The All-New Restaurant Emmett is Opening and Will Feature Elements From Around the Mediterranean With a Focus on Wood-Fired Cooking
A new restaurant is opening its doors at the corner of Hancock Street and Girard Ave. (161 W. Girard). Chef Evan Snyder and managing partner Julian van der Tak new restaurant, Emmett will open its doors at on Tuesday, January 28th at 5 p.m.
So what can guests expect from Emmett? Look for a blended Levantine cuisine with elements from around the greater Mediterranean, highlighting French, Italian, North African, and Middle Eastern flavors while focusing on wood-fired cooking. Offerings will change often, featuring a diverse rotation of crudos, fresh pastas, coal-roasted proteins, and seasonally-driven desserts. A tasting menu option will be implemented into the menu in the future.
Emmett will feature a liquor license and a full bar, offering a selection of natural wines and culinary-driven cocktails in addition to a non-alcoholic beverage program. The restaurant will feature 38 indoor seats, including 8 at a bar which they reinstalled beside the open kitchen. The 1,600 square-foot space will remain structurally the same, but Snyder and van der Tak renovated the space themselves, making cosmetic changes only (save the reinstallation of the bar). A large neon sign is featured in the vestibule of the restaurant by the corner window. The restaurant will initially operate for dinner service only, open Tuesday through Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. Outdoor seating will launch in the spring with 24 seats on Hancock Street. Reservations will be available on OpenTable, while a majority of the bar will be reserved for walk-ins only.
The opening menu will include (but not be limited to) small bites such as Rye Tartlet with wagyu, horseradish, and smoked mustard ($15); Maryland Crab Maloof with shrimp emulsion, uni, and cabbage ($17); and Winter Squash Toast on focaccia with butternut ‘nduja and ibores ($14); appetizers including Tuna with Calabrian chili, sourdough cracker, blood orange, and za’atar ($22); Smoked Hamachi with coconut, Hawaij vin, clam, herbs, and crispy alliums ($23); BBQ Lamb Neck Dolma with burnt eggplant and pear ($22); Agnolotti with black walnut muhammara, braised chicory, and red pepper ($24); Confit Mussel Tagliolini ($25); Winter Squash Caramelle ($23); Octo Shish with leek jam, black garlic toum, and sweet potato ($23); and Coal Roasted Beets ($18); and large format dishes such as Aged Duck with sunchoke terrine, foie merguez, and jus ($75 for half, $150 for whole); Lamb Loin with glazed belly, mujadara, sumac carrot, and labne ($50); and Grilled Rockfish with Moroccan curry, chestnut mushroom, and vadouvan ($45).
Emmett will also focus heavily on Philadelphia-area purveyors and designers, tapping local artisans for everything from ceramics to drinkware, and interior design with the goal of cultivating community relationships while staying true to Philadelphia. They hired Philadelphia Table Company to reinstall the bar.
Eli Silins, owner of Camuna Cellars in Philadelphia, joined the Emmett team as one of the partners. Antonio Pizzo, who has worked with Snyder for five years, will be Emmett’s Chef de Cuisine. Marissa Chirico joined the team as the General Manager after serving as the Front of House and Beverage Manager for River Twice for the last three years. “Marissa cares deeply about connecting guests with locally-sourced ingredients and wines that have been both sustainably farmed and thoughtfully crafted, and she’s looking forward to bringing that same hospitality mentality to Emmett, where she will again manage the front of house as well as build and maintain our wine program,” said van der Tak. Petra Manchina, a seasoned industry professional who moved to Philadelphia in 2017, is joining the team as the Bar Manager. The last seven years has seen her manage programs at Philadelphia Distilling and Manatawny Stillworks, while also collaborating with local brands such as Eight Oaks and New Liberty. “Focusing on highlighting seasonal flavors and utilizing products from local farms, Petra plans on working closely with our kitchen team to develop a constantly changing cocktail program,” said Snyder.
Snyder, 33, graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando, and has worked in a number of top kitchens throughout the past two decades, from New Orleans to Washington to DC to Philly, including a stint as Executive Chef of Redcrest Kitchen in Queen Village.
Managing Partner Julian van der Tak, a recent member of the sales team at Samuels & Son Seafood, is an alum of the Philadelphia restaurant scene, including spells at Jean Georges and Vernick Fish at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, as well as several Michael Schulson and Stephen Starr Restaurants.
As a Media Strategist and Event Coordinator, Julian’s wife Victoria van der Tak brings her thoughtful approach to communications to help manage the restaurant’s digital platforms and events calendar with the goal of presenting Emmett as a destination for thoughtful, intimate luxury hospitality. Julian and Victoria had their first baby earlier this year. Snyder met Julian and Victoria while working at Adam Volk’s Redcrest Kitchen. Reservations are now live on OpenTable.
