New from Fork: High Street on Market
In mid-September, the spot will become a bit higher-minded, though still casual. They're describing High Street on Market (308 Market St.) - named after the colonial name for Market Street - as an "of-the-moment restaurant" serving 'boundary-pushing" food from morning to evening.
You might say that Ellen Yin, Roberto Sella and chef Eli Kulp are changing their Fork.
After business Friday, Aug. 23, fork:etc., the market-cafe next to the Old City bistro Fork (306 Market St.), will close for good after nine years.
In mid-September, the spot will become a bit higher-minded, though still casual. They're describing High Street on Market (308 Market St.) - named after the colonial name for Market Street - as an "of-the-moment restaurant" serving 'boundary-pushing" food from morning to evening. Kulp's menu will constantly change and will feature difficult-to-find, foraged ingredients. He also plans to use Old World preservation techniques.
High Street on Market will add table seating while retaining counter service for mornings (savory and sweet pastries and breakfast sandwiches accompanied by Rival Bros Coffee made in a new La Marzocco coffee machine) and afternoons (sandwiches, salads, pastas, plus house-made breads using locally milled flour and grains, used in daily dishes and also available for retail sale). The communal table will be removed. At dinnertime, the room will become more like a full-service restaurant; complementing the dishes will be drinks using house-made shrubs and infused liquors.
Dishes will be unveiled on @HighStPhilly on Twitter and Instagram.
Meg Rodgers of Marguerite Rogers Ltd. is retooling the interior with natural wooden walls, wooden tables, church pew seating, large cream-colored subway tiles, blue painted wainscoting and factory windows.
The changeover coincides with the hiring of Paul Rodriguez as general manager. He was Fork's assistant wine director before leaving the fold to help run Village Whiskey and Tinto.
Hours will be Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for breakfast and lunch, with dinner available Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The bar is rising for market/restaurants in the region. Take the new, ambitious Talula's Daily on Washington Square and Du Jour Market at Commerce Square's plan to add a liquor license. Josh Lawler at The Farm & Fisherman in Center City is developing a market/restaurant in Cherry Hill, and chef Chad Williams, a Garces alumnus, is planning Fairmount Grocery in Francisville.