A new seafood restaurant opens this month near Rittenhouse Square, serving up "contemporary coastal" flavors.
Little Water opens Friday, Oct. 25, at 261 South 20th Street. It's the second restaurant by husband-and-wife team Chef Randy Rucker — who was a semifinalist at this year's James Beard Awards — and Amanda Rucker, who also run River Twice together. The new restaurant is a tribute to the Ruckers' experiences living along the Gulf Coast and in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions.
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"Little Water pays homage to the beloved coastal towns we once called home," Randy and Amanda said in a release. "From fishing the bay systems of Galveston, Texas, to island life on Martha’s Vineyard, to sharing a dock with our neighbors on the Niantic Bay in Connecticut — our journey to Philadelphia has been shaped by time spent living along America’s coastlines. We’re excited to share these treasured memories through Little Water in the historic neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square."
The a la carte menu includes dishes like the Grande Plateau: a collection of raw and chilled seafood like oysters, clams, shrimp cocktail, crab claws, lobster and scallops. There is also Golden Osetra Caviar Service, roasted Lancaster County Chicken, Crispy Hash Brown with crab salad, and the Swordfish Milanese — a twist on fish and chips.
Along with a selection of wines, unique cocktails that will be offered include the Ocean Water (scotch and coconut water), the Juice Box Negroni (made with concord grapes) and the Matcha Highball (with flavors of vanilla and white chocolate). Non-alcoholic offerings include the Coffee & Tonic, a version of the espresso tonic flavored with raspberry.
The interior of the restaurant is filled with light hues and pastels, and will be filled with natural light from the many windows. There will also be abstract murals painted by Amanda decorating the bathrooms, similarly to River Twice.
Little Water fills the space left by Twenty Manning, which closed after more than two decades. It will be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5-10 p.m., with lunch service to begin in the near future. Reservations can be made online.
