Where to eat next: 18 new restaurants opening in November
Italian newcomers (as always) lead the lineup, alongside Tex-Mex fare, a swanky steakhouse, a po'boy specialist, a long-awited pie shop, and Magnolia Bakery's debut.
November’s crop of restaurant openings in Philadelphia will bring Champagne and caviar near Rittenhouse Square, Italian cooking to Bella Vista and the stadium district, plus a party-inspired neighborhood bar in South Philly and a taste of New Orleans in Kensington. The suburbs are in line for Greek food in Havertown, breakfast tacos in Ardmore, and a swanky Italian steakhouse in Newtown. Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding arrives in Mount Laurel, a long-awaited pizzeria opens in Collingswood, and an ambitious Japanese omakase restaurant in Cherry Hill is aiming for late November or early December. And there are two openings on the way in Hatboro, typically a quiet town for new restaurants.
Here’s what’s on the way. Opening dates, as always, can shift.
Suburban Philadelphia restaurants
Akira70, 249 Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill. Frank Zheng’s Japanese BYO, opening in late November or early December in a former Cherry Hill furrier’s shop, is based on a luxe 10-seat omakase counter and a separate chef’s-table experience emphasizing dishes from the kitchen. Zheng, who owns Akira Sushi in Voorhees and Moorestown, said he plans to source many ingredients from Japan.
Casa de Fehu, 482 Jacksonville Rd., Hatboro. Anthony Shalamov and Anastasia De Roy’s BYOB, offering European-inspired cooking in an upscale atmosphere, is aiming for midmonth. Sample dishes: paella de mariacos, braised beef cheeks with risotto, and bone marrow beef tartare.
Donatelli’s, 1 Washington Ave., Newtown. Last weekend, veteran restaurateur Habib Troudi (Panache and Ristorante Castello in Blue Bell) opened his redo of the former Rocco’s at the Brick, delivering Italian specialties including prime beef, house-made pastas, Petrossian caviar, fish fileted tableside, and a hopping bar.
Iron Oven, 58 S. York Rd., Hatboro. Alex Nalbandian is looking at a late-month debut for this offshoot of his Southampton bar-restaurant; it’s the former Ross & Co. The new location will follow the original’s broad American menu, with oversized cheesesteaks. He has targeted late November.
Koutouki, 24 E. Eagle Rd., Havertown. Tony Procopos, a former chef at Lourdas Greek Taverna, is behind this traditional Greek restaurant taking its name from the informal neighborhood taverns found throughout Greece. Opening date is “soon.”
Magnolia Bakery, 10 Centerton Rd., Mount Laurel. The New York bakery known for banana pudding and cupcakes opens Nov. 17 in Centerton Square. Franchisees Jake Klein and John Candela will produce the baked goods on-site; a Rittenhouse location is planned for spring.
Pizzeria Cusumano, 872 Haddon Ave., Collingswood. Five years in the making, Sal Cusumano’s walk-in pizzeria near the PATCO station will specialize in New York-style rounds when the ovens are fired up midmonth. The third-generation pizza maker, whose family is behind South Jersey’s Angelo’s shops, puts each batch of dough through 72 hours of preparation.
Taco Heart, 120 Coulter Ave., Ardmore. Nano Wheedan’s South Philadelphia taco shop is in soft-opening mode in the Ardmore Farmers Market in Suburban Square with a limited menu and hours. “Baby steps,” Wheedan says. House specialty is Austin-style breakfast tacos made with fresh flour tortillas, with fillings including eggs, potatoes, beans, bacon, and brisket.
Philadelphia restaurants
Bar Caviar, 258 S. 16th St. Champagne, high-style wines, and caviar anchor this intimate bar planning a late-month opening at the Dwight D hotel near Rittenhouse Square. Menu will include a raw bar and small plates alongside martinis, wines, and an extensive Champagne selection, featuring 15 varietals by the glass.
Eggcetera Haus, 625 S. Sixth St. Chef Rey Tamaka and Vina Kencana’s all-day restaurant is in soft-opening mode at the former Redcrest Kitchen at Sixth and Bainbridge Streets in Queen Village. It’s serving brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.Monday to Saturday. When the liquor license arrives, so will dinner Monday to Saturday.
Little Susie’s, 2206 Fairmount Ave. The coffee-and-hand-pie shop’s long-delayed Fairmount location is due to open by Thanksgiving, bringing its sweet and savory pies to a former insurance office.
Macaluso’s, 3101 S. 13th St. Joel Gruenke and Staten Island restaurateur Mark D’Andrea are looking at mid-November for their restaurant, featuring what they call New York-style Italian cooking to the former Venu on Packer Avenue near the stadium district. The restaurant will seat about 75 across two floors.
Mi Casa, 3151 Market St. Washington-based Knead Hospitality + Design, fresh off the opening of East Market’s atmospheric Mi Vida, is bringing Tex-Mex restaurant to University City on Friday. The design draws on the Arizona desert, with natural stone, distressed leather, colorful serape patterns, and metal saguaro cactuses.
Mylar Bar, 1636-38 S. Ninth St. Hospitality veterans Liv Arterbridge and Gina Piccari are turning the former Dino’s Party Center, which moved nearby, into a festive neighborhood bar near Passyunk Square. Later this month, expect martinis, punches, and draft beer, with chef Colin White overseeing shareable snacks, larger plates, and late-night desserts.
Nomu Nomu Don, 2026 Frankford Ave. Later this month, Cake & Joe owner Sarah Qi plans to add a BYOB specializing in donburi two doors away in Fishtown-Kensington, with a menu featuring bluefin tuna, salmon five ways, grilled eel, and steak, with premium additions such as uni and caviar; 10 counter seats; and lunch and dinner daily.
Philly Po’Boy Co., 102 W. Berks St. Brothers Greg and Chris Lynch bring a taste of New Orleans to Kensington with po’boys built on light, crackly bread that Greg spent 18 months perfecting, plus gumbo and beignets. Opening Friday beside the Berks El station, the counter-service spot also will have a sidewalk kiosk selling coffee and beignets. (See preview.)
Ravello, 738 S. 11th St. The brothers behind Queen Village’s Adoro are opening an Italian restaurant in Bella Vista today with a menu including Chianti-braised short rib with gnocchi, mushroom agnolotti, branzino, and chicken Parmesan with vodka sauce. Paintings and photographs evoke its Amalfi Coast namesake.
Trattoria Ponte Vecchio, 118 Market St. Genti Mataj, who owns the three Osteria Ama locations, is inspired by Florence, where he learned to cook, for his Italian BYOB in Old City. The menu will expand beyond Ama’s offerings with steaks, seafood, pizza, tableside Caesar salad, and cacio e pepe tossed in a Parmesan wheel.
