The Dog Days Edition: August’s Fond Farewells, Friendly Hellos & Focus on the Future

August proved that Rittenhouse is anything but sleepy as 4 businesses made their debut, 2 reopened, 3 neighborhood institutions took their final bow, and 5 new names joined the pipeline.

The dog days of summer are supposed to be slow. Key words – “supposed to.”

Baseball fans know “dog days” as the stretch where the pretenders fade and the real contenders make their move, and with the Phillies grinding through their own August schedule, Rittenhouse decided to run its own trades right alongside them. Three longtime veterans took their victory lap this month — a combined 112 years on the roster between them, no less — a fresh batch of new names got called up from the pipeline, and a few familiar faces returned from the injured list. No days off in this clubhouse, even in August — this city HUSTLES, in the best possible way.

So here’s the box score for August:

• The Veterans Take Their Victory Lap: Sherman Brothers wrapped 73 years in the neighborhood, Eye Candy closed out two decades of fitting Rittenhouse for glasses, and Jose Pistola’s took its final bow after nearly two decades of karaoke nights. That is a combined 112 years (!!) of tenure retiring in just 1 month. And Bang & Olufsen quietly exited, however, we know Black Sheep and Capital One Café‘s stints on the IL are not for long.

• Call-Ups & Comebacks: Bar Cicci finally made its debut after three delayed call-up dates, Gather Athletic Club and Robertson’s Flowers got activated fresh off the pipeline, and Sephora and Time Mission both returned from the injured list. Plus, The Coffee Club pulled off a rare two-way move, setting up shop inside The Coloroom.

• Prospects in the Pipeline: The farm system grew to 37 names, with 5 fresh prospects signed this month: HiLo House, Philadelphia Golf Club, Pop Up Bagels, The Caddie Room, and Together Athletics. Devon & Blakely is moving, so they’re on the pipeline list but not counted as a fresh candidate.

When comparing all this with last month, August cooled slightly to 6 (4 rookies, 2 comebacks), but the farm system just kept growing, because the pipeline swelled from 34 to 37, with 5 fresh signings, and 2 promoted straight to the big leagues (Bar Cicci, Gather). Farewells held steady at 5 both months.

And a few trends emerged: Fitness is stacking the roster with HiLo House, Together Athletics, Philadelphia Golf Club, The Caddie Room, Pvolve, City Heat, and now-open Gather put seven wellness concepts already in active play which means we really, really don’t have an excuse to not workout because of a lack of options! And September’s shaping up to be the real season opener, with Carolyn’s, Haraz, Bathhouse, Blank Street, Artur Kirsh, Somedays Bakery, Bar Caviar, and Devon & Blakely plus a few more on their way.

Read on below for the full rundown — and as always, tips, intel, and typo catches go to rittenhouseramblings@gmail.com. We appreciate you!

---

Fond Farewells That Are Temporary:

Black Sheep | 📍247 S 17th St

One of Rittenhouse’s most beloved pubs had a rough night back in May. Actually, make that two rough nights. Per 6ABC, crews were first called to The Black Sheep around 9PM that Monday. Then at 2AM — because apparently the universe wasn’t done — the fire briefly rekindled, forcing crews to return. Basically…it was a terrible fire and while they were hoping to open in July it’s NOT ready.

So no ETA for now, but you can stay on top of any new developments via their Insta here.

Capital One Cafe | 📍1608 Walnut St

Turns out even banks need a little self-care: Capital One Café — which, yes, has an actual bank inside it — is closed for several weeks for a full reno. It’s the fifth neighborhood spot to get the refresh treatment lately. Sephora JUST reopened, and New Balance, Marine Layer, and L’Occitane already did their own closure-and-reopen runs.

The ATM stays open through construction, so your banking needs are covered even if your oat milk latte needs aren’t. Renderings tease a warmer, more café-forward layout — communal seating, a real counter, the works. Prime real estate for people watching (sorry, “studying”).

ETA: Several weeks was the original estimate so we’ll keep an eye out!

Fond Farewells:

Bang & Olufsen |📍2108 Walnut St

After a run of roughly six years on the west end of Walnut, Rambler Paul shared that Bang & Olufsen has quietly closed. The Danish audio brand’s Rittenhouse outpost was part design studio, part showroom — stylish enough that browsing felt like the point, even if you weren’t in the market for a $10,000 speaker.

No word yet on what’s next for the space!

Eye Candy |📍218 S 20th St

Every neighborhood has a storefront that just feels like a fixture. For us, it was the yellow glasses hanging outside Eye Candy Vision — and as of the end of August, they’re gone. Owner Tim Sagges spent nearly two decades outfitting the neighborhood with frames, going back to around 2005. He’s the sweetest, most patient eye specialist around; the kind of guy who remembers your name, your prescription, and, more importantly, your furry friend.

Thanks for two decades, Tim, we truly will miss you.

Jose Pistola’s |📍263 S 15th St

Karaoke nights on 15th Street just got a lot quieter, as Jose Pistola’s closed suddenly after nearly two decades in the neighborhood. Since around 2007, they’ve been a gracious host to students, industry staff, people who love Mexican food, people who like to hang with people who love Mexican food, people who only came to hear their friends sing karaoke, and so much more — not many spots manage to be that many things to that many people.

Per The Inquirer, a decades-old judgment led to the gas being shut off, ending the run with a year still left on the lease. We’ll miss having them here, and wish them NOTHING but the best. Thanks to Rambler Billy for the heads up!

Sherman Brothers Shoes |📍1520 Sansom St

73 years is a long, long, long time to fit anyone for a shoe — long enough that some of our neighbors got fitted for their bar mitzvah shoes here, and came back years later to do the same for their own kids. That’s Sherman Brothers for you. And after 59 (!!) of those years on Sansom Street, they’ve taken that legacy to the ‘burbs.

The store had been a fixture at 1520 Sansom since 1967, when the Sherman brothers (yes, they’re actual brothers) moved over from Mole Street. For decades, that green storefront and the walls of Alden boots and loafers in the window were just part of the streetscape. Now they’ve traded Center City for the Main Line — where, fun fact, Sherman Brothers had a store decades ago before it closed.

The family’s keeping the building (a restaurant called Silver Shaker is expected to move in), so this isn’t goodbye to the block. It’s goodbye to a storefront that was very much a familiar part of Sansom Street, and to a staff who spent decades getting to know their customers’ feet, and their families, one generation at a time.

Wishing the Sherman family bon voyage as they embark on their new adventure!

Friendly Hellos:

Bar Cicci | 📍1620 Sansom St

Third time’s the charm: after slipping from June to July to August, Ellen Yin‘s ode to the Italian bar is finally open, soft-launching Aug. 18 with a vintage light blue Lambretta scooter parked out front to set the mood.

Bar Cicci lives up to the “cicchetti” in its name as mornings bring espresso, cornetti, and Pizza Bianca sandwiches. Then, when 4pm hits, the counter flips into an aperitivo bar with 20-some small plates, spritzes, and wine. Yin and her culinary director traveled through Milan and Venice to bring the concept to life, and it shows — the name itself is a play on ciccio, an Italian term of endearment for something small and plump. Basically, it’s the kind of place you can pop in for a cornetto at 9am AND a spritz at 7pm, which, honestly, sounds like a perfect day to us.

Gather Athletic | 📍1900 Market St (Entrance on 20th)

Third time’s the charm for this Market Street fitness space, as Gather Athletic Club moves into the address that first housed EverybodyFights and, more recently, 10 Hands!

If you’ve been missing a good boxing-adjacent sweat on this stretch near Market St, this is fabulous news. Gather’s 3-in-1 model bundles strength & conditioning, treadmill training, and boxing under one roof, plus an in-house café to come for the post-workout refuel. See our deep dive on them here.

Robertson’s Flowers | 📍1701 JFK Blvd

The former Starbucks at Comcast Center is officially in bloom, as Robertson’s Flowers has opened its first-ever Center City shop!

A nearly 100-year-old family business that started as a Chestnut Hill landscaping company before branching into the flowers most of us know them for, they’ve arrived bearing many, many gifts: grab-and-go and custom bouquets, orchids, succulents, and houseplants, plus a selection of locally made greeting cards, wall art, candles, and pillows.

They also offer event design and — unusual for this building — they’ll be open Saturdays! It feels like an organic fit next to Café Click (who, for the record, is NOT open on Saturdays). So grabbing stems, then heading straight to happy hour, sounds like a nice way to end a workday.

Sephora |📍1714 Chestnut St

Rittenhouse’s own Sephora is back from its makeover appointment!

It was never going to be a major facelift-level job (thankfully — that would’ve meant a much longer closure), but it’s a nice and deserving glow-up. The lighting’s been improved, the makeover tables have moved, and fixtures got rearranged so foot traffic actually flows. Just know that regardless of any redesign, there will still be gridlock in the perfume area come Valentine’s Day.

The Coffee Club @The Coloroom | 📍201 S 22nd St

Turns out you don’t necessarily need a haircut to get a good latte at a chic salon on Walnut! The Coffee Club has set up inside The Coloroom, slinging espresso drinks and matcha Wednesday through Saturday, and you don’t need to be a client to walk in and order. It’s a nice addition for this stretch of Walnut too! You can swing by on your way to work or class, and grab a coffee or matcha without at appointment attached.

Open now, Wednesday–Saturday, 7:30am–2:30pm, and bonus if you bring your fur baby as they will DEFINITELY get all the pets (and treats!)

Time Mission |📍1530 Chestnut

Good news: Time Mission, the part-escape-room, part-interactive-theater gaming experience above JD Sports with the entrance on 16th Street, is officially back open!

The water damage that took out both Time Mission and JD Sports over the winter kept the doors shut for months, but teams can once again suit up, grab a locker, and go save humanity’s timeline across whatever era their mission throws at them—see our deep dive on everything you can experience there here.

---

Focus on the Future:

7th Street Burger |📍1518 Chestnut St

The New York to Philly pipeline shows no signs of slowing down as 7th Street Burger, an NYC smash burger joint that’s built a cult following on no-frills patties, is heading to the former Amma’s space on Chestnut Street. Amma’s, of course, moved to the much larger (and swankier) ex-Max Brenner’s space on 15th — so dosas out, doubles in!

7th Street Burger is known for keeping things simple: smash patties, melty cheese, soft buns, and not much else, but hey, the neighborhood loves classics, and burgers are always a great option for lunch and dinner. It is moving near Five Guys and Wendy’s so…lots of options!

ETA is October, and hiring/training is underway!

Artur Kirsh Salon at Boyds |📍1818 Chestnut St

Artur Kirsh Salon, taking the fourth floor of Boyds, looks like it’s just a strand or two away from done. Peeking in, the tall styling mirrors are already installed, the waiting area is complete, and there’s enough natural light in there to make any blowout look extra good on the way out. Transformations have always been the business at Boyds, so it tracks that the head-to-toe part is getting a little more literal.

Artur Kirsh specializes in color and dry cutting, and has done hair for Celine Dion, Carolina Herrera, and Betsey Johnson, along with many local news anchors, at his salon in the suburbs. This feels like a natural fit, and we’re excited to have another salon option in the neighborhood.

ETA is late September!

Ayat |📍2021-23 Sansom St

Nearly two years after we first started tracking it, Ayat is slowly showing real signs of life in the long-vacant Roxy Theater space. The Brooklyn-born Palestinian restaurant is known for classics like maqluba (a six-layer upside-down chicken and rice dish), m’sakhan (sumac chicken on taboon bread), and mezze like hummus and stuffed grape leaves.

Peeking in, we can see the bones coming together for the Philly location, albeit slowly. Ayat JUST did a soft open for their DC location, so, as long as the Construction Gods cooperate, we should be next in line.

Bar Caviar | 📍256 S. 16th St

We snuck a peek inside The Dwight D’s soon-to-open Bar Caviar, tucked into an 1840s row home on 16th Street, and honestly, we may have found our new excuse for a Tuesday. Ken Schutz (sommelier, one half of the couple behind the hotel) is building out a 50-bottle champagne list with 15 pours by the glass. Nonvintage options start at $15, so you can absolutely just come for one glass and a little caviar and call it a Tuesday well spent. Add oysters, crudo, and small plates into the mix, and this is shaping up to be one of the chicer ways to spend an hour or well more in Rittenhouse.

They’re putting on the final touches and are hoping to open in late September!

Bathhouse | 📍1414 Walnut St

The stretch of Walnut by Broad just keeps leveling up. We’ve already got eatertainment with Flight Club Darts, furniture with 7th Avenue, and a serious dinner reservation with newly opened Mr. Edison, and now the block’s about to get a lot more zen with New York wellness cult favorite Bathhouse!

Bathhouse is taking over the old Tiffany’s spot, empty for more than five years now (Tiffany’s decamped closer to the park), and based on what we’ve seen, this is NOT your average cucumber-water-and-whisper spa. Full details on what to expect here.

ETA is September!

Blank Street | 📍1801 Spruce St

Blank Street, the NYC matcha-and-espresso chain known for its sage/mint storefronts and seriously photogenic drinks, is arriving in Rittenhouse as one of two Philly locations.

We’re providing construction updates here, so grab your other coffee as you check it out, and the team confirmed that they’re looking to open September!

Call Your Mother | 📍 262 S. 19th St

Okay, so we already poured one out for Metropolitan Bakery closing its doors after 32 years, but the space didn’t sit empty for long. Call Your Mother, a popular Washington D.C.-based “Jew-ish” bagel deli (emphasis theirs), is moving in and bringing ALL the energy with it. Think bagel sandwiches, latkes, coffee, and a signature West Palm Beach color scheme: hot pinks and seafoam blues for miles!

The team mentioned they are hoping to open this Fall, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed!

Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese | 📍 2015 Walnut St

The awning at 2015 Walnut isn’t black anymore; it’s mint green. After ten years of Revolution Taco in that exact space, chef and owner Carolyn Nguyen is reopening with her name front and center: Carolyn’s.

The signage sums it up elegantly: Vietnamese Heritage. Louisiana Roots. French Café Spirit. Carolyn grew up in Amelia, Louisiana, a small town where about a third of residents were Vietnamese, and the menu — both food and cocktails — pulls straight from that upbringing.

They’re softly opening next Wednesday, September 2nd, with dinner to start. And as a nice bit of continuity, the Revolution Taco crew is still involved, so expect some familiar faces behind the counter.

Cartolina | 📍 1900-20 Arch St

Nantucket’s easy-breezy energy is officially coming to Rittenhouse-adjacent Logan Square: Cartolina, a Nantucket-born brand known for easy, breezy travel-inspired women’s clothing, is setting up shop at the base of 1900 Arch apartments.

It’s a big deal, too because this will be only their third-ever physical store, following flagships on Nantucket and Madison Avenue. And, per their site, 10% of every purchase supports women’s healthcare and education, so it’s easy to feel good about the closet upgrade.

ETA is TBD!

Chase | 📍2200-2202 Market St

Big banking energy (see what we did there?!) is coming to Market St. as Chase moves into what was a 7-Eleven that closed around 2019. The building itself was originally constructed for Girard Bank, so Chase is really just keeping the banking vibes alive. Not exactly a hot new restaurant (sorry guys!) but, hey, having a branch right there is pretty damn convenient for anyone commuting through Market West.

ETA is Fall 2026!

City Heat | 📍 1650 Arch St

The sweat-it-out crowd is getting a new home base in Rittenhouse-adjacent Logan Square because City Heat, a South Philly hot yoga and fitness studio, is bringing its Hot Room to 1650 Arch! They’re known for Bikram-inspired and Vinyasa hot yoga alongside music-driven fitness classes, plus a “Healing Room” recovery offering for whenever you overdo it.

ETA is this Fall!

Devon & Blakely | 📍 1701 Market St

Salad-and-sandwich people of the Market Street lunch shift, you’re going to have to adjust your walking route just a teeny tiny bit as Devon & Blakely is heading one block east!

The NYC export landed at Ten Penn Center back in 2013, taking over the old Pikkles Plus space, and has likely been settling your daily “salad or sandwich?” debate ever since. Now they’re moving into a bigger spot at 17 Market West aka the former Morgan Lewis building that is now all apartments. Their current landlord has converted the top ten floors of Ten Penn Center into apartments too, so Devon & Blakely is basically trading one office-to-residential conversion for another.

The new space is under construction now, with the team hoping to be settled in early September!

Frame | 📍 1526 Sansom St

The old Chika Ramen space is finally and literally coming into frame, as Frame is expanding to Rittenhouse. After Chika Ramen shuttered in March 2025, No Name Hospitality grabbed the lease and teased a diner for the space, but Philly Insider confirmed that what’s actually coming is Frame Midtown, while Shay’s Steaks will convert into a ghost kitchen.

ETA was mid-June, then it slipped past that with no word, and it’s been quiet ever since (no, no sign of any construction). But we’ll continue to keep eyes on it!

Friday Saturday Sunday Expansion | 📍 261 S 21st St

Our favorite James Beard and Michelin Star-winning restaurant is about to get even harder to get into, but in the best possible way!

Friday Saturday Sunday landed $1.5 million in state funding for its expansion into the building next door at 2048 Rittenhouse Square PLUS adjacent 2046, because, obviously, one rowhouse isn’t enough for the demand, and the plans are bigger than we thought. Now they’re sharing it’s going to be a full multi-level dining experience. Groups of up to 18 guests moved floor to floor for different courses of the tasting menu, an open kitchen, and a dedicated sweets room that Chad and Hanna Williams say doesn’t exist anywhere else on the East Coast. Basically, dessert is getting its own zip code.

The current dining room and Lovers Bar aren’t going anywhere, this is purely additive, to the tune of $7.5 million total from the state. If you’ve ever tried (and failed) to snag a reservation here, the extra space may make it a tiny bit easier.

ETA: TBD, but with the delay (and the total radio silence on construction) now making a lot more sense, we’re just excited to see everything come together!

Haraz Coffee Shop |📍1822 Chestnut St

The ground-up renovation of the former, long-vacant (6 years!) ToBox Menswear into Haraz Coffee House is looking great! The Michigan-based brand is opening their third Philly location, bringing traditional Yemeni coffee roasting to our already caffeine-obsessed neighborhood — think clay-pot brewed drinks, deeply roasted single-origin beans, and classic date-sweetened pastries on the side.

We do love our cafés here, and tucked between Je Suis Jolie and Boyds, Haraz is shaping up to be exactly the kind of spot that organically becomes a neighborhood third space.

ETA: September, for this space to finally be live again.

HiLo House | 📍26 S 20th St

Get psyched as Delco’s HiLo House, named Best Fitness Studio, is headed to Rittenhouse in the former Unite Fitness studio, and we’re already feeling the burn just thinking about it.

HiLo House built its reputation pairing the Lagree Megaformer (think: slow, controlled, muscle-shaking reps) with the VersaClimber (full-body cardio, but vertical, so brace yourself). They just opened a second location in Media and now they’re eyeing a third right here in the neighborhood — going up in the world, quite literally, given the VersaClimber situation.

If you’ve never done either machine, just know that HiLo doesn’t do easy. But based on reviews, that’s exactly the appeal, plus a genuinely tight-knit class community that keeps people coming back for more.

ETA is late 2026/early 2027 per their team!

Jabal Coffee House | 📍1524 Chestnut St

Our 3rd Yemeni and/or Yemeni influenced (e.g. MOTW) will be Jabal Coffee House. Jabal specializes in premium Yemeni-grown coffee blends sourced directly from Yemen’s high-altitude mountains — the name translates to “mountain” in Arabic — and the cafes are distinctive. The Rittenhouse location’s renderings look equally gorgeous, as you can see here.

ETA had originally been 2026 but we haven’t seen (or heard!) any signs of construction. We’ve reached out to the team and will keep you all posted!

KYN |📍1807 Chestnut St

KYN has been playing it coy, but the mysteriously named Korean coffee and desserts shop sliding into the former Taylor Chip spot is percolating toward done.

Peeking in, the setup is fully installed with all the things we love to see in a coffee shop: dual grinders and a proper La Marzocco-style machine.The overall vibe reads chic minimalism in warm wood tones, with black and silver accents, and the logo is super stylish. And per a job posting circulating for baristas, this is shaping up to be Rittenhouse’s first Korean-specific coffee shop.

ETA: Pending inspection so sending them all the good vibes!

Liquorette |📍1534 Sansom St

Sometimes when you open a WineDive downstairs, you go full Jekyll and Hyde and open a high-end cocktail bar upstairs — because why not? Liquorette is positioning itself as a “technique-driven cocktail bar inspired by luxury European cocktail bars,” and it’s the perfect contrast: downstairs you’re vibing with natural wine and bagel bites, and upstairs you’d be sipping clarified citrus cocktails that require three types of bitters.

They were originally aiming for 2026, and as of a January mention from Philly Mag, it was still on the “hopefully this year” list — but that’s now the most recent word we’ve got, and it’s been well over a year of quiet since. We think a cocktail bar to balance the cafes isn’t the worst idea so we’ll work on our manifestation skills.

Keeping our fingers crossed for Wine Dive to have an upstairs neighbor!

McDonald’s |📍1604 Chestnut St

In the comeback story nobody asked for but everyone’s into, McDonald’s is plotting its return to Rittenhouse, taking over the old Portabella space (the menswear shop didn’t close, just leveled up to a bigger spot one block over, so no drama there).

However… construction actually started. Then it just… stopped. And we’ve walked by more times than we’d like to admit — there’s been no visible movement in months. No crew, no dumpster, no sign that anyone’s coming back to finish the job.

ETA: Nobody knows, but we’re sending out all the good vibes! Because Chestnut St is fast becoming THE street for burger options, so they need to join the party, stat.

O’Morrey’s | 📍1720 Sansom St

This was one of the neatest stories from The Inquirer: Chef Kenjiro Omori and partner Biff Gottehrer – who first worked together as sous chefs at Dandelion about a decade ago – are reuniting to launch O’Morrey’s. The building once housed Genji, a Japanese restaurant Omori’s parents ran for nearly 30 years and most recently was home to General Tsao’s House. The concept is elevated bar food paired with a curated cocktail program.

ETA was 2026 but details and signs of construction are scarce.

Philadelphia Golf Club | 📍111 S. 15th St

The Packard Grande’s mezzanine is about to get very serious about your short game. Philadelphia Golf Club — from the team behind Brooklyn’s Gowanus Golf Club — is coming to fill it up with three Trackman simulator bays, a PuttView putting green, and 24/7 fob entry. Membership caps at 100 with founding tiers running $300 to $750 a month, and reportedly a third of those slots are already spoken for. The team says they’re after the golfer who wants to practice, not mingle, and with no staff, members can come and go as they please, along with their guests (h/t Philadelphia Business Journal).

ETA is September 25th!

PopUp Bagels | 📍1709 Chestnut St

Pop Up Bagels is popping up in the former Starbucks space, per the Philadelphia Business Journal, because Chestnut Street’s 2026 hot streak obviously needed a carb infusion.

The Connecticut-born chain is known for its straight-from-the-oven, unsliced bagels that customers grip, rip, and dip into schmears. So if you’ve been treating bagels as a mere cream cheese delivery vehicle, or just love having full control over your bagel-to-schmear ratio, this could be a very welcome addition to your breakfast rotation.

ETA is TBD but we’ll keep a very close eye on this one!

Pvolve | 📍1735 Market St

Market is about to move, literally as fitness brand Pvolve is flexing its way over. The concept, which Jennifer Aniston has been repping since 2023, focuses on longevity, with class formats ranging from sculpt to cardio to heavy weight training. Basically, a workout that’s designed to build you up for the long haul without wrecking your joints in the process. So, the anti-HIIT!

ETA is late 2026!

Rothy’s | 📍1613 Walnut St

The space went dark this spring after a decade as Pandora‘s go-to for every gift-giving occasion on the calendar. Stepping into the void: Rothy’s, the San Francisco-born brand known for knitting flats, loafers, and sneakers out of thread spun from recycled plastic bottles. Comfortable, fashionable, and machine washable on streets built for rambling? We love everything about it.

ETA is October!

Somedays Bakery | 📍1601 Walnut St

The paper’s up at the former Republic Bank which, in Philly real estate speak, is basically the Bat-Signal for “something delicious is coming”— and according to The Inquirer, that something is Somedays Bakery, a NYC-based croissant wonderland that’s about to make your (and particularly ours!) carb-loving heart very, very, very happy.

See our deep dive here and the ETA for our very first artisanal croissant bakery is late September!

The Caddie Room | 📍1617 JFK Blvd

The long-dark corner at 16th & JFK is getting a tenant, and, no, it’s NOT another bank! Per the Philadelphia Business Journal, The Caddie Room is taking the former BB&T space at One Penn Center, and the pitch is less sports bar, more “private living room in the middle of Center City.” They’ll have two fully enclosed Trackman simulators, a putting green, lounge seating between them, and entrance via a pin code. Founding memberships start at $200/month off-peak and $350 for full access, and they said they’re limiting memberships to around 120.

The Pelican Club | 📍225 S 18th St

Stephen Starr’s fourth restaurant on the Square The Pelican Club is taking over the former Devon Seafood & Grill space with a Greek-rooted, Mediterranean concept inspired by the jet-set Mykonos of the Onassis era. By the way, this will be his ninth restaurant in the neighborhood — the man collects Rittenhouse storefronts the way some people collect vinyls (sorry, not sorry)

Construction is MOVING as their original ETA is October, and we’ve got the full story here.

The Ruxton | 📍210 W Rittenhouse Square

If you appreciate a good steakhouse with enough vintage glamour to make Gatsby jealous, this one’s for you. Per the Business Journal, The Ruxton – a Jazz Age-inspired steakhouse from the team behind Loch Bar – is slated to arrive at The Rittenhouse.

Think velvet upholstery, walnut millwork, custom Murano glass chandeliers, and those iconic Rittenhouse Square views that turn dinner into an event. And who doesn’t love dinner and a show?!

ETA is Spring 2027!

Tidal Force VR | 📍1510 Chestnut St

Luckily for us, the NYC-to-Philly pipeline is also delivering experiences: Tidal Force VR is taking over the former Kids Foot Locker space with a multiplayer free-roam VR experience where groups of up to 6 battle through custom-built game worlds, per the Business Journal. Think escape rooms meets laser tag, but make it sci-fi. Between Tidal Force, Sandbox VR, and Time Mission, the neighborhood is quietly building out what might be Philly’s unofficial holodeck district.

ETA per their owner is October/November!

Together Athletics | 📍TBD

Old City’s favorite reformer-and-mat studio is coming for Rittenhouse. Together Athletics was founded by Kate — a former D1 field hockey player — and her husband, and they’ve built a serious following on reformer Pilates, mat sculpt, cardio dance, and power work, all under one very bold claim: pilates is a sport. We’d like to formally request the debate.

They’re already running two Old City locations plus a seasonal Stone Harbor pop-up, so Rittenhouse would be stop number four — and honestly, feels overdue.

The team tells us ETA is this fall, with the exact location still being finalized. More to come as soon as we know it!

Unnamed Concept @The Former Franklin Investment | 📍113 S 18th St

The former home of The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. — the speakeasy cocktail bar that helped put Philly on the craft cocktail map back in 2009 that moved to a new location post-Covid — is showing signs of life again. A liquor license just transferred from Midtown Village’s Wicked Wolf to a hospitality team with some very recognizable Philly credentials (think: people behind places you already know and love).

The initial thought is two distinct concepts, one on each floor, but details are still TBD. Given the space has been dark since Franklin Mortgage relocated back in 2021, we’re assuming it needs some serious work before anything opens. But a group with this kind of résumé breathing life back into one of Rittenhouse’s most iconic addresses on a street that’s seeing serious activity? Consider our interest officially piqued.

ETA is early 2027!

Unnamed Concept @The Irish Pub Space | 📍2007-11 Walnut St

After 4 decades of last calls, St. Patrick’s Days, and at least one Rocky cameo, the former Irish Pub finally has a new owner. Dan Tsao — the operator behind Chinatown’s acclaimed EMei — closed on the property in May, drawn here by something very 2026: delivery data showing Rittenhouse was already one of his strongest customer bases. The concept is pending, so in the meantime, take a walk down memory lane to celebrate the next chapter of The Irish Pub here.

Current ETA per the team is 2027!

Unnamed Sports Bar @The Josephine | 📍1620 Sansom St

We’ve been keeping an eye on the rumored second-floor sports bar at The Josephine, and the status remains… murky. The concept — craft cocktails, premium bar bites, wall-to-wall screens for your Eagles-obsessed soul — hasn’t exactly been confirmed, but it hasn’t been killed off either. With Bar Cicci now locked in downstairs, the big question is what’s going on with that substantial second floor. Is the sports bar still in play? Did it morph into something else entirely? Is the space getting split?

So far we’ve seen no action nor heard any new news so this is now very much TBD.

Wally | 📍1900 Market St

Yet another NYC export heading our way: Wally is coming to Market! If you’ve never heard of them, think of it as the dental equivalent of a gym: for $249 a year, you get unlimited cleanings, whitening, exams, and x-rays. They use Swiss-made Airflow technology (no scraping!) and they call their spaces “studios” which should tell you something about the vibe. Philly will be one of their first expansions outside the NYC/NJ area, with 2 locations.

ETA and the exact space at 1900 Market is still TBD.

Zac’s Halal | 📍104 S. 18th St

Big moves, finally, at the former Mac Mart storefront! The cheese crew downsized to a “Mini Mac Mart” a few blocks away, and stepping in is Zac’s Halal from the folks behind Zac’s Hamburgers, the Delco brand better known for burgers, wings, and everything in between — halal-style burgers, shakes, gyros, wings, and hot chicken. Basically, Burgers, Chicken & Beyond, and what’s not to love about that?

Peeking inside, it’s coming together fast, and they’re working on some finishing touches but this one’s clearly in the home stretch.

ETA looks like soon!

---

Spotted something we missed? Have intel on any of these projects, or new ones coming into the neighborhood? Hit us at rittenhouseramblings@gmail.com so we can track its progress together!