{"id":977456,"date":"2026-08-03T08:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T08:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/977456\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T08:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T08:21:16","slug":"east-passyunks-river-twice-announces-expansion-with-new-bar-more-seating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/977456\/","title":{"rendered":"East Passyunk’s River Twice announces expansion with new bar, more seating"},"content":{"rendered":"

As River Twice approaches its seventh year in East Passyunk<\/a>, the MICHELIN Guide Recommended restaurant is embarking on its next chapter\u2014with an expansion that will double its footprint.<\/p>\n

Since opening in 2019, the local spot has earned widespread recognition, being recognized by The New York Times as one of Philadelphia’s Top 25 Restaurants from 2023 through 2026, and Chef Rucker being named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in both 2024 and 2026.<\/p>\n

Owners Amanda and Chef Randy Rucker are giving River Twice room to grow with an expansion into the former Manatawny Still Works space at 1603 East Passyunk Avenue (which sits adjacent to River Twice). Connected to the original concept by a hallway and slated to debut this fall, the 600-square-foot addition will welcome more than 24 additional guests, a 13-seat bar, additional table seating, a standing drink rail and a temperature-controlled wine display.<\/p>\n

Designed to complement\u2014not replace\u2014the restaurant’s tasting menu experience, the new bar will offer guests a more casual, walk-in destination.<\/p>\n

“When we chose the name River Twice, we made a commitment to never stand still,” says Chef Rucker. “The restaurant has always been rooted in the idea that change is inevitable and should be embraced, and that philosophy has guided every menu we’ve written and every decision we’ve made since opening in 2019. We’ve never wanted to be a restaurant that repeats itself. This expansion feels like the next natural chapter in that journey. It gives us the opportunity to continue evolving, explore new ideas, and create new ways for guests to experience River Twice.”<\/p>\n

The beverage program will be led by General Manager and Beverage Director Jhazmyn Wallace, who joined the restaurant last year. Guests can expect a curated selection of cocktails, wines, local and seasonal beers, and an equally intentional lineup of non-alcoholic beverages. The drinks will be paired with a new \u00e0 la carte menu featuring River Twice favorites, including the Mother Rucker Burger, shrimp toast with uni, ricotta beignets, nightly oyster crudo, and rotating cheese selections in collaboration with The Farm at Doe Run.<\/p>\n

“We wanted to create something that shares River Twice’s DNA but has a personality all its own,\u201d adds Wallace. “It feels like River Twice’s more playful sister \u2013 a little moodier, a little more spontaneous, but with the same thoughtful hospitality and attention to detail guests already know. Whether someone stops in for a cocktail and a burger or lingers over a bottle of wine, we want it to feel welcoming and approachable.”<\/p>\n

Amanda Rucker, who designed the interiors of both River Twice and its sister restaurant, Little Water, is once again leading the design of the new space. The expansion will also showcase her largest mural to date, spanning the entire south wall of the bar.<\/p>\n

“I wanted the space to feel connected to River Twice without feeling like an extension of the dining room,\u201d said Amanda. “The design leans into rich textures, warm lighting, and custom details to create a mood that’s a little sexier.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of the restaurant’s next phase, River Twice’s tasting menu will transition to a refined five-course format that begins with a selection of canap\u00e9s. Guests will also have the option to enjoy the full tasting menu at the bar upon request.<\/p>\n

The new bar is expected to operate Thursday through Monday, beginning at 5 p.m. For more information, visit rivertwicerestaurant.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MORE: Chef Jet Tila discusses new Luk Fu menu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\tKeywords<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tRiver Twice,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t East Passyunk,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Philadelphia restaurants,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t South Philadelphia,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t MICHELIN Guide,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Randy Rucker,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Amanda Rucker,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Philadelphia dining,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t restaurant expansion,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t food and drink\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As River Twice approaches its seventh year in East Passyunk, the MICHELIN Guide Recommended restaurant is embarking on…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":977457,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5132],"tags":[392325,5229,290236,2105,83453,1448,2830,1311,392326,187575,392324,392327,392323,11590,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-977456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-philadelphia","tag-amanda-rucker","tag-america","tag-east-passyunk","tag-food-and-drink","tag-michelin-guide","tag-pa","tag-pennsylvania","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-dining","tag-philadelphia-restaurants","tag-randy-rucker","tag-restaurant-expansion","tag-river-twice","tag-south-philadelphia","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/117030609755416668","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/977456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=977456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/977456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/977457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=977456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=977456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=977456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}