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Plenty Cafe opens Rittenhouse branch

The caffeination of Rittenhouse Square continues with this week's opening of a branch of South Philly's Plenty Cafe at 1602 Spruce St. (215-560-8684).

The caffeination of Rittenhouse Square continues with this week's opening of a branch of South Philly's Plenty Cafe at 1602 Spruce St. (215-560-8684).

Brothers Anthony and Damon Mascieri set up this airy, bi-level cafe, which features local espresso, drip coffees and hand-pour coffees from Rival Bros, La Colombe Torrefaction and ReAnimator, as well as sandwiches and salads made from scratch with organic ingredients and inspired by their world travels.

Morrissey Design retained the historic façade while highlighting a large exposed boutique window, previously covered up for more than a decade. Wide-plank wood flooring and timber beams are complemented by antique mirrors and a tin ceiling.

The opening menu includes: Madrileño (beef and chorizo meatballs with roasted poblano peppers, house saffron aioli and shaved Manchego cheese on toasted ciabatta); Seoul (bulgolgi-style beef short ribs with house pickled daikon and cabbage, scallion and sriracha mayonnaise and cilantro on a pressed French roll); Oslo (all-natural cold smoked salmon with greens, tomato, lemon, roasted potatoes and a horseradish, caper and dill cream on toasted multigrain); Floripa Salad (mixed greens with hearts of palm, Brazil nuts, grilled corn and mango vinaigrette – and based on Anthony's travels to Florianopolis in southern Brazil); and Istanbul (roasted eggplant with Middle Eastern spices, sautéed portabella mushrooms and onions and cacık on toasted ciabatta).

Rival Bros roaster/chef Jonathan Adams worked with the Mascieris to incorporate flavors from his own Rival Bros Coffee beans into a signature sandwich, Coffee Braised Lamb Shoulder, with baba ganoush, pickled fennel, peppers and arugula on a pressed French roll – Rival Bros Whistle & Cuss coffee blend will be used in the braise.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, till 10 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.