An outdoor kitchen to go with outdoor lounge at Macaroni's in N.E. Philadelphia

Among Northeast Philadelphia's true surprises is the outdoor lounge that twin brothers Davide and Gianni Primavera installed last year behind their Macaroni's Restaurant, near Maternity BVM on Old Bustleton Avenue.

They call it P² (or "P_Square") Lounge, after their surname.

Last year, the place was such a hit, their already busy restaurant kitchen inside was slammed.

So they added an outdoor kitchen, complete with gas-assisted wood-burning pizza oven, to feed the masses outside. On May 11 from 7 to 10 p.m., they'll mark the opening with comp Prosecco, Peroni and pizza while local musicians play.

Gianni's wife, Gosia, an architect, designed the whole shebang, which includes an all-weather, copper-lined, 40-seat square bar behind foldable doors, a lounge set under the light strands of a pergola, and communal tables set amid greenery.

Here's the menu and here's a fine backgrounder describing how the Primaveras started at Macaroni's working for founder Steve Martorano and how they bought the business and expanded it over the years.