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Tria hires chef Karen Nicolas

With the 2015 opening of Tria Fitler Square, the wine/beer-focused restaurant will ramp up its culinary offerings.

Tria, which started 10 years ago as a cozy bar specializing in cheeses, beer and wine, has been moving up.

The first two locations - at 18th and Sansom (2004) and 12th and Spruce (2007) - are rolling right along. But last year's debut of Tria Taproom (2005 Walnut) brought with it more ambitious food (grilled flatbreads) along with an all-draft drink list of beer, wine, cider and sodas.

Jon Myerow and Michael McCaulley are stepping it up further with their next one, due in early 2015: Tria Fitler Square, replacing Dmitri's at 23d and Pine Streets.

They've landed the chef services of Karen Nicolas, a Philly native who was named one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs 2012 for her work at Equinox in Washington, D.C. She most recently was executive chef at what was Citron & Rose (now C&R Kitchen) in Lower Merion and also worked locally at the former Simon Pearce in the Brandywine Valley. Nicolas is overseeing all Tria kitchens.

At Tria Fitler Square, Myerow and McCaulley will add a more dinner-ish menu of seafood and pasta dishes alongside the small plates and cheeses. Brunch will be served on weekends. They're planning 55 seats inside (including the bar) plus 35 outside.

Two windows are being added to allow views across to Fitler Square.