A new Lebanese café is slated to open at 708 N. 2nd St. sometime this spring or summer. Members of the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association (NLNA) zoning committee tentatively approved the café at their Feb. 25 meeting.

The space

The owners already operate two cafes, including Café Cleopatra in University City, a hookah bar that also sells coffee, tea and smoothies. That location has existed for a few years.

The opening will bring a new business to a vacant storefront on North 2nd Street in Northern Liberties. Already located on this block are established places like 700 Club, Blind Pig, and Trophy Bikes. Across the street, you can find stalwart Liberties Restaurant, Chez Bow Wow, and a recently opened and rather successful Green Eggs location. The…

Set to open the Blind Pig at 702 N. Second Street by late June, first-time restaurant owners Debra Ciasullo and David Hentz want to get a few things straight. First off, despite internet chatter to the contrary and the name of the restaurant itself, the Blind Pig’s menu will not focus on pork. While there will be house-made cracklin (pork rinds) and a few other yummy pork items, head chef Hentz (London Grill, Tavern on Green, Tir Na Nog, Flat Rock) describes his menu’s focus as comfort foods. Roast beef sandwiches, chicken and waffles, and hamburgers were the first dishes to come to his mind, along with vegetarian options such as falafel. And yes, he plans to have at least one vegan option on the menu at all times. Because he plans to do much of the kitchen’s shopping himself at local markets (the…