Coffee shops and roasteries, Italian BYOBs, donuts, a bakery and a pair of sleek newcomers to the Main Line: This week’s new restaurant roundup is full of exciting stuff! Read on to find out what’s happening in your community’s food scene:
West Chester
Saxby’s West Chester opened earlier this week at West Chester University. This location, which will be entirely run by students, brings a great modern coffee shop vibe to the former Ratskeller. 701 S High St., West Chester; (484) 999-8734.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmIzEjFBnrc/?taken-by=saxbys
Main Line
This is one area residents have been eyeing for a long time: Amis & Terrain Cafe have set their opening date at Devon Yards (adjacent to the Devon Horse Show) for Thursday, August 16. These are the newest outposts of the URBN-owned restaurant group; Amis focuses on seasonal Italian dishes with plenty of homemade pasta — don’t miss the outdoor patio and happy hour, weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Terrain Cafe is all about fresh, seasonal bistro fare with a standout brunch and a to-go coffee bar. Reservations are now available for both Amis and Terrain Cafe now. 138 W. Lancaster Ave., Devon.
Philadelphia
Flow State Coffee Bar: Last year, we introduced you to the folks behind Flow State, a coffee bar and co-working space in Kensington. After a protracted buildout and a round of crowd-sourced funding, the trio is finally ready to celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, August 18. It’s holding some soft open hours before then, so check Flow State’s Instagram for hours and stop by for coffee and house-made pastries and gelato. 2413 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia; (267) 702-0280.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmIzt25nxKB/?taken-by=flowstatephilly
Hello Donuts, currently only available through pop-ups and retailed through various coffee shops, just announced a new brick-and-mortar shop in Kensington, at the corner of Frankford and Amber Streets. Get excited for exceptional donuts in creative flavors (vegan options, too!) and, we’re assuming, a great coffee program, as Hello Donuts is co-founded by the folks from ReAnimator Coffee. 2557 Amber St., Philadelphia.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmOqpPSheBV/?taken-by=hellodonutsphl
Market on Ninth, a locally focused BYOB from the folks behind Ralph’s Italian Restaurant, opened earlier this week in the Italian Market. The menu features modern rustic plates, like octopus salad with radicchio, celery, potatoes, and frisee and baby lamb chops with mint yogurt sauce. The space also functions as a market, offering up find goods from homegrown artisans, like Brine Street Picklery and Vera Pasta. Reservations are now available. 943 S. 9th St., Philadelphia; (267) 239 0156.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmRRIGXhTZ8/?taken-by=marketonninth
L’Anima is open and bustling in Graduate Hospital. This BYOB offers a menu with a strong Italian focus and inventive flourishes. Think: Panzanella salad with poached calamari, squid ink and potato gnocchi with seafood ragu, roasted pears, tomatoes and parsley cream, and porchetta with brussels sprouts with an amaro reduction. Open for dinner only; closed on Mondays. 1001 S. 17th St., Philadelphia; (215) 595-2500.
Elixir Coffee Roasters opened a new roastery and cafe space in the Spring Arts neighborhood, right next to The Rail Park. This is where the company will now conduct all of its roasting operations, and have a customer-facing cafe with plenty of Elixr’s freshly roasted single origins and blends on offer. 315 N. 12th St., Philadelphia.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bkm_2-9hGEr/?taken-by=elixrcoffee
Loco Pez, with its laid back and (yes, we’ll say it) hip Mexican street food with no pretension, opened a second location last week in West Philly. Loco West offers pretty much the same exact menu as its Fishtown sister, with a similarly awesome happy hour. Cash only. 4631 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia; (215) 796-9890.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlyyLXohivH/?taken-by=locopez
York
Aurora’s Bakery is the newest food business to open in downtown York! Owners Anselmo Arrieta, his wife Guadalupe and their son Ariel, celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Friday. Aurora’s will serve homemade pastries, as well as breakfast and lunch, seven days a week, with a menu that combines Latino and American cuisine. From scrambled eggs and home fries to huevos rancheros for breakfast, to burgers and burritos for lunch, to decadent cannoli, cupcakes, eclairs and more sweets, there is plenty here for York residents to enjoy. 133 N. Duke St., York; (717) 893-7154.
Lancaster
Our friends at Popped Culture just dropped the news that it’s opening a brick-and-mortar, the Pop’d Shop in downtown Lancaster, this fall. The gourmet-popcorn concept with a charitable focus was operating out of a stand in Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market up until early July. We’re excited to see what the team will do with a new storefront in a new city! 348 N. Queen St., Lancaster.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmMPZlyAfmS/?taken-by=howipop
- Feature photo: York Downtown Inc.
- Amis and Terrain Cafe photo: URBN
