A new Lebanese café is slated to open at 708 N. 2nd St. sometime this spring or summer. Members of the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association (NLNA) zoning committee tentatively approved the café at their Feb. 25 meeting.

The space

The owners already operate two cafes, including Café Cleopatra in University City, a hookah bar that also sells coffee, tea and smoothies. That location has existed for a few years.

The opening will bring a new business to a vacant storefront on North 2nd Street in Northern Liberties. Already located on this block are established places like 700 Club, Blind Pig, and Trophy Bikes. Across the street, you can find stalwart Liberties Restaurant, Chez Bow Wow, and a recently opened and rather successful Green Eggs location. The new cafe will add to the retail diversity on this block, which somehow still has some vacancies.

Space next door has been empty for as long as we can remember

A few final details are still to be worked out, but the NLNA zoning committee has found enough reason to give the owners the go ahead, according to Larry Freedman, zoning chair. If it all pans out, expect a new place to smoke indoors in Northern Liberties in the next few months.

–Lou Mancinelli