Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

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Published: Mar 18, 2008

>> NOW SEATING

This café opened in the former Zonk Art Gallery two weeks back. Though he's still in the early going, owner Brian Gallagher plans on developing a vegan/vegetarian-friendly menu. Java is from Audubon's Fonseca Coffee. Gallagher's also a DJ who spins under the name Bang ri-lah. He's manned the decks at places like Café Spice and North Bowl, but now he's pleased to have complete control over the vinyl. Funk and reggae brunches are on the way. Bite This: "Grindstone" is a reference to grinding beans, but Gallagher says that he'll also offer SWORD SHARPENING. "For a fee, people can leave their swords with me for a couple days," he says. Right now, all the Highlanders in Queen Village are like FINALLY!

Cornerstone Market & Produce

Slated for an early April opening, Cornerstone is owned by Mike Wilkens and father-and-son Phil and Mike Leone, the latter of whom works in wholesale produce. Though a huge selection of fruits and veggies will be CStone's wheelhouse, they'll also do the quasi-deli thing, offering Torreo Coffee, Metropolitan baked goods, meats and cheeses, sandwiches, wraps, salads and more. Though they'll be sourcing from Jersey and Pennsylvania, it won't be an exclusive approach — Wilkens is a proponent of fruits like papaya and mango that originate in tropical climates. "You can greenhouse any piece of fruit," he says, "[but] a papaya from its native area seems to taste so much better."

>> LITTLE VITTLES

Mount Airy's InFusion Coffee and Tea (7133 Germantown Ave., 215-248-1718) just christened Peace Alley, an enclosed adjacent alleyway that co-owners Jason Huber and Jocie Dye have opened up to additional seating. The WiFi-friendly space, which features room for about 20, came to life thanks to regular Barbara Ochester, who enlisted family and friends to clean and set up the area. Elsewhere, Huber and Dye are looking to sell the Bella Vista location (1001 S. 10th St., 215-413-0504) they opened in April 2007. There simply aren't enough hours in the day, says Dye — especially with two young kids.

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