Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

NOW SEATING

"The basic idea is to have a California bistro here in Philly," says chef Chris Hora, whose 38-seat BYO Root opened earlier this week in the former Palate. The L.A. native, who's worked globally in addition to a stint as the executive chef of the West Chester/Conshy operation Coyote Crossing, is tapping into local/seasonal produce for his polished lunch and dinner menus. Hora's fine-dining prowess is evident in entrées like his pork tenderloin, served with potato pancake a la Prague (the city where he ran Ajvö, his last restaurant), Lancaster cave-aged blue cheese, blistered grapes and duck glace; and grapefruit- and jasmine tea-poached turbot served with watermelon/radish slaw and black kokuho rice.

Aug. 9 marked the opening of Ian Moroney and Hillary Bor's produce market, the third prong of the couple's G-Ho-ly Trinity. (Pumpkin BYOB and Pumpkin Café are also theirs.) Aside from fruits and veggies, they're currently carrying breads from Wild Flour, meats from C.L. Bison Farm and Griggstown Farms, Betty's Tasty Buttons sweets, fresh pasta from Jersey's Severino and more. Staffers plan to update customers on products via the market's Twitter account (twitter.com/pumpkinmarket). They're open Tuesday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Check out pictures on The Clog.)

Bella Vista Beer Distributors is moving across 11th Street to a former bakery that's nearly five times the size of its current digs. (You can check out the awesomely branded mosaic, pictured above, on the rear exterior wall of the space.) BVBD currently carries about 600 types of beer; this will double to 1,200 at the new 38,000-square-foot space. Cold choices will also expand, thanks to a 24-door refrigerated section. They'll also carry glassware, cigars, novelties, brewing magazines and other beer-related products, including DIY kits put together by George Hummel of Home Sweet Homebrew (2008 Sansom St.). Chris Fetfatzes, whose father, Mario, founded the business in 1984, says they're aiming for a late September or early October debut. (Pictures and additional info on The Clog.)