More great cheesesteak places are on the way | Let’s Eat

Two great cheesesteak destinations are expanding. We’re here with news about Gazzos and Angelo’s.

Also in this edition:

— Mike Klein

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This is a heady week at The Inquirer’s Cheesesteak Bureau. Let Tommy Rowan tell you about Gazzos, the Pottstown-bred favorite, opening on the Main Line today, while I have scoop about Angelo’s Pizzeria. You may know it’s opening in South Jersey and Conshohocken, but here’s the 411 about the 302: A shop is coming to Delaware.

“Dubai chocolate” — originally milk chocolate, pistachio cream, tahini, and knafeh (phyllo dough) — has grown into a worldwide phenomenon. Hira Qureshi offers seven closer-to-home destinations for your sweets fix.

Chef Yehuda Sichel’s Rittenhouse sandwich shop Huda sells one of the more decadent smash burgers out there — one of the city’s best, in our view. He’s opening a burger shop devoted to it, and here’s what to expect.

The Ground, the plant-filled cafe in Rittenhouse Square and Norris Square, will do a residency at BOTLD Midtown (117 S. 13th St.), the craft spirits shop and cocktail bar, from July 28-Sept. 1. The Ground’s Molly Kiriacoulacos and Michelle Miller and BOTLD’s Andrew Auwerda are collaborating on cocktails including an espresso martini topped with orange vanilla cream. The Ground will offer its usual (nonalcoholic) lineup of beverages, pastries, and potted plants. Hours will be 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily.

Tesiny, the oyster bar/cocktail bar from Lauren Biederman and Devon Reyes, is targeting late August in a former auto garage at 719 Dickinson St. in South Philadelphia. Chef Michael Valen, whose background includes Abe Fisher and Zahav, followed by the Good King Tavern and Superfolie, will have a charcoal grill in his open kitchen; the counter will include a raw bar. Biederman, owner of the South Philly appetizing shop Biederman’s as well as the caviar kiosk outside of the Comcast Technology Center, says caviar won’t be a main focus of Tesiny’s menu “but likely will make an appearance.”

Val’s Restaurant, which first-time restaurateur James Vallery soft-opened for weekend brunch last May at 21st and Green Streets in Spring Garden, is expanding into dinner Thursday-Saturday, effective July 31. Here’s the menu.

The Borscht Belt, a Jewish deli, plans a July 31 grand opening inside Chestnut Hill’s Market at the Fareway, where it will replace Hosers Central Kitchen.

Dig Inn, the wholesome fast-casual chain that briefly shortened its name to Dig, is mere weeks away from opening at Suburban Square (where HipCityVeg was), followed soon after by a Jenkintown location.

Tavern on Camac, which dates back a century as a LGBTQ+ establishment at 243 S. Camac St., has reopened its kitchen and dining room after nearly a year of renovations. Leading the revamped kitchen is chef Zander Gatta, last at Royal Boucherie. Besides steaks, the menu includes chicken liver mousse with sour cherry mostarda and cornichon ($15); mussels and shrimp in brodo with tomato, fennel, parsley, and Mighty Bread sourdough ($17); and half roast chicken with roasted potato, watercress, and chicken jus ($21). Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. daily, with kitchen open till 11 p.m. N.B. The ownership group, including Stephen Carlino and Randal Mrazik, is also behind the reopening of Grace Tavern at 23rd and South, which is awaiting its liquor license. Mrazik said they hope to revive the signature blackened green beans.

Italian Family Pizza. Steven Calozzi, who grew up in a pizzeria-owning family from Bucks County, moved to Seattle nearly a decade ago to join his brother in a cheesesteak shop. The two had a falling out, and Steven Calozzi opened three pizza shops selling Trenton-style pizza, homemade meatballs, and cannoli.

Family matters brought Calozzi and his wife, Jen, back to Bucks to open a shop in New Hope. Now, with a son in school in Center City Philadelphia, the Calozzis have opened a homey pizzeria offering a simple menu of pizzas, a salad, meatballs, and cannoli.

P.S. When you order meatballs for a sandwich, you get the best of Calozzi’s kitchen: The rolls are made from pizza dough and are baked to order.

It’s open for dine-in and takeout; there’s no delivery or social media.

Italian Family Pizza, 1701 Ben Franklin Parkway, 215-801-5198. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Which olive is best for your martini? Kika Aranita gets down and dirty.

Summer on the Steps sets up food trucks and a beer garden in a family-friendly atmosphere on the East Terrace of the Art Museum from 2-6 p.m. every weekend through Sept. 28. Constellation Culinary Group, which runs the museum’s restaurant and catering, is working with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.

Bar Palmina, the Fishtown nonalcoholic bar (1306 N. Front St.), will host chef Kevin Yanaga of Yanaga Kappo Izakaya for a sushi pop-up from 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Here’s the menu.

Glenside Lunch Week has assembled six local eateries — Fill a Bagel, Richman’s, Glenside Pizza, Humpty’s Dumplings, Renato’s, and Joe’s Market — to offer specials through Saturday.

Northern Liberties’ popular food truck festival has been canceled. As Bea Forman reports, it’s just too expensive for organizers. (Meanwhile, Chinatown just announced its YeShi Night Market for Oct. 9.)

Glu Hospitality’s bars and restaurants closed earlier this year amid allegations of wage theft and improper licensing. If you’re a current or former Glu employee, contractor, vendor, or investor who would like to speak to an Inquirer reporter about your experience working with the company, reach out.

How about a magical theatrical experience? Critic Gauri Mangala enjoys the adaptation of Life of Pi, now on at the Academy of Music.

Pumpkin spice season? It’s too soon, so stop asking.

What trendy food is now a sideline of Attic Brewery in Germantown?

A) pizza

B) Nashville hot chicken

C) hot dogs

D) smashburgers

Find out if you know the answer.

The Rose Tattoo in Callowhill reopened recently after a several-year absence. Has it shut down again already? Sure looks like it. — Edward B.

Owner Michael Maltepes says he’s “taken a little vacation,” but expects to reopen. The restaurant at 19th and Callowhill was one of Philly’s coziest bistros from 1983 to 2019, when it shut down after a sale. Maltepes soft-reopened it (is that even a term?) in the spring with bar-only service, with unclear plans to add food. Stay tuned.

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