STARR Restaurant Group

STARR Restaurant Group was founded in 1995 by Stephen Starr, a former concert promoter who transformed Philadelphia's dining scene with the opening of Continental Restaurant & Martini Bar in Old City. What began as a single retro cocktail spot quickly became a template for high-concept hospitality, blending theatrical production with culinary craftsmanship.

Over the following decades, Starr built an empire by assembling world-class designers and chefs for each new concept. The group expanded beyond Philadelphia in 2006, entering New York City and Atlantic City, and by 2009 had grown to 18 locations. Further expansion brought restaurants to Washington D.C., South Florida, Nashville, and Paris with Chez La Vieille in 2016. Today, the portfolio spans more than 40 restaurants, each with its own distinct identity but unified by an emphasis on atmosphere and immersive environments.

The group's flagship properties include Buddakan, Le Diplomate, Parc, Makoto, and Pastis. Starr won the 2017 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur, and Le Coucou was named Best New Restaurant the same year. The Clocktower earned the group's first Michelin star in 2018. With recent acquisitions of Lupa and Babbo in 2025, the company continues to evolve while staying true to its founding principle that every new concept must begin with a feeling.