i would like some help to choose a nice dinner place where one can feel safe walking around afterwards with some street ambience in august.(no mexican or asian food this time).

what part of town would you go to?.. this is my first time in philadelphia..

spectacular setting or decor would be appreciated.. or just darn tasty food in ordinary surroundings.

any ideas? thanks in advance.

There are many choices in Old City, including . . .

Amada
http://www.amadarestaurant.com/

Buddakan
http://www.buddakan.com/

Fork
http://www.forkrestaurant.com/

And also around Rittenhouse Square . . .

Barclay Prime
http://www.barclayprime.com/

Estia
http://www.estiarestaurant.com/

Striped Bass
http://www.estiarestaurant.com/

I will second Old City and add Pizzacato on 3rd and Market, you can also sit outside.

thank you so much!

Fork has gone downhill, in my opinion.

Try Rouge or Bleu on Rittenhouse Sq. Trendy. Rittenhouse Square is a very nice park to walk around. Very safe.

Striped Bass is good, but is not as good as it used to be.

The best restaurant in Philly is The Fountain at the Four Seasons. The neighborhood is very safe, but barren at night.

Handmaiden of Thingorjus

I would concentrate on the Walnut Street/Rittenhouse Square area. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Le Bec Fin, the only 5 star restaurant in the city. It is excellent. For a more lively atmosphere and food every bit as good, try Brasserie Perrier. Also, in the Rittenhouse Hotel is Lacroix which is excellent.

How is Audrey Claire these days? Still a neighborhood hangout? The reviews on Phila city search are bi-polar--highly recommended by one reviewer, hated by the next.
Rittenhouse Square area is fine to stroll around at night. We walked around there at all hours.
If you want to do something different, go hang with the locals at Dirty Frank's. It definitely has an ambience ;-) (My husband and I got engaged there [20 years ago], which shows you that romance can be found anywhere. Afterwards, we went to the BackStage bar and then as we tipsily ambled home, we ran into an even more drunken salesman from Krass Brothers "store of the stars" who loudly blessed our engagement on the corner of 9th and South. Ahh, Philadelphia )
http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/p...ditorialreview

Check www.gophila.com

Sorry, but I think Le Bec Fin isn't the top dog anymore. Zagat's has rated The Fountain the best restaurant in Philly.
The Fountain is VERY expensive, but Le Bec Fin is OUTRAGEOUS! Your name better be Drexel or Biddle if you eat there! This is why I didn't recommend it. But, hey, if you like classic French food and walls lined with moire green silk, Le Bec Fin is the place for you.

Ooops! Make that green moire silk.

Buddakhan (Asian fusion) and Amada (Spanish tapas) are my favorites right now. Like the other poster, I also think that Fork has gone downhill.

Washington Square is also neat. It has an outside bar between two high rise buildings. It can get a bit of the wind tunnel effect though.

Instead of le Bec Fin, try Brasserie Perrier, which is not as expensive (still not cheap though).

thank you all. will post back.

You can also get whatever is on the Le Bec Fin menu in a less snotty atmosphere at the restaurant's downstairs bar.

Dear lincasanova,

Hi again! I just responded to your "what to do in Philadelphia area" post!

I live in Chadds Ford which is outside of Philadelphia, however, if you have a car, which I think you said you would, there are some good places to eat around this area. Especially if you do West Chester or Herrs youll be right around here anyway. Ok, so the places I like in this area are: Buckleys Tavern, The Gables, and the Chadds Ford Inn.

Buckleys
Buckleys has a rooftop area with twinkle lights-very cute. Their goatcheese salad is to die for, seriously. Good service

The Gables
More of a modern feel to this one, nice place. Ok service.

Chadds Ford Inn
Very cozy and very rich in culture. Youre surrounded in the history of Chadds Ford through documents, pictures, and a very knowledgeable (and frienldy) staff!

Good luck and have a great time!

Try Django near South Street in South Philly. It's a very good BYOB and then walk around South Street.

I would consider 20 Manning which is directly behind Rittenhouse Squae. Also, Dimitri's at 23rd and Pine, walking distance from Rittenhouse. Of course for fine dining you can't miss by going to The Four Seasons!

The chef at The Fountain is either leaving or has left so we will have to see what happens there. Le Bec Fin can easily run $500 for dinner for two. Although it is an absolutely wonderful experience, spending that kind of money just isn't worth it to me.

I work in Chadds Ford, and although I like your choices NatureGirl, I don't think any of those places are worth leaving Philadelphia for. Unless of course you were coming out to visit the Brandywine River Museum or Longwood Gardens.

i guess i'd better put a price tag on this possible dinner!
definetely not $500 dollars.. nor 400 .etc.
how about $100 (i don't drink., so one glass wine for hubby).??

Now.. which place?

I would choose Amada. I have heard really good things about this place including that it is the best Spanish tapas restaurant on the East Coast.

You can have the chef's tasting menu for $45 per person. There are less expensive options as well.