A chef who made her name serving pasta out of her own kitchen will soon open her first restaurant in Philadelphia. Liz Grothe gained fame in foodie circles for Couch Cafe, a supper club run out of her Northern Liberties apartment. Now, she's preparing to launch a restaurant much farther away from her front door. Scampi opens in Queen Village on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The BYOB spot, located at 617 S. 3rd St., promises "edible tours through regions of Italy." Though the opening menu is still in the works, Grothe prepared dinners based on the cuisines of Rome, Florence and Bologna for Couch Cafe. Dishes from those meals ranged from a ribollita, or Tuscan bread soup, to balanzoni, a bright green pasta made with spinach that's similar to tortellini.