April restaurant openings in Philly: More pizza in Fishtown, a Vietnamese-Cajun hybrid in Rittenhouse, and a Main Line revival

A pizzeria in Fishtown, a tasting-menu restaurant in South Jersey, a Cajun-Vietnamese hybrid in Rittenhouse, a Main Line revival, and an ambitious Mediterranean spot in Wilmington are among the restaurants expected to open in April.

Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese, 2015 Walnut St.: Chef Carolyn Nguyen is aiming at the end of the month for her full-service revamping of the Rittenhouse space she co-owned as Revolution Taco. The airy storefront will become a personal project: cooking the Vietnamese-Cajun food of her youth in Louisiana, especially seafood (i.e., curry duck with handmade gnocchi).

Ezme, 625 N. Market St., Wilmington: Chef Antimo DiMeo, a two-time James Beard semifinalist, and partners Scott Stein and Pino DiMeo will head across the street from their Bardea Food & Drink for a 50-seater whose menu is inspired by DiMeo’s travels to Greece, Turkey, and the Aegean Coast. He’ll offer à la carte and tasting menus. The signature: an “On Hummus” section in which seafood will be composed and layered over hummus preparations and served with house-made pita.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 1150 Market St.: The original owner is reopening the Center City location of this popular chain, which closed abruptly last September. Target is mid-April.

The Juice Pod, 1845 Walnut St.: Health-based franchise is opening its 24th location in the former Joe Coffee space on Rittenhouse Square. The first 50 customers on opening day, April 11, will receive a free Coco Crush smoothie (pineapple, orange, coconut, coconut water, vanilla collagen, Blue Majik, and a pitaya swirl). Speaking of juice: The Enerjuicer, with locations in Suburban Station and 711 Walnut St., is coming to Franklin’s Table food hall at 3401 Walnut St.

Lassan Indian Traditional, 232 Woodbine Ave., Narberth: The second location of the well-regarded Lafayette Hill Indian BYOB has set April 5 for its opening at the former Margot space in Narberth.

LeoFigs, 2201 Frankford Ave.: Justice and Shannon Figueras say they are (finally) delivering their long-delayed bar/restaurant, serving what they call “comfort-leaning small plates” and wines from their basement winery at Frankford and Susquehanna in Fishtown.

Liguria Pizzeria, 1826 Frankford Ave.: Brothers Sherif and Amro Nagud are returning to the pizza game with a slice shop dispensing New York-style pies plus cheesesteaks and fries next to Ham & Bone pet supply. Amro owned Stella’s Pizza in Northeast Philadelphia for 14 years and was an early partner at Verona Pizza in Maple Glen, while Sherif worked in pizzerias but put that aside for electrical engineering. They said they hope to open this weekend.

Melange on Sycamore, 255 N. Sycamore St., Newtown: Chef Joe Brown, whose Louisiana-meets-Italian cooking was a hit years ago at his Melange restaurant, has headed to Bucks County’s former Sycamore Grill with restaurateur Marc Gelman for an upscale, jazz-accompanied scene.

Palm Vintage Cafe, 1414 S. Penn Square: The idea is cafe by day, high-end cocktails and sushi by night, in a lushly appointed space next to La Colombe and across from City Hall. Houston Yang and Mike Beja are targeting late April.

Pat’s Pizza, 701 N. Third St.: Yiannys Degermentzidis, whose family founded Pat’s Pizza in Pennsville, NJ, in 1974, is behind this dine-in/takeout pizzeria now in soft-open mode in the former KenLoves BYOB at Third and Fairmount in Northern Liberties. He and a partner also own a Pat’s at 1410 South St. and the Greek fast-casual Yeeroh next door.

Restaurant 1793, 7 E. Park Ave., Merchantville: Chef Chris Bennett, formerly of June BYOB, plans a contemporary American tasting menu at the former Park Place with six courses priced at $115; opening is April 10. The look will be “upscale library,” with dark woods and leather seating to achieve a fine dining experience without formality.

Scratch Kitchen by Gallo’s, 575 Horsham Rd., Horsham: Jim Harvey and family, who own Gallo’s Seafood in Northeast Philadelphia, are taking over the former Farm & Fisherman Tavern at Horsham and Norristown Roads in Horsham for a Montco neighborhood place, blending Gallo’s menu with the bar menu from its adjacent eatery, Harv’s Burger Bar.

Soufiane at the Morris, 225 S. Eighth St.: Christophe Mathon and Soufiane Bouitiliss, who also run Sofi Corner Café, are setting up a French brasserie with Moroccan touches at the Morris Hotel in Washington Square West. Chef Henry McGuigan (ex-Tavern on Camac) is on board for a late-April opening.

333 Belrose Bar & Grill, 333 Belrose Lane, St. Davids: The Radnor mainstay, which opened in 1999, is about to reopen after a seven-month hiatus with a brighter redesign (the dining room and the bar area have been flipped) and overhaul of its American menu. Chef Ross Esner, who heads restaurant operations for Capano Management, which acquired the property in 2022, describes the revamped menu as “playful” American cuisine peppered with international flair. Sample dishes: goat cheese gnocchi (short rib, spinach, horseradish cream), “dirty bird” (brined chicken breast, crispy leg, stuffing, mustard sauce), and Texas long bone short rib with campfire potatoes and cheddar broccoli. Ten taps will feature local beers, cocktails, and wines.

Less certain of a firm April opening date are Irishtown Steaks, the shop at 155 S. Burlington St. in Gloucester City from David Murphy, former head cook at Donkey’s and Brynn Bradley, and Love & Honey Fried Chicken’s next location at 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. Meanwhile, Claude’s Comedy Club & Bar at 1123 S. Broad St. should be ready to open in “weeks, not months,” says owner Reid Benditt.

Two big names are on the slate for May: Bar Cicci (pronounced “chee-chee”), an Italian cafe from James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Ellen Yin’s High Street Hospitality Group next to Uchi at 1620 Sansom St., and Known Associates, the Euro cocktail bar from chef Chris Kearse (Forsythia) and partners PS & Daughters at 10th and Spruce Streets.