Palladino Debuts Pop-Up Restaurant at Valley Forge Casino

Source Philadelphia Business Journal Alison Burdo

The latest restaurant from Chef Luke Palladino is opening Friday at 5 p.m., offering a menu that showcases his twist on Italian-American fare.

Fianco is a pop-up restaurant in the Valley Forge Casino Resort, where Palladino already has LP Steak.

“First, LP Steak delivered on the upscale steakhouse concept area diners were looking for, and now Fianco will provide the casual Italian dining experience that will keep them coming back for unique and different culinary experience,” Palladino explained.

Along with the New Jersey chef’s outposts at the casino, he also has Palladino’s on Passyunk, located at 1934 E. Passyunk Ave.

Fianco, meaning “next door” in Italian, is a 1,620-square-foot, two-tiered pop-up located, fittingly, beside LP Steak.

Hours are Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

With seating for up to 80 guests, Fianco has a menu that includes classic antipasti dishes, like salumi and cheese, octupus bruschetta, caciocavallo scallopine, truffle arancini and more.

Pastas, like linguine alle vongole, lobster and shrimp fra diavolo, and campanelle alla vodka, are also offered, as well as entrees, including chicken marsala, veal chop milanese and verlasso salmon piccata. Steaks will come from neighbor, LP Steak.

“We recognized that Luke’s flair for creating outstanding Italian cuisine and his ability to come up with unique interpretations of classic favorites offered an opportunity to expand our restaurant offerings,” said Jennifer Galle, chief marketing officer at Valley Forge Casino Resort. “We seized the chance to enhance our partnership to provide our guests with another incredible dining option.”

Price points start at $6 for sides, while entrees start at $24.

For drinks, the new Italian restaurant will have 20 wines by the glass, 200 wines by the bottle, and there will be 12 beers on tap, a list of beers by the bottle and cans, and cocktails.

Fianco, like the chef’s other restaurants and his catering businesses, is part of the Luke Palladino Hospitality Group.