Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

On Point Bistro, in Point Breeze

A former Garces chef takes the ownership plunge with his wife, her sister, and her sister's husband.

Sept. 13 is the opening date of On Point Bistro, at the intersection of 20th and Federal Streets and Point Breeze Avenue in the Point Breeze neighborhood.

The cheery, tastefully spare 44-seat BYOB will mark the ownership debuts of longtime Jose Garces chef Juan Lopez and his wife, front-of-the-house veteran Mallory Fix Lopez, who are partnered with her identical-twin sister, Megan, and Megan's husband, Rahul Asher. Both of the Lancaster-born sisters' day jobs are in education: Mallory is with Community College of Philadelphia, while Megan is director of a charter school.

The Lopezes, who met while working at Garces Trading Co., bought a house in Point Breeze three years ago. Last year, while expecting the birth of their son, Santiago, they decided to take the step into ownership.

Literally.

Mallory, having long heard her husband express the desire to be his own boss, urged Juan to take a stroll into the neighborhood to scout potential locations. Initially, they found one building on Point Breeze Avenue, but when Breezy's Cafe became available, they signed there. Thus began months of renovations.

The building, across from the Ladder 24 firehouse and 17th Police District, has plenty of charm among the wooden chairs and tables, flower-topped sconces, and photos of the families and the neighborhood.

The Ashers wanted in, Rahul says, "because we've seen him cook." (For a practice run the other day, Juan whipped up four dishes from the still-in-progress brunch menu: steak and eggs, fried chicken and sweet-potato waffles, challah French toast with buttered pecans, and breakfast nachos. The challah is from Essen Bakery on East Passyunk Avenue.)

On Point (1200 Point Breeze Ave., 267-639-3318) will be open Tuesday to Sunday for brunch initially.

Here's the brunch menu. Keep in mind that portions are enormous (see photos) and lend themselves to copious leftovers for anyone but a trencherman.

Dinner (Tuesday to Saturday) will begin Sept. 20. Here's the menu.