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On the first morning of the Jono Pandolfi dinnerware pop-up in Philly, a woman FaceTimed her best friend from the center of the studio, documenting the shelves of turquoise and yellow and persimmon salad plates. A man cradled a 4-ounce, birch white creamer made of toast-colored clay. <\/p>\n
Pandolfi is the cult-favorite designer behind the handmade plates and cups in some of Philly\u2019s most well-regarded restaurants, including Southwark<\/a>, River Twice<\/a>, and Vetri Cucina<\/a>. <\/p>\n Based in North Jersey, Pandolfi started his eponymous company in 2004 and has since become famous in the (niche) world of high-end plateware. He crafted the espresso and cappuccino cups for Eleven Madison Park and recently designed five new shapes for chef Daniel Humm\u2019s forthcoming West Village restaurant<\/a>. (Usually, \u201cI only release one new shape every few years,\u201d he said.) <\/p>\n Even Carmy on HBO\u2019s The Bear uses Jono Pandolfi dinnerware<\/a>. <\/p>\n The 10-day Philly pop-up, held at an Olde Kensington apartment complex<\/a>, offers pieces at deep discounts. Some are overstock from restaurant orders or one-off commissions with special colors and shapes. Others are seconds, pottery with small cosmetic flaws. One of the bestselling pieces is the Alaska bowl \u2014 a \u201cpasta-sized bowl,\u201d as Pandolfi calls it \u2014 which normally sells for $57 and is on sale for $28. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you need to make 100 dinner plates for a customer, you have to probably fire 120,\u201d Pandolfi, in black jeans and a magnetic name tag reading \u201cJono, Founder,\u201d said in an interview at the Philly sale. The pop-ups are a way to sell off the extras. Some are stamped with the labels of the restaurants that originally commissioned them. <\/p>\n The sale runs daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sept. 21, at 1525 N. American St. Studio #109. Reservations are available online<\/a>, though people can also just walk in. <\/p>\n The first day drew pottery enthusiasts and devoted home chefs, as well as fans of The Bear, from across the city. Customers pored over a crumpled seconds-sale price list on the main table, and the studio echoed with the gentle thunk of pottery being lifted, examined, and restacked. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always looking for beautiful things to collect,\u201d said Julia Jacob, 38, an interior designer living in South Philly. She is planning to host family in her new home for the first time this Thanksgiving and wanted clean white plates to make the food look good. <\/p>\n One of Pandolfi\u2019s golden rules is that his beautiful dinnerware cannot upstage beautiful food. He likes working within the confines of what chefs want from their dishes: They must be minimalist, durable, dishwasher-safe. The company churns out 1,000 such pieces a day from a studio in Union City, New Jersey. <\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like you\u2019re buying something that\u2019s not made at Target,\u201d said Soumya Dayananda, 50, an attorney who lives in Society Hill. She was considering salad plates in four colors, as well as turquoise dinner plates. <\/p>\n Susan West, 41, carried a large serving tray, a medium serving tray, two bread plates, and three small bowls, all in vibrant yellow. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t need anything,\u201d she said. She couldn\u2019t justify buying all new dinner plates \u2014 but these were for hosting. For cheese, for olives! She liked the rustic look of the pottery, and the way it lent itself to showing off unfussy food. She was almost ready to check out when she spotted a small red-and-green-banded plate on a shelf by the register. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very tempted by this for Christmas cookies. But I\u2019m like, that\u2019s ridiculous.\u201d She paused to consider the plate. \u201cShould I get one? This is where I spiral.\u201d <\/p>\n Some customers returned multiple times in a single day. <\/p>\n