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All the food options at Piazza Pod Park | Let’s Eat

Also, a homey Mediterranean cafe in Mount Airy and a new pizzeria (that's not a pizzeria) in South Philly.

Bebot, a sculpture from Burning Man, presides over Piazza Pod Park, near the Piazza in Northern Liberties.
Bebot, a sculpture from Burning Man, presides over Piazza Pod Park, near the Piazza in Northern Liberties.Read moreMICHAEL KLEIN / Staff

Food options abound at the new Piazza Pod Park, a sweet outdoors setup just across from the Piazza in Northern Liberties, and I’ll run them down. Also this week, I find a homey Mediterranean cafe in Mount Airy and a new pizzeria (that’s not a pizzeria) in South Philly. If you need food news, click here and follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Email tips, suggestions, and questions here. If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you like what you’re reading, sign up here to get it free every week.

Michael Klein

A fun feast in Northern Liberties

The Piazza, the residential-retail complex on the former site of Schmidt's brewery in Northern Liberties, was getting a bit sleepy crossing its 10th anniversary. The open courtyard in front of a massive TV screen and occasional festivals weren't cutting it.

New management, the Post Brothers, have converted a parking lot across the way at Second Street and Germantown Avenue into a playground called Piazza Pod Park — the operative word referring to the shipping containers housing more than a dozen vendors. Set up beneath a 33-foot-tall robot sculpture, Bebot, are 11 food and drink outlets, a toy store, and a fitness company.

My colleague Grace Dickinson runs down the park and its features. As for the food stuff, there is a fine assortment: Dim Sum House and Jane G’s are there with a Chinese spot called Lil Sum Sum; Spread Bagelry sells sandwiches built on Montreal-style bagels; Urban Village (the Piazza’s pizzeria/microbrewery) is there with its beer as well as with a wine bar; El Camino Real’s Tiki Takos delivers Mexican comida; Center City’s Bru dispenses craft beer, while its sister restaurant Blume does cocktails; Essen Bakery has sweets; Lokal Artisan Foods sells French toast bites (regular and vegan!); Empanada Box sells empanadas; and Mama Maria’s Italian Ice is an offshoot of a popular Port Richmond stand.

You can eat at tables beneath umbrellas, or inside a small building that has a roof deck.

Tip: It should be ready to go Friday, June 7, though the official opening is Saturday, June 8. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).

This Week’s Openings

Bloomsday | Society Hill

All-day cafe from Haverford's Green Engine Coffee has soft-opened at 414 S. Second St., the former Nola across from Head House Square. A liquor license is on its way.

Franklin Social | Old City

The name … It’s not The Franklin or Franklin Mortgage or Sunset Social or Fishtown Social. Renaissance Hotel at Fourth and Chestnut Streets, revamping its year-old Chez Ben in the lobby, simply borrowed one restaurant name from Column A and another from Column B. Opens June 12.

HipCityVeg | Ardmore

"Plant-based" fast-casual chain opens its first Main Line location, at Suburban Square two doors from Sweetgreen, on June 8.

Dessertcrazy | Francisville

Low-carb/gluten-free snacks and desserts from a cafe/market at 1925 Fairmount Ave.

Palma's Cucina | Fitler Square

June 7 is the due date for the revamped Mama Palma's at 23rd and Spruce, with a new, more upscale vibe and a menu that's less focused on pizza.

Piazza Pod Park | Northern Liberties

See above.

The Treat Box Philly | Powelton Village

Nashirah Davis' Barbie-pink dessert salon has taken the corner of 32nd and Baring Streets.

Vince's Pizzeria & Taproom | Wrightstown

A branch of the Northeast Philly pizza family opens a pizzeria June 10 at 573 Durham Rd. (Route 413) in Wrightstown; this one will have a self-service beer wall.

This Week’s Closings

Adobe Cafe | South Philadelphia

Last call at the 1919 E. Passyunk Ave. location of the popular cantina will be June 9. Management says it is moving but would not disclose more info.

Bluestone Lane | King of Prussia

The coffee chain's KoP outlet: Bean there, done that.

Chalasco's | Northern Liberties

Peruvian spot at Liberties Walk barely lasted a year.

MidiCi | King of Prussia

Chain pizzeria in KoP Town Center has closed this location.

The Rooster | Rittenhouse

CookNSolo’s charitable endeavor, a deli at 1526 Sansom St., ran into financial woes. Last night is June 8.

Where to enjoy happy hour

Center City District Sips, 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 28

The Center City District’s warm-weather happy-hour promo begins Wednesday, June 5, taking over dozens upon dozens of restaurants, bars, and venues with discounted drinks and appetizers. (This is fair warning for its detractors.) New this year are Thanal Indian Tavern at 20th and Arch Streets and Blume at 1500 Locust St.

See the list and details here.

Where we’re eating

Stina, 1705 Snyder Ave.

The name says Stina Pizzeria, but chef Bobby Saritsoglou is extending the concept into the general Mediterranean at his cozy, antiques-filled BYOB in a storefront just off West Passyunk Avenue.

His wood-fired Morello Forni oven is the restaurant’s only cooking implement, aside from a spit to prepare the shawarma, and it turns out kefta kebab and chicken kebab, fire-roasted cauliflower, octopus, pide (the topped and filled Turkish bread), and thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza. Add house-made pastas (including manti, lasagna, and spaghetti with mussels), and there's something for everyone.

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It offers reservations through Resy.com, and allows some walk-ins.

Malelani Cafe, 6734 Germantown Ave.

George Drakopoulos, South African-born of Greek descent, is behind this utterly charming but utterly Spartan cafe in Mount Airy. There's a community drop-in spirit (starting in midmorning for coffee), as well as frequent live music (open mic on Thursday) that extends the hours into the late evenings.

The menu includes platters of standards including shawarma, dolmas, gyro, and falafel, but you should be sure to stop when Drakopoulos offers moussaka, the rich, Greek version of shepherd's pie.

Get it as a platter ($15.50) with pickled cabbage and onions, tabbouleh, black bean hummus, tzatziki, pico de gallo, and a warm pita.

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Dining Notes

Philadelphia Cream Cheese was never from Philly. So why do we call it that?

There's a lot of hype around Pizzeria Beddia. Critic Craig LaBan says to believe the hype.

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