Historic Restaurants in Philadelphia
 

Any suggestions? i looked at City Tavern but the reviews weren't great. We would love a place for dinner like that. We're staying in Center City but we have a car. Thanks!

I guess there aren't any.

try looking on chowhound.com --

http://chowhound.chow.com/boards/80?...s;topic-714056

The only time I ate at City Tavern I was quite happy with it. This was several years ago, though.

What would you consider "historic?" If you're talking a place that has been open for ca. a century or more, City Tavern is the only place that fits this description in Philly that I can think of.

Please recognize that "history" and especially Philadelphia's history isn't limited to the colonial period. We had a pretty cool 19th century, too, though the mid-20th was a little rocky.

Trying to respect your interpretation of "historic", there are a few "inns" (eg Bluebell, Dilworthtown), about 45-hour outside of the city. I don't know if any are actually "historic" or just of the faux "George Washington ate here" variety.

Personally, I'd consider Le Bec Fin to be "historic" within the context of the Philadelphia's restaurant renaissance (and even more now that it will soon be gone). There are places in South Philadelphia where various hits have taken place over the years, so that's a piece of our local history. Famous Deli is "historic" in the context of Philly politics on election days.

It's been a long day, and I'm not sure if a thread around "historic to Philadelphia" restaurants already exists, so I'll stop there and perhaps others can chime in or --instead of hijacking this one-- start a new thread.

Thanks so much for your replies. I gave up on the whole "Revolutionary War" theme and we're going to Friday, Saturday, Sunday. It looks like it will be good.

<i>Personally, I'd consider Le Bec Fin to be "historic" within the context of the Philadelphia's restaurant renaissance (and even more now that it will soon be gone).</i>

REALLY??? Another old-timer going...going...gone! I still miss Deux Cheminees.

Wow, MLTimes, I hadn't heard that. This calls for a trip to Philly for a farewell dinner.

espinach1, you don't have to give up your "revolutionary" concept. You picked one of the restaurants that was part of the Philadelphia restaurant revolution or renaissance as MLTimes called it. In fact, Friday, Saturday, Sunday could be the last of the Mohicans. What do you think fellow Philadelphians? What else is left? The Garden, Susanna Foo, La Panetierre, Frog, Astral Plane, all are gone. (La Terrasse doesn't count, IMHO)

I moved away from Philadelphia in 2004, so I haven't really kept up with the restaurant scene. I didn't know Susanna Foo and Astral Plane were gone. That's kind of sad, as DH & I had our first date at Astral Plane. :(

P.S. Is the cream of mushroom soup still delicious @ Friday, Saturday, Sunday??? I am drooling now that I'm thinking about it.

Another "Historic" restaurant that bit the dust is Old Original Bookbinders. It wasn't great as I recall, but it was around from the 1800's. I understand it may re-open sometime in the future.

YK,
YES...the cream of mushroom soup at Friday, Saturday, Sunday is still extrememly delicious. It's such a cute place and the food is wonderful.

Old Original Bookbinders was a representative of the dark ages cuisine that the renaissance restaurants were moving away from. Plus you never knew which one was "the original" at any given point in time. Old Original...Center City....Old Original etc.

yk, ours was at Frog.

Does Vila di Roma fit the historic genere?

"Does Vila di Roma fit the historic genere?" Nah, I think Ralph's has it beat for history but both are really just basic red sauce spots. If you're going to talk South Philly history, you have to include Strolli's.

I just wanted to "hop" back in to this thread mention that Steve Poses opened Frog Burger at the Franklin Institute this summer. Okay, that was corny. But the food and concept at Frog Burger is good.

LOL, MLTimes. I knew he still had Commissary catering. I think he gets forgotten in all the gushing over Starr and Garces. Poses contributed so much to the Philadelphia restaurant landscape. I remember the first Frog and I still cook recipes from my Frog/Commissary cookbook.

Love the Frog/Commissary cookbook, too! Mine is falling apart. Have fond memories of meals at Commissary. Wasn't there a Poses restaurant at the FI already?

~Liz

We ate at City Tavern 3 weeks ago and enjoyed it. The food was good and not too overpriced considering it is a tourist spot AND it is close to the historic part of Philly. We also had lunch at M which is part of the Morris House & Hotel. While the restaurant isn't historic, the hotel is from 1784 or 1787 and it was good. Intimate and good food.