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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square | Modern American
Smoke, coal, fire, and ash create a through-line for the menu at a.kitchen in the ground floor of the AKA Hotel. Attired in blonde wood and Carrera marble, it looks like a spa in the Italian Alps, and its Rittenhouse address guarantees a scene, but the recent involvement of High Street Hospitality (Fork, High Street on Market) and chef Jon Nodler have transformed it into a "Serious Restaurant" with an ace sommelier and a coals-seared beef tartare that cannot be missed.
135 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
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$$$$ | Old City | American
Happy sounds have always emanated from diners in this comfortable, elegant eatery, but the menu of modern American fare went from tasty to transcendental when Eli Kulp took over the kitchen in early 2012. The chef is known for his innovative pastas, love of local meats, and mastery of fermentation. Sit as far back in the restaurant as possible to watch Kulp and his colleagues at work in the open kitchen.
306 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.
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$$$ | Old City | American
This sunny, clean-cut younger sibling of perennial favorite, Fork, is half clubhouse for its Old City neighbors, half food tourist magnet (thanks to a flood of national press). Open all day, grain-brained High Street will take you from cortados and kougin-amans in the morning to duck liver meatball sandwiches in the afternoon to creative alt-flour pastas—matcha lasagna anyone?—at night. Eli Kulp is the acclaimed chef and partner, but the secret weapon is bread prodigy Alex Bois, a veteran of Sullivan Street bakery in New York. The James Beard Award Rising Star nominee just got a brand-new, double-deck MIWE oven, and his loaves have never been better.
308 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
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$$$$ | East Passyunk | Modern American
Reservations were tough to procure at Laurel before Nicholas Elmi won Top Chef’s 11th season. Since then, the 26 seats at the intimate, candlelit hideaway book months in advance—but are worth the effort for Elmi’s brand of elegant, intelligent American food, presented in a seven-course tasting menu format only five nights a week. Plans are in the works to annex the empty space next door, which will add seating and a liquor license.
1617 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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$$ | Rittenhouse Square | Modern American
Pub & Kitchen has been a favorite since it opened in 2009, but the food has never been better since chef Eli Collins relocated here from Daniel Boulud's empire a couple years ago. From house-baked whisky-sage bread to gnudi crafted with local ricotta to a kick-ass cheeseburger, Collins can really cook. But even if he couldn't, locals would flock to this energetic saloon to unwind with friends or catch the game. In what used to be a dive bar, P&K is an unpretentious, attractive hangout with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, tables fashioned from reclaimed floor joists, and familiar rock music playing from the speakers.
1946 Lombard St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$ | South Philadelphia | Modern American
Once upon a time, before South Philly was home to the city’s hottest zip codes, a little wood-clad tavern named South Philadelphia Tap Room opened with a roster of local, craft beers in the largely Miller-Coors enclave. Twelve years later, the Newbold neighborhood has grown up around this catalyst (SPTR’s owner actually coined the name), and the bar has established a reputation for sourcing some of the best and most exclusive beers around the country. Longtime chef Scott Schroeder is one of the city’s most underappreciated; on his menu you can count on grilled halloumi snacks, assertively seasoned salads, and bluefish that will make you love bluefish. Local, organic produce and meats are the focus, served with none of the associated boasting.
1509 Mifflin St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145, USA
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$$$$ | Center City East | American
Aimee Olexy's Talula's Table in Kennett Square was an unlikely phenomenon—the little country market had a months-long backlog of reservations for its lone farmhouse table. Olexy's urban extension of that runaway success has no market and plenty of tables inside a sprawling, high-ceilinged space decorated with Alice Waters quotations printed on the walls. A charming outdoor courtyard with a garden glows under twinkly lights. A game of musical chefs has not diminished the seasonal menu (dandelion greens Caesar, smoked summer corn ravioli), and the knowledgeable servers do a great job explaining interesting cheese boards with names like "Not Your Granny's" and "Secret Stash."
210 W. Washington Sq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Sat.
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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square | Modern American
South Jersey native Greg Vernick spent the bulk of his career opening restaurants around the world for Jean-Georges Vongerichten. When he and his wife, Julie, wanted to do their own place, they came back to the Delaware Valley and made waves with their bustling (but intimate) bi-level debut a couple of blocks off Rittenhouse. Vernick checks all the boxes of what it means to be a modern American restaurant in 2016: delicious things on toast, Asian influences, large-format proteins cooked in a wood-burning oven, rosés a-go-go, uni. Expect it all rendered in thoughtful, joyful expressions, and served by a vivacious staff.
2031 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$ | Chestnut Hill | American
Located in the former nursery of its next-door neighbor, Robertson's Flowers, Cake has expanded from its bakery roots into a full-fledged restaurant, offering lunch throughout the week, brunch on Sunday, and dinner on Thursday and Friday. The sweets and pastries are still a highlight, although the menu includes creative twists on lunchtime classics: try the Philly cheesesteak marsala or the croque monsieur brushed with apricot mustard. With light streaming in through the greenhouse glass and the florist's fountain still occupying the center of the room, this is a graceful option for starting the day. Dinner is served only on Fridays, reservations required.
8501 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19118, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sat.–Thurs.
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$$$ | University City | American
A popular hangout for the Penn crowd, this contemporary gastropub keeps five dozen craft beers and other brews running from its extensive tap system, and pairs them with a New American menu offering a little of everything, from burgers, brick-oven-style pizza, and salads to mussels, roasted salmon, and grilled rib eye. You can grab a seat at the huge wraparound bar, sit in the spacious dining room, or hang out on the terrace around one of five stone fire pits.
3925 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
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$$ | Chestnut Hill | American
Although primarily a restaurant—families are welcome and ever-present—not a bar, this is a beer geek destination. Run by the former owners of Heavyweight Brewery, it always has four specialty brews made on the premise available. The rest of the taps are almost entirely local craft beers (Victory, Stoudts, Sly Fox, etc.) Once a month they dedicate all their taps to one local brewery and pour all their specialty brews. If you want grub to go with your suds, the flatbread pizzas are light and crispy with all natural ingredients (there is an Earth-friendly emphasis) and topped with unique flavors like pumpkin seeds, black beans, and banana-pepper pesto. Meat lovers need not fear—there's also sausage. The salads are excellent, as are snack plates of olives and cheeses. There's also a good and unusual wine list and house-brewed kombucha.
7136 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19119, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$ | East Passyunk | American
Geno's is a regular upstart compared to rival Pat's. The latter's been serving sandwiches since 1930; Geno's opened in 1966. That divide manifests itself visually in the contrast between Pat's understated aesthetic and Geno's over-the-top use of neon. The place is lit up so brightly that astronauts can probably see it from space. The other big difference is that Geno's meat is sliced (not chopped). Some aficionados claim that the two serve wildly dissimilar products; others just don't get it, but it's always fun to taste-test, as the buses full of tourists who frequently make their way down Passyunk to Pat's and Geno's can attest.
1219 S. 9th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19147, USA
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$$$ | Northern Liberties | Modern American
The best restaurant to open in years in once-scrappy, now-uber-developed Northern Liberties is Heritage, an industrial hanger where you’ll find live jazz on the dining room stage, live herbs creeping over the reclaimed ceiling beams, and lively cooking from chef Sean Magee. Idiosyncratic seafood towers have quick become the signature order here, though whatever Magee is doing with foie gras is also definitely worth your attention.
914 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19123, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weeekdays
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$ | Queen Village | American
You'll know you're nearing Jim's when the scent of frying onions overwhelms your senses—or when you see people lined up around the corner. Big, juicy, drippy sandwiches of Philly steaks—shaved beef piled high on long crusty rolls—come off the grill with amazing speed when the counter workers hit their stride; but be aware that no matter how hard you beg, they will not toast the rolls. Yell "with wiz" (meaning: "with Cheez Whiz, please") for major cred and extra authenticity. Jim's is mostly takeout, but there are some tables and chairs upstairs.
400 South St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19147, USA
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$$$ | Fairmount | American
Located down the street from Eastern State Pen, London Grill has been around for decades but has never been better than right now. They've annexed an old doctor's office next door and turned it into Paris Wine Bar and continue to reinvent the dinner with on-trend choices like ricotta toast with heirloom tomatoes, Korean fried chicken, and foie mousse on banana bread. Because it's so close to the Art Museum, the restaurant often offers special menus to coincide with blockbuster exhibits, and brunch features a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar.
2301 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19130, USA
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$ | Chestnut Hill | American
People come to McNally's more for the food than the beer (families are welcome), and generally order one of the six featured sandwiches. The Schmitter, a cheesesteak on a kaiser roll with fried salami, fried onions, and a special sauce, is insanely delicious. Rivaling the Schmitter is the vegetarian sandwich option, the G.B.S. (George Bernard Shaw), which has mushrooms, peppers, tomato, and lettuce draped in cheese and special sauce. For an even more heavenly taste, ask for fried veggies on the G.B.S. At a close third is the Dickens—hot turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on a kaiser roll. Soups and turkey chili are also worth trying.
8634 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19118, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closes at 8 pm Sun.
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$$ | Northern Liberties | American
North Third is one of the first restaurants to settle in Northern Liberties at the infancy of the neighborhood's transformation. The menu hasn't changed much, mostly because locals love hits like the Moroccan-spiced lamb burger, mushroom flatbread, and house-made pierogies. Weekend brunch here—challah French toast, arugula and beet salad, smoked salmon club sandwich—is one of the best in the area.
801 N. 3rd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19123, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$ | East Passyunk | American
New cheesesteak restaurants come and go all the time, but two of the oldest—Pat's and Geno's, at the corner of 9th and Passyunk—have a long-standing feud worth weighing in on. It comes down to a matter of taste. Both serve equally generous portions of rib-eye steak, grilled onions, and melted provolone, American, or Cheez Whiz on freshly baked Italian rolls. The main differences as far as we can tell: Pat's claims to have invented the cheesesteak; Pat's meat is chopped; and Pat's exterior is a bit more understated than Geno's neon extravaganza.
1237 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19147, USA
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$$$$ | South Philadelphia | American
Dinner at Pumpkin's produce-driven menu changes daily depending on what has inspired self-taught chef Ian Moroney on that particular day. A $40 five-course tasting menu on Sundays highlights such fresh, eclectic fare as squash blossoms stuffed with sheep's milk cheese, heirloom tomato panzanella, and culotte steak with bacon jus. Calling ahead is essential to snagging a spot in the 28-seat, elbow-to-elbow dining room.
1713 South St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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$ | Bella Vista | American
The Morning Glory bills itself as a "finer diner," and offers traditional touches such as big mugs of steaming coffee. But the "finer" comes in the updated, wholesome versions of diner fare such as homemade ketchup on every table, grilled ahi tuna with wasabi mayo on a brioche bun, thick pecan waffles with whipped peach butter, and enormous, flaky biscuits that accompany breakfast. Unless you're an early weekend riser, weekdays are a better bet. The wait for weekend brunch can be epic.
735 S. 10th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19147, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner