Photo credit Lexy Pierce courtesy Punch Media LLC
At The Table now has expanded kitchen, dining room and further upgrades at its new location at 118 W Lancaster Ave.
You know things are going well when capacity expands four-fold. That’s just what Wayne’s At The Table BYOB deserves, though the restaurant is soon to drop the “BYOB” from its name. As of August, its 24-guest capacity location at 11 Louella Ct. will close in preparation of the move down the road to 118 W Lancaster Ave.
As word of mouth and delicious food has expanded the relevance and popularity of the restaurant, the need for more space, both in the kitchen and the dining room, became evident. The new location will seat 100 guests, 75 of whom will fit in the indoor dining room (featuring a four-person oyster bar, banquet table, round table and sectioned tables), with another 25 on the garden patio. The patio will be retrofitted with a brand-new lighting system and provide a charming view of the neighborhood to patrons dining al fresco.
Likewise, chefs Alex Hardy and Tara Buzan-Hardy will quadruple the size of the kitchen, allowing Buzan-Hardy’s To The Table catering service to function more efficiently. The new design will be viewable from the dining floor through a glass chef’s window. Not only will guests receive fine dining in a more comfortable setting, but their experience will be enhanced by an intimate look behind the scenes.
View this post on Instagram
“This new restaurant will give us the ability to go above and beyond,” Chef Hardy notes. “You’re limited by your restaurant, by what your kitchen can do. Our new kitchen has been designed to allow us to show our stuff: what we’ve learned, what we know, and what we’ve attempted in the past but could not execute on due to our old location’s limitations. It’s a little daunting, but extremely exciting. We can’t wait.”
At The Table’s new design is inspired by the atmosphere of upscale coastal dining establishments. After spending time touring other upscale restaurants for inspiration, chefs Hardy and Buzan-Hardy felt ready to take the leap with their own image.
Central to the theme of the new At The Table is the Pacific Ocean. That idea is being brought to life with KSM Architects, which gives the 118 W Lancaster location a modern, upscale, oceanic vibe by minimizing greyscale effects and focusing on a Champion Cobalt, a homage to the iconic French Laundry (whose name you might recognize from the popular Hulu show, The Bear). Further oceanic design effects include striking oceanic photography amid inspiration from Caruso’s in Santa Barbara, Eleven Madison Park and Le Bernardin.
View this post on Instagram
“We toured multiple Michelin reviewed restaurants for inspiration,” Chef Hardy continues. “We watched a lot of episodes of Chef’s Table, too. The sensation of looking up from a plate of top-class cuisine and having your gaze met with the gentle surf of the Pacific Ocean left a big impression on us. The new At The Table is about removing barriers: between us and our diners, between our restaurant and the neighborhood and between truly great food and our community.”
Finally, At The Table will serve alcohol in the restaurant. Partnering with Imprint Brewing Co. which lends its brewery license to the restaurant and manages the beverage program, At The Table will serve six cocktails and four different craft beers. Off-menu classic cocktails will also be available upon request. Most importantly, patrons will still be able to bring their own beverages to meals at no additional corkage fee.
At The Table will officially launch its new image to the public on Tuesday, September 26, with dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday.
Related: Sweet Amelia’s Spotlights Fresh Ingredients in Kennett Square
