10 great food things happening in Rittenhouse | Let’s Eat

Rittenhouse is Philadelphia’s prime restaurant area, and the scene keeps growing. I run down the newcomers, including the new dinner service at K’Far, the Steve Cook/Mike Solomonov cafe.

In other developments: If you’re a devotee of the cheeseless pizza jawn known as tomato pie, you will want to snag some at Iannelli’s Bakery in South Philly. But only on the owner’s schedule. Also in the Italian realm, we’re happy-houring in Delco and grooving on the pizza and snacks at a newcomer in Montco.

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— Michael Klein

Know how things happen in threes?

In Rittenhouse, Philly’s busiest restaurant neighborhood, they’re happening in sixes this week. Let me count 'em off.

1. K’Far, the Israeli-inspired cafe from Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook, just rolled out dinner service. It’s an expansion of the lunch menu, in a cozy, low-lit setting. Note that K’Far closes from 2 to 5 p.m. to prep. Read more here.

2. El Cafe, the first of three Mexican-inspired restaurants at the new Pod Philly hotel at 19th and Ludlow Streets, opened the other day. The crew from Fishtown’s Suraya and Pizzeria Beddia is behind this spot, which offers pastries, coffee, and breakfast tacos. Coming soon are Condesa, the main room, and a rooftop taqueria/bar called El Techo.

3. The old Swiss Pastry Shop on 19th Street near Market is no more. It’s now Swiss Haus Cafe & Pastry Bar, adding seating in its new location at 1740 Sansom St., which opens Saturday, Sept. 28.

4. Townsend, the French-ish bistro from chef Townsend “Tod” Wentz that moved from East Passyunk to 2121 Walnut St., is up and running with a Center City District Restaurant Week menu, which will be on through Saturday, Sept. 28. It then will close for a few days to complete its remodeling and is expected to reopen Thursday, Oct. 3 or Friday, Oct. 4 with a full menu.

5. A Mandarin, which had dished Chinese food at 2102 Chestnut St. for a decade-plus until the owners’ retirement this summer, has just yielded to Maple, a ramen shop. Maddening: No online or social-media presence.

6. Beer and bagels! Spread Bagelry opens its big spot, the so-called Spreadquarters, at 2401 Walnut St., on Thursday Sept. 26, along with a tasting room by King of Prussia’s Workhorse Brewing Co.

Like even numbers? We can also add these summertime rollouts:

7. Alimentari, the wine bar atop the Di Bruno Bros. store at 18th and Chestnut Streets.

8. The branch of Northeast Philadelphia Indian BYOB Ateethi at 2046 Sansom St.

9. Royal Indian at 272 S. 20th St. from Riaz Morshed of Palace of Indian at 11th and Passyunk.

10. Square on Square Chinese Restaurant moved from 19th and Chestnut to 274 S. 20th St., next to Audrey Claire.

A La Mousse | Narberth

The Chinatown sweet shop/bakery has opened a second location, at 920 Montgomery Ave.

Denim BYOB | Haddonfield

Cherry Hill BYOB relocates to Shops at 116 in Haddonfield, supposedly on Oct. 1.

El Cafe | Rittenhouse

First of three Mexican themers opens at the Pod Philly hotel (1830 Ludlow St.)..

Maple Japanese Ramen | Rittenhouse

Casual ramen shop replaces the longtime A Mandarin at 2102 Chestnut St.

Refectory | Villanova

The university gets into the dining business with a contemporary American in a new building at Lancaster and Ithan avenues.

Spread Bagelry and Workhorse Brewing | Center City

Montreal-style bagel shop opens its “Spreadquarters” at 2401 Walnut St., with a pop-up tasting room by Workhorse.

Swiss Haus Cafe & Pastry Bar | Rittenhouse

Venerable Center City bakery has a new location, at 1740 Sansom St., opening Sept. 28.

Heffe | Spring Garden

Taco shop at 1543 Spring Garden St. has vacated; its Fishtown sibling remains.

Joclyn’s Sports Bar | Media (early warning)

Sunday, Dec. 1 will be the finale.

Teca, 191 S. Newtown Street Rd., Newtown Square, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

It’s South Philly meets Delco at Chris Scarduzio’s sprawling Italian fixture in Newtown Square, known for its multipurpose approach: group luncheons, dates and family dinners, outdoor meals on the deck, and a vast bar, including a pizza counter.

It’s also home to a seriously tasty and huge meatball, one that Scarduzio has been rolling since his early days in Center City. Served with a blob of ricotta, it clocks in at $9 during happy hour. Many other specials include buck-a-shuck oysters, baked clams, pizzas, and spicy fish tacos, plus $4 beers, $5 wines, and $5 well cocktails.

K’Far, 110 S. 19th St.

Israeli-inspired K’Far takes on a lovely, lower-lit vibe at nighttime, and like its breakfast/lunch operation, you can eat casually at the bar or the counter, and more privately at tables. Nighttime also brings in the waiters. It’s not entirely a drop-in; given the 76-seater’s capacity, I’d recommend making a res.

Dinner menu includes toasts, salads, and hearth-baked entrées, including t’bit, an Iraqi sabbath stew served for two, and Persian lamb shank braised with sour cherry and pickled rose petals.

Especially by Rittenhouse standards, the tab is moderate and patrons are encouraged to build their meal as a collection of plates.

Prices of the snacks and salads section range from $4 for a whopping sesame-crusted Jerusalem bagel to $14 for an indulgent foie gras toast. Main plates are $15 for roasted cauliflower to $28 for dry-aged strip steak. The t’bit is $30 for two.

Bar specializes in low-proof cocktails and aperitivos along with wines by the glass.

Enza, 909 E. Willow Grove Ave., Wyndmoor

Mentioned Wyndmoor to a restaurateur this weekend, and she drew a total blank. The slice of Springfield Township, Montgomery County, across from Chestnut Hill, is not exactly a hotbed of dining.

Until this bright, smart-looking Italian bar-restaurant opened a week and a half ago in a new building that includes a coffee shop, fitness studio, and seafood-based market, plus apartments above.

First off, it is loud, almost from the moment they open the doors daily at 5 p.m. (It’s family friendly earlier, segueing into couples later.) Hard surfaces are tempered only by the food from chef Steve Gonzalez, a Vetri alum who nearly a decade ago was opening chef at Zavino at 13th and Sansom Streets. (Zavino/Tredici owner Greg Dodge helped conceive this.)

Menu include thin-and-crispy pizzas, pastas, and salads and other vegetable-forward dishes. Full bar includes a decent wine list and cocktails.

It’s not fall in Philly until you see Sweetzels and Ivins in your local Acme.

Love octopus? Head to South Philly’s Stina Pizzeria, where the pizza isn’t the main event. Craig LaBan gave it two bells and say it’s got the best octopus dish in town.

Triple Bottom Brewery is serving more than just beer, they want to help their community, too.

Craig LaBan’s Q&A does not appear this week.