New White Dog Cafe open for business in Concord
pdegrassa@21st-centurymedia.com
Editor of Town Talk, News & Press of Delaware County CONCORD» White Dog Cafe opened the doors to its fourth location on Saturday at 981 Baltimore Pike in the Shoppes at Brinton Lake. In what appears to be its most grandiose White Dog Cafe to date, the restaurant, true to its name and reputation, is ready to welcome customers with fine food, served amidst a customer-friendly, caninecentric environment.
White Dog Cafe, part of Fearless Restaurants, currently has locations in Haver ford, Wayne, and in University City. The White Dog Cafe features local, seasonal, sustainable menus. Each location features warm and welcoming dog-inspired décor. White Dog Cafe founded in 1983 was a pioneer in the farm to table movement and continues to provide their local neighborhoods, and guests a unique dining experience.
White Dog Glen Mills has a large outdoor space with 104 seats, including 15 at the outdoor bar. Guests can dine under an illuminated pergola or sit in one of the 16 lounge seats by a water feature. The outdoor bar will offer 14 beers on tap as well as cocktails and Devon’s Pour Richards Cold Brew on tap. When the soon-to-be chilly weather arrives, patrons can warm up by firepits in the outdoor space.
“This is going to be a cocoon of coziness out here,” said Jaimi Blackburn, director of public relations for Fearless Restaurants, owners of White Dog Café, as she fluffed accent pillows, adorned with whimsical dog commands like “sit” and “stay,” and placed them back on the comfortable-looing cushioned furniture.
There are an additional 180 seats inside, including 15 at the concrete bar which has brass trim and inlaid brass paw prints created by the bar designer’s own Golden Retriever. Thomas Moser chairs accent the bar area along with plush banquet seating and French Oak floors.
Local touches are everywhere. The bar area called the Den showcases a galley of 45 commissioned dog portraits by Jay McClellan, and there is space to add 15 additional paintings. Guests can purchase a painting to immortalize their favorite pup that will hang in the restaurant.
McClellan’s sentimental and decorative works also cover the walls at White Dog Cafe Haverford and White Dog University City. His paintings juxtapose bold colors with graphic patterns and have stunning unique designs. McClellan will give anyone that purchases a painting the original drawing, valued at $250. The painting that hangs within White Dog Glen Mills will display a small brass plate with the dog’s name and hometown on the frame. McClellan is donating half of the fee for each of the paintings to Brandywine Valley SPCA and Alpha Bravo Canine.
The restaurant is decked
out to the K9s, the Garden Room has a brick floor, and hanging baskets with Edison bulbs. The room also has original prints of “best in show dogs” from the 1940s. The Living Room has handmade brass dogshaped sconces on the walls, black marble tables, and a large working fireplace. Even the outside exterior has White Dog’s signature paw prints — the bushes are shaped like dogs.
Michael S elser, former executive chef at White Dog Cafe Haverford will lead the kitchen at White Dog Glen Mills. Although only of fering dinner for its first week open, the restaurant will also offer lunch, dinner, happy hour, and weekend brunch, starting in about another week. For this week, the hours are 4-9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 4-8 p.m. Sunday.
Ed McMearty, the General Manager of W hite Dog Café Glen Mills, is the former GM at White Dog Café Wayne. In the course of talking with customers, McMearty noticed that many diners were driving long distances from Southern and Western Delaware
and Chester County to the Radnor Township location. This new location should make dining at White Dog more convenient to many, he said.
“We noticed people were commuting from Aston, Media, Kennett Square, Upper Chichester and the Garnet Valley area, coming to the Wayne location,” McMearty remarked. “We are happy now to make White Dog Glen Mills more accessible to our customers, an easier commute. We are already seeing Delaware residents here, as well. We chose this location, because it’s a centralized hub
from many places.”
Known for the warm hospitality and creative, inspiring cuisine, the majority of ingredients at all White Dog Cafe locations are purchased from local farms, located no more than 50 miles from the restaurants. White Dog will often change its menu 12 times a year to offer seasonal menu items featuring only the best ingredients from trusted farms, including pasture-fed animals, humanely treated livestock, and fish and seafood that is harvested through sustainable suppliers. Organic items are
incorporated when possible from farms using sustainable farming practices.
Meals often start of f with a first course, that might include one of the chef’s specialties like Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Meadow Run Farm Lamb Sliders, Curried Cauliflower, Butternut Squash Soup and other choices.
Menu items, all made with fresh, local ingredients with the farm-to-table concept, include entrees like Grilled Scallops, Sakura Pork Chop, Mushroom Manicotti Gratinee, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Whole Grilled Rainbow Trout, Fried Locust Point Farm Chicken Sandwich, Verlasso Salmon, Grilled Rhode Island Swordfish, Green Meadow Farm Double Cheddar Burger, Braised Short Rib, Spicy Lamb Bolognese, and more.
The menu also has a selection of salads, such as Baby Romaine Salad, Poached Pear Salad, Beet and Arugula Salad, and Tuscan Kale Salad and a host of sides like Fried Pickles, Glazed Brussel Sprouts, Truffle Parmesan Fries, Grilled Broccoli and more.
Wines are grown and produced from American vineyards and White Dog Cafe uses
local craft beers and artisan distilled spirits.
The restaurant accepts reservations, but is also always open to walk-ins. White Dog Café is also available for private bookings in any of its uniquely designed rooms. Due to the pandemic, private parties are limited to 25 people at one time, but the restaurant plans to raise that limit once the state restrictions are lifted.
For more information on White Dog Cafe Glen Mills, call 610-822-2100 or follow White Dog on social media at www.facebook.com/ whitedogglenmills.
Fearless Restaurants
is
led by restaurateur Marty Grims and his daughter Sydney Grims. Located throughout the Philadelphia region and on Long Beach Island, N.J., Fearless Restaurants include the landmark Moshulu Restaurant on Penn’s Landing, White Dog Cafe in University City, Wayne, Glen Mills and Haverford, Louie Louie in University City, Autograph Brasserie and Rosalie in Wayne and on Long Beach Island; Daddy O Restaurant & Hotel and Tuckers Tavern. For more information about Fearless Restaurants, contact Jaimi Blackburn at 610-220-3231.