Philly’s splashy new December restaurants include a honky-tonk and a Michelin star-winner’s third venture
We have opening dates for Banshee on South Street and Manong in Fairmount Avenue, plus details on six other new restaurants in Philadelphia and the suburbs.
The Philadelphia area’s December restaurant forecast is on the light side, compared with previous months, but this crop of newcomers is an intriguing mixture: a Euro-inflected bistro with a Bing Bing/Cheu pedigree, a colorful pizza bar, a honky-tonk vintage shop, a Filipino riff on Outback Steakhouse, the makings of an Indian brewpub, and the eagerly awaited casual corner spot from Michelin-starred Amanda Shulman and Alex Kemp .
Banshee (1600 South St., opening Dec. 11): Twin brothers Bryan and Kyle Donovan, partnered with Bing Bing/Cheu alums Shawn Darragh and Ben Puchowitz, are ready to unveil their sleek South Street West bistro offering casual cuisine influenced by Paris, London, and Basque wine bars. Menu sampling: Barnstable oysters (kiwi mignonette); tarte flambee (smoked crème fraîche, maitake, caramelized onion); Berkshire pork collar (Tarbais beans, Savoy cabbage, bearnaise); and a Butterscotch Krimpet filled with Boysenberry jam.
Cerveau (990 Spring Garden St.; now open): Finally operating full bore with its liquor license, this Mediterranean-leaning newcomer from Pizza Brain cofounder Joe Hunter rocks colorful — almost surreal — surroundings with murals and columns resembling lava lamps. The menu mixes pizzas, pastas, small plates, and the mini-sandwiches known as tramezzini, with attention to vegetarian and vegan options. A full bar, including zero-proof cocktails, supports a plan to evolve into an all-day café-style hangout. Do not miss the crab rangoon pizza, which is exactly what it sounds like.
LeoFigs (2201 Frankford Ave.; opens “later in December”): Shannon Leocata Figueras and Justice Figueras’ urban winery, cocktail bar, and restaurant in Fishtown is built around the idea of “unpretentious deliciousness” with a warm living room setting. In addition to house-made wines and ciders and cocktails, menu leans toward comfort-driven small plates. (The couple was not above creating a cheeky ruse on the neighborhood recently.)
Manong (1833 Fairmount Ave.; opens Dec. 5): Chef Chance Anies follows up his South Philadelphia hit Tabachoy with an interpretation of Outback Steakhouse — “that is,” writes Kiki Aranita, “if the chain restaurant existed in a Filipino alternate universe.”
Pine Street Grill (2227 Pine St.; “this month”): Amanda Shulman and Alex Kemp’s neighborhood spot in the former Cotoletta space in Fitler Square — a more casual counterpoint to Her Place Supper Club and My Loup — will serve “timeless American food made with care,” such as matzo ball soup, spinach-artichoke dip, Greek salad, French dip, and rotisserie chicken, and a drinks program of classic cocktails, beer on tap (including birch!), and wines “with no pretense” at a variety of price points.
Secondhand Ranch (1148 Frankford Ave.; soft opening Dec. 6 with a grand opening in January): Here’s what happens when a vintage shop and a honky-tonk bar have a baby in a former bank building at Frankford and Girard in Fishtown. This mash-up hosts independent vendors selling secondhand finds, while the bar slings beer, cocktails, and simple saloon fare like sausages and hot dogs, all while rocking a Western-outlaw vibe. It’s meant as much for hanging out as for thrifting.
Side Eye (623 S. Sixth St.; “later this month”): Queen Village gets a neighborhood bar serving “French-ish” food, classic cocktails, European-leaning wines, and beer at approachable prices in the former Bistrot La Minette. Owner Hank Allingham leads a team including chef Finn Connors (formerly of Sally and Wilder) and beverage director Ryan Foster (Messina Social Club). The menu has house-made breads, fresh pasta, frites, French onion soup, mussels, and a late-night raw bar.
Vibe Haus Indian Plates & Taps (402 Swedesford Rd., Berwyn; opened Dec. 1): Karthic Venkatachalam and Gopal Dhandpani of the well-regarded Nalal Indian Cuisine in Downingtown and Adyar Cafe in Exton have taken over the long-shuttered Lotus Inn with what they intend as an Indian brewpub for the western suburbs. Though the on-site brewery is at least several months away, they’re now teasing out a pub menu of Indian-meets-American favorites, such as Madras nachos (papdi chips layered with spiced queso, black beans, masala corn, and cilantro crema), tandoori mushroom flatbread, and butter chicken bao buns.