We go months and months with little fanfare, a gastropub here, a little coffeeshop there, and then ¡WHAM!
Openings. The floodgates!
May alone has the following restaurant debuts:
5/1: Union Gourmet Market & Cafe, the eat-in/takeout in the Western Union building at 1113 Locust St.
5/1: Ashoka Palace, the pink Indian at 38 S. 19th St.
5/3: goodburger, the Philly debut of the NYC burger joint, 1725 Chestnut St.
5/4: ¡Cuba!, the storefront BYO bistro at 8609 Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill (in photo); it'll open 5/4 for lunch during Chestnut Hill's Home & Garden Festival and will pick up dinner hours, Tuesdays through Sundays, starting 5/6.
5/5: Zahav, the Israeli that just got its green light, at 237 St. James Place (next to the Ritz movies).
5/6: Maia, the Euro marketplace/bistro/bar/lounge/restaurant/haberdashery off the Blue Route in Villanova.
5/8 or so: Apothecary, the sophisticated cocktail lounge at 102 S. 13th St.
5/15: J.L. Sullivan’s Speakeasy, the sports bar in the former Zanzibar Blue space downstairs at the Bellevue.
5/18: Table 31, the Georges Perrier/Chris Scarduzio steakhouse in the Comcast Center at 17th and JFK.
5/20: 10 Arts, Eric Ripert's spot in the Ritz-Carlton
5/27: Chima, the Brazilian steakhouse in the Kennedy House at 20th and JFK.
Notice how the Comcast Center has pumped up its neighborhood's restaurant climate?
Down the road, probably June-ish, Pagano's Market will open in the Commerce Square space (Market Street between 20th and 21st Streets) that used to house a Marathon Grill. Also in that general vicinity, up for June, is King of Tandoor, an Indian BYO, at 1824 Callowhill St.; the owner is waiting for equipment but has activated a website. Also looking at early to mid-June, a few doors down at 1836 Callowhill St., is Kite & Key Tavern.