Finally—The Library restaurant in Collegeville is open!
The Library
After a long wait, The Library restaurant in Collegeville finally opened at 4 p.m. on June 4, 2024. They were met with an incredible response from the Collegeville community: their first week, an astonishing 2,400 area residents stopped in for food and signature craft cocktails. “We greatly appreciate the community’s support!” affirmed staff member Xhek (pronounced “Jack”) Kondakciu.
Although The Library currently has a substantial menu, and the four people in our Father’s Day party all greatly enjoyed their dinners, the chefs will be continually trying out new additions during the coming weeks to see which ones become most popular. And although there isn’t a formalized children’s menu yet, the restaurant has plenty of kid-friendly options. Just ask your server. The kids’ menu will be included once The Library finalizes their entire menu.
The Library has started playing live music every Friday and Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. This is also a work in progress, and they are continuing to learn about music options in the area. The restaurant will be booking more music groups and entertainment in the coming months.
Experienced Restaurant Veterans
The Library is the fifth restaurant of veteran chef partners Gent Mema and Josh Friedberg. The two first met while working together at Philadelphia’s Spasso Italian Grill. Several years back, the duo opened the successful Il Granaio in Glen Mills. Pa. They also took over the historic Versante Italian Restaurant in Schwenksville and opened a second very popular Il Granaio Restaurant in Phoenixville. Additionally they operate the thriving BYOB Antica in Chadds Ford.
The Library’s parking lot fills up quickly, and during popular dining hours the dining room becomes loud and it is hard to hear. If you prefer a quieter dining option, book earlier in the week. Alternate parking options include the E. Third Avenue Trailhead parking lot and Main Street above Third Avenue.