Sabrina’s Cafe plans to bring its brunches to a new location in Queen Village

For 25 years, Sabrina’s Cafe has made its name on scratch cooking. Now, for the first time, it is getting a restaurant built from scratch.

The brunch chain, founded in the Italian Market in 2001, plans to open its seventh location, at Fifth and Bainbridge Streets in Queen Village. It will occupy the ground floor of a 157-unit apartment building now rising on what had been a parking lot down the block from Famous 4th Street.

The restaurant, expected to open next spring, will occupy a prominent corner at 419 Bainbridge St. Robert De Abreu, who created the restaurant with his wife, Raquel, said the new Sabrina’s will seat nearly 150 people, making it one of its larger locations and its first not replacing another restaurant. In another first, it will include a dedicated waiting area — a nod to the famously long brunch lines.

Sabrina’s, named for the De Abreus’ daughter, began as a modest BYOB breakfast-and-lunch cafe on Christian Street near Ninth in the former Litto Bakery. They built the business around oversized breakfasts and a sense of neighborhood familiarity that helped transform it into one of Philadelphia’s defining brunch brands.

» READ MORE: How it all began at Sabrina's Cafe

“It was always about hospitality,” De Abreu said. “When you connect all the dots, it’s been always about how people were made to feel when they came to Sabrina’s. It was so much more than pancakes and eggs. That’s what we’re striving for: that connection and that relationship.”

The Christian Street location closed in 2021. The business now has locations in Franklintown, Collingswood, Wynnewood, University City, Graduate Hospital, and the Philadelphia International Airport, growing from 10 employees in 2001 to roughly 250 today.

Among the employees is Sabrina, now 26. She works in the business as a project manager. Her brother, Spencer, 21, is working on a restaurant concept of his own.

“Sabrina’s has truly been built by hundreds of amazing associates, managers, cooks, servers, and leaders who have poured themselves into the brand for 25 years,” Robert De Abreu said.

He said the company has tried to preserve the spirit of the original Italian Market cafe, where he recalls sitting at customers’ tables for hours with Raquel, talking to neighbors.

That neighborhood-minded approach helped Sabrina’s win support in nearby Queen Village, where restaurant openings can draw intense scrutiny from residents protective of the area’s culture.

“Queen Village takes its restaurants really seriously, so we’re thrilled to welcome a Sabrina’s east of Broad Street,” said Cait Allen, president of the Queen Village Neighbors Association, upon learning of the opening. “The most successful businesses here are not only a draw to the neighborhood but also see themselves as part of the neighborhood. And I think Sabrina’s will be both.”

The De Abreus were represented by Veronica Blum, Joe Scarpone, and Steven Clofine of MPN Realty. Conor Tunno and Steve Jeffries of Equity CRE represented the landlord, Alterra Property Group, which also owns Sabrina’s Graduate Hospital location.