Sheldon "Shelly" Rosen, 63, of University City, who owned Tavern on Green for 28 years

Sheldon "Shelly" Rosen, 63, of University City, who for 28 years owned Tavern on Green, a popular restaurant in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia, died March 6 of a heart attack at his vacation home in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

In 1979, Mr. Rosen and a partner, Mark Cohn, bought an abandoned bar that had formerly been the scene of frequent drunken brawls. A police officer told a neighbor the walls were studded with bullet holes.

The new owners patched the walls and hung art. They installed a hardwood floor and oak tables set with green linen napkins and fresh flowers. They named the restaurant for its location at 21st and Green Streets and for Tavern on the Green, New York City's famous eatery in Central Park.

Early menus featured stir-fried shrimp, quiche, crocks of chili, and hamburgers topped with boursin or horseradish and bacon, with a side of potatoes sliced thin with their skins on and fried crisp. Vegetarian burgers were available. Diners ended their meal with carrot cake and coffee served in big white mugs.

Tavern on Green became a "bright spot" in the neighborhood, said neighbor Sandy Joseph. She became a regular customer and enjoyed ethnic specialties added over the years, such as "fantastic fajitas."

When the restaurant became crowded with urban pioneers, Mr. Rosen set up tables and chairs outside and filled planters with petunias, nasturtiums, and salvias.

In 1986, he bought out Cohn. "The restaurant was Shelly's home," said his wife, Bonnie. "He knew everybody and loved chatting with the customers. He was a great storyteller."

An Inquirer reviewer noted in 2002 that Tavern on Green prices remained low even though derelict buildings across the street had become half-million-dollar townhouses. While many specialties remained, the reviewer said, "the original one-sheet menu has been replaced by a notebook with pages for appetizers, entrées, 35 brands of beer, and 16 wines."

In 2007, Mr. Rosen sold the restaurant. It is now the Belgian Cafe.

A native of Bayonne, N.J., Mr. Rosen earned a bachelor's degree from Temple University. He was a bartender and a probation officer in Philadelphia, worked in gang control, and then co-owned several pet-related businesses before becoming a restaurateur.

Besides his wife of 38 years, Mr. Rosen is survived by a son, Ben; a daughter, Johanna; and a sister, Elyse.

A funeral will be at 11 a.m., Sunday, March 18, at Mishkan Shalom, 4101 Freeland Ave.

Donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 150 Monument Rd., Suite 100, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. 19004.