Restaurant Rows

Details (Kind of) Gets It Right About Thirteenth Street; East Girard Gets Another New Spot

13th Street outside Barbuzzo
13th Street outside Barbuzzo Photo: uwishunu

Midtown Village’s main drag, the not-so-long-ago shady stretch of 13th Street running roughly from Chestnut to Locust, has earned the distinction of being a respectable destination for eating and drinking, and Details has taken note. In its October issue the magazine lists 13th Street as one of the country’s five “Best New Restaurant Rows.” It lists the “charred to perfection” pizzas at Zavino and Little Italian Redhead cocktails at Barbuzzo as evidence. But they didn’t get everything right. Also listed are Bindi, which is just a few weeks away from closing to make way for Spanish wine bar Jamonera, and Frohmans Wursthaus, which the Garces camp maintains is still on despite that its been in a holding pattern since first announced more than a year ago.

Meanwhile, while on the subject of Restaurant Rows, East Passyunk Ave.’s restaurant explosion continues with news that Joe Scarpone, formerly of NoLibs’ Sovalo, will open a “neighborhood-friendly” pasta, pizza and panini spot at the intersection of Catherine, in the recently shuttered Trattoria Alla Costiera space. With Cochon on the opposite corner, and the former home of Little Fish, which appears to be ready for new tenant, on the other, the this north-of-Washington stretch of P’unk Ave could soon balance the boom going on the south side.

And in Fishtown, a liquor license application has gone up in the window of the former Hot Potato Cafe space, signaling the coming of another resto-bar joining the Fathom, Johnny Brenda’s and Kraftwork party on East Girard.
Best new restaurant rows [ProfileTip/twitpic]
Joe Scarpone to Queen Village [Insider]

Details (Kind of) Gets It Right About Thirteenth Street; East Girard