Two stories of elegance on East Passyunk Avenue, Townsend is the namesake restaurant of chef Townsend Wentz. On the first floor, a cocktail bar that manages to be classic without straying into speakeasy territory. On the second, a quiet dining room draped in cream-colored linen. A France-heavy wine list curated by Lauren Harris aligns with the contemporary French menu—foie gras torchon, sautéed sweetbreads, rabbit pot-au-feu. And in among the premier cru Burgundies and Brut Nature Champagnes, there are intriguing outliers, such as the 2015 Le Vendangeur Masque Esquisse, a chardonnay made by grower Gérald Oustric in Ardèche with Chablis winemakers Alice and Olivier de Moor. Where Townsend best succeeds is in finding new inspiration from well-traveled territory.
1623 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
French
267-639-3203
This story appears in the print issue of December 2016.
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