Welcome to Picnic, Philly's new dining hotspot

Picnic, Philly's newest restaurant hotspot, opens next week just in time for the buzzing Fourth of July crowds.

Why it matters: Getting here was no picnic for Defined Hospitality, which runs a stable of go-to restaurants including Kalaya and Pizzeria Beddia.

Driving the news: The group spent two years reworking the abandoned Weisbrod & Hess Brewery in East Kensington into a vibrant and inviting no-reservation restaurant and wine shop. It opens Wednesday at 5pm.

• Executive chef Mark Jerome Hennessy heads up the kitchen. On the menu: Wood-fired rotisserie chicken and oysters from Fishtown Seafood.
• More than 70 low-intervention wines are on offer (bottles in the $50-70 range), plus cocktails and a robust zero-proof program, per the Inquirer.

Catch up quick: The owners of Defined Hospitality saw a lot of potential when they bought the old brewery, a big brick building with high ceilings and curved windows.

• But it required a full overhaul to fix the crumbling infrastructure and transform it into a 225-seat restaurant, inspired partly by the Bacchanal in New Orleans.

What they're saying: The atmosphere is "convivial" and "laidback" — you know, like a picnic, creative adviser Joe Beddia said in a statement.

What to expect: Service is a mix of full service and fast casual with QR code ordering. There's a space for live music.

• Tables are first come, first served, but parties of eight or more can book reservations online.

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