New Restaurants Opening Soon

724 Bistro
Douglassville
Projected Opening: Fall 2026

The 724 Bistro is close to opening at the former Kelsey O’Shay’s and Tipsy Times in Douglassville (2295 E. Main Street). According to the restaurant’s social media pages, it will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is hiring, though no opening date has been announced.

Buen Cafe
Reading
Projected Opening: Late 2026

Buen Cafe, which is billed as a “non-profit Christian coffe shop and thrive center,” is planned for 1570 Cotton Street in Reading. Social media posts show ongoing demolition of the space that was formerly home to the Cotton Ginn Bar & Grill. There is no timetable for the cafe’s opening as the cafe is still in the “demolition phase” according to recent social media posts.

Caleb’s Taco Shop
Sinking Spring

A new sign is up at the former Julie’s Fast Food in Sinking Spring. Caleb’s Taco Shop is the name of the new restaurant. It shares a name and logo with a yet-to-open restaurant in Pittsburgh that was registered in 2025. No additional information is available at this time.

Chef David’s Downtown
Reading

Chef David’s is expanding into downtown Reading. A new business, Chef David’s Pizza & More Downtown, was registered in September. An Instagram account was also created for the restaurant. The location on the business registration is 35 N. 6th Street, the Reading Downtown Food Court. There are two Chef David restaurants in Berks County, the original Chef David’s Pizza & More in West Reading and the Star City Diner in Shoemakersville which recently was rebranded as Chef David’s Star City Diner.

Drunken Chicken
West Reading
Projected Opening: Unknown

With Takkii Ramen becoming West Brew Izakaya and moving to Penn Avenue, it left their original location vacant. But the corner of Sixth and Reading Avenues in West Reading will not be vacant long. Drunken Chicken, a Korean fried chicken spot, is set to open in the space. The new restaurant was tenatively scheduled to debut in the summer, but there have been no updates since late 2025. The new restaurant will be by the owners of West Brew Izakaya, Winnie Tea Bar, and Winnie Mochi.

El Plebe To Go
Muhlenberg Township

Along Centre Avenue in Muhlenberg Township, a food truck is set up with a large “coming soon” banner with the name El Plebe to Go. The business was registered in August, but there is no additional information at this time.

El Ranchero
Boyertown

The former Plaza Azteca location near Boyertown is getting new life as El Ranchero. On its Instagram page, the restaurant promotes that it will have “the best Mexican food, margaritas and signature drinks.” There is no timetable for opening, but from the videos shared, it seems close.

Lorenzo’s Steaks
Boyertown

The former Philly Jawn Cheesesteak will not be vacant for long as Lorenzo’s Steaks is set to take over the space between Reading Avenue and Walnut Street in Boyertown. Cheesesteaks and hoagies are the specialties of the West Chester-based sandwich chain. The new Boyertown location will be the fourth for Lorenzo’s, joining West Chester, Manayunk and Southampton. No opening date has been announced, but the space recently went through a full renovation so it is expected to open in the coming weeks, rather than months.

Mama’s Famous Pizza, Grill & Bar
Wernersville
Projected Opening: November

Mama’s Famous Pizza & Grill is set to take over the former Paradise by the Slice in Wernersville. Though Mama’s has four restaurants in Berks and one in Ephrata, the Wernersville location will be the first with a bar. According to a Facebook post dated September 11, the restaurant is expecting to complete renovations and train staff in the next 6-8 weeks, putting the opening date sometime around November. Other Berks County locations for Mama’s include Exeter Township, Reading, Kenhorst and Muhlenberg Township. Another location is scheduled to open in Whitehall, Lehigh County, before the end of the year.

Play it Back Sports Bar
Reading
Projected Opening: Unknown

The former California Bar & Grill is currently under renovation. Previously, there was a planned sports bar called Play it Back that was looking to open in 2022, but that had seemingly fell through. However, a new sign has been installed and the electronic message board is operational. So far, there has been no official update.

The Pulse Cafe
Wyomissing
Projected Opening: Fall 2026

When the Pulse Cafe announced it was closing its location inside the Downtown Reading Food Court, the announcement included a note that they were working on a new location. In early September, the cafe posted a teaser in their social media stories that featured a picture of the building housing Sam’s Wyomissing Bistro with the caption “Coming Soon.” Sam’s closed shortly after the post was made. Pulse Cafe has also posted that they are hiring, indicating opening is close.

Special Blends Cafe by JPII
Reading
Projected Opening: Early 2027

The John Paul II Center for Special Learning is partnering with Alvernia University to bring a new cafe to downtown Reading. Special Blends Cafe will provide work experience for students and adults with special needs when it opens at the University’s American House on Penn Street. The original targeted opening was August, but work continues on the building and the cafe space.

TAO Japanese Steakhouse & Bar
Wyomissing
Projected Opening: Unknown

A new restaurant, promising “a more sophisticated Hibachi dining atmosphere, and Japanese Omakase” is coming to Wyomissing. TAO Japanese Steakhouse & Bar will open at 305 Park Road, the home of Willoughby’s on Park for the last 10 years. Willoughby’s announced the restaurant would close in mid-March. TAO, which is from the same family as Masa Hibachi & Sushi, is doing a complete remodel of the space.

Taqueria Las Vias
Boyertown

One of two new restaurants slated to open soon in Boyertown, Taqueria Las Vias will take over the former Carmelo’s Pizza. A “Coming Soon” sign is up on the building at 116 E. Philadelphia Avenue. No additional information, including opening date, is available at this time.

Unknown Wyomissing Restaurant
Wyomissing
Projected Opening: Unknown

Work is currently ongoing at the former On the Border in Wyomissing. The space at 796 Woodland Road has been vacant since the restaurant closed. There has been no official word on what will take over the space.

7Brew
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027

A new 7Brew has been proposed for the Broadcast District at Spring Township. The new mixed-use shopping and residential center is under construction along Broadcasting Road. 7Brew had originally been targeting a location adjacent to the Kohl’s on Paper Mill Road, but those plans were scrapped and a Raising Cane’s has been proposed for that site. The first businesses in the Broadcast District are expected to open in the fall of 2027.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, a national chain with more than 200 locations, is set to be one of the anchors of the new Broadcast District at Spring Township. The mixed use development, which will be on Broadcasting Road opposite Broadcasting Square (Target) should see its first tenants in the Fall of 2027. BJ’s has locations in Lancaster and Allentown.

Cava
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027-Winter 2028

In a June meeting of the Spring Township Board of Supervisors, five restaurants under the category of “fast food” were approved, including Cava. Cava is a chain of restaurants focused on Mediterranean and Greek-inspired bowls and pitas.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027-Winter 2028

SJC Ventures, the developer behind the Broadcast District at Spring Township, announced in March that it had secured Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen as a tenant for the new development. The project is set to open in Fall 2027. Opening dates will be more precise s the project gets closer to completion.

Dave’s Hot Chicken
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027-Winter 2028

Among the restaurants approved at the June 2026 Board of Supervisors meeting was Dave’s Hot Chicken, a fast food restaurant focused on Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches. The nearest Dave’s location is in Lebanon, PA.

First Watch
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027

A location for First Watch, a brunch restaurant chain, is slated to be part of the upcoming Broadcast District at Spring Township. The mixed use development, which will be on Broadcasting Road opposite Broadcasting Square (Target) should see its first tenants in the Fall of 2027. The nearest locations currently are Audubon, Hershey, and King of Prussia.

Qdoba
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027-Winter 2028

Along with the announcement of 7Brew and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, SJC Ventures announced Qdoba as another future tentant for the Broadcast District at Spring Township. The development is tentatively scheduled to open in the Fall of 2027.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

One of the higher end restaurants coming to the Broadcast District, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is among the confirmed businesses. The chain currently has four PA locations: Newtown Square, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre.

Shake Shack
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027

Berks County is getting a Shake Shack in 2027. The burger and shake chain will be part of the new Broadcast District at Spring Township. The mixed use development, which will be on Broadcasting Road opposite Broadcasting Square (Target) should see its first tenants in the Fall of 2027. Shake Shack has nearby locations in Lancaster, Whitehall, and King of Prussia.

Wonder
Spring Township
Projected Opening: Fall 2027 – Winter 2028

Wonder is a ghost kitchen concept that features menu items from celebrity chefs. The chain has a location in Lancaster that includes foods from Bobby Flay and Marcus Samuelsson. The restaurant was approved at the June Board of Supervisors meeting.