Tomato Bistro Open For Business

College friends Craig Mosmen and Michael Cassano experienced something all small business owners hope for -- success from the start.

They opened on Rector Street right out of college and immediately became a staple of Manayunk fooderies.

"Things were great from the start," Mosmen said. "The business grew every month."

Known for its signature salads and pizzas, owners believed The Couch Tomato filled a void on Main Street. It provided people with a quick service cafe, Mosmen said.

"It was just the two of us in the beginning," the co-owner said. "I was making pizzas and Mike made salads."

With the cafe expereince down, the spot quickly grew out of its space.

"Our biggest problem was that we didn't have enough seating in the cafe," he said.

The two first starting looking to expand in 2006 but didn't receive necesssary city permits until 2009. Once they were in hand, the duo gutted the second and third floor of the Rector Street establishment. 

"It was a big project," he said, adding that the two floors above the cafe were apartments and needed to be completely refitted.

The space wasn't the only major change, the two brought on a chef for the first time to help create the bistro's new menu. 

"We wanted to keep the cafe-inspired feel but expand into smaller plates which seems to be big right now," he said.

To do so the two brought on chef Christian Gotti who is well-known just across the river in Bala Cynwyd for his culinary expertise.

Some new small plates include toasted macaroni & cheese, crispy artichoke hears and a more traditional chicken and waffles dish.

Although the cafe's always been BYO, Mosmen said he wanted to feature good beer and good wine with good food without becoming a bar.

To do so, the owners worked with wine and beer coniseurs to create wine and beer pairing for each dish.

The craft beer and wine list will change quarterly with the food menu. Some beers are left hand milk stout, Doc's Framboise Raspberry Cider and Yards Brawler. Wines include a variety of Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Rieslings and Zinfandels.

"It's a really exciting change," Mosmen said, adding that he is hoping that the bistro becomes a Manayunk spot for wine lovers.

"We have a lot of bars here but I don't think we have a lot of spots for people who really enjoy wine," he said, adding that when they were crafting their wine list they brought in a well-known wine expert to help craft their list which includes

The pairings, he said, will hopefully make the spot a date night destination.

"That's what we're hoping for," he said. "The lights in here really make it look like it's glowing at night."