OPERATIONS
STARR RESTAURANT GROUP’S BORROMINI OPENED ON AUG. 25 ON PHILADELPHIA’S RITTENHOUSE SQUARE. | PHOTO COURTESY OF STARR RESTAURANT GROUP
CHECK OUT SOME OF THE MOST- ANTICIPATED RESTAURANT OPENINGS FOR THE BACK HALF OF 2025 Despite the chaotic economic climate, independent restaurant creators keep new concepts coming. Here are five new concepts, and a sixth making a fundamental change, capturing national attention.
I t’s hard out there for independent restaurants. But that isn’t stopping Big Name Chefs and restaurateurs from creating new concepts. From a new Korean-Italian restaurant coming from Nancy Silverton’s culinary team, to Stephen Starr’s near complete takeover of Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square with the new Borromini, the second half of 2025 promises to bring some long-awaited new restaurants across the country. Among them will be the return of Babbo, the landmark New York restaurant made famous by Mario Batali with chef Mark Ladner on the opening team in the kitchen. Batali, of course, went on to face accusations of sexual assault and harassment and divested his shares in the restaurant company that included Babbo. This year, however, restaurateur Starr acquired Babbo (and sister concept Lupa). He is working with Ladner to rework the menu, and the restaurant is being renovated with the plan to open next month, but few details are available. Here’s a look at some of the potentially game-changing restaurants coming onto the scene in the back half of the year.
LISA JENNINGS
LISA.JENNINGS@INFORMA.COM
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS OCTOBER 2025
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