A dozen new restaurants are opening this month — and steak frites is the flagship dish for not one but two of them

The pace of restaurant openings tends to slow down in the summer, but for July, I count at least a dozen newcomers on the Philadelphia-area scene, with menus serving Georgian, Mexican, modern Chinese, upscale American cooking, breakfast, and brunch.

For good measure, there will be not one but two new restaurants specializing in steak frites, and a high-end steakhouse opening at the Jersey Shore.

Bleigh Street on York (102 S. York Rd., Hatboro): Nick Cifaldi has set Wednesday to debut his sandwich shop in downtown Hatboro (relocating from Northeast Philadelphia) in the former Hatboro Dish. Besides cheesesteaks, cutlets, and smash burgers, the house specialty is a mozzarella stick stuffed with cheesesteak and served with caramelized onion aioli and spicy ketchup.

Chez Frites and Sunny’s (Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City): Stephen Starr has conceived two new restaurants off the lobby at Ocean. The casino is targeting late July for the openings, though the reservation book won’t open until August. Chez Frites will serve dinner with a prix fixe menu of steak, salmon, or lobster, accompanied by salad and unlimited fries. Sunny’s will handle breakfast and lunch, with dishes such as pigs in a blanket, Nutella French toast, lobster roll, and meat loaf. (Starr’s big splash in Philadelphia, Borromini, is targeting August.)

Coastal Chop House (4001 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City): Owner Tommy Brower, seeing a lack of chops and high-end seafood between Cape May and Atlantic City, has retooled his five-year-old daytime joint Bright Spot Cafe as a beach-y BYOB steakhouse that is soft opening on Friday. Chef Jugo Stevcic was most recently with FCM Hospitality, while the well-traveled chef John Taus is consulting under his company JET Hospitality. Dinner will run daily, with entrées running $25-40 and premium cuts, like a 20-ounce Creekstone rib eye, on offer. Wine lockers will be available for customers.

Kinto (1144 Frankford Ave.): The crew from the Fishtown cabaret Fabrika and the adjacent Margolis cocktail bar has set July 10 for the opening of this Georgian BYOB, some two years in the making, just up the block. The traditional menu, from chef Bela Gogebashvili, will be vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, while the bar will be devoted to zero-proof cocktails (they’ll mix drinks for those who bring their own spirits). Explaining the lack of liquor license, partner Lasha Kikvidze, who also has the Eastern European nightspot Golden Gates in Northeast Philadelphia, pointed out that his customers aren’t drinking as much as they used to.

The Lodge by Two Robbers (738 S. 11th St.): The Nayar brothers have settled on July 11 to open their second tasting room, at the former Hawthornes at 11th and Fitzwater. The cozy lodge atmosphere will feature an expanded food menu (including brunch) and a cocktail program built around Two Robbers’ spirits and canned cocktails.

Mana Modern Chinese (719 N. Second St.): Tom Lau (Aki Nom Nom, Feng Hot Pot) is fronting this Chinese BYOB in Northern Liberties whose menu will offer both classic dim sum and fusion dishes (“like Buddakan meets Dim Sum Garden,” he said). Its opening will be July 16.

Medium Rare (1540 Frankford Ave.): The energetic D.C.-based steak frites chain expects to open in mid- to late July, next to Suraya in Fishtown. For $34.95, you get unlimited steak, salad, and frites; vegans can sub grilled mushrooms in a fire-roasted red pepper sauce.

Stardust Cafe (729 Haddon Ave., Collingswood): July 10 marks the changeover from Collingswood’s longtime ’50s-theme Pop Shop to the not-quite-so-retro but still-approachable Stardust, under owners Jerry Goksun and Jennifer Vincent.

Tlali (7219 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby): Chef Alberto Sandoval, a 20-year Philadelphia restaurant veteran originally from San Mateo Ozolco in Puebla, promises Mexican cuisine and cozy vibes at his new restaurant in Upper Darby, whose target is late July. Sandoval, working with his brother Efran, spent two years at Amada and several years at Condesa. They also owned La Fonda de Teresita in South Philadelphia from 2012 to 2020.

Toastique (108 Squire Dr., Newtown Square): This syndicated, D.C.-based toast/juice/coffee bar, run by franchisees Andrea and David Rea, will make its Philadelphia-area debut at 8 a.m. on July 19 in the Ellis Preserve development. The first 100 guests in line get $50 in rewards dollars, with a minimum $10 purchase, to be used on future visits.

Triple Crown (Radnor Hotel, 593 E. Lancaster Ave., Radnor): Fearless Restaurants (White Dog Cafe, Moshulu, Autograph) says “end of July” for this upmarket American restaurant/event space in the fresh Ralph Lauren-inspired equestrian digs at the Radnor Hotel.