Green Soul to open second location at closing Jonathan Best site in Chestnut Hill

Chestnut Hill’s Jonathan Best Gourmet Grocer will be closing its doors at the end of this month after thirty years. Coming in its place will be Green Soul of West Oak Lane’s second location.

 

With the tag line, ‘the bridge to better eating,’ Green Soul’s goal is to provide its customers with fresh, local and tasty foods. Menu items include BBQ pulled chicken sandwich, mango jerk salmon salad and BBQ black bean veggie burger.

Business at the restaurant’s flagship location in West Oak Lane has been great, according to owner, Al Paris. He’s worked with his co-owners, Benjamin and Robert Bynum, on another Chestnut Hill locale – Heirloom. 

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After being open for almost two years, Paris says the Green Soul in West Oak Lane has been, “very successful.” Which is why he and his partners thought, “there needed to be more than one Green Soul.”

Residents say they wish Jonathan Best well but are looking forward to Green Soul.

Stacia Friedman, local resident for 15 years said, “we welcome new business.”

Germantown High School graduate and Mt. Airy resident Dale Adams said, “it’s the best of both worlds,” adding “you get both green and soul,” as she danced while saying the word soul.

Diane Herron is not a Chestnut Hill resident but has been staying at the hotel next to Green Soul’s future location and says she hopes Green Soul is open in the evening, noting Jonathan Best would be closed when she returned from work.

Hipster’s owner, David Friday whose home décor shop is across the street from Jonathan Best said that he’s sad to see him go but, “it being filled quickly is a plus.”

Paris says the new Green Soul will have a bigger space and feature more menu items. The restaurant is set to open early summer.

Green Soul’s current hours are from noon to 8 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Jonathan Best owner David Schieber will keep his Reading Terminal Market shop open.

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