Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

>> NOW SEATING

This quaint (and simply named) 25-seat shop soft-opened three weeks ago right by the Girard El stop. Partners Derick Warren and Joseph McNichols are serving La Colombe coffee and espresso and an assortment of light fare, from Kaplan's bagels to tuna, egg, and chicken and seafood salad sandwiches; they bake croissants fresh on the premises daily. There's also WiFi, outdoor garden seating, a dessert menu and a house guitar for anyone who gets the urge to strum. (No word on whether the "No 'Stairway'" rule applies here, but we suggest you play it safe by assuming it does.) "We're here for the long haul," says Warren, a Cherry Hill native who's worked in the local industry for 25 years. It's true — he and McNichols live right in the neighborhood.

Rosemarie Certo promised us she'd have Dock Street's cavernous new location open by late August, and she didn't disappoint — the space opened its doors this past Monday. Though salads, panini and burgers are available, pizza's the operative word here, as the menu features 23 varieties (with a couple of all-vegan choices, including one with tofu as a topping). Right, the beer: $4 by the pint, $12 by the pitcher or $15 by the growler — a behemoth 64-ounce container that's yours to keep with purchase. (A refill's just $11.) Opening varieties include a white ale, an oatmeal stout and a rye IPA. The space will also play host to brewing competitions, classes and tastings.

>> WAITING LIST

We first told you about Swallow, the seasonal bistro headed up by husband-and-wife team Jason and Cindy Caminos, back in early July. Though a late August opening was the word then, Jason now says they're aiming to debut soon after Labor Day. With its purple-on-purple wallpaper and red crystal chandeliers, the interior decor will be an homage to a Parisian brothel, a nod to Northern Liberties' history as a red-light district. And, since more than a few of you got in touch with questions, here's the deal with the name: While this doesn't exactly come across in print, "Swallow" is a reference to the azure bird on the bistro's sign. Jason drafted it himself after seeing a similar collarbone tattoo in a magazine. "It's meant to be a little subversive," he says. Hee. Bite This: The autumn menu will feature choices like duck confit over a white bean stew, and herbed gnocchi served with a vegetable terrine.