Hello, Milo (now goodbye)

Not so fast — Conrad’s new vegetarian cafe closes after 10 months in business. 

Update 8/30/19:

Oh no! Bad news today on East Falls Development Corporation’s Website:

With heavy hearts we are officially saying goodbye to Milo in East Falls. The owner of this restaurant has expressed gratitude to Fallsers for their support over the last year. If you find yourself craving the Milo vegan fare, head on up to their new location in Mt. Airy (closed permanently in May 2022) where Fallsers will receive a 7% discount! 

Ah… parting is such sweet sorrow. So now we must say adieu to a great little veggie spot that will be missed. Can’t say we didn’t see this coming though — when we reviewed Milo last spring, we had a feeling chef Craig would be moving onto bigger and better things. Hope you had a chance to sample his crave-worthy cooking; if not, do try to take advantage of his generous 7% Fallser discount (while it lasts) in Mt Airy.

And let’s never forget the day chef Craig and his sou chef saved EF’s laundomat from engulfing flames….

Update 10/29/18:

Milo Restaurant is now open — and getting great Yelp reviews. Check them out for breakfast/lunch Tuesday thru Sunday or pop by for dinner Thurs/Fri/Saturday night (open til 9pm).

Update 3/30/18:

First envisioned as an Italian cafe and urban market last year, Chef Craig has changed focus for his new restaurant to bring vegetarian/vegan food to the Falls. According to a recent Eater Philly article, Milo will offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus takeaway items like sandwiches, tacos, noodle dishes, and salads featuring tempeh, seitan, tofu, and his own dairy-free nut-based cheese.

The new Conrad space will have room for 30+ seats and a display case of yummy grab ‘n go items. Weekend brunch is also on the schedule. Slated to open mid-April, stay tuned for reviews…

Meanwhile, follow Milo Restaurant for updates and check out the local buzz from neighbors on EF Rants.

Original article (10/25/2017):

So we’re having a little reshuffling of storefronts on East Falls’ 2nd business corridor. “Artist Haus” salon owner Mackenzie Day & her husband Tim purchased the Epicure Café building across the street when Tom & Arlene retired last summer. They hope to subdivide the floorplan, with the salon occupying about half the space towards Division Street. The other part with the sunny windows on Conrad? A French bistro has expressed interest, as well as a yoga studio.

Meanwhile, Tom & Arlene sold a lot of their restaurant equipment to chef Craig Wilson, of the popular Gigi’s (Italian) and Maya J (tapas) restaurants in Manayunk. Both spots recently closed – chef Craig admits it was time to move out of that area. When he saw Mackenzie’s space opening up, he grabbed it.

“Manayunk is all kids – that’s great if you want to make tacos and serve beer till 2 am every night, ‘ he explained, “But we just had a baby. East Falls is so family-oriented, and has a real community feel.” Chef Craig sees a need for healthy, homey meals made with organic, locally-sourced ingredients. He’s planning a new restaurant called “Milo” with a substantial menu of prepared items available for carry-out.

Breakfast & lunch 7 days a week. Open for dinner Thurs, Fri and Saturday nights — the menu will change depending on what’s seasonal (and what chef Craig feels like cooking). Big, bold Italian pasta dishes, and small Mediterranean-style plates too. Vegan/vegetarian options, too. Basically, he’ll pull the menu favorites from both of his old restaurants, including their much-Yelped garlic bread with hot Italian peppers.

“We’ll be doing a lot of induction cooking, “ chef Craig told us, “and also will use steam and convection heat for lighter, healthier dishes.” Induction cooking uses magnets for precise heat control with much less fuel than traditional methods. “I’m getting away from greasy kitchens, this is a nice clean way to cook.” No open flames, and no big noisy exhaust fans, either.

Craig’s hoping to open Milo by the first week of February (update: actual opening date was October 2018). If all goes well, he’s already got his eye on the space nextdoor where he could easily expand. “East Falls is growing,” he said, “We’re hoping to build a cornerstone market/restaurant that’ll serve the neighbors for a long, long time.”

PS: Nextdoor to Milo, the former Conrad Market will become a cell phone repair spot.

Milo Restaurant
Vegan/vegetarian cuisine — dine in or take out, plus grab & go options, as well. Tacos, noodles, salads, sandwiches, and even special teas, coffees, and elixers! Opened October 2018 to great Yelp reviews
3426 Conrad Street
215-808-7282
Facebook
Instagram
“Hello Milo,” East Falls Local (Apr 2018)
Open Tues-Sun 7am – 4pm
Open Thurs/Fri/Sat 6pm – 9pm

1 Comment

  1. As a ex employee lets all show up on opening night and picket outside until he pays us. Tell every patron and his new employees how he conducts business.

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