While most restaurants that shut down during the coronavirus lockdown have either reopened or closed for good, the future of famed Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr’s Pod still remains to be seen.
According to Yelp, Pod, located at 3636 Sansom St. in Philadelphia, is slated to reopen on June 1, 2022, after a massive renovation.
But what it will reopen as is still unknown.
Starr, who has about 40 restaurants under his belt, closed several of his Philadelphia restaurants during the pandemic and declined to reopen them so he could reimagine and open them something new. Starr did reveal to Philadelphia Business Journal that Pod was among his restaurants to get a concept makeover but remained tight-lipped about the details. Before closing in March 2020, Pod was a modern sushi and Asian family-style restaurant illuminated in bright neon-colored lights. It briefly opened as a Wing Wing Wing pop-up during February.
Pod’s Instagram page then posted photos of ramen and sushi dishes with the caption “Buffering.” While their fans have been clamoring to find out the reopening date, there hasn’t been any social media updates since late February. When the 3636 Sansom St. restaurant does reopen next summer, it will have undergone at least $250,000 worth of construction with 3,410 sq. ft., according to building permits.
