New Summer Menus at McCrossen’s Tavern, Heirloom, Le Castagne

Marinated boquerones at McCrossen's

Per both calendar and thermometer, summer is officially here, and with the heat comes new menus across town. Check out the highlights from a trio of restaurants and make plans to go out - it’s too hot to cook, anyway.

McCrossen’s Tavern
Townsend Wentz continues to “chef up” the menu at this former pub fare stop near the Art Museum. This summer the Wentz is launching a housemade pasta program, including an alla chitarra with pesto and ricotta cavatelli with sausage. Also look for boquerones, fish tacos and roasted rainbow trout. Before you get into any of that, start with the new agave mojito, made with tequila and fresh cilantro (215-854-0923).

Heirloom
At this Chestnut Hill BYO, Al Paris has come up with a nearly all-seasonal list. We’re looking at the beet and grilled nectarine salad ($12) as a way to beat appetizer boredom, though the white bean lobster chili ($15) could also fill that slot. In entree-land, winter favorite short rib gets a summertime showing with roast peaches and local kale, at $28 the priciest dish on the menu (215-242-2700).

Le Castagne
Chef Michael DeLone surprised himself by ending up with relatively few tomatoes on the summer list at this Rittenhouse classic Italian. Instead he’s getting creative with apps like pepper-cured salmon with cauliflower panna cotta and everything bagel crumbs. Also stay on the lookout for a rotating fried squash blossom special, and don’t dismiss the gnocchi with white truffle cream just because it’s hot out - there is air conditioning inside, after all (215-751-9913).