New restaurant and bar Loveluck opening at LOVE Park flying saucer building

Owners Marcie Turney and Val Safran say their latest venture will be open before the end of 2019

A rendering of the Loveluck restaurant in LOVE Park from architect firm Kieran Timberlake.
Rendering courtesy/Kieran Timberlake

The long-vacant, flying-saucer shaped visitors center in LOVE Park is getting a new look and tenant sometime this year.

Marcie Turney and Val Safran (of Lolita, Jamonera, Barbuzzo, Bud & Marilyn's, Little Nonna's and Grocery) are bringing their newest bar and restaurant, Loveluck, to the UFO-shaped building that sits on the southwest corner of the park, Philly Mag first reported on Wednesday.


RELATED: Bud & Marilyn's reveals plan for second location at Philadelphia airport


On its website, Fairmount Park Conservancy says the building, officially dubbed the LOVE Park Welcome Center, can host 50 to 55 seats inside and an additional 135 on an outdoor balcony and adjoining terrace. 

The building has been undergoing renovations since 2015 when the entire park was reimagined. The UFO is still being renovated, but Philly Mag reported Loveluck is expected to open sometime before the end of 2019.

Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceChef Marcie Turney at Bud & Marilyn's at 1234 Locust Street.

On Instagram, Safran said the project has been in the works for quite some time. An Instagram account for the restaurant – @loveluckphilly – hadn't yet posted, as of Wednesday afternoon.

There will be a press conference on March 13 to announce more details.

Turney and Safran announced plans in February to the open a second location of their popular restaurant Bud & Marilyn's at Philadelphia International Airport. That restaurant's original location at 13th and Locust opened in 2015.


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