In Philadelphia, sweater weather has arrived and football is underway. With these autumn trademarks, an exciting season of new restaurant openings begins. Cozy neighborhood taprooms, innovative vegan cookery and a real-life dose of reality TV are all on the docket this fall.
Plus, we’re looking forward to a few booze-centric new kids like the Fishtown iteration of Brooklyn’s Barcade (1114 Frankford Ave.), which will offer 25 American craft beers on draft alongside a platoon of ’80s video games. ‘Cause there’s nothing like a round of Super Mario Bros. — or better yet, Burger Time — to work up a hunger.
Il Pittore
2025 Sansom St.
Though Angelina on Chestnut Street was short-lived, the memory of chef Chris Painter’s feathery-light pastas runs long. The Starr Restaurant Organization culinary director’s skills will be center stage when he collaborates with owner Stephen for Il Pittore (“the painter”), which will showcase northern Italian flavors in the former Noble space.
American Sardine Bar
1800 Federal St.
Fans of Newbold mainstay South Philly Tap Room are anxiously awaiting owner John Longacre’s venture into Point Breeze: a renovation of the decrepit Wander Inn. SPTR chef Scott Schroeder is developing a casual menu of rotating sandwich selections for the two-floor space.
Sbraga
440 S. Broad St.
Our local “Top Chef” champion Kevin Sbraga is remaking the former Chew Man Chu space into a platform for his upscale comfort food in smaller-plate portions. He hints of dishes like truffled meat loaf with house ketchup and bacon sauce or fluke fish-and-chips with curried remoulade. The prix-fixe menus will be priced at four courses for $45, or nine for $100.
Vedge
1221 Locust St.
Vegan cooking moves up to a regal setting in November, when Horizons chef/owners Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby launch Vedge in the former Deux Cheminees. Veggies, rather than faux meat dishes, will be the focus; a vegetable bar will allow picky types to sample a variety of small plates.
Stay tuned …
Adsum, Take Two
700 S. Fifth St.
Major changes are afoot at the corner of Fifth and Bainbridge, where bistro Adsum is closed for renovation. When the space reopens in two weeks, it will be the mellow neighborhood gastropub owner Kar Vivekananthan originally envisioned. New partner Rich Rivera (of Manayunk’s Agiato, Agiato Bread Co. and Main Street Market) and Vivekananthan are supervising a vegetarian-friendly menu of mac and cheese, salads, grilled cheese, burgers and the like. Stay tuned for a new name for the made-over space, as well.
Batter up! Federal Donuts is on the way
When she’s not filling us in on where to feast this fall, Felicia D’Ambrosio is getting ready to open the much-buzzed-about Federal Donuts (1219 S. Second St.) with Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook (of Zahav and Percy Street Barbecue).
The concept is so deliciously simple, you won’t believe us: Fresh donuts in the a.m., Korean fried chicken in the p.m. Pass us the napkins — this is about to be one messy fall.
