An expanding steakhouse chain is preparing to make a long-delayed Philadelphia debut. Medium Rare will be opening in Fishtown at the end of 2024, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Washington DC based restaurant will occupy approximately 4,000 square feet in a new building located at 1540 Frankford Avenue. Medium Rare shirks the conventional notions of steakhouses, opting for a more casual and whimsical environment. The dining room will be able to accommodate about 100 guests.
Medium Rare is the brain-child of restaurateur Mark Bucher. Bucher hails from Cherry Hill and made his first attempt to bring the steakhouse to Philadelphia in 2013. However, the location fell through, and despite several efforts, Medium Rare hasn’t been able to break into the Philadelphia restaurant scene until now.
Bucher describes the struggles that led the eatery to its new Fishtown home, stating “We had a deal in Northern Liberties that we were ready to move forward on and that didn’t pan out. We’ve probably gone through three real estate brokers to try to help us find the right spot, and Joe [Scarpone of MPN Realty] hung in there.”
Medium Rare follows a simple but unique business model. The restaurant’s menu contains exactly one option: a prix fixe meal featuring artisan bread, a mixed green salad, steak, and fries with secret sauce. All the customer needs to decide is how they want their steak prepared. Vegetarians and vegans don’t need to sit Medium Rare out, however. The steakhouse offers a portobello mushroom for those who are meat-averse.
Medium Rare currently has three restaurants in DC, one in New Orleans, and one in Baltimore. In addition to Philadelphia, the chain is planning locations in Manhattan, San Francisco, and Boston.
