Philadelphia Restaurant Tips by acemj Top 5 Page for this destination

Others I love . . .: Try these!

La Locanda del Ghiottone (Great Italian in Old City)
Chloe
Fork
Dmitri’s (Fitler's Square or Queen Village. Two locations with great food)
Lolita (BYOT . . . bring your own Tequila! . . . GREAT place)
Dahlak, 47th and Baltimore
Nodding Head Brewery (they brew their own beer. it's average beer, but it's their own)
Twenty Manning
McCrossen’s Tavern
Sabrina’s (Expect a long wait for weekend brunch)
Audrey Claire
Nam Phuong, 11th and Washington (Cheap, GREAT Vietnamese place in South Philly)
Devon Seafood
Rouge
La Viola (My favorite little Italian BYOB for pre-theater/opera events)
Brassiere Perrier
Alma de Cuba
August
Morning Glory, 10th and Fitzwater
Radicchio
The Waterworks
Mercato (some of the freshest, best food in Philly)
Amada
Matyson (BYOB with an amazing selection of delicious food and Center City location)

Favorite Dish: These are all restaurants that I would highly recommend, but haven't had time to write up here on VT.

Rating: 0

Theme: Other

Petit Fours Pastry Studio Petit Four Pastry Studio Review

UPDATE: Petit Fours is now closed. This place is now a great cheese shop!

Philly is loaded with great little morning coffee shops, but this place is more than that.
Definitely a treat to get your day off right,
but it's open all day, so don't forget to come back in the evening when the selection is all new!

Favorite Dish: Fresh strawberries dipped in three kinds of chocolate.
The best bread pudding around (the secret is instead of using the traditional day-old bread, Chef Joe uses leftover cakes, muffins, scones, etc.).
Fruit cobblers served warm with a dollop of cream, always made with the freshest fruit of the season (white peaches, mixed berries, apples).
Chocolate rasberry Chambord torte or parfait.
Wide selection of truffles.
Lemon poppyseed scones, chocolate chip or blueberry muffins always sell out early!
The coffee is the best, La Columbe.

Address: 3rd near Race

Other Contact: Owner and pastry chef-extraordin

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Not sure in English: Korean Barbecue!!

My buddy Tom, who happens to be or Korean descent, hasn't steered me wrong so far when I let him choose the restaurant and this time was no different. He knows all the best Korean places and this one up in Northeast Philadelphia was great. The outside isn't much to look at, but the clean hardwood floors and flat panel TV inside are nice.

Favorite Dish: We had beef barbecue with an appropriate overload of condiments as any good Korean barbecue should have. If you've never experienced this type of eating, be prepared to cook your own food at the table. This takes a modest level of multi-tasking ability, but considering most VTers are probably page building, drinking a beer and answering emails in another window at the same time, I'm sure you're up for the challenge. The food is delicious.

Address: Front and Olney

Comparison: about average

Directions: Northeast Philadelphia

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Taco House: Cheap and tasty

This place is not exactly authentic Mexican fare, but it's tasty and cheap. Inside you'll find local artwork displayed on the walls and this changes on a regular basis, making each visit something slightly different from the last. There's not much room inside, but it's kind of cool with a Pac Man machine doubling as one of the tables.

Favorite Dish: Try the bean tacos, the cheese crisps, the guacamole and the chicken quesadillas (well, not all at once).

Address: 1218 Pine St

Comparison: least expensive

Phone: 215-235-1880

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Mexican

Mr. Martino's: Cozy, family run Italian food

Mr. Martino's is a family-run BYOB in South Philly that has an inspiring atmosphere. It's a tiny little place with a warm feel perfect for a cold winter's night (I was in shorts and a tee shirt because it was May, but oh well . . . ). The service was excellent and the menu is brief, but gives you enough variety to make deciding what to eat a challenge.

Favorite Dish: I had a whole wheat pasta with sauteed calamari (not breaded). I was a little disappointed in the overall punch of flavor this dish was packing, but it wasn't bad. For dessert, I had a delicious homemade lemon tart and coffee. Don't forget to bring some wine!

Address: 1646 E Passyunk Ave

Comparison: about average

Directions: South Philly. Take the Orange Line to Tasker-Morris

Phone: 215-755-0663

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 3

Theme: Italian

Jong Ka Jib: Korean food in Olney

I went to this Korean place with a Korean friend of mine. It's in the Olney section north of Philadelphia and it's worth the twenty minute drive. We sampled a few things, but the place is especially known for its soft tofu stew. The inside has a Korean temple vibe and the service is decent.

Favorite Dish: I'm half Indian, so I like my food hot and when my buddy ordered the stew spicy, it definitely had some kick to it. If you don't like spicy food, be careful here and let them know. The stew comes bubbling hot in a mini stone cauldron and is served with a number of accompaniments. You'll have a raw egg that you're supposed to crack into the stew and then enjoy. It's quite good. We also tried some traditional Korean barbecue as well as a scallion pancake of some kind that is dipped in a spiced soy sauce. Everything was good.

Address: 6600 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19126

Comparison: about average

Directions: Mapquest it! It's north of downtown.

Phone: 215-924-0100

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Bridgid's: My place!!! Brigid's Review

Bridgid's is the place I go to more than any other in Philly. Why? Well, it's only a couple blocks from my house and the food is great. It also has a great Belgian (and plenty of other types) beer selection and a great staff. I know the owner and the chef and most of the staff, so it's truly a great neighborhood, friendly feeling everytime I go here. The ambience is cozy and warm, with a narrow, smoke-free bar and seating upstairs.

Favorite Dish: I've had everything on the menu and it's all a great value. The chef is from Uruguay and the food is internationally influenced. I like the cajun tuna and the pork tenderloin, but everything is really good. The desserts are homemade too. Just ask the bartender for a recommendation and they won't steer you wrong.

Address: 726 N. 24th St (24th and Olive)

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Fairmount Neighborhood, near Art Museum

Phone: 215-232-3232

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Website: http://www.bridgids.com/

Vetri Vetri Review

<FONT COLOR='RED'>Vetri</FONT>
Small, intimate setting is conducive to romance. It's located in an elegant brick row-house. The owner, Mark Vetri, will ensure a wonderful dining experience.
Over 400 bottles on the wine list!

VERY EXPENSIVE!!!!

Favorite Dish: Menu is ever-changing.
Try Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Smoked Ricotta and Brown Butter. mmmmm!

Address: 1312 Spruce Street.

Other Contact: Mon-Sat 6pm-11pm. No Smoking

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Sazon: Venezuelan food

There is a small place at 10th and Spring Garden that serves decent Venezuelan cuisine. I have some local Venezuelan friends who tell me that it's fairly authentic although not as good as their grandmas make.

I went with my buddy Brad recently and since it's a BYO, we drank a bottle of wine. Brad's wife, Jenny, who is Colombian joined us briefly and we enjoyed an order of tostones (mashed and fried plantains with garlic and salt) and an arepa with meat. Both were good, although Venezuelan food lacks a lot of spice, so to me the food was a little bland.

Address: 10th and Spring Garden

Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: 215-763-2500

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.sazonrestaurant.com

La Colombe Cafe: Best Coffee in Philly La Colombe Cafe Review

I hate agreeing with the masses, but now that I live in Philly, I have to admit that La Colombe is the best coffee in town. They have five different blends and the atmosphere at the Rittenhouse Square shop is upscale, but relaxed. They have good scones, muffins and other breakfast snacks, but most people come for the delicious coffee. The service is usually very good.

Monday through Friday 7:30am to 6:30pm
Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 6:30pm

Address: 130 S. 19th St.

Comparison: about average

Directions: Rittenhouse Square (there's another location outside of Center City in Manayunk too)

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Coffeehouse

Website: http://www.lacolombe.com