of restaurant weeks. Read my article<\/a>, and email me your thoughts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        \ud83d\udcee Have a question about food in Philly? Email your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com<\/a> for a chance to be featured in my newsletter.<\/p>\n

        By submitting your written, visual, and\/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer\u2019s Terms of Use<\/a>, including the grant of rights in Section 10.<\/p>\n