At the Table BYOB Owners Detail Expansion Plans for New Location

Come September, the six-year-old upscale dining experience that until now operated out of a former hotdog stand will have a kitchen and an ambiance to match its elevated cuisine.
At the Table BYOB Owners Detail Expansion Plans for New Location
Photo: @atthetablebyob on Instagram

At the Table BYOB, an upscale tasting menu experience from chefs Alex Hardy and Tara Buzan-Hardy, plans to move from its current location at Louella Court into a nearby restaurant space at 118 W Lancaster Ave this September, as first reported by The Inquirer

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According to Alex and Tara the move is a long time coming, as the couple has been operating their signature elevated dining concept out of a former hotdog stand for the past six years. And while that certainly hasn’t stopped At the Table from becoming one of Wayne’s most lauded brands, it hasn’t exactly helped them flourish either.

“We’ve gotten amazing accolades which we totally love and appreciate and just adore, in such a place that we are now,” Alex tells What Now Philadelphia, however, he adds, “For us to be able to do what we do in a place that’s designed for us, it’s going to be amazing, it’s going to be over the top, it’s going to be awesome.”

Tara echoes the sentiment, explaining that they plan to, “elevate what we already do, but [be] able to execute it better in a kitchen that’s meant to be a kitchen, a restaurant that’s meant to be a restaurant, not a hotdog stand.”

While their new digs will be able to accommodate double the guests, it’ll also feature a raw bar to accompany the tasting and a la carte menus – an addition that will extend to the overall aesthetic and theming of the space.

“The decor will match what we’re putting out of the kitchen,” says Tara. “We’re doing a really cool oceanic vibe to tie the raw bar into the dining room. And just making the restaurant a little more vibey and edgy, as opposed to what it is now,” a 26-seat dining room with a pandemic-era outdoor tent that seats 50.

Furthermore, as far as the restaurateurs are concerned, it’s part of a larger push to bring something new to the area’s dining scene. 

“What we want to do is almost have that Michelin-type brand,” says Alex. “Yes, we are fine dining, and yes, you’re going to get an experience, and yes it’s going to be awesome and wonderful – both hospitality-wise and cuisine-wise – but it’s to be something, realistically, different.” 

At the end of the day, it’s as much about Alex and Tara showcasing what they’re capable of, as it is about the community and customers they serve. As Tara explains, 

“The fact that we have guests that dine under our tent on a parking lot, whether it’s raining or snowing, they’re still willing to do this. And now we want to, obviously, show our appreciation for everyone that’s helped us through this. And we want to just say thank you to our customers, and give them the experience they deserve – to be not sitting on a parking lot and to be sitting in our dining room.”

Photo: @atthetablebyob on Instagram

Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock is an independent contributor covering various markets across What Now's portfolio. He’s an avid record collector, amateur chef, compulsive estate sale shopper, and “Antiques Roadshow” binge watcher. Originally from Los Angeles, Drew now lives in El Paso, TX with his wife and their two cats.
Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock

Drew Pittock is an independent contributor covering various markets across What Now's portfolio. He’s an avid record collector, amateur chef, compulsive estate sale shopper, and “Antiques Roadshow” binge watcher. Originally from Los Angeles, Drew now lives in El Paso, TX with his wife and their two cats.

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