Coming to East Passyunk: Fountain Porter, New Fond and Chris Scarduzio

Drinks will soon accompany the food at Fond; Image via Facebook

By Danya Henninger

In the past decade, East Passyunk Ave has gone from a tired strip stuck in the 1970s to South Philly’s hottest resto-zone, and the new additions keep coming. A block away from the Singing Fountain at 10th and Tasker, a series of creative neon window signs light up the corner, teasing the Labor Day launch of Fountain Porter. A project from Evan Clancy and Scott Pawlicky (who currently work together at Fairmount’s Kite & Key), the bar will be “old-school,” according to Philly.com, with 20 drafts and “nothing pretentious.”

That stretch of Tasker will also welcome the new incarnation of Fond, complete with a liquor license. Run by newly married couple Lee Styer and Jessie Prawlucki (who also has a storefront dedicated to her confections desserts in Belle Cakery), the New American will take advantage of the larger space to increase available seating (a weekend dining spot is hard to come by at the current BYO), as well as offer a full bar to complement the eats. Along with partner Tory Keomanivong, the duo is looking at an October move.

Further down the Avenue, Table 31’s Chris Scarduzio is planning a casual Italian with a focus on seafood, Foobooz reports. Located at the intersection of East Passyunk, Morris and 12th Street, the venue is the former home of Vietnamese-French pastry shop Artisan Boulanger - makers of the best croissants in Philly (the bakery is moving a few blocks south to 1218 Mifflin). No date is yet set for the launch of Scarduzio’s bistro, as the space needs a full renovation.