the best of philadelphia - john wiley &...

The Best of Philadelphia

Here’s a homework assignment before your visit to Philadelphia. Rent two quin-tessentially Philly movies: 1940’s The Philadelphia Story, about a conservative, butlovable, upper-crust WASP family, and 1976’s Rocky, with its affecting tale of aSouth Philly underdog-makes-good.

Yes, the city has changed since these were made—more nightlife, moresophistication, more lobster-wasabi spring rolls, more political scandals—butnot all that much. Both movies are beloved by Philadelphians, because they’reHollywood-ized but accurate reflections of our glamour and our grit. And wewouldn’t have it any other way.

You can see the contrasts if you walk Center City for just one long afternoon:You’ll pass beneath manicured trees and impeccable brownstones near Ritten-house Square, and then find yourself 30 minutes later, ordering dim sum at atiny, noisy Chinatown lunch counter. Philly is the wide, graceful sweep of theBenjamin Franklin Parkway, punctuated by the massive, neoclassical Philadel-phia Museum of Art at one end, and ornate, French-inspired City Hall at theother; it’s also the gritty streets of South Philly’s Italian Market, where live chick-ens squawk (in terror!), and fresh sausages sizzle on a corner grill wafting aromasthat would convert a PETA-registered vegan.

Philadelphians might take historical attractions a bit for granted, but we’resecretly very proud of them. The new Liberty Bell Pavilion in IndependenceNational Historical Park, with its glass walls and exquisite lighting that glowsaround the bell at night? We love it. The National Constitution Center, mod-ern, in steel and limestone? We think it’s cool, and visited as soon as it opened.The surrounding hills of Bucks County and the Amish Country? We can’t waitfor summer, when we tube down the rivers, browse for antiques, and watch ourchildren milk a cow.

Once known as a town of nightlife extremes—either stuffy piano bars or shot-and-a-beer joints—Philly now offers a full range of hip after-dark options, andeven has the imprimatur of cool as the site of last year’s Real World on MTV. Wenow sip “hypnotinis” at Old City lounges, pose at Stephen Starr’s gorgeousStriped Bass bar, and dance at the cool gay lounge Bump. Philly’s favorite newplace to spend a summer night, though, is in a seat at the new Citizen’s BankPark, watching the Phils win (or lose), gazing at the skyline spectacularly framedby the bleachers.

One funny thing about Philadelphians: We never leave. Almost everyone youmeet was born here, got married here, might have lived in Los Angeles for onesunny year—but came back to our city, which is so familiar and beautiful,whether draped in snow or glowing with cherry blossoms. You should also knowthat we do eat cheesesteaks; we fight the urge as much as possible, but there’snothing to beat down an incipient hangover like one of these foot-long, grease-dripping, Cheez Whiz–smothered babies. They’re best eaten at 3am, and that’swhy Pat’s and Geno’s Steaks both stay open 24 hours a day.

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F R O M M E R ’ S FA V O R I T E P H I L A D E L P H I A E X P E R I E N C E S 5

1 Frommer’s Favorite Philadelphia Experiences• Taking Afternoon Tea at the

Swann Lounge: The quintessen-tial luxury tea is found at the FourSeasons, overlooking AlexanderCalder’s Swann Fountain, one ofthe city’s most beautiful works ofart, and the wide, stately BenjaminFranklin Parkway. See p. 79.

• Visiting the Barnes Foundation:The Barnes Foundation Gallery inMerion houses the most importantprivate collection of Impressionistand early French modern paintingsin the world, displaying moreCézannes than all the museums ofFrance put together. The museumis in the midst of litigation overwhether to relocate to downtownPhiladelphia (against the wishes ofthe foundation’s deceased founder),so you must schedule a visit severalmonths in advance around its openhours from Friday to Sunday (orWed–Fri in the summertime). Seep. 128.

• Wandering Through FairmountPark: It would take dozens of out-ings to fully explore the 100 milesof trails in this 8,900-acre giant ofan urban park—some of them arevirtually unchanged since Revolu-tionary times. We’ll settle for gaz-ing at the hundreds of flameazaleas that bloom behind the ArtMuseum in spring, and the dozenGeorgian country mansions, keptin immaculate condition, thatpepper the park. See p. 149.

• Shopping on First Friday: On thefirst Friday of every month, the galleries, stores, and studios of OldCity—just north of IndependenceNational Historical Park—remainopen with refreshments and artistson hand until 9pm. Wander alongthe cobblestone streets, stoppinginto one of the many coffee bars orbistros. See p. 181.

• Stepping Back in Time in His-toric Philadelphia: Everyone

knows about the miraculous recla-mation of this country’s Colonialcapital, from work on the LibertyBell to renovation on hundreds ofrow houses with their distinctivebrickwork and 18th-century formalgardens (and welcoming benches).But the new tours (especially thenighttime “Lights of Liberty” show,p. 127), the costumed town crierswith free maps, and the Revolu-tionary War–era street theater bringthe experience even closer. Justwander; they’ll find you. See “Inde-pendence National Historical Park:America’s Most Historic SquareMile,” in chapter 7.

• Snacking on Pretzels, Hoagies,and Philly’s Famous Cheese-steaks: Philadelphia has a rich tra-dition of cuisine from haute (as inthe shad roe from fish caught in theDelaware River each Apr) to hot(the warm, soft, salty pretzels servedslathered with mustard at stands allover town). The hoagie is some-thing else—cold cuts, lettuce, andonions layered with oil and vine-gar—along with its cousin thecheesesteak, also served on an enor-mous elongated bun. See “LocalFavorites: Cheesesteaks, Hoagies &More,” in chapter 6.

• Strolling Around IndependenceSquare at Night: The combina-tion of history, elegance, and pro-portion among the three mainbuildings that contained America’sfirst government always induces asense of wonder at this country’sgood fortune in its founding citi-zens. You might even feel the urgeto jump aboard one of the horse-drawn carriages lined up nearby.See “Independence National His-torical Park: America’s Most Historic Square Mile,” p. 120.

• Enjoying the Lights at Night:The William Penn statue atop CityHall, the Ben Franklin Bridge, and

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seven Schuylkill River bridges arepermanently lighted, joining thebeautiful white pin lights that out-line the boathouses along theSchuylkill River.

• Touring an Open House: Ifyou’re in the city at the right time,don’t miss the tours of restoredmansions in Society Hill, Ritten-house Square, or Fairmount Parkfor a delightful lesson in Colonial-era interior design and Americana.The open houses are scatteredthroughout the year, but duringthe pre-Christmas season, withtheir period decorations, they areespecially lovely. See the “Philadel-phia Calendar of Events,” in chap-ter 2.

• Breathing Deeply at thePhiladelphia Flower Show: Inearly March, the Flower Show—the largest and most prestigiousindoor exhibition of its kind inthe world—descends on the Penn-sylvania Convention Center, withacres of orchids and traditionaland exotic displays. See p. 135.

• Exploring the PhiladelphiaMuseum of Art: It has a stupen-dous collection of masterpieces,period rooms, and crafts, and isbecoming one of the hottest muse-ums in the country for specialexhibitions. Look for more block-busters like the recent van Goghand the mid-1990s Cézanne exhi-bitions. Wednesday and Fridayevening hours have become con-vivial social scenes, with cocktailsand live music. See p. 129.

• Cheering the Regattas Along theSchuylkill: On any spring week-end, stand along Boathouse Rowjust north of the Philadelphia

Museum of Art, and get ready tocheer. Crews race each other every5 minutes or so, with friendsalong the riverbanks rooting themon. See p. 150.

• Stocking Up at the Reading Ter-minal Market: From Bassett’s icecream to the food of the 12thStreet Cantina, this is a century-old mother lode of unpackaged,fresh, honest-to-goodness provi-sions. Amish farmers come everyThursday through Saturday to selltheir custards and scrapple (abreakfast meat of herbed porkblended with cornmeal and friedbefore serving). And what couldbe more convenient than the mar-ket’s location right underneath theConvention Center? See p. 104.

• Exploring South Philly: Exuber-ant attitude punctuates everyinterchange you’ll have, whetheron a stroll (with ample tastings)through the Italian Market orwandering farther south to seekout the area’s great pizzas, cannoli,or famed cheesesteaks. See “SouthStreet: The Hippest Street in Town(Sort Of),” p. 205.

• Dining on Walnut Street: WalnutStreet near Rittenhouse Square has a confluence of world-classrestaurants within mere feet of each other, including Le Bec-Fin(p. 99), Pasion! (p. 102), StripedBass (p. 102), Brasserie Perrier(p. 101), Susanna Foo (p. 104),and Alma de Cuba (p. 100).Whatever your taste or price range,you should try one of them.

• Catching a Phillies Game at theNew Ball Park: A summer nightat the new Citizens Bank Park


A Central CityThirty-eight percent of the nation’s population lives within a 41⁄2-hourdrive from Philadelphia.

Fun Fact

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means great views from every seatin this old-fashioned-style stadium,with its amazing local foods such asTony Luke’s cheesesteaks. If you siton the third level, you’ll also see aperfectly framed view of the CenterCity skyline. See p. 158.

• Taking in the Mummer’s Parade:Grown men dancing in feathers,

sequins, and spandex mark theannual New Year’s Day MummersParade (www.mummers.com), inwhich thousands strut their wayup Broad Street. The music isloud and antiquated, but theexperience is festive and fun, withlive music at the Convention Cen-ter. See p. 135.

B E S T H O T E L B E T S 7

2 Best Hotel Bets• Best Historic Hotel: Well, it’s

only the “lite” version of what itused to be, when Thomas Edisondesigned the fixtures and the ball-room defined swank. But the topfloor of the Park Hyatt Philadel-phia at the Bellevue, Broad andWalnut streets, or 1415 Chancel-lor Court, between Walnut andLocust streets (& 800/223-1234),with its Library Lounge bar andpastel-painted, domed Barrymoretea room, carries traces of a cen-tury’s worth of history. See p. 79.

• Best for Business Travelers:Hotel Sofitel, 120 S. 17th St. (& 800/SOFITEL), is one of theupscale chain with a Frenchaccent. Philly Sofitel’s location isincredibly convenient, and therooms are large and elegant, witheasy access to plugs and modemjacks at a handsome desk. You’llfind personal voice mail, also. Theservice staff is efficient and courte-ous. See p. 79.

• Best for a Romantic Getaway:The Penn’s View Hotel, Front andMarket streets (& 800/331-7634),feels like an exquisite club, withviews over the Delaware River. Andhow could you not like what theNew York Times hails as “themother of all wine bars” down-stairs? See p. 77.

• Best Hotel Lobby for Pretend-ing You’re Rich: There’s no placelike the cool, plush Four SeasonsHotel, 1 Logan Sq. (& 800/332-3442), for rubbing elbows with

the moneyed elite (it’s also a greatplace to stay if you are the mon-eyed elite). The Swann Loungeoverlooking Logan Circle is a con-stant stream of chic outfits, cus-tom suits, and the frequent blacktie. See p. 78.

• Best for Families: The HiltonInn at Penn, in West Philadelphiaat 3600 Sansom St. (& 800/445-8667), is a cross-town ride fromthe historical sights, but offers thewhole family space to roamamong spacious corridors, ever-present fruit to munch on and teato sip in a comfortable librarylounge, plus TV for children towatch while parents exercise. Also,the campus of U. Penn across thestreet is perfect for throwing aFrisbee or playing tag. See p. 87.Slightly tattered but more moder-ately priced is the Embassy SuitesCenter City, 1776 BenjaminFranklin Pkwy. at Logan Square(& 800/362-2779), with cute lit-tle open-air balconies (yes, therailings are sturdy), and an opu-lent buffet breakfast at the TGIFriday’s at street level. It’s 5 min-utes to the premier children’smuseums and Logan Circle. Andall the rooms are suites, so parentscan have their privacy. See p. 82.

• Best Moderately Priced Hotel:The Hotel Windsor, 1700 Ben-jamin Franklin Pkwy. near Ritten-house Square and City Hall (& 877/784-8379), is the best

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choice in its price range. A one-room suite with two double bedsand full kitchen goes for $139. Agenerous continental breakfast isincluded in the rate. See p. 83.

• Best B&B: Many, many moreB&Bs are listed through A Bed & Breakfast Connection/Bed &Breakfast of Philadelphia (p. 73)than are listed independently. Afavorite among the latter is Ship-pen Way Inn, 418 Bainbridge St.(& 800/245-4873 or 215/627-7266), which has nine rooms intwo Queen Village row houses builtaround 1750 and lovingly main-tained. You might also try TenEleven Clinton, 1011 Clinton St.(& 215/923-8144), an elegant1836 Federal town house on a quiettree-lined street. See the “HistoricBed & Breakfasts” box on p. 78 formore on both.

• Best Service: The training processfor every employee of the Ritz-Carlton hotels is legendary, andthe staff at the hotel at 10 Avenueof the Arts (& 800/241-3333) isno exception. Guests pay topprices (though weekend packagesare actually quite affordable) to bepampered. It’s a fantasyland ofamenities; service attendants earnpoints for thinking of extras likeboth foam and down pillows inthe closets and bookmarks in theTV Guides. See p. 81.

• Best Hotel for Historic DistrictHopping: If you’re here to seeIndependence Park, why not wakeup looking at it through the floralchintz curtains at the Omni Hotelat Independence Park, 4th andChestnut streets (& 800/843-6664)? All 150 guest rooms haveviews of the Greek Revival SecondBank of the U.S. and a half-dozenof America’s Georgian jewels. Andthe clip-clopping of horses and car-riages below maintains the sense ofhistory. See p. 76.

• Best Hotel Health Club: TheWyndham Philadelphia atFranklin Plaza, 17th and Racestreets (& 800/996-3426), with758 rooms—second only in quan-tity to the Convention CenterMarriott—has the best facilities forhotel guests, including a 45-footindoor pool, a track, three racquet-ball courts, three squash courts,outdoor handball, and two tenniscourts—all on the third-floorlobby roof. Weights and Nautilusmachines round out the pictureinside. See p. 85.

• Best Hotel Pool: Above thegarage complex of the Park HyattPhiladelphia at the Bellevue (see“Best Historic Hotel,” above) isthe Sporting Club, with its four-lane, junior Olympic pool. Hotelguests and local members can usethe pool and the other 2 acres ofhealth facilities, or you can pay$20 for a 1-day pass to the club.See p. 79. The Four SeasonsHotel’s indoor pool at 1 LoganSq. (& 800/332-3442) is smaller,but is absolutely spectacular forlaps or lounging. See p. 78.

• Best Views: Many of the hotel list-ings in chapter 5 specify one sideor another as preferable. In CenterCity, rooms at the RittenhouseHotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.(& 800/635-1042), all have won-derful views of the Philly land-scape, from the leafy park belowon the east to the western view ofthe Schuylkill and the Parkway.See p. 80. The new HyattRegency Philadelphia at Penn’sLanding, on the Delaware Riverwaterfront at 201 S. ColumbusBlvd. (& 800/228-1234), com-mands spectacular views of CenterCity to the west and Camden tothe east. See p. 73.

• Best Hotel Restaurants: TheZagat guide to local restaurants haslisted the Fountain Restaurant in


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the Four Seasons (see “Best HotelLobby for Pretending You’re Rich,”above) as one of the country’s top50 dining spots. Recently refur-bished, it is virtually flawless, withhigh prices to match the high qual-ity. It now has a worthy rival in the Rittenhouse Hotel’s restaurantLacroix, opened in 2003 by Jean-Marie Lacroix, for 2 decades thechef at the Fountain. This haute-meets-modern French restaurant issoothing and sleek, with parkviews, limestone accents, and ele-gant green-velvet seating; it hasreceived great acclaim fromEsquire’s John Mariani, among oth-ers. See p. 99.

• Best Splurge Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, 10 Avenueof the Arts (& 215/523-8000), isan overwhelming dose of luxury,with its massive domed lobby,

lavish furnishings, and clubbybars. Upgrade to the Club Levelfor less than $50 and experience alounge spread of champagne andendless hors d’oeuvres. See p. 81.

• Best Trendy Hotel: Philly’s luxu-riously hip Hotel Sofitel, 120 S.17th St. (& 800/SOFITEL), hasmodern decor, a groovy long bar,and lots of French people swan-ning in and out frequently, plusDeco-contemporary furniture anda great location for shopping nearWalnut Street. See p. 79.

• Best Hostel: Centrally locatednear all the historical and nightlifeattractions, the Bank Street Hos-tel, 32 S. Bank St. (& 800/392-4678 or 215/922-0222), is smackin the Old City/Society Hill nexus;it’s perfect for budget or adventur-ous travelers. See p. 90.

B E S T R E S TA U R A N T B E T S 9

3 Best Restaurant Bets• Best Spot for a Romantic Din-

ner: The appropriately namedPasion!, 211 S. 15th St. (& 215/875-9895), recently doubled insize but kept its intimate, glowingambience, along with its terrificSouth American fusion cuisine.Warm and exotic. See p. 102.

• Best Spot for a Business Lunch:Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel,210 W. Rittenhouse Sq. (& 215/546-9000), offers a three-course,$26 prix-fixe lunch that is stun-ningly good in its ethereal butunstuffy dining room. Your din-ing partners will be the city’spower brokers, and the menu ofthe day might include ragout oflobster and white asparagus or adelightful spring lamb shank withparsley and lemon. See p. 99.

• Best Spot for a Celebration: Ifyou have a special occasion to celebrate—even if it’s just being inPhiladelphia—the newly redeco-rated Le Bec-Fin, 1523 Walnut

St. (& 215/567-1000), is theproper choice if you crave a lavishsetting. Georges Perrier’s prix-fixemenu has an international reputa-tion, and those dessert carts areunforgettable. Advance reservationsare a must. See p. 99.

• Best Decor: Chic, elegant andmodern, there is no more beautifuldining space in Philly than StripedBass at 1500 Walnut St. (& 215/732-4444), the new Americanrestaurant in a turn-of-the-20th-century brokerage house. Its triple-height ceiling, marble columns,velvet banquettes, retro-glitterylight fixtures, and intimate bardefine good style in Philadelphia.See p. 102.

• Best View: Sitting on the deck ofthe Moshulu, 411 S. ColumbusBlvd. (& 215/923-2500), a 1904“tall ship” that’s been convertedinto a roomy, luxe French-Asianrestaurant, might sound touristy,but in reality, it’s utterly delightful.

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Even in the winter, the ship’sindoor dining rooms offer lovelyDelaware River and Society Hillviews. And in summer, the breezeis as cooling as one of its 20 winesby the glass.

• Best Wine List: Two restaurantsowned by the Sena family offerimpressive wine selections: LaFamiglia, 8 S. Front St. (& 215/922-2803), p. 93, has one of thefinest cellars in the world accord-ing to Wine Spectator magazine.One block north, the RistorantePanorama (& 215/922-7800),p. 97, in the Penn’s View Inn atFront and Market streets (& 215/922-7800), p. 77, is a charmingItalian trattoria that has the largestsingle wine-dispensing and -pre-serving machine in the world, with120 different bottles available bythe glass, or as a 3-oz. “taste.” Ordera “flight”—five glasses groupedaround a theme. Flights fall in the$14 to $50 range.

• Best Value: Dining at the mod-Deco bar at Brasserie Perrier at1619 Walnut St. (& 215/568-3000), with its $16 steak frites orincomparable roasted chicken (also$16), means you’re savoring cuisineoverseen by the city’s most famouschef, Georges Perrier of Le Bec-Fin.The restaurant behind this colorfullounge offers haute-bistro food athigher prices, with entrees in the$35 range. See p. 101.

• Best Value, Fixed-Price Meal:There’s nothing like Le Bec-Fin’s$45 lunch at 1523 Walnut St. (& 215/567-1000), for classicFrench. See p. 99.

• Best for Kids: Kids love the burg-ers, grilled cheeses, soups, and otherclassic American fare at MarathonGrill, 1839 Spruce St. (& 215/731-0800), a former diner turnedinto a stylish modern space thatserves breakfast, lunch, and dinner(plus snacks all afternoon). Parents

also love the casual, romping-per-mitted vibe of the place, plus thefull bar and upscale side of themenu, with its grilled fish andsavory pastas. See p. 108.

• Best Date Restaurant: For a classybistro with contemporary fare inOld City, reserve a deuce at Fork,306 Market St. (& 215/625-9425). See p. 97. Friday SaturdaySunday, 261 S. 21st St. (& 215/546-4232), has been aclassic, intimate date spot since the1970s, and boasts consistent fare,glowing lighting, and great value.See p. 101.

• Best American Cuisine: Usinglocal ingredients from Amish andBucks Country boutique farmers,incorporating elements of newAmerican cuisine without theannoying flourishes, Fork at 306Market St. (& 215/625-9425) isas popular for brunch as it is for alate-night snack. In this warm,sophisticated dining room in a for-mer warehouse, dine on pan-searedsalmon or spicy hanger steak. Seep. 97.

• Best Chinese Cuisine: A reservedformer librarian, born in innerMongolia and raised in northernChina and Taiwan, Susanna Fooquietly built up a national reputa-tion with her eponymous SusannaFoo, 1512 Walnut St. (& 215/545-2666). Her innovative mix ofEast and West relies on reductionsrather than on dashes of soy sauceand ginger, and skillets andsaucepans rather than a wok. Thedim sum—appetizer-size portions—is a city favorite. See p. 104.

• Best Continental Cuisine: TheFountain Restaurant at the FourSeasons Hotel, 1 Logan Sq.,between 18th Street and FranklinParkway (& 215/963-1500), isconsistently rated best in town forunderstated, complex versions ofclassic Continental dishes. Since


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the food is so uniformly excellent,my advice is to go with the chef ’schoices on the fixed-price menu.See p. 98.

• Best French Cuisine: Right now,it’s the serene Lacroix in the Rit-tenhouse Hotel, where the exqui-site menu is rooted in classicalFrench cooking, but benefits fromChef Jean-Marie Lacroix’s moderntechnique. See p. 99.

• Best Italian Cuisine: Philadel-phia must have 1,000 Italianrestaurants, but the Saloon, 750S. 7th St. (& 215/627-1811), is adignified, elegant place for finepasta and steak that draws every-one in town sooner or later. See p. 108.

• Best Seafood: The best in town isStriped Bass, 1500 Walnut St. (& 215/732-4444), located on themost chic dining block in the city. The dinner scene in The SixthSense was filmed here. See p. 102.For those on a budget, Philly’sMcCormick & Schmick’s, 1 S.Broad St. (& 215/568-6888), partof a chain of seafood restaurants,serves fresh fish at affordable prices,in a clubby environment. See p. 102.

• Best Steakhouse: With a half-dozen great choices, including theCapital Grille and the Palm, the top choice is the Prime Rib,1701 Locust St. (& 215/772-1701), offering great porterhouseserved with fresh shredded horse-radish. The ambience is a timeless1940s-style place—jazz combosand formally clad waiters included.See p. 102.

• Best Burgers and Beer: In thiscase, bigger is better. The Indepen-dence Brew Pub, at 1150 FilbertSt., right under Reading TerminalHeadhouse (& 215/922-4292),has hundreds of seats, all happilyoccupied with diners chowing ondelicious thin-crust pizzas and

spectacular sundaes. An on-sitebrewery produces five differentales, porters, and lagers fresh eachday. No reservations for partiesunder six. See p. 107.

• Best Pizza: Marra’s, 1734 E.Passyunk Ave., between Morrisand Moore streets (& 215/463-9249), in South Philadelphia, haspies with thin crusts and delicious,spicy traditional toppings, bakedin brick ovens; enjoy them in oldwooden booths. See p. 109.

• Best Cheesesteak: A great cheese-steak achieves a certain balancebetween cheese, meat, onion, androll, and Jim’s Steaks, 400 SouthSt. (& 215/928-1911), cooks upa mighty, meaty combo. Line upwith the masses on South Streetand be sure to specify “with” or“without” onions. See listing on p. 114 and the “Ultimate Cheese-steak Taste Test” box on p. 116.

• Best Hoagies: Also known as sub-marines, grinders, or torpedoes,hoagies are what you want on handas you cheer on the Eagles’ latestSuper Bowl bid. South Philly’sPrimo Hoagies, 2043 ChestnutSt. (& 215/564-1264), have theperfect ratio of dense, chewy roll,spicy meat, wonderful oregano,and oil.

• Best Desserts: Weekends, theRitz-Carlton Hotel, 10 Avenueof the Arts (& 215/523-8000),offers a dessert buffet in its grandlobby, and this wonderfully exces-sive spread of 40 desserts hasbecome a popular way to end aFriday or Saturday evening down-town (8pm–midnight). Priced at$19 per person, you may want toskip dinner altogether and savestomach space for tarte Tatin andchocolate gâteau. See p. 81.

• Best Breakfast: The Down HomeDiner at Reading Terminal Market(& 215/627-1955), open from7am, has wonderful blueberry

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pancakes, fresh eggs with garlicgrits, and a breakfast “pizza” withsausage biscuits, smoked cheddar,and tomato. All ingredients arefanatically organic, from small-scaleproducers wherever possible. Lunchhas its charms, too, with meatloaf,black-eyed pea and ham-hock soup,and pecan pie. The vintage jukeboxplays great old American tunes.

• Best Brunch: Nearly every restau-rant offers Sunday brunch, rang-ing from standard bagels withspreads to a full brunch menu. TheWhite Dog Café, 3420 SansomSt. (& 215/386-9224), in WestPhiladelphia, swings both ways,offering everything from simplebreakfast dishes to elaborate late-morning feasts in a completelycomfortable, unpretentious envi-ronment. See p. 109.

• Best People-Watching: Beautifultypes head to Washington Square,210 W. Washington Sq. (& 215/592-7787), the sophisticatedAmerican restaurant and bar in anArt Deco landmark building, withan outdoor area of tables and ban-quettes next to a leafy park. Rouge,at 205 S. 18th St. (& 215/732-6622), is a bistro with alfresco cafetables that become the city’s mostsought-after real estate from Maythrough September. If you want tospot a celebrity (Cameron Diazand Mel Gibson both dined here),head for another of the StephenStarr–owned operations such asBuddakan, 325 Chestnut St. (& 215/574-9440), where a hugegilded Buddha presides over atrendy crowd. See p. 93.

• Best Afternoon Tea: The adventof true luxury hotels in Philadel-phia has brought with it exquisiteafternoon teas served all over town.The Cassatt Lounge at the Ritten-house Hotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse

Sq. (& 215/546-9000), has muted,lovely decor, a tucked-in garden,and Mary Cassatt’s drawings com-memorating her brother’s house,which once stood on the site. Seep. 80.

• Best for Pretheater Dinner: Atsleek Bliss, 220 S. Broad St. (& 215/731-1100), the eclecticmenu features pastas, Asian-inspired dishes, and grilled fare; itis next door to the Kimmel Centerand the Merriam. Ernesto’s 1521Café, 1521 Spruce St. (& 215/546-1521), is an affordable, modernItalian trattoria with handmadepasta. See p. 106 and 106 respec-tively.

• Best Outdoor Dining: In CenterCity, head for 18th Street along Rit-tenhouse Square, between Walnutand Locust streets: Anywhere youpark among Devon Seafood Grill,Rouge (p. 103), or Potcheen andBleu (both at the Sheraton Ritten-house Square, p. 85) on that blockis great, with Bleu serving the bestcuisine.

• Best Late-Night Dining: Whenit’s after midnight, I head for Chinatown. Shiao Lan Kung, 930Race St. (& 215/928-0282), whilenot very impressive in its decor, haswonderful hot pot dishes, and youcan order fresh sea bass from thetank.

• Best Ice Cream: Bassett’s IceCream (& 215/925-4315), anoriginal 1892 tenant of ReadingTerminal Market, has long claimedsupremacy for its rich, smooth fla-vors. Plus they make a terrific milk-shake. New Capogira Gelateria at109 S. 13th St. (& 215/351-0900)hand-makes irresistibly rich Italiangelato in exotic flavors such as Mex-ican chocolate with chipotle pep-pers. See p. 104 for a description ofReading Terminal Market.


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