Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley to Open in Philadelphia

Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, a Dallas-based upscale Southern soul food restaurant, is opening a new Philadelphia location in mid-October at 225 S. Broad St., on the ground floor of the Cambria Hotel.

Spanning 7,200 square feet, the new venue will be the largest Black-owned restaurant in Philadelphia. It will seat up to 300 guests and employ more than 125 local hospitality professionals, according to MyChesCo.

The Philadelphia restaurant will feature dynamic design elements, including soaring ceilings, a dramatic balcony, and a flower wall adorned with hundreds of red roses. A private dining space called The Asset Lounge has been reimagined from a former bank vault and seats up to 40 guests.

The menu will include more than 50 scratch-made Southern comfort dishes, including shrimp and grits, fried chicken and waffles, Caribbean jerk lamb chops, seafood gumbo, and fried green tomatoes. Appetizers start at $13 and entrees at $21. An expansive beverage program will showcase ultra-premium spirits and craft cocktails, complementing the upscale Southern menu.

Kevin Kelley, a former attorney who is now an acclaimed restaurateur, said he looks forward to opening the doors in Philadelphia. “I chose Philly because I love this city and the fantastic, hard-working people who live in and around the City of Brotherly Love, as they are incredibly passionate about their city and their food scene,” Kelley said in a statement shared with MyChesCo. “Expanding into Philly is truly a dream come true.”

Kelley, who visits Philadelphia often as his children attend Princeton University, hopes the restaurant will become a favorite spot for dining, celebrations, and city pride. Since launching his Kitchen + Kocktails brand in Dallas in 2020, Kelley has opened locations in Chicago, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia is his sixth location.

Reservations are now open, starting today, Friday, Sept. 19. The restaurant is expected to become a popular dining destination this fall. Learn more by visiting the Kitchen + Kocktails website.