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Restaurateur Stephen Starr, foreground, with business partners in 2004

Starr Restaurants, stylized as STARR Restaurants, is a restaurant group headed by founder and CEO Stephen Starr, with restaurants in Philadelphia, New York City, Washington D.C., South Florida, and Paris, France.

Overview

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Starr Restaurants has been recognized as "one of the largest multiconcept operators in the country, with restaurants up and down the Eastern Seaboard, from New York to Miami" by the magazine Restaurant Hospitality.[1] The restaurants have been noted as having an emphasis on "theatrical details, like music, lighting and backdrops."[1] The magazine Travel + Leisure noted that "Starr [Restaurants] creates complete environments with an artistic, almost cerebral approach".[2] The majority of Starr Restaurants are distinct concepts, but some restaurants are reproduced in different cities, such as Buddakan and El Vez.[1]

History

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In 1995, Stephen Starr founded Starr Restaurants,[3] and the company opened its first restaurant, "Continental Restaurant & Martini Bar" in September of that year in Center City, Philadelphia.[4] Mayor Ed Rendell said, "It was like a shock of electricity for the development of Old City and led the way for the restaurant revolution down there."[4] In the following years, Starr opened several more restaurants in Philadelphia.[5]

In 2006, Starr Restaurants expanded to New York and Atlantic City.[6] By 2009, there were 18 restaurants in the Starr portfolio, including one in Florida.[7] In 2013, Starr expanded to Washington, D.C., growing to 30 restaurants.[8] In 2016, Starr opened their first restaurant outside the United States, Chez La Vieille in Paris.[9]

Notable sales

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Starr's catering operation, Starr Events, was sold to TrustHouse Services in August 2015 for $40 million.[10]

Awards

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The head of Starr Restaurants, Stephen Starr, has been named "Restaurateur of the Year" by both Bon Appétit and Zagat."[6][11] Starr was named the Richard Melman Innovator of the Year by Restaurant Hospitality in 2013.[1] In 2017, Starr won the James Beard Award for "Outstanding Restaurateur."[12]

The Starr Restaurant Le Coucou with chef Daniel Rose was named 2017 "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation.[12] Le Coucou was also one of Food & Wine magazine's 2017 Restaurants of the Year.[13] The Clocktower with Jason Atherton received the first star for the Starr Restaurant group in the 2018 Michelin Guide.[14]

Restaurants

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As of 2019, there were twenty Starr Restaurants in Philadelphia; seven in New York City; five in South Florida; two in Atlantic City, New Jersey; two in Washington, D.C.; and one in Paris, France.[15][1][13] The Atlantic City Restaurants closed in 2020.[16]

Philadelphia

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The majority of Starr Restaurants, twenty, are located in Philadelphia. These restaurants include:

  • The Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar (American, 1995)[4]
  • Buddakan (Modern Asian, 1998)[17]
  • KPod (Contemporary Korean, 2021; formerly 'Pod', Contemporary Pan Asian, 2000)[5][18]
  • Alma de Cuba (Modern Cuban, 2001. Partnership with Chef Douglas Rodriguez)[19]
  • Morimoto (Contemporary Japanese, 2001. Partnership with Masaharu Morimoto)[20]
  • Jones (American Comfort Food, 2002) Closed in January 2022
  • El Vez (Modern Mexican, 2003)
  • The Continental Midtown (Global Tapas, 2004)
  • Barclay Prime (Luxury Boutique Steakhouse, 2004. Chef Jeff Froehler)
  • Parc (French, 2008. Chef Joe Monnich)[21]
  • Butcher and Singer (Luxury Boutique Steak/Chophouse, 2008)
  • Pizzeria Stella (Pizza, 2009. Chef Shane Solomon)
  • El Rey (Mexican, 2010. Chef Dionicio Jimenez)
  • The Dandelion (British Pub, 2010. Chef Robert Aikens)
  • Serpico (Modern American, 2013. Partnership with Chef Peter Serpico)[22]
  • Talula's Garden (Farm to Table, 2011. Chef Charles Parker)
  • Frankford Hall (Beer Garden, 2011. Chef James Davidson)
  • Fette Sau (Barbecue, 2012)
  • Talula's Daily (Farm to Table/Cafe, 2013)
  • The Love (American, 2017. Chef Aimee Olexy)
  • LMNO (Latin, 2021)

New York City

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South Florida

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  • Steak 954 (W Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Steakhouse, 2009)
  • Makoto (Bal Harbour, Sushi, 2011)
  • Le Zoo (Bal Harbour, French, 2015)
  • El Vez (W Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Modern Mexican, 2018)
  • Pastis (Wynwood, French, 2023)

Washington D.C.

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  • Le Diplomate (French, 2013. Chef Michael Abt)[8]
  • St. Anselm (American, 2018. Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley)
  • Bread Alley (Bakery, 2021)[27]
  • El Presidente (Mexican, 2023)
  • Pastis (French, 2024)

Paris

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Closed restaurants

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  • Cafe Republic (Philadelphia, Russian, 1996–2016)[28]
  • L'Ange Bleu (Blue Angel) (Philadelphia, French, 2003)
  • Angelina (Philadelphia, Italian, 2005)
  • Washington Square (Philadelphia, International Street Food, 2007)
  • Striped Bass (Philadelphia, Seafood, June 2008)
  • Tangerine - (Philadelphia, Moroccan, 1999–2009)
  • Hybird[29] (New York, Fried Chicken, Closed 2013)[30]
  • Route 6 (Philadelphia, Seafood, 2011–2014)
  • Il Pittore (Italian, 2011–2016)
  • Continental Miami (Miami Beach, Global Tapas, 2015–2017)
  • Square Burger (Burgers, 2009–2016) (new operator)[31]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jennings, Lisa (3 October 2017). "2017 RH 25: Starr Restaurants". www.restaurant-hospitality.com. Restaurant Hospitality. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  2. ^ Maroukian, Francine (September 2003). "The Philadelphia Experiment". Travel + Leisure. Time Inc. p. 5. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  3. ^ "STARR Restaurants". LinkedIn.com. LinkedIn. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Klein, Michael (September 8, 2015). "The Continental at 20". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Dash, Eric (October 4, 2000). "Pod emerges as newest campus restaurant". Daily Pennsylvanian.
  6. ^ a b c Fabricant, Florence (January 25, 2006). "With 420 New Seats to Fill, Restaurateur Banks on Buzz". The New York Times.
  7. ^ "Stephen Starr Restaurant Timeline". Philadelphia Magazine. September 28, 2009.
  8. ^ a b Roberts, Roxanne (March 4, 2014). "How Stephen Starr made Le Diplomate the hottest table in town". The Washington Post.
  9. ^ a b Tramuta, Lindsey (December 6, 2016). "Reviving an Old French Bistro, the American Way". The New York Times Style Magazine.
  10. ^ Shelly, Jared (6 August 2015). "Business Editor". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  11. ^ Fishman, Steve (26 Nov 2007). "Mr. Big Box". New York Magazine. New York Media LLC. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Le Coucou Restaurateur Stephen Starr Wins Big at James Beard Awards". 2 May 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  13. ^ a b Druckman, Charlotte (May 7, 2018). "Nothing Is Easy When You're Stephen Starr—But That's Exactly How He Likes It". Food & Wine.
  14. ^ "Full List: The 2018 MICHELIN Guide NYC Results Announced". Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Restaurants". Starr Restaurants. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  16. ^ Klein, Michael (8 October 2020). "Stephen Starr closed his Atlantic City restaurants but still has plans for Philly". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  17. ^ Stephens, Regan (August 24, 2018). "Stephen Starr Reflects on 20 Years of Buddakan, His Game-Changing Philadelphia Restaurant". Food & Wine.
  18. ^ Klein, Michael (November 16, 2021). "Stephen Starr and chef Peter Serpico are converting Pod into a 'kinda Korean' restaurant called KPod". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  19. ^ Klein, Michael (June 29, 2016). "Douglas Rodriguez on 15 years at Alma de Cuba". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  20. ^ Luezzi, Jennifer (January 25, 2006). "The First Serving at Morimoto". New York Sun.
  21. ^ "Parc Review: The Second Coming". Philadelphia Magazine. October 22, 2008.
  22. ^ Popp, Trey (August 29, 2013). "Philadelphia Restaurant Review: Choose Your Own Adventure at Serpico". Philadelphia Magazine.
  23. ^ Wells, Pete (January 13, 2015). "Restaurant Review: Upland on Park Avenue South". The New York Times.
  24. ^ Baker, Abbe (27 February 2018). "The First Day I Got My Michelin Stars: The Clocktower's Jason Atherton". Michelin Guide.
  25. ^ Fabricant, Florence (May 1, 2017). "Le Coucou Named Best New Restaurant at James Beard Awards". The New York Times.
  26. ^ Alexa, Alexandra (28 January 2020). "In Gramercy's new Fotografiska museum, Verōnika restaurant takes a creative approach to preservation". 6sqft. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Bread Alley".
  28. ^ Klein, Michael (May 5, 2016). "That'll be a Starbucks at 22nd and South". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  29. ^ Fabricant, Florence (11 June 2013). "A Philadelphian Restaurateur Flourishes in New York". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  30. ^ "Questlove's Hybird Closes in Chelsea Market". Grub Street. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  31. ^ Etchells, Arthur (March 29, 2016). "SquareBurger at Franklin Square Is Back with a New Operator". Philadelphia Magazine.
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