The 2017 James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Restaurateur, Stephen Starr, is teaming up with Aimee Olexy, his business partner in Talula’s Garden and Talula’s Daily, to open a new bi-level, 100-seat restaurant in Rittenhouse.
The farm-to-table eatery, called the Love, is expected to open in late October in the former location of Serafina—across from Starr’s Dandelion on the southwest corner of 18th and Sansom streets. A release sent out this morning describes the venue as having a “relaxed yet sophisticated aesthetic,” with a main dining and bar area, outdoor seating and an upper-level loft with a 20-person communal table.
Joshua Tomaszewski, a Pennsylvania native and former chef at New York City’s A Voce, is in charge of the menu, which is focused on everyday America cuisine with a neighborhood café twist. A rep from the Love says to expect seasonal and local fare—from the kitchen and at the bar, which will spotlight the best spirits from around the region. Some early additions to the food menu include a rosemary pappardelle, milk-braised veal and Chesapeake oyster casserole.