Liz Grothe has served guests in her Northern Liberties apartment since she founded the popular supper club, Couch Cafe in 2022.

But she will soon be welcoming guests to Queen Village upon the opening of her new restaurant, Scampi, this summer, writes Margaret Eby for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The new restaurant will take over the space that currently houses Neighborhood Ramen, which announced it would be closing in June. 

There was mutual interest from both Grothe and Neighborhood Ramen owners Jesse Pryor and Lindsay Steigerwald for Scampi to be the successor of the space.

“Neighborhood Ramen is a Philly food pop culture icon. It meant a lot to me as an admirer of the restaurant and their vibe and the way they made their mark on Philly,” Grothe said.

Scampi is an homage to the kind of Italian-American mash-ups that Grothe loves and often made at Couch Cafe; however, the two won’t be exactly the same.

For starters, the menu will change according to what Grothe’s particular obsessions are.

“Scampi isn’t going to be a place where you can go order the same cutlet and the same pasta every time,” Grothe said. “I want to keep things fresh for both me and the diners.”

Nonetheless, Grothe will keep the spirit of Couch Cafe alive through Scampi.

Read more about Liz Grothe’s new upcoming restaurant at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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