“Unpretentious deliciousness” is uncorking in Philadelphia’s Fishtown this fall.
LeoFigs, a restaurant and winery from husband-and-wife team Justice Figueras and Shannon Leocata-Figueras, will open at 2201 Frankford Ave. Previously reported by What Now Philadelphia, new details about the debut have since emerged.
The duo has spent most of their careers in the hospitality industry—Figueras in operations and hotel management before transitioning to wine, and Leocata-Figueras focusing on creative events and cocktails.
“COVID hit. Justice got laid off from his big corporate job at a wine company. It was just one of those periods where everyone was reflecting,” Leocata-Figueras told What Now Philadelphia. “I think it was a time to figure out our values and we’ve always talked about doing something on our own and it felt like the right time to do it.”
The two began developing a business plan and envisioning the kind of place they wanted to create. Their efforts resulted in LeoFigs, a name combining elements of both of their names.
“LeoFigs is a take on our name,” she said. “My family is Leocata which is Sicilian and Justice’s name is Figueras which is Spanish. From a food standpoint, we’re taking that background of our family’s heritage.”
LeoFigs will offer authentic, scratch-made comfort food, featuring rich, savory sauces, housemade pasta and freshly baked bread. The restaurant has appointed executive chef David Roque, formerly of Basita, to lead the kitchen.
“He is really, really special and super familiar with this neighborhood demographic that has such a mix of generational Fishtown folk, families and young professionals,” Leocata-Figueras said. “I think it’s such an interesting diverse mix and he’s really familiar with that.”
LeoFigs also features a curated wine and cocktail program, complemented by house-made cider.
“The wine has been in production for a little over a year now. We’re going into our second fall harvest in just a couple of weeks. We have grapes coming in from California and Italy. We had some grapes come in from Chile and South America in March with Southern Hemispheres,” she said. “We’re taking Justice’s expertise in wine and my experience in cocktails, bringing those two together.”
The duo is thrilled to bring new, memorable experiences to life with the debut of LeoFigs.
“We’re the ones that host all the time with all our friends and family. I’m just excited to share that in a bigger and broader sense with this community,” Leocata-Figueras said.
She continued, “It feels really good to do something on our own and show our kids that entrepreneurship is something unique and it’s brave. Justice and I fell in love with this industry and we want our kids to get exposed to how to talk to people and what hospitality really means.”
The duo is planning a tentative soft opening on September 30, with the official grand opening set for the first or second week of October.
For the latest updates, visit LeoFigs’ website and follow them on Instagram.
