The Group Stage Edition: It’s June’s Fond Farewells, Friendly Hellos & Focus on the Future

Rittenhouse spent June balancing World Cup energy with 5 fresh openings, a couple of hard goodbyes, and a pipeline that just hit 32, with cafés alone accounting for 9.

June in Rittenhouse had one job: show up for opening day.

The FIFA World Cup kicked off in Philly this month, and the neighborhood, already mid-warmup from May, pushed through construction, a couple of literal fires, and a heat index that didn’t get the “low-key summer” memo. And, as is the normal, some matches went better than others.

So here’s the final score: who got subbed out, who made the starting lineup, and who’s still stretching on the sideline.

• The hard goodbyes: June wasn’t pain-free as Chip City, Le Pain Quotidien, and Sura all closed up shop permanently. On the injury list: Black Sheep, still recovering from May’s fire (and racing the World Cup clock to reopen), and Time Mission, out with water damage but eyeing a July 1st return but luckily, JD Sports, hit by the same flooding, already bounced back. Final tally: 3 off the board, 2 still on the bench.

• The new lineup: 5 spots officially opened, led by Biederman’s claiming the old Audrey Claire/Charley Dove corner with hand-sliced lox and a serious caviar game, and Mr. Edison finally swinging open the doors to reveal a gorgous interior at The Bellevue. New Moms’ School brought a much-needed postpartum resource to 17th Street, Poke Bowl gave Market Street its first NYC-chain poke, while the community-oriented Winners Ice Cream quietly started scooping on South Street.

• The deep bench: The pipeline climbed to 32, and caffeine is having a MOMENT within it: 9 of those 32 are cafés or coffee shops, from Haraz and Jabal bringing Yemeni coffee to Chestnut, to Blank Street‘s matcha takeover of 18th & Spruce, and Mad Cat Brewtique moving on up from Grays Ferry. So if you’re hoping to caffeinate your way through the rest of the World Cup, the 250th, and even the MLB All-Star Game, know that the options are about to multiply.

One block to watch. If Sansom Street had May’s moment, June belongs to Chestnut Street — between 7th Street Burger, Jabal Coffee House, Haraz Coffee Shop, KTN, McDonald’s, and the now-recovering Time Mission, that stretch between Broad and 18th is turning into Rittenhouse’s busiest corridor.

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

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Fond Farewells – Temporary:

Black Sheep | 📍247 S 17th St

One of Rittenhouse’s most beloved pubs had a rough night on May19th. 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. Cleanup and inspections are still underway and the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

They were hoping to come back by the end of the World Cup but, construction, you know? In the meantime, you can stay on top of developments via their Insta here.

Time Mission | 📍1530 Chestnut St

Don’t let this dampen your spirits, but water damage had taken out both JD Sports AND Time Mission — two of the newer additions to the Chestnut Street corridor — at the same time. JD Sports reopened but Time Mission’s Yelp page has a July 1st return date flagged and we’ll update you if they’re back sooner!

Fond Farewells:

Chip City |📍204 S 17th St

The mint-green storefront is dark, and Google Business confirmed it — Chip City Cookies has closed its Rittenhouse location. The cookie shop had taken over from Miel Patisserie, which served the neighborhood for about 13 years before shutting abruptly. We’re sending our best to the friendly staff and hoping they land somewhere nearby. Big thank you to Fellow Ramblers Simone & Nikki for wanting to let the neighborhood know!

Le Pain Quotidien | 📍1425 Walnut St

Your daily bread has taken a daily constitutional — Le Pain Quotidien closed its Walnut Street location and “consolidated” half a mile east to their 8th & Walnut spot. The “We’ve Moved” signs are up in can’t-miss yellow, complete with a hand-drawn map and an arrow pointing you toward those tartines. The Belgium-based café had been a staple on this stretch of Walnut since 2011, so it’s a genuine farewell to a neighborhood OG. Our heartfelt thanks to fellow Ramblers Josh and Peggy for the heads-up!

Sura | 📍1726 Chestnut St

Naan of us are ready for this but the Indian concept that replaced Ancient Spirits & Grill, Sura Indian Bistro announced they’re relocating but everything in the restaurant was then put on sale. What’s coming in its place is currently not clear but it is a well-trafficked spot so we wouldn’t be surprised if a new tenant pops up soon, and we hope the team finds an awesome new spot.

Friendly Hellos:

Biederman’s | 📍276 S 20th St

South Philly’s beloved appetizing shop has landed at the corner of 20th and Spruce. the storied address that was long home to BYOB Audrey Claire for over two decades, and later Charley Dove: Biederman’s brings hand-sliced nova, belly lox, sable, and sturgeon to order; a serious caviar selection courtesy of Marky’s; curated European imports; and a gift section that is fully, joyfully committed to the bit. It’s a specialty market, a brunch-in-the-park provisions HQ, and a very good reason to reroute your Saturday morning — see our visual deep dive on the loveliness here.

Mr Edison | 📍200 S Broad St & 1400 Walnut St

The Bellevue’s return to Grand Dame status has officially added its next chapter: Mr. Edison, from famous restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow who’s known for NYC’s and Miami’s China Grill, is open in the former Polo (RIP) space on Walnut, keeping Flight Club Darts company across the street. We haven’t made it in yet, but we’re putting it on the list so full report to come, and based on what we’ve seen, the reality looks exactly like the renderings we shared here!

New Moms’ School | 📍255 South 17th St aka The Medical Building, Suite 1700

A beautiful idea if you’re expecting or thinking of it: New Mom School, a national postpartum program out of California, just opened its first PA location in Rittenhouse, founded by a mom. Classes run in 8-week groups with moms on similar timelines covering the stuff nobody preps you for, such as anxiety, identity, even your marriage, and led by legit doulas, nurses, and educators. There’s also a free weekly feeding group open to anyone, member or not.

Check out their classes here.

Poke Bowl | 📍1900 Market St

Another healthy option has arrived in Rittenhouse — Poké Bowl is open at 19th & Market, and it’s the NYC-based chain’s first-ever PA location. There’s a whole rainbow of toppings running down the counter, with ahi tuna, salmon, teriyaki salmon, spicy miso chicken, and more on the protein side. The space was the former home of Crisp, a popular lunch spot that closed in 2020 — the landlord finally carved it up, and Poké Bowl is the first to move into one of the spaces. Also worth noting: there’s a backlit metal fish sculpture on the wall that goes unreasonably hard for a fast-casual spot.

Doors are open and the staff is great — drop by and say hi!

Winners Ice Cream |📍1610 South St

A green-on-cream sign, a winking cone mascot in sneakers, and a tagline that doubles as a dare: “Made by Winners for Winners.” Winners Ice Cream has quietly opened in the former La Sera Dolce & Coffee space on South Street, bringing small-batch, premium ice cream and a concept built around celebrating life’s win, big AND small. Aced a test? Survived a tough week? Landed the dream job? There’s a (literal) scoop for that.

The shop is open and purposefully intended for the community, so stop by and say hi!

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Focus on the Future:

7th Street Burger |📍1518 Chestnut St

The New York to Philly pipeline shows no signs of slowing down. 7th Street Burger, an NYC smash burger joint that’s built a cult following on no-frills patties and big flavor, 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. Think of it as the anti-$22-burger — which, honestly, feels like a welcome addition to a neighborhood that doesn’t lack for upscale dining but could always use another solid, no-nonsense option. ETA is still TBD and construction has not begun, so we’ll keep you posted!

Ayat |📍2021-23 Sansom St

The New York to Philly (and vice versa) love continues with the long, long, long (so long) in the making arrival of Ayat, a Palestinian restaurant with many locations in the even longer-vacant Roxy Theater space. Construction has hit MANY snags, however, they are still focused on Philly and it’s definitely happening in 2026, as you can see from our VERY recent peek into the window.

Once again, we’re sending them all the positive vibes but it’s looking more and more like it’s going to be this summer (fingers crossed!)

Bar Caviar | 📍256 S. 16th St

We took a peek inside The Dwight D‘s soon-to-open Bar Caviar — the intimate boutique hotel tucked into an 1840s row home on 16th Street — and it looks intriguing. Champagne by the bottle and by the glass, varieties of caviar, oysters, crudo, and small plates in a setting that feels genuinely special, and definitely unique to Rittenhouse. Deep dive is in the works, and the new ETA is late summer as they massage every detail.

Bar Cicci | 📍1620 Sansom St

Ellen Yin‘s Italian concept at The Josephine has a name, a vibe, and the story behind it: Bar Cicci is an ode to the classic Italian bar — cozy, intimate, and filled with coffee, wine, and cicchetti (small plates) — which is exactly why the name felt right. Days will bring espresso, pastries, and panini; evenings flip the script into an aperitivo bar with wine, cicchetti, and snacks. Basically, it’s the kind of place you can pop into at 9am for a cornetto AND at 7pm for a spritz, which honestly sounds like a perfect day.

ETA was June but got pushed out to July. Long story short? Any day now!

Bathhouse | 📍1414 Walnut St

Walnut by Broad had been empty for some time before Flight Club Darts opened last year, joined later by 7th Avenue. And now the scaffolding around The Bellevue is down, Mr. Edison has opend and New York wellness cult favorite Bathhouse is coming to town! Moving into the beautiful and over-5-years-empty PRIOR Tiffany’s location, Bathhouse isn’t your average cucumber-water-and-whisper spa. Full details on what to expect here.

ETA is this summer; we’ve pressed them for new details but they’ve been pretty tight-lipped, however, we’ll keep you posted!

Blank Street | 📍1801 Spruce St

The green is already on the windows at the former Starbucks corner of 18th & Spruce. Blank Street — the NYC matcha-and-espresso chain known for its sage storefronts and seriously photogenic drinks — is coming this summer as their 2nd Philly location (should have been first but, whatever, we’re unashamedly biased). We’re providing construction updates here, so grab your other coffee as you check it out!

ETA is THIS summer.

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 good news is, 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! Metropolitan Bakery’s own cofounder personally handed over the keys — so this feels less like a goodbye and more like a really good handoff.

ETA is August!

Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese | 📍 2015 Walnut St

After a decade of serving tacos that somehow made sense with Peking duck and Korean BBQ (the food truck era was wild, you guys), the Philly Inquirer shared that owner Carolyn Nguyen was closing Revolution Taco to open something she’s been wanting: Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese. The concept is Cajun Vietnamese food from her Louisiana (!!) childhood —think seafood boils, slow-cooked grits, curry duck with handmade gnocchi.

They’re hiring now, after unforeseen delays, and hoping to open in June.

Chase | 2200-2202 Market St

Big banking energy 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.

Construction is underway — ETA is Fall 2026!

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 (RIP, the diner that never was). Hours are shaping up to be dinner daily, with brunch and dinner Friday through Sunday — and the lower level’s moody underground vibe is basically already built in.

ETA was mid-June but

Friday Saturday Sunday Expansion | 📍 261 S 21st St

Your favorite James Beard and Michelin Star winning restaurant is about to get even harder to get into but in the best way. Friday Saturday Sunday is expanding into the rowhouse next door at 2048 Rittenhouse Square, adding an 18-seat chef’s counter with a brand-new, higher-end tasting menu. Think of it as the VIP room of an already-VIP situation. The current dining room and Lovers Bar stay put; this is purely additive. Full details via the Inquirer.

Haraz Coffee Shop |📍1822 Chestnut St

Michigan-based Haraz Coffee House is opening their third Philly location in the Elon Dunbar House, bringing specialty Yemeni coffee to our caffeine-obsessed heart. The space has been empty since ToBox closed in 2019—so we’re trading dress shoes for coffee beans, and honestly? We’re not mad about it. They specialize in the traditional Yemeni coffee roasting with light roasts, plus spiced coffee drinks and date-sweetened options.

The ETA is summer and construction is hustling!

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 is Fall 2026!

KTN |📍1807 Chestnut St

Construction is actively underway at the former Taylor Chip space, which closed back in February. Peeking in, we’re not sure whether they’re keeping the warm wood — but there’s enough activity that we’d guess doors open in summer. Name is tentatively Kyn (per the printed sign in the window), and their job listing for their team indicates that it’ll be a Korean-centric cafe!

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’re sipping clarified citrus cocktails that require three types of bitters.

They were originally aiming for 2026 so we’ll keep you posted on any new news!

Lululemon Expansion | 📍1718-1720 Walnut St

The newly expanded Lululemon — absorbing the former Bonobos space next door and nearly doubling in size — has hustled through construction, and the result is pretty cool! The new store reflects the updated Lululemon stores with curved platforms, sleek fixtures, and lighting warm enough to make you want to linger. Merch is already rolling in, so doors can’t be far behind.

Our full breakdown of how this all came together is here, and we can’t wait to check it out!

Mad Cat Brewtique |📍2036 Sansom St

Mad Cat Brewique is trading Grays Ferry for Sansom Street, and, in a neat bit of full-circle history, the space was once home to The Community Reading Club, a magazine-and-book-club operation that seems to have quietly closed sometime between 2014 and 2016. Fitting, since Mad Cat’s basement is becoming Page Burners, a full romance novel bookstore with its own book club!

The Mad Cat concept also retains it’s authenticity with 60% of the space dedicated to local makers, rotating monthly themed menus, Reanimator espresso drinks, dirty sodas, lemonades, and small-batch bakery pop-ups, plus an expanded matcha menu featuring seasonal specialty sipping matcha. Seating stays intentionally low-key — a game table and a few conversation nooks woven in with art and retail, though the community table won’t be making the move.

ETA is mid-July!

McDonald’s |📍1604 Chestnut St

In the comeback story absolutely nobody saw coming, McDonald’s is staging its Rittenhouse return, swooping into the former Portabella space, as the menswear spot had upgraded to bigger, fancier digs just one block over. It’s like watching your ex move back to the neighborhood, except this time we’re actually kind of excited about it because, let’s be honest, sometimes you just need those McNuggets at 11 PM on a Tuesday.

Construction has finally begun, however, it is moving slower than a sloth so we’ll keep you posted!

Moment Gelato & Coffee |📍 129 S. 18th St

Filling the former Black Turtle Coffee space that abruptly closed in April (h/t power Rambler Roberta), Moment is a gelato-and-coffee cafe giving off all the right minty feels. Peeking in: deep green tiles, warm oak millwork, a La Marzocco espresso machine, and sconce lighting that practically begs you to linger. Flavors lean Asian-inspired — ube, matcha, rice — alongside the classics, making S. 18th (already home to Malai, Van Leeuwen, and Tipsy Scoop) Rittenhouse’s new dessert-and-caffeine power block, with each offering unique options.

ETA is early July!

Mystery @the Former Joan Shepp Space |📍 1811 Chestnut St

Nothing sends the neighborhood into speculation mode like an orange permit on a vacant storefront, and the former Joan Shepp space is giving us that major mystery energy. Per the Philly Insider’s detective work, the permit traces back to the team behind some of the neighborhood’s most reliably packed venues — Lucy’s, Walnut Garden, Concourse Dance Bar, and Harper’s Garden, among others. No details yet, but if it’s one thing we know, this crew doesn’t do boring.

ETA (and concept!) is TBD, and we’re officially on construction patrol so we’ll keep you posted on all developments.

O’Morreys | 📍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 is 2026 but details beyond that are still scarce.

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.

Sandpiper Cafe | 📍1640 South St

A new breakfast, lunch, and coffee spot is migrating to the former Viet Bistro location on South Street (which closed at some point and its possible consolidation with another restaurant is something we’re still piecing together). Sandpiper Cafe is hoping to open in July with a daytime menu that’s already got the neighborhood talking.

Huge hat tip to Rambler Drew for the intel on this one, proving once again that it takes a village to keep up with the business beat around here. More cafes, more neighborhood chatter? W’re here for ALL of it.

ETA: Aiming for July!

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 carb-loving heart very, very happy.

See our deep dive here – ETA for our first artisanal croissants bakery is this Summer!

The Pelican Club | 📍225 S 18th St

It’s official: Stephen Starr’s fourth restaurant on the Square now has a name AND a vibe! 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. This will be his ninth restaurant in the neighborhood — the man collects Rittenhouse storefronts the way some people collect vinyls.

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 in Spring 2027, with construction kicking off in Fall 2026.

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?!

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 — and we’re very much here for it.

ETA is this Fall!

Unnamed Concept @The Former Franklin Investment Space | 📍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 & details are still hush-hush for now, but we’ll keep you posted as we learn more. Huge thanks to Rambler Steven Z for being just as intrigued as we are!

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 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?

We’re STILL watching this space like a hawk and will keep you updated!

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 TBD.

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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!