Where to get your eggs in Pennsport

Caroline Russock

After nights spent at the stoves of their respective Passyunk Avenue restaurants, chef-neighbors Joncarl Lachman of Noord and Lee Styer of Fond have a tradition of unwinding over a few glasses of Champagne and omelettes in the kitchen at Fond.

It was during one of these postshift meals that they came up with the idea for The Dutch, a new breakfast and lunch spot opening this weekend at the corner of 4th and Cross streets in South Philly.

Lee is a longtime resident of the Pennsport neighborhood and Lachman had a memorable meal at 4th and Cross, the short-lived restaurant where The Dutch is opening its doors. When the opportunity to take over the restaurant arose, the duo jumped on it, signing a lease just a little over a month ago and creating a menu that speaks to both of their culinary roots.

Styer grew up in Berks County, a place where Pennsylvania Dutch cooking traditions run deep, and Lachman’s wheelhouse is firmly footed in the flavors of the Netherlands, hence the name The Dutch.

The opening menu takes inspiration from both chefs with breakfasts like beet-poached eggs with a flatiron steak and potatoes; sweet and savory Dutch baby pancakes; “uitsmijters,” an easy to love but hard to pronounce breakfast of sunny-side up eggs, gouda, bacon and pickles; and a take on eggs Benedict with ring bologna and creamed chipped beef bechamel.

Open Tuesday to Sunday, this sunny breakfast and lunch spot has a BYO encouraged policy for mimosa and bloody mary mixing, and plans to expand the lunch portion of the menu once the kitchen gets comfortable.

As for evening hours, Lachman says that they’re planning on using the space for private events in the future.

Metro Philadelphia