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Stephen Starr Heading to South Philly with His Next Project

Posted by kirsten henri on May 27th, 2010

Hot on the heels of announcing he’s signed a lease for the building on the corner of 18th and Sansom Streets (which will be a gastropub that may or may not involve New York’s Spotted Pig), Stephen Starr told the Restaurant Club today he’s also signed an agreement of sale for the Broad Street Diner in South Philadelphia. But wait? Isn’t this the same Broad Street Diner Starr had already signed an agreement of sale for last year, then backed out of after discovering it had “environmental issues?” Yes. Yes it is. What’s the deal, Stephen?

“The price is cheaper now,” said Starr. As for the environmental issues, Starr says they involve mold and can be easily remedied. He says he’s tossing around a few ideas as far as concept goes, but isn’t sure where he’ll land. During his previous dalliance with the property, he had considered a Greek or Mexican restaurant, but says those are both of those are off the table now. He said he’s “taking suggestions” — ours was a beer garden — so why don’t you go ahead and give him your suggestions in the comments below? One thing we do know: it will have a liquor license.


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    This entry was posted on Thursday, May 27th, 2010 at 1:30 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

    • http://philastories.org mike

      How about a Peruvian restaurant with lots of fresh fish dishes and exotic drinks.

    • Sara

      Nooo, not a beer garden. I live 3 blocks away, and there are plenty of beer-centric bars already in the neighborhood! There’s also plenty of Mexican. What we need is something that South Philly doesn’t have already.

      I really like Mike’s idea. I’d also advocate for some Brazilian – a churrascaria would rock. Or a mid-range/upscale Chinese or Indian restaurant.

      But please, we’re set on the beer, thanks!

    • lee

      Why not stay with diner? I bet Starr could pump out some diner food that would be to die for.

    • john

      Beer Garden! Please please

    • eldondre

      beer garden isn’t a bad idea at all, given what silk city did with their parking lot. I also like the idea of leaving it a diner. I saw a Triple D show where a Philly area native was making scrapple with prime cuts rather than scraps. stuff like that could be really interesting. heck, why now a diner with a beer garden? it works for silk city.

    • Mark

      How about something more than a resturant, like a small music venue with great food. I’ve heard of a little place called Johnny Brendas that does both well that Starr could borrow from….. The place is set up well for it with multiple floors and rooms.

    • http://www.oysterevangelist.com Joy Manning

      I would like “Stella South” OR an Ippudo-esque ramen spot.

    • Steven

      No beer garden. Soooo many already. If there is a South American equivalent to “Pan Asian” I’d like to see that. A variety of dishes from countries throughout South America. Several first and second courses from each cuisine: Peruvian, Chilean, Ecuadorian, Argentinian, Colombian, etc.

    • em

      That area of South Philly has enough beer places; we definitely don’t need another.

      Rather than upscale, I’d like to see something more regularly affordable (prices like El Rey).

      I’d love to see some global comfort food…like empanadas, pupusas, samosas, Shanghai steamed dumplings – a place that offered any or all of those would get my approval.

    • Sara

      The Bella Vista/Southwark area already has enough gastropubs. I’d just love to see something different – like the South American focus Steven is suggesting – perhaps with some kind of beer/cocktail garden. I’d just hate to see the neighborhood standards (Devil’s Den, POPE, SPTR, Royal) compete with the Starr brand.

    • Sara

      @ em Totally into the global comfort food idea. genius.

    • Julie

      It would be nice to have a restaurant dedicated to burgers and hot dogs. Something nicer than a stand, but not quite a pub. Keep the diner feel. Have a short beer list of lagers/browns/stouts by the bottle, with great root beers and sodas, and I think this location/lot would work well.

    • http://www.elleats.com Elaine H

      He should create a vegan-style diner. That would be unique and unlike other places in the city.

      http://www.elleats.com

    • Erik

      BEER GARDEN NOW!!! I want to get wasted 4 nights per week outside in the spring/summer/fall!!! You can never have enough outside beer drinking places!

    • Morgan

      I would love something like a Silk City. Delicious food, late hours, reasonable drinks, and a space for dancing and fun! The neighborhood is sadly void of dancefloors. I’m tired of cabbing it whenever i want to bust a move.

      Or, i would love a 24-hour diner. The only after-hours dinining available now is crown fried chicken, 7-11, and pats and genos. Yuck! I have had many shameful mornings where i wake to a microwaveable sausage egg and cheese wrapper in bed next to me. Let’s put an end to that.

      I think these are the only two things this awesome neighborhood is really missing.

    • Mark

      Yah, the Silk City model would be great, good diner foor, live music or dancing, and outdoor beer garden. For all those folks talking about how many beer places there are near by, there are none that are close if you’re coming from the West, like SWCC or Newbold (north). How about a good beer centered place with darts, pool tables, and sports? It’s not really ambitious, but it could be nice.

    • Elizabeth

      I agree with keeping it a diner!! This is great news for the Passyunk Square and Newbold neighborhoods and all of South Philly, I’m sure Steven Starr saw the good things happening outside of Center City. Having a big name like him invest below Washington is sweet validation for what most of us already knew :)

    • Poster Nutbag

      one word: RAMEN.

    • A-train

      Definintely rip up that parking lot and put in some green space with an outdoor dining or bar area. Stick to the diner theme and offer well executed diner classics.

    • JDillard

      I say Indian. There are plenty of Mexican places and a load of S.E. Asian style restaurants. The area could really use a different cuisine and Indian would rock…plus, the city could use a modern/fusion Indian place.

    • mike

      Whatever the concept is I love the idea of turning that parking lot into an off street outdoor dining area. With that in mind, take a look at some of the other aspects of the property. There’s a big wall on the building next to it that would make a great movie or sports screen. Build in an outdoor firepit to make it awesome in the late fall.

    • herman

      I would like Joy Manning to keep her likes (all of them) to herself. While authentic ramen would would be a lovely addition to the Philly dining scene, this is not the spot. a real diner, good food, ACCESSIBLE prices, interesting beers and cocktails and a STRONG vegan/veg component with late night hours would be an asset to the community and print money as well. An outdoor dining garden, would make the printing even easier.

    • Sophie

      Sex and the City Chic!

    • Scarlet

      i agree with A-Train. DEFINITELY KEEP IT A DINER! you can never have enough diners with great quality diner food and regretfully we are losing all our old diners which should be a staple in every community! Good luck.

    • Christine Mathies

      I agree on Peruvian…along the lines of Selva Grill in Sarasota. There is nothing like it in Philly.

    • Adam

      Indian, Thai, or Fertile Crescent/Greek and keep the diner feel.

    • Forkit

      Diner! Diner! Diner! Or yes, Johnny Brenda’s South would be amazing and also my new hangout!

    • Lindsay B.

      I agree with South/Central American, but not Mexican. Something a’la Cafe Habana in NYC.

    • Ari

      I vote for Teplitsky’s North.

      Teplitsky’s is a diner that Starr created as part of the new Chelsea hotel in Atlantic City. He no longer owns the restaurants in the Chelsea, but I think he should still go with the Teplitsky’s motif (if not the name).

      http://thechelsea-ac.com/restaurants.php

    • Ellie

      I like the food at Jones. I think the Broad Street diner would fit with the upscale homestyle favorites that Jones serves. Mr. Starr has never done breakfast, lunch and dinner with optional alcoholic beverages. Maybe an inhouse bakery, too!

    • PhillyMary

      I agree with the Silk City South plan. I would love a place to dance down here below wash. Bring some good ol reggae nights like Filo’s used to have! good beer+good food+good music=SUCCESS!!! Oh and add some green and we’re in love:)

    • Nicolacita

      I am all for a Jonny Brenda’s or Silk City below Washington. It’s an awesome neighborhood and a venue for live music and dancing would make it complete. AND KEEP IT A DINER!

    • tired philly

      How about this, headline reads, “Stephen Starr moves to New York City.”
      Make room for some young aspiring Chef’s to have a chance to make a name for themselves.
      Stop taking over the city with your restaurants.

    • amanda

      beer garden, but ONLY if it’s true german style, with outdoor wooden tables, otherwise, gotta go with peruvian ceviche!

    • melanie

      We really could use a good vegetarian restaurant!

    • peter

      A japanese style ramen shop, like one in tokyo.

    • JM

      Outdoor beer garden sounds perfect!

    • lillian

      I vote for an old fashioned diner with great diner
      food

    • marsha

      I can speak for many of the residents of my building (SymphonyHouse) and we are craving a basic diner where we can get a quality breakfast,lunch or dinner. We eat out often and have plenty of restaurants in the area but a diner would be a place to repeatedly go to eat.

    • Ed

      Something comfortable and inviting for a decent, affordable meal at any time of day and night. Outdoor seating great. Low key background music great. We do not need another gastro pub, endless sports on 6,000 monitors, loud rock bands ruining dinner and conversation, or packs of 20 somethings whose sole mission is to get drunk and laid. Enough already. How about some civility in this spot? The rowdies have plenty of places to go!

    • BarryG

      @tired philly, shut it. Starr is not a chef; every restaurant he opens is a venue for a young aspiring chef. Do you know who Jose Garces’s first boss was?

    • MEG

      How about offering good old american cusine. Add a product like a “midnight brunch” (It afterall was a diner), Name it Phelt Philadelphia, decorate the walls etc in a retro motif with felt.

    • joseph

      i think a great american comfort food spot with an outdoor beer garden would be perfect. south philly has enough italian asian and mexican spots.

    • Richard Appel

      How about small and large plates type of restaurant: you can satisfy the obligatory diner crowd in South Philly and provide traditional, but outstanding diner- fare, but with the option for ordering small and large plates for everything including appetizers, main entrees and desserts? Oh, make sure it is open late too.

    • donna

      keep it a diner designed with a retro look, something really cool. this great neighborhood needs something stephen starr

    • enlivened

      @barryg – what chef other than jose garces has starr “spawned”? he’s in it for the money, not for the food. it’s people like him who make the philly restaurant scene a farce.

    • Rich

      How about making it a ‘Best of Steven Starr’ restaurant. You can get the Kobe beef sliders from Barkley Prime, the Pad Thai from Budakan, the Lobster mac and cheese from Continental, etc. And I don’t think it would take business away from the other restaurants…If anything it would give people a taste, and make them want to go back for the full menu!

    • connie

      Classic diner food with vegan specials, breakfast all day, good beer and wine list, full bar, live music, outdoor dining, and a sassy wait-staff. I’d be there every other night!

    • Xtian

      This might not be the best venue for it, but I would love to see Starr open a Maryland style crab house… a no frills fried oyster, pit beef, and cold beers menu.

    • Aw

      Global dim sum… street food from around the world, served from little carts, pay by the plate etc….

    • dre

      @ Rich – great idea!!! design a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu consisting of famous dishes from all the STARR restaurants with some new additions, of course. Have outdoor seating. And a lounge area with music….exotic drinks & happy hour “specials” a must!

    • SouthPhillyPT

      Any Starr restaurant is fabulous but of course it comes with a price. I suggest something affordable for the South Philly folks. Perhaps are Starr Diner open for 24 hours (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)?

    • David

      Something that specializes in local, organic, and sustainable food, please. But honeslty anything is better than the MSG loaded Chinese food, fried chicken, and cardboard pizza we have in that neighborhood.

    • Mike

      Biergarten!!! Tear up the blacktop, have a big casual outdoor seating area, oompah band and all!!!

    • http://www.roadsideonline.com Randy Garbin

      Please be nice to the diner itself. It’s a rare example of a mid-1960s Fodero, built in Bloomfield, New Jersey. There are few left in such original condition.

    • http://drawingforfood.blogspot.com hk

      Please for the love of god don’t destroy the building. How about a notch above Sabrinas/Morning Glory brunch and/or late night spot, classic and local/healthy at the same time?

      Like green eggs meets melrose diner, with big booths and cheesy-ass oregon diner style cocktails?

    • KAMM

      Keep original building. Convert parking lot to green space with outdoor seating. Beer garden or TIKI BAR ala Trader Vic’s.

    • Maryellen

      something similar to The Beer Bistro in Toronto,outdoor patio seating, and for once a fine beer list, which none of your restaurants have, like Chimay, Hacker Pschorr, Rickards,Weihenstephaner etc.

    • charlotte zimble

      I am so glad that 3rd and Bainbridge is going to be a fabulous Italian restaurant! I have to mention that I am missing The Blue Angel on ChestnutSt, Have any plans for that space? Charlie

    • Jayna

      Seriously, a great 24 hour place would be incredible. Diner-esque with the Starr spin. Mmm.

      Living a few blocks from here for almost two years, every time I pass here I lament the fact that despite its chromey exterior, there is no diner to be found within.

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