Restaurant notes: Give me Liberté; new in Queen Village
... and it's not Village Belle.
The Sofitel at 17th and Sansom Streets has opened Liberté (120 S. 17th St., 215-569-8300), converting its lobby lounge into a plush dining room done in jewel tones and featuring a sleek bar (where the former lobby bar was) and a working fireplace. Here are the menus: all-day, lunch, and dinner. Chez Colette, the Sofitel's previous restaurant, now serves breakfast.
The Lyons Den, the bar at 848 S. Second St. in Queen Village (pictured below), will give way next month to a pub called Kennett, named after the family that owned the building in 1924. In charge are John "Johnny Carwash" Della Polla, most recently running the tasting room at Yards Brewing, and Starr front-of-the-house alumna Ashley Bohan.
Nov. 4 marks the opening of a Chick-fil-A at 2421 W. Cheltenham Ave. (Cheltenham Square shopping center, at Washington Lane). That means free Chick-fil-A for a year for the first 100 people in line that Thursday morning. The line officially opens at 6 a.m. Nov. 3. If there are more than 100 people by 6 a.m. Nov. 4, all 100 spots will be determined by a raffle. Rules are here.
Also free: IHOP restaurants will give away a design-your-own Scary Face Pancake from 7 to 10 a.m. Friday (10/29) to kids 12 and under. It's an oversized signature buttermilk pancake with a whipped topping mouth and strawberry nose, served with two mini Oreo cookies and candy corn on the side.
Chestnut Hill's Night Kitchen Bakery (7725 Germantown Ave.) has installed 14 cafe seats by expanding next door. This means a brunch/lunch menu and plated-dessert menu available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. Menu is here.