Last updated on May 22nd, 2024 at 01:58 am

The Philadelphia food scene is a welcoming embrace to global cuisine. Philly has a noticeable fondness for Asian and European cooking, as demonstrated by the large number of bistros and restaurants serving these cuisines. 

With a highly-encouraging market of residents who love food, constructing restaurants in Philadelphia neighborhoods is a wise investment. This list features the best restaurant contractors in Philadelphia. These firms have a strong sense of the stakes and nuances of the restaurant industry, including the unconventional demands that restaurants might make to lead the competitive market. 

To gather and rank the best contractors, our team employed meticulous criteria to gauge the quality of work produced by each company. We also considered awards, accolades, the capacity to handle these projects, as well as the overall quality of work history.

If you are thinking about building a restaurant, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

 

 

11) G&M Efestos Contracting Inc.

6950 Norwitch Dr., Philadelphia, PA 19153

Family business G&M Efestos is a general contracting firm that operates in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Having over 40 years of industry experience, G&M has a strong background in commercial and residential projects. G&M is an experienced contractor in various industries, working with homeowners, entrepreneurs, and restaurateurs. 

G&M took the lead in constructing a number of restaurants in the area including diners, casual dining restaurants, cafes, and pubs. Local barbeque restaurant Tradesman’s is one of the many projects of the company. This 7,500 square-foot restaurant and bar has a two-story layout that can fit around 200 diners. The restaurant also has three bars and a 23-foot high ceiling that adds to the enormity of the restaurant.

10) Lott Restaurant Construction

31 S3 Sterley St., Ste. 500, Shillington, PA 19607

Restaurant construction specialist Lott Restaurant Construction is one of the up-and-coming names in the local construction scene. Having built over 400 restaurant projects in 15 states, Lott has established its brand as a prodigious builder of restaurants. Founded in 2013, Lott has completed several well-known restaurant projects, including Jewish deli The Rooster. 

The Rooster, formerly known as Rooster Soup Co., was founded by James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef Awardee Michael Solomonov with a community-based market in mind. Solomonov does not only serve hearty meals for Philadelphians but is also a renowned supporter of Broad Street Ministries, helping feed underprivileged Philadelphians. 

9) Columbus Construction

1930 S. 25th St., Philadelphia, PA 19145

Columbus Construction is a family-owned and -operated construction firm that operates all across the Philadelphia Tri-State Area. James Campenella founded the company in 2009, representing the third generation of family expertise in the construction business. Columbus has a strong background in commercial and residential projects despite only being established in 2009.

One of Columbus’ interesting projects is Milkboy, a three-meal café, bar, and live music venue. The firm carried out the renovations and build-out of the two-story cafe, a feat especially challenging due to the imposed city limits and the crowd control considerations needed for the restaurant.

8) MidAtlantic Construction

925 Harvest Dr., Suite #220, Blue Bell, PA 19422

With over 30 years of industry experience, MidAtlantic Construction offers construction services encompassing various markets, including commercial, healthcare, and restaurant. MidAtlantic focuses on on-schedule, on-budget, and visually-appealing projects. 

Among these projects is Marabella’s Restaurant, an Italian-concept eatery. This family restaurant has a straightforward idea of bringing traditional Italian cooking to a family-friendly environment. To achieve this, MidAtlantic built a one million dollar facility with appropriately-lit ambiance, guided by heavy use of warm tones and wooden accents. 

7) Rebcor Construction

900 Heritage Dr, Pottstown, PA 19464

Rebcor Construction is a design-build firm specializing in corporate, retail, hospitality, and restaurant interiors. For over 30 years, Rebcor has built a reputation in employing cost-effective solutions done within strict deadlines, even under restrictive work environments.

The company has built a great number of commercial projects such as Danlu, a two-level gastropub located in University City. The restaurant is famous for its Taiwanese-inspired cuisine and a long arsenal of alcoholic beverages. The posh and modern interior also contributes to the character of the restaurant as it looks to appeal to a younger crowd. Soft lighting and earth tones dictate the fashionable ambiance, paired with playful graphics and Asian-inspired patterns. 

6) McDonald Building

910 E. Main St., Suite #101, Norristown, PA 19401

2014 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Award of Excellence recipient McDonald Building is a contractor that specializes in multi-family homes and commercial projects. McDonald led the development of several neighborhood projects, such as the Francis House of Peace, Sedgley Plaza, Beech Street Factory, and Nicoletta Pizzeria. 

New York-based Nicoletta Pizzeria employed the services of McDonald in doing the 150,000 square-foot expansion of its Philadelphia branch. Nicoletta is the brainchild of Chef Michael White and the Altamarea Group, pursuing White’s love for pizza. The massive restaurant space is designed to accommodate four brick ovens, a gelato maker, and a kitchen that houses Italian dining equipment. The interior of the restaurant was designed for a casual family and friends experience. This is achieved through the use of red and neutral colors along with intelligent spacing.

 

5) Domus Construction

346 E. Walnut Ln., Philadelphia, PA 19144

Building over 16 million square feet and with over 120 projects done for repeat clients over 40 years, Domus Construction serves to be one of the busiest general contractors in this list. The company operates with high regard for client relationships, waving pre-construction fees and fortifying its reach across the region. 

Domus has a versatile portfolio ranging from historical renovations to commercial projects. The company has built staple local restaurants such as Parc, Distrito, and Barclay Prime Restaurant. 1940’s-inspired French bistro Parc is a 13,000 square-foot crafty space designed to transport diners to the Parisian streets, serving croissants, steak frites, escargots, and fruits de mer.

4) Intech Construction

3020 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104

Intech Construction is a multi-awarded general contractor serving all across the Philly area, ranking fifth in Philadelphia Business Journal’s Top 25 Contractors list and 21st on Engineering News Record’s (ENR) MidAtlantic Top Contractors list. For over three decades, founder and principal Craig Sabatino has led the company in building projects across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Sabatino is a multi-awarded entrepreneur, bagging two Entrepreneur of the Year awards, among other personal awards.

P.J. Clarke’s has been an establishment since 1884, gaining legendary status in its locations in New York and Washington, D.C. In Philadelphia, Intech was enlisted to build a P.J. Clarke’s in The Curtis, a historic commercial building once occupied by Curtis publishing. The completed restaurant has a classic, luxurious finish that makes a clear statement of quality. 

3) Russ Kelly & Associates

12 Orchard Way, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054

Since 1977, Russ Kelly & Associates has been building all over New Jersey, Delaware, and the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Now headed by Wharton School alumnus Barbara Kelly, the firm found new heights in the local construction scene. Kelly served as the president of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) and board member of its national network.

Russ Kelly has a striking portfolio filled with high-end restaurants such as Vernick Food & Drink and Le Bec Fin. Most recently, prominent Philly restaurateurs Michael Schulson and Nina Tinari enlisted the services of Russ Kelly to build Harp & Crown, a bi-level restaurant and bar. The firm worked side-by-side with local interior design firm Rohe Creative to build a luxurious modern restaurant with touches of old world charm. This combination was achieved through the use of a glass facade, 24-foot glass ceiling, and hip wallpapers.

2) JH Greene & Son

537 N. York Rd., Hatboro, PA 19040

Jim Greene, Sr. established JH Greene & Son as a construction management company in 1974. From there, he oversaw the company’s growth and witnessed the evolution of technology and construction processes firsthand. His business approach of offering the most competitive bid to clients is carried by his son Jim Greene, Jr., who now serves as the firm’s president. 

Now a full-fledged general contractor and construction management firm, JH Greene & Son has found itself popular and well-known. The firm has been featured in publications including Construction Today and Blue Book Building & Construction Network. The firm is responsible for iconic local neighborhood restaurants like the Churchville Inn. This 6,000 square-foot restaurant has an indoor and outdoor dining area serviced by a full kitchen and two bars. 

1) Clemens Construction

1435 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102

Clemens Construction is a full-service general contractor and construction management firm that produces award-winning projects. With a strong background in commercial construction, Clemens has accumulated several awards during its 40 years of operations, including three consecutive General Building Contractors Association Building Excellence Awards. 

In the restaurant market, Clemens built many iconic dining spots, including Rat’s Restaurant in New Jersey. This French restaurant was built in a chateau-like environment designed to emulate Claude Monet’s hometown of Giverny. Opened in 1992, Rat’s has welcomed over two million guests in its 49-hectare restaurant, sculpture park, museum, and arboretum. 

How can I find a contractor near me?

Read our latest articles on the best contractors in and near Philadelphia. If you don’t see your project type below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

Retail Contractors in Philadelphia

Hotel and Hospitality Contractors in Philadelphia

Tenant Improvement (office) Contractors in Philadelphia

About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration

Get Bids For Your Build

If you are thinking about building a restaurant, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

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