Stephen Starr, the James Beard award winning restaurateur, is back at it again. The entrepreneur will be opening a new restaurant concept in Rittenhouse Square at an as-of-yet undetermined time, reports The Philadelphia Business Journal.
Starr’s restaurant group is remaining coy about the project. The highly successful company has attained a pending liquor license under the name Smallville Restaurants Associates, LLC, a name registered to Starr’s brand.
The restaurant will take over 1805 Walnut Street, a space formerly occupied by Barnes & Noble. Local political figure and real estate impresario Allan Domb owns the space and actively pursued Starr as the location’s new tenant.
The Rittenhouse property provides 24,000 square feet of area. Whether or not Starr intends to use the full expanse remains undetermined. The space will require some renovation before it can be turned into a restaurant.
While the eatery’s name, concept, and opening date are still undeclared, a Stephen Starr restaurant is always an incredible draw. Domb believes the new establishment will help revive Philadelphia’s economy and dining scene, stating “”I think it helps the overall city when you make a commitment and investment of this size. This is a huge commitment to Philadelphia.”
Starr can claim credit for many successful east coast eateries, including The Continental, The Love, and Talula’s Garden. While his footprint is most present in Philadelphia, Starr’s restaurant group also has eateries in New York, Washington D.C., and Florida.
