The first floor of the residential building connected to the left side of Clarkville at 43rd and Baltimore would be converted into a restaurant under a proposal considered last night by the Spruce Hill Zoning Association (Photo from Google Street View).

The Spruce Hill Community Association considered a proposal last night to convert the first floor of the row home adjacent to Clarkville at 43rd and Baltimore into a small restaurant amid concerns from some neighbors of commercial encroachment in residential areas.

Brought by the owners of the Clarkville building (not the business itself), the proposal for 4303 Baltimore includes an 1,100-square-foot restaurant on the first floor and renovated, high-end apartments on the second and third floors. In the past, the building housed three apartments, but is in rough shape, said Tom Lussenhop of Best House Partners, the building owners since May.

The proposal requires a variance for the first-floor restaurant, which has yet to be decided on (they’re open to suggestions). It will not have a liquor license.  Continue Reading

Just in time for spring, two West Philly-based baked goods businesses have announced that they will be having grand openings this weekend.

Everything is ready for Dottie’s Donuts official opening on Friday, March 18 (Photo from Dottie’s Donuts Facebook page)

The long-anticipated opening date for Dottie’s Donuts’ first brick-and-mortar location at 4529 Springfield Avenue was announced this morning on the popular business’s Facebook page. According to the announcement, the shop will officially open on Friday, March 18, and the hours for now will be 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Along with a wide selection of vegan donuts, the shop will sell bagels and other baked goods, plus coffee and tea. You can read more about Dottie’s Donuts and the people behind it here.

If you didn’t get a chance yet to check out the recently opened Lil’ Pop Shop‘s bakery, here’s a great opportunity this weekend. The new bakery and shop at 4608 Woodland Ave. is inviting everyone to its grand opening celebration on Saturday, March 19. Stop by any time between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and enjoy free treats, coffee, and spritzers (fruit-based seltzer drinks).  Continue Reading

Most of us have seen the Lebanese bakery and cafe take shape for the past several months at the old bank building on the southeast corner of 45th and Walnut. It appears the wait will be over on Monday. We don’t have a lot of details yet, but the Manakeesh is scheduled to open at 6 a.m. lunchtime (1 or 2 we’re told) on Jan. 17.

A “manakeesh” is a Lebanese flatbread sandwich and is the featured food item on the menu. There will be 14 kinds of manakeesh, both vegetarian and meat (halal, of course). A variety of soups, coffees and sweets (baklava!) are also on the menu.

Here is the full menu.