New restaurants bring Italian flavors, Philly pride and fresh energy to the dining scene

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- This week on FYI Philly, we raise a glass to some of the region's newest dining destinations. A James Beard Award winner celebrates Italian culture, a new pizza shop serves up slices with plenty of city pride, and South Philly vibes are alive at Waltz. Plus, we visit a café pouring coffee and kindness and discover how something old is becoming new again.

Ellen Yin's new Bar Cicci brings Italian aperitivo tradition to all-day Rittenhouse cafe
When you walk into Bar Cicci, Ellen Yin wants it to feel like an Italian aperitivo bar with vintage Milan vibes.

Inspired by the Italian tradition of gathering to unwind and connect before dinner, the concept is built around slowing down and spending time with friends and family.

That relaxed philosophy carries through the entire day at Bar Cicci.

Mornings start with espresso drinks and Italian pastries. Lunch brings panini and pizza bianca, and evenings feature wine, cocktails, and a menu of small bites. There's also a full dessert program for the post-dinner crowd.

The café takes its name from cichetti, the Venice-style small plates that are at the heart of the menu.

To help shape the offerings, members of the High Street Hospitality team traveled through Venice and Milan, visiting cichetti bar after cichetti bar, drawing inspiration from what they found there.

Breakfast and pastry selections include cornetti, Italian-style croissants, along with cannoli cruffins, tiny cannoli, crostata and maritozzo, a brioche pastry filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream and vanilla.

Guests can pair them with espresso drinks, including classic shakeratos and an orange shakerato.

Known for its bread program, High Street Hospitality also brings traditional touches like a flywheel slicer for Italian meats.

For Ellen Yin, Bar Cicci is designed to be more than a place to eat. She sees restaurants as works of art shaped by how people feel in the space, and she hopes guests can leave the stresses of the world behind, one bite and sip at a time.

Bar Cicci | Instagram
1620 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103

In Crust We Trust brings Philly pride to Fishtown pizza
Anyae Wilson-Worley -- owner-operator of brand new pizza spot, In Crust We Trust -- is the daughter of serial restaurant entrepreneur Felicia Wilson, the force behind popular spots Black Hen, Amina, Avana, and many more. The New York style pies have names like 'The Schuylkill', 'The 215', 'The 267', and 'The South Philly Supreme' to show the Philly native's hometown pride. She also honors her culture, with many ingredients from the historical foodways of African-Americans during the Great Migration, like the 'Uptown Crown' -- Anyae's oxtail pizza. In Crust We Trust is open until 3am on Friday and Saturday.

In Crust We Trust | Instagram
965 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19125
215-279-5028
Mon-Thurs 11-midnight
Fri-Sat 11-3am
Sun 12 noon-11pm

Waltz performs perfect dance between fine dining and hometown neighborhood feel
Waltz is a brand new spot in South Philly with a unique mix of elegance and casual charm. They specialize in Italian and American food -- pizza, pasta, steak, seafood, and more. Co-owner Joey Dougherty and GM Celine Tobin have crafted a unique space from the ground up. They say many corner bars in South Philly serve amazing food, but they wanted to focus on the food first and then the bar. With fine-dining pedigreed staff at all levels, the bi-level dining room is small but mighty, and the restaurant-bar is ready to be a staple on the Philly cuisine scene for a long time to come.

Waltz | Instagram
2351 S. Front Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-436-9293
closed Mon-Tues
Wed-Sun, 5pm-9:30pm

Bluebird Distilling adds dough house to its award-winning craft spirit collection
Bluebird Distilling is known for its craft spirits and award-winning cocktails. The Phoenixville destination added dough house to its name creating a full menu of handmade pizzas featuring local ingredients and small plates.

The restaurant is a new addition to the business that has been creating a wide variety of spirits since it opened in 2015. Owner Jared Adkins has created more than 30 different spirits since starting the distillery. He says fermenting dough for pizza felt like a perfect fit after years of creating spirits.

Along with the eatery, the space has been redesigned featuring an open kitchen room where guests can dine and drink while watching the pizzas be prepared. There is a main dining room with dim lights and a fireplace for a more classic restaurant experience. And the bar looks out on Phoenixville's main drag and an outdoor patio with more than two dozen seats.

Bluebird Distilling & Dough House | Facebook | Instagram
100 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460

Ryan's Rise Up Cafe serves coffee and opportunity in Glen Mills
Ryan's Rise Up Cafe is a nonprofit coffee shop in Glen Mills that trains and employs young adults with disabilities while serving specialty drinks and homemade treats.

Founded by Jim and Rose Vail for their son Ryan, who was born with Down syndrome, the cafe has grown into a larger mission. About 60 employees and dozens of volunteers help keep the operation running.

Workers rotate through stations at the cafe, gaining hands-on job experience with support from trainers.

The menu features La Colombe coffee, house-made syrups, fresh-baked goods, and customer favorites like the Banana Bread Latte and strawberry matcha.

Ryan's Rise Up Cafe has been open for four months and is already making an impact, helping young adults build skills, confidence, and community.

The cafe's motto is: "Come for the coffee, leave inspired."

Ryan's Rise Up Cafe | Instagram | Facebook
5 Evergreen Dr #100, Glen Mills, PA 19342

Robertson's Flowers opens new Center City location
Robertson's Flowers is bringing nearly 100 years of floral expertise to Center City with a new shop inside the Comcast Center Concourse.

The family-owned business, founded in 1927, offers grab-and-go bouquets, custom arrangements, plants, cards and gifts. The new location is Robertson's first downtown Philadelphia storefront, joining its longtime locations in Chestnut Hill and Bryn Mawr.

Now led by fifth-generation owners Sarah Thom and Taylor Ferry, the company is continuing its family legacy while introducing its flowers and gifts to a new generation of customers.

Robertson's Flowers| Instagram | Facebook
1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Philadelphia, PA 19103

Montco County Jazz Fest returns for its 5th season
The Montco Jazz Fest returns for a 6-day concert series featuring more than 30 events across the county. This year's theme for the festival is celebrating music that has been around for a century.

Joanna Pascale is the artistic director for the event and she will also perform on opening night in Lansdale at the amphitheater in Whites Road Park. There will be performances honoring Tony Bennet, Miles Davis, Larry McKenna Jimmy Heath and John Coltrane.

Youth will be served with a special screening of the Pixar hit "Soul" and the Elmwood Park Zoo will host the Junior Jazz Festival. Hotel West & Main in Conshohocken is hosting the Jazz Festival's annual Swing Social with free swing dance lessons before a concert on the hotel's outdoor stage.

Jazz Fest runs September 15-20. Many of the events are free. You can find the full schedule of events for Jazz Fest here.

Montco Jazz Fest | Facebook | Instagram

Run September 15-20, 2026 in venues across Montgomery County

Hotel West & Main | Facebook | Instagram
46 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428
Free concert and swing dance lessons | Thursday, September 17 | 6-9 P.M.