Celebrity chef and entrepreneur Michael Shulson is planning to open a new Mediterranean restaurant at 1911 Walnut Street in Rittenhouse Square. Schulson projects the as-yet unnamed establishment will open in seven to eight months, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Schulson announced the restaurant, currently in the research and development stage, in 2021. Construction is set to begin in a month. The eatery’s name, menu, and layout are still being finalized. Schulson has stated he’s limited the name to three to four potential options, but declined to reveal the contenders.
Cyprus native and 2010 James Beard award semi-finalist, Konstantinos Pitsillides will helm the authentic Mediterranean restaurant.
Schulson described the future addition to his restaurant group, the Schulson Collective, as “unique and different than anything anyone’s ever eaten in this city”. Schulson and Pitsillides aim to create extremely authentic Mediterranean fare, using ingredients new to many Philadelphians. The restaurant will use a charcoal oven for additional authenticity.
The restaurant will take up 5,500 square feet in Rittenhouse’s The Laurel building. The location will seat between 140 and 165 customers, offer 100 seats of indoor dining, a 32 seat outdoor dining area, a 13 seat bar, and a 9 seat drink rail.
Schulson plans for the new restaurant to keep comparable hours to the existing Schulson projects, opening from 4 pm to 11 pm or midnight, and intends to serve Saturday and Sunday brunch.
The Schulson Collective includes nine local restaurants. Schulson hopes this will be the first of many collaborations with Pitsillides. Additionally, Schulson has big plans to expand his empire; upcoming projects include a speakeasy on Broad Street, the Double Knot in Wynwood, and projects in Florida and New York.
