Audrey Claire
276 S. 20th St (Spruce St.)
(215) 731-1222

Dishes here match the decor: classic seafood and meats with singular flourishes. Start with pear, Gorgonzola and walnut flat bread--a visually plain, but pleasantly savory combination of sweet, sharp and rich. Mussels--best in a lightly spicy garlic and chorizo broth--are fit for two. Hearty entrees include roasted half-chicken updated with tangy, sweet pomegranate molasses or tender, garlic-crusted rack of lamb. Fresh classics include grilled salmon with dill and sesame-crusted Ahi tuna served rare over greens. If you can, catch inventive daily specials like crunchy falafel-coated snapper. For dessert, order the evening's pie with whipped cream.

Back to top

City Tavern is a cute-as-a-button theme restaurant and historical sight located right in Old City. The original City Tavern was built on the grounds in 1773. The first delegates of the Continental Congresses, and later delegates to the Constitutional Convention, dined there. With its 10 separate dining rooms, historically accurate furniture and decor, two stories of veranda seating and backyard garden, City Tavern is the perfect place to feed a hungry tourist. Waitstaff wear colonial costumes, with serving wenches in those puffy white hats and gentlemen in knee-length breeches and white stockings. Overall the food is pretty good - try the mallard duck sausage or the turkey pot pie. Desserts are simple, sweet and big enough for sharing.

Back to top

Crescent City
600 S. Ninth St.
215-627-6780

Crescent City cooking goes beyond Cajun and creole to include the white gravies and Mexican influences of the broader South. A word of caution to the cholesterol counter: In true Southern style, much of what comes out of the kitchen is fried, even when it is not necessarily described as such. On the menu: Pan-seared sea scallops, Florida snapper and Boneless ribs. For dessert, try the pecan pie.

Back to top

Famous 4th Street Deli
4th and Bainbridge St.
(215) 625-9870

Not only does Famous Deli have some of the best sandwiches of any Jewish deli on the East Coast, but they have some of the best cookies in the world. Whether you need a sweet surprise for hundreds of guests, a special gift for the employee or friend who went the extra distance, or just want to indulge your sweet tooth with the ultimate treat, Famous 4th Street Cookies has what it takes to satisfy the most discriminating cookie connoisseur.

Back to top

Fork
306 Market St (bet. 3rd & 4th Sts.)
(215) 625-9425

New American options show off the season's best local produce and meats--at uncommonly reasonable prices. A salad of shrimp, crabmeat and pineapple in avocado dressing with roasted jalapeno is rich and subtly biting. Basic antipasto is updated with roasted mushrooms and beets. Spicy sautéed soft-shell crabs come with sweet mango-papaya salad. Zesty white peppercorns adorn tender rib eye. Poached, chilled salmon is lightened with tangy raspberry vinaigrette. For dessert, order minted strawberry shortcake or a bowl of coffee walnuts.

Back to top

Fountain Restaurant
1 Logan Sq (Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. & 18th St.)
Philadelphia (215) 963-1500

Impeccable flourishes boldly renew French cuisine. Salty gems of osetra caviar glisten atop a sweet scallop, while a crispy tart of fingerling potatoes and flaky white fish hold a perfectly poached quail egg. Sweet shreds of crabmeat and tarragon top a tender artichoke heart. Perfect au jus adds lusty juice to a roulade of lamb, accompanied by a fanciful potato tower enclosing buttery Brussels sprouts. A pool of red wine ragout transforms a generous cut of rare tuna into red meat. Dessert begins with a sinful, pungent array of cheeses, and ends with a chocolate.

Back to top

Friday Saturday Sunday
261 South 21st St
(215) 546-4232

New American fare--earthy cream of mushroom soup and grilled Chilean sea bass--set trends back in the day, and still stands up. Mixed greens with goat cheese and walnuts or crisp asparagus topped with tangy tomato chunks provide excellent starting points. Other winners from the dawn of nouvelle cuisine include basic crab cakes with salsa verde and garlic aioli; tilapia breaded with a hint of horseradish; and a mouth-watering herb-crusted rack of lamb. Airy brandy cheesecake with chocolate cookie crust, and coconut cream pie provide sweet tastes of home.

Back to top

The Saloon
750 South 7th St
(215) 627-1811

Saloon's menu cries out for overindulgence: from the $15 shrimp-stuffed tomato to the individual pot of perfect tiramisu. Folks come here to treat themselves to steak: charbroiled porterhouses and filets, juicy and generous, with $8 sides of garlicky escarole or hot and sweet peppers. Spinach and fontina-filled veal chop, bowls of homemade linguine with seafood or a lengthy filet of bronzino, swimming in a rich brown sauce are also rich enough to loosen belts a notch or two. Even when the restaurant is packed, the wait staff attends with professional charm, encouraging another glass of Chianti and reassuring sated diners that there's always room for a little banana Napoleon and coffee.

Back to top

Tangerine
232 Market St
(215) 627-5116

Portions are generous and meant to be shared. For a party of two, an appetizer and an entree will do. But with so many delicious options--and such a wait for a weekend reservation--come with a few partners in dining. Start with the spiced rouget, harissa gnocchi or one of Starr's signature piled-high salads. The tagines, traditional Moroccan stews served over couscous, come in painted ceramic vessels; try the lamb and honey or the seven vegetable. Other standout entrees include mustard-crusted tuna with curried lentils, crispy cabash duck, shrimp and scallops Afrique with mysterious carrot fufu. Room for dessert? The pot de crème is to die for.

Back to top

ASIAN

Buddakan
325 Chestnut St (bet. 3rd & 4th Sts.)
(215) 574-9440

Asian fusion plates meant for sharing include delicate appetizers such as basic raw tuna on flatbread and sweetly sauced scallops. Salads--Asian Caesar, calamari and house--are big, with tangy dressings. At dinner, the whole sizzling fish--the day's catch coated with sweet black bean-chile sauce--is a revelation. Spicy pad Thai with jumbo shrimp, even spicier wasabi-crusted filet mignon and rare sesame-crusted tuna are all no-fail options. For dessert, appropriately themed sugary works of art defy gravity with spires, powders, sauces and confectionary flourishes reminiscent of Zen gardening tools.

Back to top

Cafe Spice
35 South 2nd St
(215) 627-6273

The menu offers an assortment of traditional Indian favorites like samosas, kebabs and tandoori meats, but contradictory to the name, most of the dishes seem toned down for Western palates. The lamb vindaloo, however, packs quite a kick, as do the lentils served with every entree. Can't choose? Try ordering the tandoori mixed grill or the thali plate-- both of which give you a mouthful or two of everything.

Back to top

Genji
1720 Sansom St
(215) 564-1720

The Center City Genji is the sleeker, younger sister of the University City location. A line of unobtrusive chefs stands at attention and work their magic behind the spotless sushi bar near the door. On the other side of the bar, a quiet following of mostly business people stop by for a quick and light repast. Any sushi here is good sushi, but the anago and hamachi particularly stand out. Even the marinated ginger looks (and tastes) absolutely divine.

Back to top

Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant
3630 Lancaster Ave
(215) 222-8042

A lengthy menu offers carnivorous and vegetarian versions of classic and imaginative dishes, featuring fresh, crispy vegetables and pungent and fruity sauces. Start with a rich, sweet and spicy coconut soup, or an order of tender dumplings containing garlicky chicken and crabmeat or vegetables. Main course winners include a reliable pad Thai and fiery and creamy red curry with peanuts and either chicken, beef or veggies and tofu. A variety of inventively named dishes such as "tutti fruity" duck, tender in a raspberry and Chambord sauce, and "evil jungle princess," extra-spicy chicken stir-fry, live up to their original monikers. For dessert, try the refreshing half mango atop coconut cream rice or perhaps just another small glass of spiced apple wine.

Back to top

Pod
3636 Sansom St
(215) 387-1803

Revolving color-coded plates of sushi are tempting to grab, but can be less than fresh. A better choice is a pu-pu platter featuring four scrumptious samples of first courses. Other artfully presented menu items worth an order are crunchy crab spring rolls, and big, bold salads with tangy dressings. Garlicky pad Thai and omnipresent sesame tuna are each artfully presented on oversized plates, though neither astounds. Equally visually impressive are the desserts: balls of sorbet atop colored ice pyramids and a macadamia nut blondie with cookie rings protruding from a scoop of coconut ice cream.

Back to top

Sagami Japanese Restaurant
37 West Crescent Blvd (Route 130)
(856) 854-9773

The decor leaves a little to be desired, but the sushi is top-notch. Snappy steamed edamame, savory miso soup or ginger-dressed salad start a plainly perfect dining experience. Simple sashimi and sushi platters show off consistently fresh fish: sweet, ruby tuna; dense, crunchy, traditionally chewy octopus; tender, white mackerel; soft, rich salmon; salty, bubbly salmon roe. Eel, brushed with tangy and sweet soy sauce, is a chopstick-friendly delicacy atop pure sticky white rice. Even peach shavings of marinated ginger zing with refreshing crispness.

Back to top

Susanna Foo
1512 Walnut St (bet. 15th & 16th Sts.)
(215) 545-2666

Chef Foo soups up traditional Asian fare by melding it to European traditions. She uses raw vegetables, a no-no in China, relies heavily on stocks a la francaise, and even prefers American pots to woks. Her signature dish is the Eight Treasure Quails, made with Chinese sausage, lotus seeds, and sweet rice. You won't believe so much flavor could be packed into such a small, delicate bird. The pheasant may sound French in inspiration, but once it's smoked in tea, it tastes indigenous to the Orient. The bird comes along with black truffle foie gras bread budding and a roasted pear bathed in red cherries.

Back to top

Vietnam Restaurant
221 North 11th St
(215) 592-1163

Take a trip to Philadelphia’s Chinatown, and be a little different – try Vietnamese. The 111-item menu offers some of the best Vietnamese in town, with flavorful combinations of fresh ingredients. Start with crispy spring rolls or cool summer rolls topped with chopped peanuts. The sparkling clarity of the broth in the vegetable soup and beef pho belies its intense flavor. Entree options include a variety of traditional bun (rice vermicelli) or broken rice dishes; try the sweet charbroiled pork. Other good bets are grilled barbecue shrimp, lime-glazed chicken, squid in spicy salt, and clay pot-simmered catfish. Creamy, sweet Vietnamese coffee or warm, rich rice pudding both provide stomach-settling finishes.

Back to top

The Black Sheep
247 S. 17th St.
215-545-9473

A Dublin-style pub, Black Sheep is a colonial house of Frank Furness' design, equipped with antique bars and fireplaces. With a different flavor of Irish on each of its three floors, Black Sheep is a cozy locale for any type of pub-crawler. Owned by two Irish lads, you may appropriately enjoy some pastry-topped chicken potpie, Guinness Irish stew or a tender rack of baby lamb

Back to top

The Continental
134 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 923-6069

A set of dice bedecks the roof, while giant cocktail olives doubling as lamps hang above window booths. Count on a line out the door and rushed service on Friday and Saturday nights. New American-Asian fare brings bar-side dining to a higher level. The sirloin burger with Jack and cheddar on a plump egg roll never disappoints. Entree standouts include tender and sweet teriyaki filet mignon; light, crispy panko-crusted scallops; and peanut-savory Thai chicken skewers.

The Continental Midtown
1801 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 567-1800

The cross-town sister to Old City's signature martini lounge draws crowds with retro decor--booths made from baby-blue vinyl car seats, a sunken dining room with curvy seats and wicker basket chairs hanging from the ceiling. After dark, a more boisterous party set takes over. Each item from the rainbow-decorated menu is meant for sharing, including extra-tall calamari salad, Thai noodles, vegetarian dumplings, lobster mac and cheese, lamb meze and homemade cotton candy.

Back to top

Fergie’s Pub
1214 Sansom St.
215-928-8118

A traditional Irish pub, Fergie's specialities include stick-to-your-ribs pub fries, burgers with toppings like guacamole and sauteed mushrooms, fish and chips, and shepherd's pie. Ferg's looks out for its veg friends, too, serving a killer cheddar-topped chile with a fat hunk of cornbread. The beer list includes Nodding Head grog, Smithwick's and Yard's Philly Pale Ale.

Back to top

Lucky Strikes Lanes
1336 Chestnut St.
215-545-2471

This three-floor bowling venue boasts a bar, a roof deck and ample lane space. The American bistro menu specializes in shareable appetizers like tomato and mozzarella s'mores, blue cheese chips and deep-fried mac 'n' cheese balls. Not exactly culinary genius, but not your typical bowling alley potato chips either.

Back to top

Monk’s Cafe
626 S. 16th St.
215-545-7005

Monk's Cafe is a dark, crowded Belgian joint that offers an impressive selection of international beers (so impressive, in fact, they created a "Beer Bible" just to catalog them all). Belgian beers on draught in America can be found in the back bar, with an additional selection up front. Fine selections include La Chouffe, Mestreechs Aajt, De Dolle Dulle Teve and Delirium Tremons. The food menu includes traditional but tasty bar fare — burgers (vegetarian and otherwise), sandwiches and salads — as well as some Belgian specialities like mussels and Rodenbach lamb stew braised in Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale and root vegetables. Don't miss their award-winning fries and bourbon mayonnaise

Back to top

Standard Tap
2nd and Poplar Sts.
215-238-0630

Located in the neighborhoods of Northern Liberties and Fishtown, just north of Old City, Standard Tap in Northern Liberties offers all of the Mid-Atlantic's top brews are on tap. They also have a full menu with dishes such as fried smelts and pork sandwiches, as well as seasonal specialties such as roasted lamb shank.

Back to top

Ten Stone
2063 South St.
215-735-9939

Warm lighting, lots of tables, an extensive beer list, occasional live music and good, unpretentious food make Ten Stone a worthwhile visit. Especially on Sundays, when the Bloody Marys flow fast and strong like the River of Jordan. They're served with fat juicy olives, lemon, lime and what looks like an entire bushel of celery

Back to top

Tria
123 S. 18th St.
215-972-8742

Tria specializes in the trio of homemade wines, cheeses and beers. The bar’s individual pricing offers a hunt-and-peck groove that allows you to order as you go. The bar has a lounge-like setting that allows you to hang out for hours, and try as many different items as you wish. The menu offers extensive choices of bruschetta and various affordable snack plates.

Back to top

Alma de Cuba
1623 Walnut St.
215-988-1799

On the menu, there are the usual empanadas, and three ceviches, and ropa vieja, but each has a personal spin and little extras thrown in. A must: the black bean soup, dark and rich and streaked with sour cream. The pumpkin seed-crusted sea scallops glistening on a calabaza puree seemed perfect, even without the Guatemalan green beans and tomato-jalapeno marmalade. The desserts include deep-fried fritters of yuca and boniatos, gilded with anise syrup and vanilla ice cream.

Back to top

Cuba Libre
10 South Second St
(215) 627-0666

A dinner-only menu adds American flavors to Cuban classics, with occasional success. Warm, buttery slices of pressed bread start the meal. Skip the appetizer sampler, that's heavy on oil and--on the wallet. Crisp lobster empanadas hold a little fresh, sweet meat, and straightforward black bean hummus with crispy plantain, yucca and boniato chips satisfies elementary munchies. Pounded steak simply seasoned with lemon, garlic and parsley is tender, salty and just fine. Avoid the one-dimensional "Creole" shrimp over plain white rice. Desserts are even sweeter than the mojitos: very vanilla Cuban bread brûlée, or rich banana and chocolate mousse tart.

Back to top

Pasion
211 S. 15th St (bet. Locust & Walnut Sts.)
(215) 875-9895

Start with ceviche--the house specialty--raw fish cured in citrus. Pungent cilantro brings zip to crisp asparagus with smoky marlin; tender halibut zings with ginger and Bing cherries; garlic adds bite to salmon coated in buttery mango; one unripe coconut sweetly houses rich tuna and tomato marinated in jalapeno and ginger. Don't miss shrimp marinated in sugarcane juice, atop avocado and honey-sweet sugarcane vinaigrette. Dinner is a bit more down-to-earth. Grilled, slightly tough skirt steak boasts a dense, spicy, garlicky chimichurri and shoestring yucca. Chilean sea bass is white and luscious, in a hearty, brown tamarind and mushroom sauce. Finish with a big, red cup of creamy coffee spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg; or blueberry crepes swimming in earthy goat's milk chocolate.

Back to top

Deux Cheminees
1221 Locust St.
215-790-0200

Located in two gorgeous 19th-century townhouses, Deux Cheminee is the ultimate fine dining restaurant. It even includes five elegant dining rooms, available for public or private dinner parties. Although the menu is printed daily, some selections include pear salad, escargot, foie gras, medallions of pork loin served with an apple brandy sauce, pork stock and Jersey apples, Long Island duckling and their famous Rack of Lamb, made for two.

Back to top

Le Bec-Fin
1523 Walnut St (bet. 15th & 16th Sts.)
(215) 567-1000

Modern French cuisine, with delightful attention to detail. Start with tuna tartare, composed of fine strips of tomato and luscious morsels of raw tuna, atop slices of gingery potatoes. A light-as-air blend of earthy mushrooms and escargots fills a delicate zucchini flower bathing in rich red wine. The world's most perfect crab cake forms a precise cylinder, perched upon baby green beans and swirls of country mustard and balsamic vinaigrette. Puree of honey-infused sweet potato and confit of ginger-infused pear create sweet balance for luscious slices of duck breast. Cheese and dessert carts peddle extravagant stock: creamy chèvre coated in rosemary; gracefully pungent Gorgonzola; Grand Marnier souffle; buttery Paris-Brest; sinfully rich chocolate cake.

Back to top

Dante Luigi’s
762 South 10th St
(215) 922-9501

Excellent, traditional Italian-American: this is the kind of place where they still call tomato sauce "gravy"--and they don't skimp on the portions. Start with mussels in red or white sauce, both good enough to spoon up like soup, or a bread plate-sized Portobello mushroom stuffed with crabmeat. Entrees range from simple bowls of pasta to enormous steaks. Try the surprisingly light potato gnocchi in tomato cream sauce and the savory veal saltimbocca. For dessert, skip the so-so cannoli and opt for the powder-light, deliciously crumbly ricotta cheesecake.

Back to top

La Veranda Ristorante
5 North Columbus Blvd.
(215) 351-1858

"Mangia, mangia" is the mantra at this sophisticated Roman-style Italian hangout on Penn's Landing, where families and clients are impressed by melt-in-your-mouth pastas and the great waterfront view. Not a trendy place – but a traditional, formal restaurant with very good food and service. The atmosphere is pleasant, evoking the feel of a good restaurant in the late 1950s. The food is excellent, although somewhat expensive.

Back to top

Ralph’s Italian Restaurant
760 South 9th St
(215) 627-6011

Voted Best of Philadelphia 2001, Ralph’s is sure to appease the most discerning palette. “You can go home again" insist habitués of this classic South Philly red-gravy Italian, family-run for 100 years; a slightly sparse setting hardly detracts from the tradition, the action and the always-great food in portions “even bigger than mama gave you" (your arteries will be begging for mercy); N.B. it's cash-only.

Back to top

Vetri
1312 Spruce St (bet. Broad & 13th Sts.)
(215) 732-3478

Tender spinach gnocchi with shaved smoked ricotta and brown butter may be the best dish in the city. Other dishes belong on a best-of shortlist: sea-infused langoustine and scallops in delicate crustacean fumé, perfect pasta dumplings with sage and pancetta, golden sweet onion crepe with white truffle fondue, earthy chestnut fettucine with wild boar ragu. For dessert, polenta chocolate soufflé is subtly rich, and lavender gelato offers a chocolate and extra virgin olive oil surprise.

Back to top

Dmitri’s
2227 Pine St
(215) 985-3680
795 South 3rd St
(215) 625-0556

Olive oil and red wine vinegar touch every fresh piece of seafood that goes on the grill. Start with avocado citrus salad, basic romaine lettuce with juicy sections of pink grapefruit, ripe avocado and tangerine, topped with toasted almonds, salt and pepper. Lightly whipped, garlicky, hummus puts others to shame. (Ask for extra grilled pita wedges.) Meaty bits of octopus swim alongside green olives in a simple sauce of olive oil and lemon juice. Greek-style bluefish is rich, and topped with strips of Roma tomatoes, onion and red pepper. Morsels of grilled squid are tender enough to cut with a fork.

Back to top

El Vez (Mexican/Southwest)

121 S. 13th St.
215-928-9800

There are slatted wooden ceilings and drum-shaped lamps over each booth. And the young, black-shirted staff is courteous, speedy and knowledgeable about the menu. Try the roasted corn soup — so sweet with the very essence of corn that it almost overshadows the huitalacoche-stuffed quesadilla floating in its pale yellow depths. Queso fundido is a guilty pleasure: lots of melted Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese, mixed with salsa and spicy chorizo, to be mopped up or rolled in fluffy, light tortillas. The highest point of the meal is the carne asada, a perfectly rare and glistening slab of skirt steak served over a tart, jade-green bed of tomatillos, and sauced with three different chiles.

Back to top

Lolita (Mexican/Southwest)
106 S. 13th St.
215-546-7100

Starting with the complimentary tomatillo salsa and homemade chips, the flavors were just right. The real stunner was the pan-seared duck breast, unbelievably tender slices of meat offered up in a shallow bowl of guajilio chili broth, with pearls of posole (big kernels of hominy) and shreds of pickled cabbage. The combination was extremely rewarding. Also, try the chocolate flan. A night at Lolita makes you leave with the impression that your meal has been special, that a real person took the time to choose its contents and challenge your expectations.

Back to top

Amada
217 Chestnut St.
215-625-2450

Amada does tapas with a touch of style. It combines traditional dishes with innovative techniques, and evokes European sophistication with a uniquely Mediterranean casual vibe. Yet, there is no mistaking the seriousness of the service, which is impeccable, or the food itself, which is nothing short of divine. On the menu: grilled meats, Andalucian gazpacho, costillas de ternera (beef shortribs with horseradish, Parmesan and bacon), chicken and chorizo paella with artichoke and saffron aioli, and a lemon pistachio tart served with sour cherry jam and basil creme fraiche.

Back to top

The Chart House
555 South Columbus Blvd
(215) 625-8383

Enjoy excellent seafood and steak with a riverside view of the Benjamin Franklin and Walt Whitman Bridges… Locals say they feel like they're on vacation given all the tourist action at this crowded Penn's Landing outpost of the seafood chain with special views of the Delaware; large portions, and many cheer the return of the salad bar; N.B. dinner and Sunday brunch only.

Back to top

Little Fish
600 Catharine St
(215) 413-3464

The menu changes every night, yet many dishes are smoky and sweet thanks to expert pan-searing. Scallops and smelts over mushroom ragout, crab cakes, tomato haricot verts salad with French feta, roast radicchio with fontina cheese and balsamic reduction, wild rockfish with Moroccan stew and salmon chimichurri with sweet potato fries all make regular appearances. Desserts can be simple as chocolate cake or fresh fruit.

Back to top

The Prime Rib
1701 Locust St (17th St.)
(215) 772-1701

The perfectly cooked meats, impeccable service and lavish decor qualify this old-school manly place in the Warwick as a fantasy of a clubby steakhouse; a link of the D.C.-based chain, it claims legions of loyalists who relish the sophisticated style and enormous quantities of outstanding food, though a few say it overdoes it.

Back to top

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
260 South Broad St
(215) 790-1515

Be sure not to eat for a week before a trip to this Center City link in the steakhouse chain, every carnivore's delight for its perfectly prepared prime beef bathed in butter (block that aorta!); traditional types appreciate the elegant decor and professional staff.

Back to top

Smith and Wollensky
210 West Rittenhouse Sq (inside Rittenhouse Hotel)
(215) 545-1700

The Rittenhouse Hotel hosts this new offshoot of the classic chophouse chain, where he-men (and women) strain their buttons over T-bones and rib-eyes with traditional sides, washed down, of course, with martinis; the stately environs and service allow for few surprises, and the downstairs grill room is a good bet for late-night drinks and burgers.

Back to top

Striped Bass
1500 Walnut St
(215) 732-4444

With the exception of a few pasta dishes and salads, every appetizer and entrée incorporates fresh fish--either hand-selected from the boats that morning, or specially shipped from around the world. Start off with oysters from the raw bar, where up to a dozen varieties are available (in season). Or, if you're feeling especially flush, try the caviar sampler: 30 grams each of beluga, osetra and sevruga for $185. Entrée standouts on the rotating menu include seared black bass with foie gras and chestnuts, halibut wrapped in crisp prosciutto, and the signature dish, wild striped bass with shrimp, fennel and saffron broth. If you can afford the calories--and the cost--don't miss the warm chocolate cake.

Back to top