Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

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Published: Jul 22, 2008

Jose Garces' Distrito has been privy to some Dark Knight-caliber hype as of late — if you haven't seen it, or at least heard about it, you are weird and possibly blind or deaf. The 250-seat bilevel psychedelic lucha libre Mexicali, overseen by chef Tim Spinner, finally opened to the public this past Monday. Food stuff we're amped for: the pulpo ceviche, octopus, lime, Serrano chili and peppercress; and the "Old World/New World" taco list, featuring lengua (tongue), hamachi, kobe beef and chicken cooked ropa vieja-style.

 

Café Lift's Michael Pasquarello and Jeniphur Whitleigh will have this 50-seat pub — former tenant was Maker's Local/Canavan's — rolling by Oct. 1 at the latest. The bar, which dates back to the late 19th century, will feature a years-gone-by feel. "A lot of really cool bars worked in this place [in the past], so we're redecorating it in that fashion," says Pasquarello, who'll offer a seasonal chalkboard menu. Ten beers on tap with a big emphasis on local crafts; a "worldly" bottle list is in the works, as well.

Ian Moroney and Hillary Bor of Pumpkin (1713 South St.) are about a month away from opening Pumpkin Market, a local-products one-stop, at 1610 South. But waitwaitwait. Doesn't Pumpkin Market, the couple's coffee and gourmet takeout spot, already exist at 1609 South? Yes, but now that's going to be redubbed Pumpkin Café. Moroney says the Market'll carry seasonal products — as much organic stuff as possible — sourced from within a 150-mile radius of Philly.

South Philly Taproom's John Longacre and Joe Beddia are saying fall for Bierista — a 1,200-square-foot coffee shop and beer takeout that looks to become the boldest destination in Newbold. About 40 linear feet of cooler space will house hundreds upon hundreds of domestic and international bottles hand-selected by Beddia (Stoudt's, Yards, PBC). No official word yet on what java they'll brew, but Longacre says SPTR's pastry chef, known as "Cousin Mike," will provide the café side with assorted sweets.

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