September 19, 2024

Grand Opening: Sushi by Boū Celebrates Disco with New Studio 54-Themed Restaurant

September 19, 2024/ Sushi by Bou/ Kory Aversa

Sushi by Bou, the brand that has redefined the omakase experience, is bringing its one-of-a-kind concept to Philly’s vibrant Midtown Village with a new location at 1224 Chestnut St. This freshly renovated space offers 10 exclusive seats for their signature timed Omakase Experience, alongside booths and tables in the BouBar lounge. The modern-day speakeasy-inspired omakase is one of New York’s hottest and fastest-growing restaurant concepts, known across the country for taking over unique, offbeat, and underserved spaces as small as 200 square feet. Previous locations have included everything from the backroom of a coffee shop and florist to a hotel room, basement storage, and even a mop closet— and everything in between. For Midtown Village, SBB will take over the former secret music hideaway, Leda's Cocktail Lounge, including the main bar, lounge, and upstairs space. Sushi by Bou has transformed the venue into a Studio 54-inspired space, featuring a sparkling and seductive disco theme with velvet booths, a dazzling collection of mirror balls, and a black-and-white gallery of iconic moments from the legendary disco era. Reservations are now available on OpenTable.

January 18, 2023

Wokworks Announces Grand Opening of 10th Location in Philadelphia Region

January 18, 2023/ Wokworks/ Kory Aversa

Owners Brennan and Samantha Foxman, and Fishtown Managing Partner Sidney Cooper, are thrilled to announce the grand opening of the 10th location for Wokworks. Wokworks Fishtown will fire up the woks for take-out, pick-up, delivery and catering on Friday, January 13th, at 11:00am, at 1429 Marlborough Street (corner of Marlborough and Frankford). When opened, the new flagship for Wokworks will have the largest menu of any Wokworks to date - with new menu items that include Bento Boxes, Tiger Fried Rice, Fresh Juice Shots, Crispy Rice Treats, Cinnamon Sugar Crispy Wonton "Chinese Churro" Chips, and several new vegan and gluten free options. New items join signature Wokworks favorites and staples, like Chili Garlic Chicken Rice Bowl, Dry Pepper Steak Rice Bowl, Drunk Noodles, Pad See Yew, Dan Dan Lo Mein, Bam Bam Chicken, Spicy Garden Bowl, Miso Soup, Crispy Dumplings - and build your own bowls where patrons can pick their base, protein, sauce and toppings. For the grand opening, foodies and neighbors are invited to celebrate Friday the 13th of January, from 11:00am to 3:00pm for a chance to win a free bowl. Patrons will be asked to test their luck and guess heads or tails - and if they guess correctly they win a free bowl of their choice, one per person, at Fishtown only. Opening hours for Wokworks Fishtown are Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, from 11:00am to 9:00pm, and Friday and Saturday, 11:00am to 1:00am. Expanded hours in Fishtown means new late night hours for all those middle of the night cravings!

June 22, 2022

Wag Watch Throws Grand Opening Puppy Pawty and K9 Kegger in Northern Liberties for Doggy Daycare

June 22, 2022/ Wag Watch/ Lexie Fleege

Tails are wagging in Northern Liberties! Wag Watch brings Philly’s fastest growing neighborhood a sparkling new dog daycare and retail boutique. Co-founders Jason Jennings and Brian Kelly invite dog owners and their four-legged furry friends to a free K9 Kegger on Saturday, June 25, 2022, from 11:00am to 2:00pm. The “pup pawty” will invite local dog owners into their state-of-the-art facility for free daycare, giveaways, goodies, and ice cold beer. The event will feature free tours, meet & greets with the founders, playtime for furry playmates, complimentary beverages, chances to win prizes, and other surprises. Wag Watch is one of seven grand openings in progress in Northern Liberties, following recent openings by Pera Turkish Cuisine, 70SIX Boutique, 1040 Creative Art Center and Gallery and Ray’s Reusables, with many more to come. Wag Watch is located in a brand new building at 807 N. 3rd Street, in Philadelphia, PA 19123.

March 25, 2022

Grand Opening Alert: Pera Turkish Cuisine Set to Open in Northern Liberties

March 25, 2022/ Pera Turkish Cusine/ Kory Aversa

Northern Liberties Business Improvement District is proud to announce the grand opening of Pera Turkish Cuisine, at 944 N. 2nd Street, in the very heart of the Northern Liberties Restaurant Row. Pera will bring Turkish cuisine to the growing mix of acclaimed international cuisine in the fast growing food neighborhood. Former roommates, friends, school mates and now business partners Eric Tunc and Chef Mehmet Ergin are both from Turkey and are living the American dream by moving to America and opening their first restaurant together. For layout, Pera is 1,000 square feet of dining space with a partially open kitchen, with a dining room that seats 36 people. Decor includes authentic Turkish decor and handmade plates from Turkey, beautiful exposed brick, unique lighting, ornate tiles and black walnut tables. For cuisine, the menu is a mix of traditional taste with modern presentation. Pera is BYO and the owners are happy to make wine and spirit recommendations. Pera's grand opening leads off six weeks and six grand openings for Northern Liberties, which will soon announce details for openings that will include The Shake Seafood, Ray's Reusables, 70six Boutique, Wag Watch and 1040 Creative Art Center and Gallery. Pera follows other recent openings that have included Figo Ristorante, Figo Pizzeria, Set NoLibs, Anejo Philadelphia, SUYA SUYA West African Grill, Parmigiana and others. Six more businesses will also soon be announced and or grand opening in late spring and into summer. The fast growth in retail and restaurants is just in time for the population growth of the neighborhood, which will literally double in size within two years.

December 10, 2021

The Fin Grand Opens In Fishtown With Giant New Surf And Turf Seafood Destination

December 10, 2021/ The Fin/ Guest User

The Fin is bringing the fish back to Fishtown with Philadelphia's largest and newest seafood destination. The owners of Crab du Jour are proud to announce The Fin is now open at 1000 Frankford Avenue #1, Philadelphia, PA 19125. This new giant surf and turf hotspot will feature a contemporary casual vibe, with 10,000 square feet of space, seating for over 220 people, a sweeping center bar and lounge, and private and semi-private event space for private events and parties. From the kitchen, look for an extensive and inventive menu of original surf and turf favorites from Executive Chef Valentin Bay, formerly of Brauhaus Schmitz on South Street. Bay's menu features everything from Whole Red Snapper to Rockfish, Whole Lobster to custom make your own Seafood Boils, Chicken and Waffles to Shrimp and Grits, and a unique must-try Cajun Crab Cheesecake. On the bar side, look for an extensive menu that will feature over 120 cocktails and 325 wine selections by Bar Manager Phillip Search, formerly of Palladino's and Bahn Mi and Bottles.

November 17, 2021

Craftsman Row Saloon Debuts Christmas Pop-up with Crazy Shakes and Festive Vibes

November 17, 2021/ Craftsman Row Saloon/ Guest User

Craftsman Row Saloon, at 112 S. 8th Street, announces the debut of their annual Christmas Pop-up that is bigger, brighter and has even more bling for the 2021 season. The Jewelers' Row restaurant and bar is known as Philadelphia's most festive sit-down restaurant. After a break in 2020 due to the pandemic, owners and operators brother sister duo George and Vasiliki Tsiouris are thrilled to welcome back all the holiday merry-makers into the Christmas wonderland that features over 5,000 feet of garland, thousands of twinkling lights, thousands of sparkling, shiny and colorful ornaments, hundreds of vintage and unique tree trimmings, hundreds of bows, stockings, santas, and of course an Elf on the Shelf hidden among the festive decor. Along with the floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall transformation, look for giant signature over-the-top holiday milkshakes like Ugly Sweater with eggnog, crushed gingerbread cookies, holiday m&m and sprinkle rim, gingerbread sandwich, holiday marshmallow peep, rock candy, and Pumpkin to Talk About Milkshake with pumpkin pie and munchin, edible leaves and caramel drizzle.

November 15, 2021

Oldestone Restaurant Makes Grand Debut In New Hope's Former Home Of Marsha Brown's

November 15, 2021/ Oldestone/ Guest User

Owners Wilfer Naranjo, Michael Sklar, Gaspar Ferrara and Vincent Ferrara announce the grand opening of Oldestone restaurant at 15 S. Main Street, New Hope, in the internationally recognized 1872 old stone church. The space was the former home of Marsha Brown's restaurant, which closed at the start of the pandemic. Marsha Brown herself passed the baton and her legacy to the new owners, that include Naranjo who worked for her in 2003 as a food runner. Naranjo's story comes full circle from food runner to restaurant owner, as he and the new owners debut their new concept for the iconic space. Oldestone is an elegant and refined steak and seafood restaurant, featuring New American Cuisine by Executive Chef Seth Wheeler. Oldestone will also feature several signature creole dishes from Marsha Brown's recipe collection. The 9,000 square foot space features a main bar, lounge and private dining room on the first floor, a grand dining room on the second level, and a third level in the former balcony overlooking the dining room that is now a speakeasy, bar and lounge with a stage for live music.

October 12, 2021

Figo Ristorante and Figo Pizzeria to Debut in Northern Liberties by Glu Hospitality

October 12, 2021/ Figo Ristorante and Figo Pizzeria/ Guest User

Glu Hospitality and partners Derek Gibbons and Tim Lu announce the grand opening of Figo Ristorante and Figo Pizzeria this Friday, October 15th at 1033 N. 2nd Street. The two side-by-side restaurants will debut in the heart of the Northern Liberties Restaurant Row, in the former home of Darling's Diner and Wahlburgers, next to the Piazza. When opened, Figo will be the largest restaurant in the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, offering nearly 10,000 square feet of space and 250+ seats. Figo Ristorante will be a full service restaurant, kitchen, bar and outdoor patio offering Italian cuisine by Chef Hee "Chino" Chang, with craft cocktails, espresso martini flights, Italian soda flights, two dozen taps, and over two dozen wines by the glass, bottle and flight. Opening services will include dinner, indoor dining, outdoor dining, delivery and take-out, with late night, happy hour and brunch service to be launched later in the fall. Next door, at the North end of the property, Figo Pizzeria will offer pizza pies and stuffed hoagies with lunch, mid-day and dinner service, with cafe seating outside and take-out/pick-up and delivery.

September 30, 2021

The Story Brings Stunning New Coffee Shop and Bookstore to Downtown Ardmore

September 30, 2021/ Ardmore Initiative/ Guest User

Continuing the explosion of new businesses opening in Ardmore, downtown now welcomes The Story – a coffee shop and bookstore located at 45 E. Lancaster Avenue. Most recently, the building was the 843 VFW outpost, where it served veterans in the Ardmore area for over 30 years. Owners have taken the former outpost and renovated it with thrifted, repurposed and donated decor that all hold hundreds of years of history - including the 1893 Schomacker & Co. piano, the circa 1923 bar chairs, the custom lion-head bar from a local mansion, the book wall with chapters unfolding above the plush vintage lounger - and the feature wall designed and hand-papered by Carissa Robinson from Creator Studio in Philly.

September 13, 2021

Ancient Spirits And Grille Opens In Philadelphia As America's First Herbal Restaurant and Bar

September 13, 2021/ Ancient Spirits and Grille/ Guest User

Owners and lifelong friends Syam Namballa and Mahi Reddy announce the grand opening of America's first Ayurvedic herbal restaurant and cocktail lounge right here in Center City, Philadelphia. Ancient Spirits and Grille will officially open its doors at 1726 Chestnut Street on Friday, September 17th, with a special grand opening party from 5:00pm to 10:00pm. The three-story, 7,000 square feet, 150-seat dining destination offers contemporary European cuisine inspired by Auyervedic and herbal elements. The service and chef-driven concept highlights organic and herbal-based offerings with the beloved Executive Chef Chris Tavares formerly of Davio’s. The menu will feature creative and beautifully presented dishes with ample vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Guests are invited to take a short survey on their phones that creates a special customized menu based on body type and metabolic energy.