Eating out in Philadelphia is a real treat: the
ubiquitous street stands sell soft pretzels with mustard for
around $1, while Chinatown and the Italian Market are good for
ethnic food, and Reading Terminal Market makes a bargain lunch stop
in Center City. South Street has plenty of fun, if well-touristed,
eateries while hipper restaurants cluster along 2nd Street in the
Old City. The South Philly cheesesteak , a sandwich of
melted American cheese atop layers of wafer-thin roast beef, varies
from joint to joint around town; some of the best are to be found
in the Italian cafés around 9th and Passyunk in South Philadelphia.
And bear in mind that a cheesesteak is hot, a hoagie
(complete with lettuce and tomato) is not.
Alyan's 603 S 4th St tel 215/922-3553. Small Middle
Eastern restaurant off South St. Dinner from $7. Bring your own
bottle.
Brasil's 112 Chestnut St tel 215/413-1700. Good Brazilian
food, live Latin and salsa music, and friendly service in a great
atmosphere.
Circa 1518 Walnut St tel 215/545-6800. A stylish Center
City restaurant decked out in marble, mirrors and chandeliers.
Offers meat and seafood dinners with innovative twists for around
$10. Great happy hours on Thurs & Fri; techno music later at
night.
City Tavern 138 S 2nd St tel 215/413-1443. Reconstructed
1773 tavern in INHP, familiar to the city's founders, and called by
John Adams "the most genteel tavern in America." Costumed staff
serve "olde style" food (pasties, turkey rarebit) to a harpsichord
accompaniment, but the prices, unfortunately, are as modern as they
get, from about $16 for dinner. Lunch is less expensive.
The Continental 138 Market St tel 215-923-6069. Trendy
retro diner, popular with a gay crowd, serving huge portions in a
funky, all-white setting.
Delilah's Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Spruce sts
tel 215/574-0929. Superb soul food but with scatty service.
Nigerian stew with cornbread for under $5; beans and rice even
less.
Jim's Steaks 400 South St tel 215/928-1911.
Black-and-white-tiled Art Deco diner serving some of the biggest
and best cheesesteaks in the city, as the constant line outside
proves. Try and beat the record - 11 cheesesteaks in 90
minutes.
Montserrat 623 South St tel 215/627-4224. Wide variety of
fresh, healthy food, with a vegetarian emphasis, served inside or
on a large deck overlooking the South St parade.
Novelty 15 S 3rd St tel 215/627-7885. Upscale eatery,
with a pricey but good selection of mainly fish dishes. Try the
Novelty Box for a sampler of the restaurant's different
specials.
Serrano 20 S 2nd St tel 215/928-0770. Intimate Old City
café. Creative international cooking, with good fresh seafood. Try
the appetizer tasting menu. Diners get preferential seating at the
Tin Angel folk club upstairs.
Sonoma 4411 Main St, Manayunk tel 215/483-9400. Pleasant,
reasonably priced California-style Italian restaurant.
South Street Diner 140 South St tel 215/627-5258. Huge
menu with Greek and Italian specialties from $6. Open 24hrs seven
days a week.
Tony Luke Jr's 118 S 18th St tel 215/568-4630. Excellent
steak sandwiches and hoagies.
Tre Scalini 1533 S 11th St tel 215/551-3870. A taste of
traditional South Philly Italian, with reasonably priced dishes and
a low-key atmosphere.
White Dog Café 3420 Sansom St tel 215/386-9224. Trendy,
creative food in an antique-filled room near the universities.
Arty, student crowd; dinners cost $12-25.