Welcome to Picnic, Philly's new dining hotspot
Welcome to Picnic, Philly's new dining hotspot
Picnic, Philly's newest restaurant hotspot, opens next week just in time for the buzzing Fourth of July crowds.
Why it matters: Getting here was no picnic for Defined Hospitality, which runs a stable of go-to restaurants including Kalaya and Pizzeria Beddia.
Driving the news: The group spent two years reworking the abandoned Weisbrod & Hess Brewery in East Kensington into a vibrant and inviting no-reservation restaurant and wine shop. It opens Wednesday at 5pm.
- Executive chef Mark Jerome Hennessy heads up the kitchen. On the menu: Wood-fired rotisserie chicken and oysters from Fishtown Seafood.
- There are more than 70 low-intervention wines on offer (bottles in the $50-70 range), plus cocktails and a robust zero-proof program, per the Inquirer.
Catch up quick: The owners of Defined Hospitality saw a lot of potential when they bought the old brewery, a big brick building with high ceilings and curved windows.
- But it required a full overhaul to fix the crumbling infrastructure and transform it into a 225-seat restaurant, inspired partly by the Bacchanal in New Orleans.
What they're saying: The atmosphere is "convivial" and "laidback" — you know, like a picnic, creative advisor Joe Beddia said in a statement.
What to expect: Service is a mix of full service and fast casual with QR code ordering. There's a space for live music.
- Tables are first come, first served, but parties of eight or more can book reservations online.
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