photos by Joe Holden and Matt Coughlin
by Matt Coughlin
assistant news editor
Christopher’s Neighborhood Place creeps up on you from the middle of the block on Wayne Avenue. The catchy little place on the main line serves a casual blend of what part owner Jennifer Bailer calls “American comfort food in a casual, family atmosphere.” It is tucked in between the neighborhood shops.
“It’s nice and it’s convenient even though it’s new,” local resident Ann Donohue said. “This is our third time here,” Donohue added.
There is an Italian atmosphere to the restaurant, and the menu begins with pizza.
One item on the menu is the “Try Me I’m Good” pizza. This is a pizza with caramelized onions and Granny Smith apple slices. The menu is certainly one of the most creative on the Mainline. Yet some items leave something to be desired.
“It tastes like zucchini,” Andrea Pirri, junior, said of the “Try Me I’m Good” slices.
The crust was very good, but the choice of toppings was, perhaps, too unique for most palates.
Christopher Todd, the head chef, and another part-owner, spends his time in the kitchen while Bailey hovers in the front of the place, doing what she can to welcome the customers to the community-oriented establishment.
“We are looking to cater to couples, singles, and families for a friendly neighborhood place,” Bailer said.
Bartender Marc Fisher said that there is a “good college crowd on Fridays and Saturdays.” Fisher has been a bartender for five years, and added, “Sunday seems to be the bar crowd night.”
“The place is very original, the brick walls give it a bare look,” Pirri said.
The single open-area dining room separated from the bar by a partition. The restaurant’s dim lighting and brick walls set off a very European/Romantic setting.
Christopher’s Neighborhood Place opened two weeks ago. While the restaurant seemed slow before six, the walk-in traffic really picked up just before 7 p.m.
While the food seemed to take a longer than anticipated wait, the wait staff is always at hand for another drink.
“We hope to become a vital part of the community,” Bailer said.
