After nearly 25 years tucked into the corner of 25th and Meredith, Fairmount's cozy BYOB Figs has been sold, closing a long chapter for both the neighborhood and its chef-owner. Founder Salvatore De Cristofaro has handed over the keys, and the restaurant will close soon while the space is refitted to reopen as Valentina Italian Ristorante. The deal caps a nearly six decade career for De Cristofaro and signals a big menu pivot for locals who have treated Figs as a second dining room for years.
Sale and what’s next
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, De Cristofaro sold Figs to Landi Prendi, a longtime private chef and cooking instructor. Prendi plans to reopen the space as Valentina by the end of May. The Inquirer reports that Prendi, 54, immigrated from Albania, lived in England, then moved to the United States in 2001, and has been hosting cooking classes out of his home. Billy Creagh of National Realty Commercial represented De Cristofaro in the deal, while Emilio DiCicco represented Prendi.
New operator promises house-made Italian and classes
Prendi told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the new Valentina will be named for his mother and will lean hard into house-made Italian staples. He is planning a menu built on scratch-made pasta, pizza and classic desserts, plus Monday cooking classes and dishes such as lamb shank, duck breast and seafood pasta. The plan is dinner service every night and brunch on weekends. "Everything will be made from scratch - pasta, pizza, focaccia, you name it," he said.
Chef Sal's long run in Philly kitchens
De Cristofaro arrived from San Paolo di Civitate, Italy, as a teenager and went on to build a decades-long career in the region, opening or operating dozens of restaurants and serving as an executive chef at venues including the Trump Taj Mahal. As noted on Chef Salvatore's website, he has cooked guest dinners at the White House and collected multiple industry honors along the way. With the sale of Figs, he says he is ready to step back from the grind of day-to-day restaurant life.
What this means for Fairmount
Figs has operated as a neighborhood BYOB at 2501 Meredith Street since the early 2000s; the restaurant's own site lists the address and its bring-your-own format. Online restaurant listings place its opening around 2001, and over time it built a small, loyal following for a Mediterranean-leaning, Moroccan-influenced menu. With Valentina set to take over the same intimate footprint, Fairmount regulars can expect a switch from those North African touches to a fully house-made Italian lineup, plus cooking classes that keep the space just as personal, even as the recipes change.
