Restaurant notes: Falafel Factory padlocked

The chefs are taking the former Barclay Pharmacy at 18th and Spruce Streets for a restaurant. They are keeping their empire within a 15-minute walk of their house.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this outpouring of love,” said Steve Zoto, who is retiring with his wife, JoAnne, after nearly 53 years running their diner on Bethlehem Pike.

An acclaimed chef faces a court date; Buena Onda starts Mexican breakfast; and if you’ve wondered why you’re not getting a spoon, we can explain.

With branches in Voorhees and Iselin, the Sagdeo family hopes to shine a brighter light on the fiery curries, tapioca dumplings, and rustic flatbreads of Central India.

The acclaimed chef has a court date Friday.

All of the spots on the Inquirer's list of essential Philly restaurants are, but these 18 stand out for another reason: Takeout and delivery that is quick, substantial, and satisfying.

Pasta Pooks in Montreal is renowned for hand-crafted noodles. Its owners are lifelong Eagles fans who crafted a cheesesteak tribute that's served scarpetta-style, to sop up pasta sauce.

“I want to have more time for myself and for the bakery,” said David Braverman, who said he is healthy at 77 and wants to keep it that way.

Charles Weiner, 79, of Penn Valley, was indicted in September for allegedly committing tax fraud related to his businesses.

The owners say lingering pandemic debt and an approaching lease decision led them to close the 12-year-old Mexican bar. Their third restaurant, Pistola’s Del Sur, remains open.

After nearly 11 years in Haddon Township, Goodbeet will close at the end of October. The health-focused restaurant will continue selling food through wholesale accounts and an online store.

A landmark Japanese restaurant is taking over the former Pod space, we step inside an ice cream shop’s R&D lab, and we get under the skin of chefs’ tattoos.

The owners of Blue Fig Garden at Cherry Hill Mall are bringing Maya Bohem, a Turkish cafe concept, to South Jersey. It will replace the Bistro, a mall fixture that closed amid legal troubles.

Alan Su has a deal at Penn to open a second location of Sagami, the acclaimed Japanese restaurant from South Jersey. The pods from Pod will remain.

The Cherry Hill deli faces a $1,000 penalty for failing to disclose that its food is not kosher. The operator calls the proposed sanctions a "schmear campaign."

Lafayette’s — selling shrimp étouffée, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits, po’boys, and chicken and waffles — replaces Vino Volo in the airport’s B/C Connector.

The James Beard-recognized Vietnamese coffee shop plans a second location, Càphê Roasters South, in Grays Ferry. The new, larger location has meaning to the partners.

It’s hard to beat the quality — and price — of DaMò Pasta Lab’s house-made, cooked-to-order pasta, from an Italian couple who fell in love with Philly.

Owner Robert Smythe said a constellation of factors pushed him to shut down the bakery, formerly located at 10 Park Ave. in downtown Swarthmore.

Willard said changing the Big 5 format was “not a Villanova decision” and offered an alternate format that did not appeal to the other schools, according to sources with familiarity with negotiations.

The Sixers overcame a 29-point first-half deficit to beat Cleveland with Tyrese Maxey leading the way. Here's the commentary you may have missed from the thrilling win.

"I need a little hate," James once said. He couldn't find any in South Philly Thursday night.

Philly has its first real squad, deep and dangerous, since Doc and Moses in 1983. The Sixers' eight-point win over the Cavaliers enhances the legend of a 41-year-old outlier.

LeBron James and Jaylen Brown did not disappoint in their first appearance at Xfinity Mobile Arena, as James played quarterback and Brown made big buckets down the stretch.

The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the home opener, the first time Sixers fans get to experience LeBron and Brown, in Philly Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026.