May is officially one of the busiest months of the year for splashy restaurant openings

What’s new in Philadelphia-area dining this month? A sprawling French brasserie, two high-minded Mexican spots, a 1970s-inspired bar-restaurant with a lounge, a fine-dining Georgian restaurant, a South Jersey trattoria, and the Philly premiere of a noted gay bar from D.C.

Also new: a custard and soft-serve shop in West Chester, Indian ice cream (by way of New York) in Rittenhouse, and Formula One racing simulations from F1 Arcade in Center City.

La Grange (915 Antique Alley, Yardley) — say it “la GRAHNJE,” French for “barn” — is a 220-seat French brasserie in a restored stone barn in Lower Makefield’s Prickett Preserve development, two minutes from I-295 and across the road from Shady Brook Farm in Bucks County. The goal is to replicate the vibe of Center City’s Parc. Executive chef Peter Woolsey (backed by a crew from his former Bistrot La Minette) is cooking the classics for lunch and dinner daily in unstuffy surroundings: both a rustic, balconied room as well as sunny seating alongside a 20-seat bar capped by a raw bar.

» READ MORE: Inside La Grange, the new Bucks County brasserie

Pops Trattoria (34 W. Merchant St., Audubon, N.J.) marks Richard and Christina Cusack’s transformation of Cafe Le Jardin from French to Italian. South Philly-bred chef Richard Cusack offers such dishes as spaghetti all‘assassina, braised short rib ragu with rigatoni, potato “Parisian” gnocchi with brown butter sage and ricotta salata, braised short rib with polenta, and roasted branzino with sun-dried tomato, capers, onion, and lemon. Dinner 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for weekend brunch.

Flight Club (1417 Walnut St., across from the Bellevue): The syndicated high-tech dart parlor in a British pub setting comes to Center City with a bar and food from a scratch kitchen.

La Jefa (1605 Latimer St.) is a multifaceted, daytime/nighttime bar-restaurant in the rear of the recently reopened Tequilas in Center City. In fact, it is actually two spaces: a warmly decorated cafe with a counter, and, behind a velvet curtain, an intimate bar-lounge called La Jefa Milpa.

Guadalajaran-born Tequilas founder David Suro’s Philly-raised children — inspired by their late mother (she’s “la jefa”) — are tying together Tapatio and Philly styles, billing it as “Guadaladelphian.” It opens at 8 a.m. daily for Mexican-sourced coffees (there’s a cold agave cappuccino called agavatte) and pastries, including a chocolate cookie stuffed with mole. Full-service brunch (10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday) includes a pastrami sandwich with chili mayo and purple cabbage coleslaw, as well as a pork carnitas sandwich.

Dinner, starting soon, will include aguachiles and ceviche blanco plus a squash quesadilla made with black and white masa. La Jefa’s big plays are agave cocktails, all kinds of ferments, and natural wines via a collab with James Beard winner Danny Childs (example: fermentation head Shakur Armstrong’s house-made ginger beer spiked with basil-infused Siembra Azul tequila).

» READ MORE: La Jefa is a sophisticated Mexican cafe in Center City

Percy (1700 N. Front St.) is a 1970s-inspired restaurant with a bar, lounge, and “sound lounge” on the Fishtown/Kensington border from BIKCG Hospitality Group, which also owns the three Forîn Cafes. Brunch is daily from 8 a.m. while dinner/lounge service runs Thursday to Saturday. Executive chef Jack Smith (ex-a.kitchen+bar) leads counter café service with house-made pastries, bread, and coffee drinks in the morning, segueing into brunch (how about a Philly-ized croque monsieur with roast pork, broccoli rabe, provolone, an egg, and side salad?) and dinner (Jonah crab croquettes, a parsnip velouté, scallop crudo, miso-brown butter gnocchi with carrot velouté, Chinese broccoli, and pickled Fresno peppers; and a rib-eye with duck-fat fries, a green salad, and béarnaise).

Amá (101 W. Oxford St., at Front) marks the ownership debut of Mexico City-born chef Frankie Ramirez (ex-Enoteca Tredici, Parc, LMNO), with his wife, Verónica, and partners Roberto Medina and Crisalida Mata (La Catrina in Media, Spasso Italian Grill in Media, Agave Mexican Cuisine in Chadds Ford).

Amá, short for “mamá,” is a polished 120-seater with a 20-seat bar, white textured plaster walls, wooden beams, terra-cotta accents, and accordion windows looking out at the corner. Past the 12-seat chef’s table by the open kitchen, Ramirez can be seen working on his 8-foot charcoal- and wood-fired grill, next to the tortilla makers on the comal. Menu is tight, upscale, and seasonal. Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m., and reservations are live on Resy.

» READ MORE: Amá marks the ownership debut of a Stephen Starr veteran chef

Heng Seng Noodles (1467 Brace Rd., Cherry Hill): Siblings Annie, Lange, and Sarah Huong, whose father, Anthony Huong, owns Heng Seng, a Cambodian restaurant in South Philadelphia, have branched out to Cherry Hill’s Hung Vuong shopping center with a more expansive menu (including the signature dry noodles) and lots of nonalcoholic drinks, such as coconut milk and Ovaltine.

Corio (3675 Market St., entrance next to Two Locals Brewing/Liberty Kitchen on 37th Street) is the contemporary Italian spot backed by Vernick Food & Drink alums: chef David Feola (ex-Ember & Ash); general manager/beverage director James Smith; and Ryan Mulholland, currently CookNSolo’s director of operations. Open for lunch daily, there soon will be a full bar (plus takeaway wines).

Malai (260 S. 18th St.), just south of Rittenhouse Square, is Brooklyn-based Pooja Bavishi’s fast-growing artisanal scoop shop featuring South Asian-inspired spices and flavors (cardamom, star anise, ginger root, mango, etc.).

Val’s (2047 Green St.): Real estate broker James Vallery has taken over the Fairview at 21st and Green Streets in Fairmount, starting with Saturday and Sunday brunch (chicken and waffles, red velvet French toast, lamb chop platter, etc.) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner and a bar are expected to follow this summer.

Ice Cream West Chester (14 N. Church St., West Chester): Speer Madanat, owner of the acclaimed Pizza West Chester and Steaks West Chester, has applied his exacting standards to ice cream. He’s dishing premium soft-serve and frozen custard out of a storefront.

Little Gay Pub (102 S. 13th St.), the first outside branch of the D.C. celeb hangout, opens Tuesday on two levels of the former Gayborhood home of Broth Thyme, The Corner, and Tiki, down the alley from McGillin’s Olde Ale House. Owners Dito Sevilla, Dusty Martinez, and Benjamin Gander say their mission is to create a pub for the LGBTQ community “to be celebrated, more than just served.”

The Rabbit Hole (201 W. Sixth Ave., Conshohocken): Opening Wednesday, this stylish corner bar will aim for a high-low experience, with cocktails paired with lighter fare (sandwiches, boards, flatbread pizzas, and snacks, such as Cajun deviled egg caviar bites).

Leo (Broad and Spruce Streets): Opening night is Friday for the Kimmel Center‘s new restaurant (replacing Volvér), which is billed as a neighborhood restaurant offering approachable vibes for pretheater and everyday patrons. Chef Chris Cryer’s menu emphasizes bold, seasonal flavors, drawing inspiration from coastal European cuisine.

El Chingón Fishtown (1431 Frankford Ave.): Chef Carlos Aparicio expands his casual Mexican cooking to Fishtown with an outdoor-only setup and margarita garden next door.

Salt & Stone (128 Fayette St., Conshohocken): Demetrios Pappas (ex-Cafe Fresko in Bryn Mawr) is behind this modern-American spot done up in midcentury modern at the former Fayette Street Oyster House. Chef Lassine Sylla’s long local history includes Anjou and Tangerine.

Kinto (1444 Frankford Ave.) is the long-delayed, stylish Georgian bar-restaurant from Fishtown’s cabaret/restaurant Fabrika in a new building just up the block.

The Speckled Egg Cafe (19 N. Union St., Lambertville): Chef Megan Loos and Tony Artur’s well-regarded breakfast-through-dinner cafe has left Rice’s Market in Bucks County for a storefront in Lambertville, the former home of Manon. Menu includes chicken shawarma burgers, kimchi egg and cheeses, and crispy sesame chicken with creamy tahini dressing.

F1 Arcade (1330 Chestnut St.), opening May 29, is the third U.S. location of the Formula 1-affiliated game room, which will seat 550 people in the old West Elm store. Planned are 80 racing simulators, lots of high-top dinner seating, and an illuminated 43-foot bar.