A Northern Liberties Restaurant from Time Midtown’s Jason Evenchik

Jason Evenchik has built a small but impressive portfolio of seemingly successful bars and restaurants in Center City and South Philadelphia: Bar, Garage, Time, Vintage and Growlers. And now he’s setting his sights on 2nd Street in Northern Liberties.

Evenchik is hoping to secure a lease on 914-22 North 2nd Street, which is owned by the folks behind North Bowl. He already purchased a liquor license for the spot. “Liquor licenses are getting more and more expensive,” he explains. “So I picked one up when it became available, even though I don’t have a signed lease yet.”

The property, which once housed Miss Amelia’s Barbecue and Feast Your Eyes Gourmet Catering, features a 4,500-square-foot first floor, a large outdoor space, and a flat roof, which Evenchik plans to use as an herb and vegetable garden.

Evenchik isn’t exactly sure what it’s all going to be other than a “bar/restaurant with jazz”, but it sounds like it won’t be too far removed from Time, his Sansom Street bar/restaurant with jazz. He’s planning to move Time chef Sean Magee to 2nd Street.

The business name on the liquor license is “Raphael’s Garden”, because the restaurateur’s young son is named Raphael and because of the envisioned garden. But that’s not going to be the name of the restaurant. “I’ve been all over the place with the name,” he says. “But that decision might be eight months out.”

Given his preference for generally uninspired one-word names, we thought we’d help Evenchik out with a little poll.

[poll id=”391″]