You Asked, I'll Answer: Philly Edition

In my first Q&A answer post, I started to talk about what my favorite things to do in Philly are, and then I realized that the answer was so long that it warranted its own post. So here it is. I actually wrote most of this last year for another blog I write for, but I've updated it quite a bit for here.

Let's start off with my favorite thing about any city: the food and the booze.

Get ready to drool!

Eats:

In my opinion, Philly is a foodie’s paradise. I could easily write ten blog posts full of my restaurant recommendations, so narrowing it down to just a few will be difficult.

Iron Chef Jose Garces owns several restaurants in Philly, and unlike many celebrity chef restaurants, they are all fantastic. I especially recommend Amada and Tinto for tapas, and Distrito for the mouthwatering Mexican.

Amada

If you like mussels and/or beer, you absolutely have to check out Monk’s Cafe, a casual Belgian bistro that specializes in both. Get a pot or two of their tasty mussels (with a side of the best frites you’ll ever eat), and marvel at their international beer list, which is the size of a phone book. Well, not really. But it's friggin' BIG.

Monk’s

For a trendy night out, check out the Continental Midtown. The decor alone is worth the trip but the food, Asian-inspired small plates, is delish as well (I recommend the lobster mac & cheese). People always say that this place looks like something out of Sex and the City. If you're into that sort of thing.

The Continental

Philly also has a great selection of gastropubs. If you’re looking for some high-end pub food and a frosty brew, check out Standard Tap, Johnny Brenda’s, the Sidecar Bar, the Royal Tavern, or Devil’s Alley.

The Burger at Standard Tap

I’m a huge sushi fan, and the best sushi I’ve ever eaten is actually outside of the city. About 10 minutes away, over the river. Sagami in Collingswood, N.J. is out of the way, in a strange area, and doesn’t have any ambiance, but the food is spectacular. If you don’t feel like heading into Jersey, or you want something much more upscale, I recommend Morimoto (owned by the Iron Chef).

Morimoto

I could go on forever, but instead, I’ll just give you a list of some of my other favorite places to eat:

Barbuzzo - Fantastic food, but worth it for the salted caramel dessert alone.
Osteria -Delicious Italian with a phenomenal wine selection.
Pizzeria Stella - An upscale pizzeria from one of the top restaurateurs in the city.
Vietnam - Casual and affordable but very tasty Vietnamese.
Honey’s Sit & Eat - Best breakfast/brunch in the city. Be prepared to wait, but it’s worth it.

And it wouldn’t be a Philly food blog without cheesesteaks, I guess. I'm not a huge cheesesteak fan (I'd prefer a burger or slice of pizza any day) but I've got to be a good virtual tour guide, right?

If you ask any Philly native, they’ll tell you that there are three top cheesesteak competitors: Pat’s, Geno’s and Jim’s. I’m no connoisseur, but I think that if I had to choose a favorite, I'd pick Jim's. But, if you want the full cheesesteak experience, you need to go to Pat’s or Geno’s, across the street from each other down in South Philly, just so that you can wait in line surrounded by tacky neon signs and tourists. Order a “cheesesteak whiz wit” which means with cheese whiz and “wit” onions.

Pat’s

Geno’s

What's that? You want dessert? HELL YEAH.

Try Capogiro for the best gelato in the city, or Franklin Fountain, this adorable, old-timey ice cream parlor with a candy counter, an extensive menu, and the most enormous-est servings in Philly.

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Drinks:

If you’re the type of person who likes to dance till dawn or hang out in luxurious lounges with bottle service, well, I’m not going to be much help. I’m a dive bar girl through and through. And I don’t feel comfortable giving the Official WTF Endorsement to places I’ve never been. Sorry, guys.

But. If, like me, you enjoy dark little places with cheap booze and good jukeboxes, I’ve got you covered.

Mere words can’t describe how rad Bob and Barbara’s is. They’ve got the $3 Philly Special (a can of PBR and a shot of Jim Beam). They have weekly porn bingo, drag shows, ping pong and, on the weekends, a jazz band comprised of men in their 80s and 90s.

Bob and Barbara’s

Sugar Mom's and Tattooed Mom's are both great little places with a lot of character. Both offer silly little toys and crayons to play with and cozy couches to chill on. Tattooed Mom's is definitely the grittier of the two, but it’s a worthy experience.

Tattooed Mom

More of my favorite divey dives:

Shop ‘Til You Drop:

I'll be honest, I don't think that Philly is a great shopping city. There are a few blocks on Walnut Street where you'll see the basics: Banana Republic, H&M, the Gap, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Steve Madden, etc. Nothing against those stores, but you see them in every city in the country. There are some cute boutiques and vintage stores in Old City, Northern Liberties and East Passyunk, but as a whole, Philly shopping doesn't impress me.

BUT. If you like to cook, definitely check out the Italian Market and Reading Terminal Market, where you can grab lunch or pick up cheap produce, pasta, spices, and basically any other culinary treat you can think of.

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Other Stuff:

Philly is really good for people watching and just walking around. It's a very dog-friendly and bike-friendly city. Some of my favorite non-food/drink things to do are just to walk all the neighborhoods and discover new things. So here are some snapshots of some of my favorite places to wander or hang out in Philly:

Rittenhouse Square: