Rockwell & Rose, a new steakhouse and seafood restaurant from Phillip Scotti of The Clark’s Group, will open this October in the Curtis Center.
The restaurant will pair elevated dining with classic hospitality, set against an interior of cold marble and dark tones. Building on P.J. Clarke’s legacy, Rockwell & Rose brings a modern vision to more than 150 years of Americana, according to a press release.
Rockwell nods to the historic Curtis Building, once home to Curtis Publishing, where magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post and The Ladies’ Home Journal helped shape American culture.
“Rose” reflects Rosie the Riveter, a design influence on the steakhouse’s warm palette, and a tribute to owner Scotti’s mother, Rose Scotti. For Scotti, opening the restaurant in Philadelphia is both a homecoming and a way to honor her legacy.
Rockwell & Rose features four distinct spaces: the Walnut Room, overlooking Washington Square Park and Walnut Street; the main Rockwell Dining Room; the private Rose Room for events; and the Oyster Bar. Each space tells part of the restaurant’s story through its design, fixtures, art and details.
Tim Killeen, general manager of P.J. Clarke has spent 27 years in hospitality across major U.S. cities. With a career rooted in pubs, Killeen prioritizes warmth, strong teams and community connections. At Rockwell & Rose, he sees a chance to bring that philosophy to a steakhouse while strengthening ties to the Washington Square neighborhood, the press release reads.
“We are looking to create a new offering for all the neighbors around and above us that we call our family and friends. We want to tempt new faces across the city and the region to not only visit our part of the city and its historical treasures, but to stay here and enjoy a great meal after,” Killeen said in a statement.
He continued, “We want to create a new kind of steakhouse, not just a special occasion hotspot that comes and goes in a flash. Yes, you better believe we will be a terrific place to mark life’s big milestones, but we also want to be where locals stop before the theater, where locals go with our out-of-town family members after the Liberty Bell, and where guests come after their long day to feel appreciated and to feel special–absolutely no special occasion needed.”
Rockwell & Rose will feature steakhouse classics alongside a versatile menu designed to surprise. Guests can expect prime cuts of meat, fresh seafood, a nightly raw bar with live shucking and seafood towers assembled tableside.
The scratch kitchen will emphasize seasonal and local ingredients, sourcing bread and ice cream from Philadelphia favorites and working with vendors across the Northeast. Notable dishes include French onion soup dumplings, jumbo lump crab cakes with elote slaw, twin broiled Maine lobster tails and “Freedom From Want,” a Thanksgiving-inspired turkey porchetta with sourdough stuffing, cranberry relish and whipped sweet potatoes.
Killeen and Michelle Zarallo will oversee the bar program at Rockwell & Rose, which will feature eight taps with beer, cider and other offerings, an extensive wine list curated by a local sommelier and a cocktail menu split into two sections: Rockwell, highlighting classic drinks, and Rose, showcasing creative and floral-inspired options.
Signature cocktails include the Illustrator, made with amaro, Aperol, aged rum, cacao bitters and orange zest, and Grandma’s China, with rose liqueur, crème de cassis, lime, elderflower, dried rose petals and a gold rim.
Rockwell & Rose will officially open on Oct. 8. The restaurant will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and closed Monday and Tuesday.
