|
|
|
Starr, Vetri and Volpe sign up for 600 N. Broad
The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.
Starr, Vetri and Volpe sign up for 600 N. Broad
 |
 |
| Photos | Drew Lazor |
Earlier today, Marc Vetri, Jeff Michaud and Jeff Benjamin hosted an impromptu signing ceremony at Osteria (640 N. Broad St.) to formally announce their intent to open a concept in developer Eric Blumenfeld's building at 600 N. Broad (above). But the announcement was also piggybacked by the official announcement of two additional concepts, from Stephen Starr and Cescaphe Ballroom's Joe Volpe, that will also be taking over a portion of the massive, still-raw space, a former car dealership at the intersection of Broad and Mt. Vernon streets.
Birreria 600 is the name of Italian-style beer bar Vetri and his crew are still spec-ing out; the chef says he came across the concept in spades when researching Roman trattorie for Amis, and thought it would translate well to Philly. Birreria will have somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 to 60 taps, many featuring Italian imports. The food is where Vetri and Michaud plan on having the most fun — expect a moderately priced selection of bar eats done in the Italian style. While the menu is far from finalized, Vetri teases potential examples like mortadella hot dogs, oven-baked mac 'n' cheese with taleggio and pancetta and fried speck fritters. There will be both bar and table seating, though it's still up in the air just how many seats the space will have.
Starr, meanwhile, shared first word of Route 6, a casual New England-themed seafood restaurant that will be adjacent to Birreria. The eatery, which will have 150 seats and an industrial feel, will feature regional seafood specialties (think lobster rolls and other seafood boil-style eats). Starr also says he'll have a horseshoe court (!) set up on the sidewalk to further capture that clambake-north-of-City-Hall feel. Desserts = all pies. Finally, Volpe, of NoLibs' Cescaphe Ballroom and the Curtis Center's Cooperage, will get 12,000 square feet of 600 N. Broad for a dedicated event venue. No name yet, but it will br able to accommodate as many as 700 guests; apparently, two weddings have already been booked for the space, which has yet to enter the demolition process.
Developer Blumenfeld also announced his intention to erect 98 loft apartments to go along with these three commercial projects, and says that heavy construction progress should be made within six months' time (all the concepts are sticking with "2011" as far as their openings). We've also heard rumblings of another food/drink concept coming to the space and will share details here if/when that comes to fruition.
Question.. What is going on with the Biergarten Starr was planning to open in Fishtown? I haven't heard anything about this since around March, and I can't find any news on this. Thanks!
A beer bar? I wonder how the Belgian knights of philadelphia feel about Marc coming on their turf? I can see it know a battle to death over euro beer bar supremacy. One side armed with steamy bowls of overcooked and sandy mussels the other with copper pots of overpriced corn meal slop. In a twist the original beligian beer guru will join forces with the bald man and a third god like fellow with a long flowing white beard will appear to form a holy trinity of culinary and booze force to send the true belgian into hiding in a dungeon away from streets and traffic of everyday life. The trio will go on to open euro centric beer bars across the country and the advice column we once knew and loved will return and order will be restored.......
still coming -- Starr says Spring: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/102660959.html
sheesh marc...it wasn't THAT cold yesterday :)
Danielle - you might be referring to Frankford Hall - http://www.uwishunu.com/2011/05/now-open-frankford-hall-stephen-starrs-new-beer-garden-bringing-brews-brats-ping-pong-and-more-to-fishtown/
— alethiac
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
