Eagles and fans fly to London for the game this weekend, and the food scene there should make everyone feel right at home. Allow me to explain.
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— Mike Klein
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When the Eagles and their fans arrive in London this week, they should find Philly food connections. At least, cheesesteaks and pizza. Passyunk Avenue is a five-unit Philly-fied dive bar owned by a guy from New Jersey, and one of Bar Etna’s backers is Joe Beddia of Pizzeria Beddia fame, who has crossed the pond with his dough recipe.
Wawa has been quietly testing premade sushi rolls at select stores, and Beatrice Forman drove 23 miles to try them. Reaction, as you might imagine, has been mixed.
Apizzeria 888 in Elkins Park, whose ultra-thin crusts and quirky setup have made it a cult favorite over the last year, is closing in less than two weeks. On the plus side, owner Sebastian Besiso has increased hours during the countdown. Read on to see what he’s up to next.
Lucatelli’s Pizzeria is headed to Jenkintown, where owner David Schiavo — who has locations in Doylestown and Newtown — plans to take over the former Pizza Wheel at 314 Old York Rd. Schiavo also recently took over his family’s Maple Glen Pizza, which he’s planning to renovate and reflag to a Lucatelli’s, a more upscale brand. He expects Jenkintown to open in December.
Pizzata Pizzeria’s original location at 240 S. 22nd St. in Rittenhouse-Fitler Square is sporting a new display case — the better to see everything, as well as show off co-owner Davide Lubrano Lavadera’s pizza-competition trophies. This move also adds a small Italian retail section.
All Aboard Candy stocks Bubs and other varieties of so-called Swedish candy. As Jenn Ladd relates, the woman-owned business is part of a wave of new-school candy stores that are springing up in cities all over the country.
Making coffee at home has turned into an elaborate affair with the surge of at-home espresso machines on the market. Now, reports Emily Bloch, coffee shops are leaning in with professional barista training.
Scoop
Animal is a bar-restaurant planned for the 2401 Walnut St., which was last a Human Robot outpost after turns as Spread Bagelry’s “Spreadquarters” and Jose Garces’ 24 Wood Fired Fare. Developer Chuck Block says it will pair a casual public-house menu, including rotisserie chicken, with a 70-seat dining room, 36-seat oval bar, and outdoor terrace, under the direction of general manager Dave Champagne (ex-Schulson Collective and Roy-Pitz Brewing). A separate 40-seat fine-dining restaurant in Garces’ former atelier is being developed, as well. Chef is TBA. Opening is targeted for late fall, initially open for dinner Wednesdays through Sundays, with the fine-dining restaurant following.
Can Moroccan-French cooking break the Morris House’s streak of short-lived restaurants? Critic Craig LaBan says he finds promise at Soufiane at the Morris, but service lapses and uneven cooking cloud its potential.
Briefly noted
“Neighborhood Bar” is on the sign and that’s exactly what Simon Atiya, who also owns the nearby Giovani’s Bar & Grill, plans to open at 222 S. 15th St., the former Shiroi Hana. He says the timeline is up in the air.
Puentes de Salud, which provides healthcare mainly to the Philadelphia Latino community, has rounded up seven notable restaurants for a fundraiser Monday at Bok Bar.
Pat’s King of Steaks was in the news last week as an influencer threw a cheesesteak through the service window, hitting a manager. He later turned himself in and faces a summary offense.
Terence O’Reilly’s name may not ring a bell. But if you’ve dined out in the region since 1963, know that he probably made sure your plates were clean. Mr. O’Reilly died Oct. 1, and I recount his immigrant’s story.
WineDive’s new weekday happy hour is themed to 1990s’ “After School Snax,” with food, music, and cartoons from that era. It launches Monday at 1534 Sansom St. with a party featuring merch giveaways and free kiddie cones, and runs 4-6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays thereafter, with such drinks as Cereal Milk Punch — a “Froot Loop” milk punch, gin, and fruit — and a PB & Fluff Old Fashioned (peanut butter-washed bonded bourbon, maple syrup, and toasted marshmallow). Food includes Bagel Bites, a brown bag lunch of a mini ham and cheese toasty with a bag of chips, and a house-made PB&J Uncrustable.
âť“Pop quiz
Name the Chinatown restaurant that recently reopened its dining room for the first time since the pandemic.
A) Ting Wong
B) David’s Mai Lai Wah
C) China Castle
D) Emei
Find out if you know the answer.
Ask Mike anything
What happened to Mix, the bar at 21st and Chestnut Streets? — Chris P.
Mix Bar & Grill, which opened in 2008 at the RiverWest Condos, shut down last weekend, as Victor Fellus sold to Aakash Patel, who also owns Bar1010 in Northern Liberties. Patel says he’s working on what he calls a refresh and hopes to reopen soon with a new menu.
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Dining and Cooking