Opening the end of June, chef/owner Clark Gilbert will celebrate the rebirth of Gemelli (4161 Main Street; 215-487-1230) in its new location on Main Street in Manayunk, PA. Nestled neatly into the heart of historic Manayunk, Gemelli On Main will be consciously uncool and quietly sophisticated. Like the original in Narberth, Gemelli On Main will adopt that same spirit of a friendly neighborhood place, with a warm comfortable energy, where people can feel at home.
Chef Clark Gilbert’s menu will focus on Italian with some nods to France, particularly Provence (view menu below). The food finds it’s inspiration in thoughtful, straightforward preparations using the best seasonal ingredients. It is a modern style of cooking that is based entirely on a classical combination of flavors and ingredients. The second story bar at Gemelli overlooks a bustling Main Street and offers a cozy space to relax with a seasonal cocktail or a great glass of wine from their select wine list.
“With a need to increase the number of seats and a strong desire for a liquor license, the move to Manayunk was simply an opportunity that I could not ignore,” explains chef/owner Clark Gilbert. “In the new location, Gemelli On Main will polish its edges and flex its ambitions to capitalize on the more urban and competitive environment. I hope that our guests will experience what a dinner out was always supposed to be; generous, affordable, completely lacking pretense and above all, full of flavor.
“Gemelli (meaning twins in Italian), is a tribute to Clark’s greatest achievement, his twin children, Riley and Dylan. Gemelli On Main will be open for dinner seven nights a week, as well as lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is available in the Lock Street Parking Lot directly across the street.
About Chef/Owner Clark Gilbert
Clark Gilbert landed his first cooking job at Restaurant Taquet in Wayne, PA under chef-owner Jean Francois Taquet. Within a year and a half he had secured a coveted Sous Chef position. After stints at the Fountain Room at the Four Seasons under Jean Marie Lacroix and in the kitchens of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, Chef Gilbert’s first Executive Chef position came at the rebirth of La Terrasse. He was involved as Chef de Cuisine, in the opening of four restaurants in the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square, including Square Bar, where Philadelphia Inquirer critic Craig LaBan labeled him “one of the city’s most talented chefs.” He headed the kitchen at the venerable South Philadelphia Italian steakhouse, the Saloon and at the well-respected byob, Avalon in West Chester. Several years later his cooking career came full circle when he reconnected with his mentor and returned to Restaurant Taquet as Chef de Cuisine. In 2009, Gilbert realized his dream of opening his own place, Gemelli in Narberth, PA. With his sophomore effort, Gemelli on Main, Chef Clark Gilbert begins the next chapter.
