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FOOD & DINING IN PHILADELPHIA

If every museum, business, historic site and theater in town burned down overnight, you could still have a terrific trip to Philadelphia simply by eating.

Many of the high-end restaurants are grouped along Walnut Street between Broad Street and Rittenhouse Square and are located in the Old City district around 2nd and Market. Everything is available here, starting with an extraordinary number of Italian and Asian restaurants. Philadelphia was also an early centre for American nouvelle cuisine and this has developed into a heritage the locals take for granted. For the adventurous traveller with a hearty appetite, try the famous Philly cheesesteak for about $4.

The Local Food

It's true that the homegrown local cuisine tends to be a bit...unhealthy. It's true that Philadelphia men were recently determined to be the most overweight Americans statistically speaking, to a point where the new mayor announced he was appointing a Director of Health and Fitness. But one cannot deny that this food is tasty and traditional. The last mayor has a sandwich named after him.

Here's a guide to some local favourites, reflecting the influence of the rich immigrant history in this area. Be warned: Some of these will sound completely unattractive if you haven't grown up on them. They are all worth a try.

Cheesesteak: Thinly sliced beef is sautéed then served on a soft foot-long roll with cheese, onions, peppers, mushrooms and ketchup. There is such demand for these that two places in the Italian Market stay open all night to supply the crowds. Discussion of who makes the best cheesesteak can be described as either friendly competition or bitter rivalry.

Hoagie: A huge sandwich invented by workingmen on Hog Island in the 19th Century. Like the cheesesteak, it begins with a long soft roll, this time stuffed with cold cuts, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, oil or mayonnaise and is usually served with a thick wedge of pickle, in case two pounds of food is not enough for you. You will find the hoagie to be similar to a "sub," but with more lettuce and a more varied blend of meats and cheeses. Over the years, the basic Italian hoagie has been joined by an American hoagie (different lunchmeat) and a long list of other variations, including vegetarian and even a cheesesteak hoagie. The latest innovation is the "Rendelli," named in honour of former Mayor Ed Rendell, possibly the first politician in town to finish an entire hoagie in one sitting in public.

TastyKake: Locally produced snacks, which include cupcakes and the "Krimpet," a small sponge cake topped with butterscotch icing.

Birch Beer: A contribution of the Pennsylvania Dutch, birch beer is similar to root beer except it's made from birch root instead of sassafras, giving it a more pungent edge and a reddish colour.

Water Ice: An Italian contribution. Simply, it is fruit-flavoured ice that's shaved and served in a cup. You will find it to be lighter and more refreshing on a hot day than ice cream.

Soft Pretzel: A German contribution. Other cities have soft pretzels too, but locals here like them with mustard. No one seems to remember how that started.

Scrapple: A Pennsylvania Dutch contribution. There are many ways to describe scrapple; it's best to think of it as a cornmeal patty flavoured with beef, pork or turkey, though you could also say it's meat "scraps" held together with cornmeal. Lightly fried, it is served as a side dish for breakfast.

Ethnic Dining

The Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch streets (tel. 215/922-2317), in the space underneath the train terminal, has served Philadelphians since the turn of the 20th century.

A Taste of Ethnic Philly: Reading Terminal Market--The Reading Terminal Market, at 12th and Arch streets (tel. 215/922-2317;), has been a greengrocer, snack shop, butcher, fish market, and sundries store for Philadelphians since the late 1800s. The idea was to use the space underneath the terminal's tracks for food vendors so that commuters and businesspeople could stock up easily and cheaply; now, it's lively, charming, redolent, and noisy, a great place to have lunch or breakfast, or pick up a picnic. Half of the stalls make up an English-style covered market with cool brick floors and the scent of fresh food and baked bread; the other vendors are gourmet grocers.

Scrapple, mangoes, clam chowder, pretzels -- you name it, if it's fresh, you can find it here. You can still see the Amish in the city on their market days (Wed and Sat), and you can buy sticky buns at Beiler's Bakery, soft pretzels made before your eyes at Fisher's, and individual egg custards ($1) and chicken potpies ($6) at the Dutch Eating Place. If you're in the market for meat, Harry Ochs and Halteman Family have the most extensive selections, with great country hams and local honey as well. Downtown Cheese Shop offers gourmet cheeses; visit Salumeria for hoagies. The best coffee is sold at Old City Coffee.

If your stomach is rumbling uncontrollably by now, Termini Brothers Bakery will satisfy it with Italian cannoli pastries or Braverman's will fill it with an egg challah, Danish, or other pastry. For more protein, Pearl's Oyster Bar practically gives away six cherrystone clams for $4.25, and a shrimp platter with french fries, bread, and coleslaw goes for $8.50. Or try Coastal Cave Trading Co., which has great clam chowder, oyster crackers, and smoked fish. Just inside 12th Street, Bassett's purveys Philadelphia's entry in the best American ice-cream contest at $1.75 a cone. The shakes ($3.75) are no less enticing.

The 1990s renovation of the market has left it with more seating. The Down Home Diner is an excellent choice for breakfast or lunch. The 12th Street Cantina sells not only tasty enchiladas and burritos, but also authentic ingredients, like blue cornmeal. Rick's Philly Steaks -- a third generation of Pat's down in South Philly -- serves up one of the city's best cheesesteaks. The Beer Garden draws pints of Yuengling Porter and Dock Street Beer, among other more mass-market brews.

The market is open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 6pm, but many vendors close at 5pm. Prices vary by vendor, and about half accept cash only. Every second Friday, the Reading Terminals, a rock band, plays during lunchtime. There are public restrooms here.

Best Dining Spots

Best Spot for a Romantic Dinner
The appropriately named Pasion!, 211 S. 15th St. (tel. 215/875-9895), recently doubled in size but kept its intimate, glowing ambience, along with its terrific South American fusion cuisine. Warm and exotic.

Best Spot for a Business Lunch
Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq. (tel. 215/546-9000), offers a three-course, $26 prix-fixe lunch that is stunningly good in its ethereal but unstuffy dining room. Your dining partners will be the city's power brokers, and the menu of the day might include ragout of lobster and white asparagus or a delightful spring lamb shank with parsley and lemon.

Best Spot for a Celebration
If you have a special occasion to celebrate -- even if it's just being in Philadelphia -- the newly redecorated Le Bec-Fin, 1523 Walnut St. (tel. 215/567-1000), is the proper choice if you crave a lavish setting. Georges Perrier's prix-fixe menu has an international reputation, and those dessert carts are unforgettable. Advance reservations are a must.

Best Decor
Chic, elegant and modern, there is no more beautiful dining space in Philly than Striped Bass at 1500 Walnut St. (tel. 215/732-4444), the new American restaurant in a turn-of-the-20th-century brokerage house. Its triple-height ceiling, marble columns, velvet banquettes, retro-glittery light fixtures, and intimate bar define good style in Philadelphia.

Best View
Sitting on the deck of the Moshulu, 411 S. Columbus Blvd. (tel. 215/923-2500), a 1904 "tall ship" that's been converted into a roomy, luxe French-Asian restaurant, might sound touristy, but in reality, it's utterly delightful. Even in the winter, the ship's indoor dining rooms offer lovely Delaware River and Society Hill views. And in summer, the breeze is as cooling as one of its 20 wines by the glass.

Best Wine List
Two restaurants owned by the Sena family offer impressive wine selections: La Famiglia, 8 S. Front St. (tel. 215/922-2803),, has one of the finest cellars in the world according to Wine Spectator magazine. One block north, the Ristorante Panorama (tel. 215/922-7800),, in the Penn's View Inn at Front and Market streets (tel. 215/922-7800),, is a charming Italian trattoria that has the largest single wine-dispensing and -preserving machine in the world, with 120 different bottles available by the glass, or as a 3-oz. "taste." Order a "flight" -- five glasses grouped around a theme. Flights fall in the $14 to $50 range.

Best Value
Dining at the mod-Deco bar at Brasserie Perrier at 1619 Walnut St. (tel. 215/568-3000), with its $16 steak frites or incomparable roasted chicken (also $16), means you're savouring cuisine overseen by the city's most famous chef, Georges Perrier of Le Bec-Fin. The restaurant behind this colourful lounge offers haute-bistro food at higher prices, with entrees in the $35 range.

Best Value, Fixed-Price Meal
There's nothing like Le Bec-Fin's $45 lunch at 1523 Walnut St. (tel. 215/567-1000), for classic French..

Best for Kids
Kids love the burgers, grilled cheeses, soups, and other classic American fare at Marathon Grill, 1839 Spruce St. (tel. 215/731-0800), a former diner turned into a stylish modern space that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (plus snacks all afternoon). Parents also love the casual, romping-permitted vibe of the place, plus the full bar and upscale side of the menu, with its grilled fish and savory pastas.

Best Date Restaurant
For a classy bistro with contemporary fare in Old City, reserve a deuce at Fork, 306 Market St. (tel. 215/625-9425). Friday Saturday Sunday, 261 S. 21st St. (tel. 215/546-4232), has been a classic, intimate date spot since the 1970s, and boasts consistent fare, glowing lighting, and great value.

Best American Cuisine
Using local ingredients from Amish and Bucks Country boutique farmers, incorporating elements of new American cuisine without the annoying flourishes, Fork at 306 Market St. (tel. 215/625-9425) is as popular for brunch as it is for a late-night snack. In this warm, sophisticated dining room in a former warehouse, dine on pan-seared salmon or spicy hanger steak.

Best Chinese Cuisine
A reserved former librarian, born in inner Mongolia and raised in northern China and Taiwan, Susanna Foo quietly built up a national reputation with her eponymous Susanna Foo, 1512 Walnut St. (tel. 215/545-2666). Her innovative mix of East and West relies on reductions rather than on dashes of soy sauce and ginger, and skillets and saucepans rather than a wok. The dim sum -- appetizer-size portions -- is a city favourite.

Best Continental Cuisine
The Fountain Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel, 1 Logan Sq., between 18th Street and Franklin Parkway (tel. 215/963-1500), is consistently rated best in town for understated, complex versions of classic Continental dishes. Since the food is so uniformly excellent, it is advisable to go with the chef's choices on the fixed-price menu.

Best French Cuisine
Right now, it's the serene Lacroix in the Rittenhouse Hotel, where the exquisite menu is rooted in classical French cooking, but benefits from Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix's modern technique.

Best Italian Cuisine
Philadelphia must have 1,000 Italian restaurants, but the Saloon, 750 S. 7th St. (tel. 215/627-1811), is a dignified, elegant place for fine pasta and steak that draws everyone in town sooner or later.

Best Seafood
The best in town is Striped Bass, 1500 Walnut St. (tel. 215/732-4444), located on the most chic dining block in the city. The dinner scene in The Sixth Sense was filmed here. For those on a budget, Philly's McCormick & Schmick's, 1 S. Broad St. (tel. 215/568-6888), part of a chain of seafood restaurants, serves fresh fish at affordable prices, in a clubby environment.

Best Steakhouse
With a half-dozen great choices, including the Capital Grille and the Palm, the top choice is the Prime Rib, 1701 Locust St. (tel. 215/772-1701), offering great porterhouse served with fresh shredded horseradish. The ambience is a timeless 1940s-style place -- jazz combos and formally clad waiters included.

Best Burgers and Beer
In this case, bigger is better. The Independence Brew Pub, at 1150 Filbert St., right under Reading Terminal Headhouse (tel. 215/922-4292), has hundreds of seats, all happily occupied with diners chowing on delicious thin-crust pizzas and spectacular sundaes. An on-site brewery produces five different ales, porters, and lagers fresh each day. No reservations for parties under six.

Best Pizza
Marra's, 1734 E. Passyunk Ave., between Morris and Moore streets (tel. 215/463-9249), in South Philadelphia, has pies with thin crusts and delicious, spicy traditional toppings, baked in brick ovens; enjoy them in old wooden booths.

Best Cheesesteak
A great cheesesteak achieves a certain balance between cheese, meat, onion, and roll, and Jim's Steaks, 400 South St. (tel. 215/928-1911), cooks up a mighty, meaty combo. Line up with the masses on South Street and be sure to specify "with" or "without" onions.

Best Hoagies
Also known as submarines, grinders, or torpedoes, hoagies are what you want on hand as you cheer on the Eagles' latest Super Bowl bid. South Philly's Primo Hoagies, 2043 Chestnut St. (tel. 215/564-1264), have the perfect ratio of dense, chewy roll, spicy meat, wonderful oregano, and oil.

Best Desserts
Weekends, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 10 Avenue of the Arts (tel. 215/523-8000), offers a dessert buffet in its grand lobby, and this wonderfully excessive spread of 40 desserts has become a popular way to end a Friday or Saturday evening downtown (8pm-midnight). Priced at $19 per person, you may want to skip dinner altogether and save stomach space for tarte Tatin and chocolate gâteau.

Best Breakfast
The Down Home Diner at Reading Terminal Market (tel. 215/627-1955), open from 7am, has wonderful blueberry pancakes, fresh eggs with garlic grits, and a breakfast "pizza" with sausage biscuits, smoked cheddar, and tomato. All ingredients are fanatically organic, from small-scale producers wherever possible. Lunch has its charms, too, with meatloaf, black-eyed pea and ham-hock soup, and pecan pie. The vintage jukebox plays great old American tunes.

Best Brunch
Nearly every restaurant offers Sunday brunch, ranging from standard bagels with spreads to a full brunch menu. The White Dog Café, 3420 Sansom St. (tel. 215/386-9224), in West Philadelphia, swings both ways, offering everything from simple breakfast dishes to elaborate late-morning feasts in a completely comfortable, unpretentious environment.

Best People-Watching
Beautiful types head to Washington Square, 210 W. Washington Sq. (tel. 215/592-7787), the sophisticated American restaurant and bar in an Art Deco landmark building, with an outdoor area of tables and banquettes next to a leafy park. Rouge, at 205 S. 18th St. (tel. 215/732-6622), is a bistro with alfresco cafe tables that become the city's most sought-after real estate from May through September. If you want to spot a celebrity (Cameron Diaz and Mel Gibson both dined here), head for another of the Stephen Starr-owned operations such as Buddakan, 325 Chestnut St. (tel. 215/574-9440), where a huge gilded Buddha presides over a trendy crowd.

Best Afternoon Tea
The advent of true luxury hotels in Philadelphia has brought with it exquisite afternoon teas served all over town. The Cassatt Lounge at the Rittenhouse Hotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq. (tel. 215/546-9000), has muted, lovely decor, a tucked-in garden, and Mary Cassatt's drawings commemorating her brother's house, which once stood on the site.

Best for Pretheatre Dinner
At sleek Bliss, 220 S. Broad St. (tel. 215/731-1100), the eclectic menu features pastas, Asian-inspired dishes, and grilled fare; it is next door to the Kimmel Center and the Merriam. Ernesto's 1521 Café, 1521 Spruce St. (tel. 215/546-1521), is an affordable, modern Italian trattoria with handmade pasta.

Best Outdoor Dining
In Center City, head for 18th Street along Rittenhouse Square, between Walnut and Locust streets: Anywhere you park among Devon Seafood Grill, Rouge, or Potcheen and Bleu (both at the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square,) on that block is great, with Bleu serving the best cuisine.

Best Ice Cream
Bassett's Ice Cream (tel. 215/925-4315), an original 1892 tenant of Reading Terminal Market, has long claimed supremacy for its rich, smooth flavours. Plus they make a terrific milkshake. New Capogiro Gelateria at 109 S. 13th St. (tel. 215/351-0900) hand-makes irresistibly rich Italian gelato in exotic flavours such as Mexican chocolate with chipotle peppers.

Beer for Everybody

According to recent surveys, Pennsylvania has the third largest number of microbreweries after California and Colorado. And what beer! While it is to be expected that some of the microbrews are not very interesting, what's unexpected is the large number of high-quality local beers available in many of the bars and restaurants here. Philadelphians take their beer very seriously. There are also many Irish, British and Belgian pubs where the traveler will find a large international selection and an informed bartender. Here's a short list of local hot spots, though you could pass a pleasant evening searching for your own favourite.

Yuengling: This local brewery has been in continuous operation since 1823, making it the oldest in the country. The brewers make a reliable, inexpensive lager and a very good porter, but their big seller is the Black & Tan, a blend of the lager and porter in equal parts. Yuengling (pronounced "yingling") is not the greatest beer you'll ever have, but it's such a local favourite that many places stock it instead of the more popular national brands.

Victory Hop Devil: Victory produces a whole range of beers, but its most popular by far is the Hop Devil. Hops is the flower that gives beer its sweet overtones; the Hop Devil Ale is made with something like twice the usual amount of hops (the actual percentage is kept a secret). It's a very tasty ale to drink slowly.

Dock Street: One of several local microbreweries where all beer is made fresh on the premises. There's a sampler available where seven small portions are brought to your table. This is always a great conversation starter and you just might end up with a new all time favourite.

A Word about State Stores
In Pennsylvania, alcoholic beverages must be purchased in state-owned liquor stores. These stores generally open at 9am and close at 7pm, or 9pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The exceptions to this purchasing rule are beer and wine coolers, which may be purchased at bars, delicatessens and "beer distributors." Beer is not available at liquor stores, though wine coolers are available.


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