By Molly Given
There’s always a lot of creativity happening in the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and that includes the food.
Leo recently started service in the previous space where Jose Garces’ Volver sat in the cultural institution, and its opening brought a new menu of fare from Executive Chef Chris Cryer, and a fresh bar full of mixed-up creations to complement it all.
Named after the legendary Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Leopold Stokowski, the restaurant highlights seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, with an option to order à la carte or opt for a prix-fixe theatre menu.
The former currently features small plate picks like grilled shrimp with snap peas and roasted garlic in a coconut broth, lamb merguez with fried squid ink pasta, lardo and cucumber yogurt, plus salt-baked beets with sunflower seeds and blackberries.
Some apps also get the seasonal treatment, like their foie gras with the added seasonality of a plum tart, bagna verde and pumpkin seeds or their take on an inventive salad dish in the form of lettuce doused in whipped feta, bell pepper hot sauce and breadcrumbs.
The entrees at Leo also aim to pack in interesting flavor with picks like a roasted duck breast (with caramelized grape, endive and pistachio), gnocchi (with oyster mushrooms, Tuscan kale and aged parmesan), or a seared yellowfin tuna creation (with sunchoke, hazelnut, Madeira and trout roe), among other succulent options. What helps set this bar/restaurant apart, however, is the added benefit for show-goers, with a $45 pre-theatre menu offered during dinner — available until 90 minutes before showtime — which gets visitors each an app and main dish.
“At Leo, I want to create an honest, simple, and beautiful dining experience — one that feels warm, familiar, and exciting with every bite,” says Cryer. “The Philadelphia food scene is so vibrant, and we’re really looking forward to contributing to it and connecting with our guests.”
Drinks-wise, the cocktails take a nod from the establishment’s building and surrounding festivities, with sips like the Getting Figgy With It (Titos vodka, Barrow’s ginger liquor, fig and lemon), the Break A Leg (Espolon blanco, ginger beer, lime and a Gran Marnier floater) the Marquis (pinot noir, Grand Marnier, and OJ topped with prosecco) and more. Leo also features a full array of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options, with the best way for locals to indulge in some of the libations through the venue’s Happy Hour (available from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., every Wednesday through Friday.)
With Happy Hour, cocktails like a seasonal margarita and aperol spritz run for $10, glasses of wine run for $8, and certain beers come out to be $5. Patrons also get half off food from the bar menu, which spans picks like grilled steak skewers, fried ricotta, spicy tuna and endives with orange chutney and whipped feta.
And to finish things off with a sugary finish, Leo also currently offers up a trio of options spanning a chocolate and caramel creation with whipped ganache and chantilly cream, a spiced carrot cake with toffee, citrus and walnut, and a polenta cake with poached figs and buttered cream cheese.
Adding to its repertoire, Leo also houses a few special vino nights, dubbed Wine Wednesdays. Their next iteration is this week (Nov. 12) highlighting “Thanksgiving Specials”, but there’s also a Holiday Flavors session set for Dec. 10 and a Dry January Wines & Mocktails session on Jan. 14. Each Wine Wednesday is $45 per person and features an hour and a half of tasting from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Overall, Leo aims to be a neighborhood spot with an added benefit of its interesting surroundings (it’s located just steps away from the Avenue of the Arts.) The food is meant to be unique and expressive (much like its namesake) and its atmosphere eclectic and homey. All Philadelphians have to do is decide which way they want to experience it.
To learn more about Leo (1414 Spruce St.), visit leo-restaurant.com
Keywords
Leo Restaurant,
Kimmel Center,
Philadelphia Orchestra,
Leopold Stokowski,
Chris Cryer