Rumors about a branch of gastroplex Eataly coming to Philly got another whirl in the mill this weekend. Such speculation first flared up back in April when Marc Vetri tweeted of Eataly, “we are ready to bring it.” This time around however, almost as quickly as those rumors began churning, the Insider posted a correction, stating that there are plans to open an Eataly-like operation on the first floor of the former Strawbridge & Clothier building at Eighth and Market Streets. And that the partnership of Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and Joe Bastianich, the backers of New York’s Eataly, won’t have any part of it. What’s interesting though, the Insider wrote the project be led by another “big-name restaurateur.” And that has the peanut gallery making noise about Vetri, Garces, DiBruno Bros. or some combination of all bringing the operation to life. Your guess about who will ultimately launch the site is as good as ours. [Insider]
