River Twice is expanding next door, bringing more Mother Rucker burgers, more seating, and a bar

To everyone who has hankered for a Mother Rucker burger at River Twice on a day other than a Monday, Amanda Rucker and chef Randy Rucker have a solution.

River Twice will expand this fall into the former Manatawny Still Works space next door, adding a full-service bar to the dining room and chef’s counter at Tasker Street and East Passyunk Avenue.

The Ruckers are targeting a September debut for the space at 1603 E. Passyunk Ave., which connects to the Michelin-recommended restaurant by a passageway. Though the renovation will eliminate a few seats in the existing dining room, the project will add 24 seats overall, including a 13-seat bar, a standing drink rail, a temperature-controlled wine display, and a second restroom.

After Manatawny announced last summer that it was closing its tasting rooms, the landlord Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corp. approached the Ruckers about taking over. “We live in the neighborhood with our kids, and it felt like a chance to plant even deeper roots here,” Amanda Rucker said.

For Randy Rucker, the biggest attraction was the opportunity to broaden the restaurant’s appeal.

“River Twice has always been a commitment,” he said. “People come in for a multicourse dining experience. Having a dedicated bar program lets us serve people who just want to stop in for a drink and a snack without committing to the tasting menu.”

The addition will remain part of River Twice, not a separate concept. It will have its own cocktail program and an à la carte menu, while guests seated at the bar will also be able to order the tasting menu.

Besides the Mother Rucker burger — two quarter-pound patties from Allen Bros. with American cheese, everything-spiced mayo, and pickled onions on a seeded Mighty Bread Co. bun, offered now only on Mondays — the bar menu will include shrimp toast with uni, ricotta beignets, nightly oyster crudo, and rotating cheese selections from the Farm at Doe Run. General manager/beverage director Jhazmyn Wallace will oversee the cocktail program.

River Twice’s tasting menu will also expand from four to five courses, beginning with canapés.

The project gives Amanda Rucker her largest artistic canvas yet. After designing the interiors of both River Twice and their second restaurant, Rittenhouse’s Little Water, she is painting a mural that will span the entire south wall of the new bar.

The bar is expected to operate Thursday through Monday beginning at 5 p.m.