Lo Spiedo to become Bar Amis

Lo Spiedo, the Vetri-owned restaurant at the entrance to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in South Philadelphia, is being rebranded into Bar Amis, an offshoot of chef Brad Spence's Washington Square West Roman spot.

Spence confirms a report by Danya Henninger on Billy Penn that Lo Spiedo, which opened in September 2014 with an ambitious, rotisserie-focused menu, needed a downgrade to more of a bar with more energy, more "snacky" items and more "cool events." In sum, what Amis is. (Though this Amis will serve lunch, unlike 13th Street.)

"It was missing its identity," Spence said today. "Is it fine-dining or casual? You were unsure of the vibe and it didn't really express what we were doing there."

Lo Spiedo will close after dinner Friday, June 23 and will reopen on or around Tuesday, June 27. The renovation will be mostly one of subtraction, Spence said, as brick will be exposed and the large espresso machine is removed.

Among the additions will be more wines by the glass and a frozen drink machine. Hello, frosé.