A new eatery specializing in halal chicken shawarma, Barakat Chicken, is in the works for the northeast corner of 43rd and Walnut. The space was previously occupied by a Chinese restaurant. While more details are currently not available, it looks like the new restaurant should open soon as the signage is already there.

The area around Walnut between 43rd and 45th Streets is known for halal food, featuring Muslim-owned food markets and restaurants. We hope that Barakat Chicken will be a great addition to the local halal restaurant scene.

Photo: West Philly Local

The ground-floor commercial space in the Garden Court Towers that was occupied by Garden Court Eatery until last summer is no longer vacant. Good Hatch, a South Philly-based eatery, has just opened its second Philly location at this space at 4721 Pine St.

Good Hatch specializes in breakfast sandwiches and has other breakfast options, like bagels and toasts. If you want something more substantial, they serve breakfast platters. Various lunch options are also available. Plus, they serve coffee, tea and smoothies. There is some seating available inside, so you can eat in.

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Wonder, a new kind of food hall which lets customers enjoy dishes from some of the world’s best chefs and award-winning restaurants in one order, is opening its newest location in University City next week. This will be Wonder’s third location in Philadelphia and eighth in the greater Philadelphia region.

Wonder allows customers to order from multiple restaurants in a single transaction, with all items prepared fresh in one location. The University City kitchen will feature the full roster of Wonder’s chef partners, including Bobby Flay, Jose Andres, and Marcus Samuelsson, all of which are available for dine-in, pickup or delivery through Wonder’s app throughout University City.

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UPDATE (5/20/25): The restaurant began dine-in lunch service on Tuesday, May 20, and now offers takeout and dine-in lunch on Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

(5/16/25): Corio, a neighborhood restaurant and takeaway serving pizzas, homemade pastas, curated wines, craft cocktails, and more in an Italian Modernism-inspired space, will open this spring in uCity Square at 3675 Market St., next door to Liberty Kitchen and Two Locals Brewing Company.

The new restaurant is a collaboration between three Vernick Food & Drink alumni: Chef David Feola (former Chef and Partner of Ember & Ash), General Manager and Beverage Director James Smith, and Ryan Mulholland, who is also currently the Director of Operations at CookNSolo.

Corio’s menu features creative twists on Italian cuisine with regional American specialties. It will include a variety of small plates, salads, pizzas, and pastas. Lunch will have an addition of sandwiches and dinner will have several entrees. A seasonal and classic cocktail menu will include flavors that complement the food menu with inspirations from Italy, and the wine menu will include selections from well-known staples to unique varietals.

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                           Puyero spread.

Here are some interesting developments on the West Philly restaurant scene, from new openings to updates on existing businesses.

Puyero is bringing authentic Venezuelan cuisine to the heart of University City along the iconic Sansom Row, at 3428 Sansom Street. The restaurant serves authentic Venezuelan street food. Their “comida callejera” revolves around the arepa, a round corn flour patty that is stuffed with a variety of fillings and enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Their most popular arepas are the Reina Pepiada (chicken-avocado-salad) and the Pabellón (beef, beans, sweet plantains, and white cheese). Other must-try menu items include patacones, tequeños, and a memorable tres leches for dessert. The business was founded in 2017 by three Venezuelan immigrants: brothers Gilberto and Simón Arends, and Gil’s wife, Manuela Villasmil, who runs the kitchen. The idea behind Puyero was to share Venezuelan culture and identity, but most importantly their food with the city of Philadelphia. For more details about the restaurant, go to: www.puyeroflavor.com.

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Here’s an interesting shakeup at the storefront located at 4508 Walnut Street (near 45th and Walnut), which was until recently occupied by Lulu Cafe. The cafe specializing in Taiwanese street snacks and bubble tea, has recently closed its doors on Walnut and announced its move to 28-30 S. 40th Street, the space formerly occupied by the Green Line Cafe. The space on S. 40th Street is currently under renovation and Lulu is expected to reopen at this new location next month.

While the space at 45th and Walnut has been vacant since late August, a new sign appeared in its window, announcing that a new restaurant, Urban Sushi & Kitchen, is going to open there soon. The new establishment will serve halal food, according to the sign. So far, no additional information is available. We’ll let you know when we have more details.