Analilia Mejia appeared to cement victory in the Democratic primary to replace New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill in Congress after her top opponent conceded Tuesday morning.
It’s a massive upset win for the progressive movement.
Mejia led the race with a razor-thin margin when former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, the closest contender, conceded. The Associated Press has still not called the race five days after the election as the race remains tight, but Malinowski’s concession will enable Mejia to focus on campaigning for her April 16 contest against Republican Joe Hathaway.
The progressive, an Afro-Latina, shared a gif of Bad Bunny overwhelmed with emotion as he stood last week to receive the coveted album of the year Grammy for Debí Tirar Más Fotos — the first Spanish album to get the honor.
She delivered a victory speech a couple of hours later on a livestream that kicked off with about two dozen supporters fromunions and progressive groups chanting “abolish ICE,” “tax the rich,” and “Mejia for Congress.”
Mejia said she wants to represent “every voice” in the district and said the victory was not hers alone.
“This isn’t a race in which one individual won,” she said. “This is a race in which the community stepped up and said, ‘In this moment, what we want are real representatives who will listen to the people, who will ask questions about what is keeping you up at night, who will prioritize your interest over special interests.’”
“Analilia deserves unequivocal praise and credit for running a positive campaign and for inspiring so many voters on Election Day,” Malinowski said in a statement Tuesday.
Malinowski initially appeared to be in the lead Thursday night, which led multiple outlets and the Democratic National Committee to prematurely declare the race in his favor. Mejia picked up steam and moved ahead of him as the night went on, and publications issued retractions.
In response, Mejia shared on social media the famous 1948 photo of President Harry Truman holding up the Chicago Tribune’s erroneous “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline.
Mejia, the daughter of Colombian and Dominican immigrants, has repeatedly said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot be reformed and should therefore be abolished as President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics become increasingly scrutinized across the country.
She said at a news conference Friday that her position resonated with voters, and that the agency “must be replaced by something that isn’t violent, that isn’t shooting Americans in the streets, that is respecting our Constitution.”
She made the case during her campaign that “any old blue just won’t do” and that she is “unbought and unbossed.”
Malinowski raised nearly three times as much as Mejia through Jan. 16, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Her victory is a major breakthrough for New Jersey’s progressive movement in what has become a fairly reliably blue district that includes parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic Counties. It comes on the heels of a progressive victory in the crowded Jersey City mayoral race.
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Italso adds another feather to the cap of the national progressive movement after the victory of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was supported by some of the same high-profile progressives as Mejia, including U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (Ind., Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.).
Sherrill, who remained neutral in the primary, said in a statement Tuesday that she endorses Mejia’s campaign to replace her seat in Congress.
“I’ve known Analilia for years — I’ve seen her dedication to expanding opportunity and fighting for working people. I know she will be a great partner in Congress whether it is fighting for the Gateway Tunnel or to protect our Constitutional rights,” Sherrill said, referencing a major infrastructure project Trump halted.
I’ve spoken with @Analilia_Mejia to congratulate her and I am very proud to endorse her campaign for Congress. I’ve known Analilia for years — I've seen her dedication to expanding opportunity and fighting for working people. I know she will be a great partner in Congress whether…
Mejia will enter the April special election as a heavy favorite against Hathaway, the former Randolph mayor who ran unopposed in the Republican primary. A regular primary will take place less than two months later, on June 2, for the midterm elections in November. That means the winner’s term will last only through this year.
The progressive, who grew up in Elizabeth, lives with her husband and two kids in Glen Ridge in Essex County, where she says she has resided for 13 years.
She said Friday that garnering name recognition was an “uphill battle” sinceshe was one of the last candidates to join the crowded race. Even though mail ballots went out before many voters had the chance to get to know her, her team made it up “by being on the ground and having the most extensive field operation possible,” she added.
Mejia has most recently worked as the co-executive director of Popular Democracy, a network of organizations across the country that call for “transformational change for Black, brown and low-income communities,” according to its website.
She has a long resumé in activism, politics, and government, including working as the national political director for Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, the deputy director for the U.S. Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau under former President Joe Biden, the executive director of the New Jersey Working Families Party, and a union organizer before launching her bid for the seat.
Her victory is the latest example of how the Democratic establishment in New Jersey is losing its grasp on primaries in the state.
That is largely because New Jersey redesigned its primary ballot system last year to get rid of its county line ballot. The long-held system was advantageous to candidates supported by their local party apparatus, and progressive activists like Mejia worked for years to dismantle it to give other candidates a shot.
Malinowski had the endorsement of the Morris County Democratic Committee, and the other local committees supported candidates who fell behind the two front-runners.
AIPAC’s attacks on Malinowski
A thorn in Malinowski’s side was a series of attacks funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel national lobbying group, on issues unrelated to Israel. The method may have backfired, since Mejia has been more critical of Israel than the former House member.
United Democracy Project, a super PAC funded by AIPAC, attacked Malinowski in ads for voting “with Trump” by supporting bipartisanlegislation that included funding for federal immigration enforcement. It also went after him for undisclosed stock trading while in Congress, for which he had received previous scrutiny.
Patrick Dorton, a spokesperson for the super PAC, told the New York Times that Malinowski is not sufficiently supportive of Israel because he has talked about putting conditions on aid for the country.
The group spent nearly $2 million on the race, according to Adimpact, which tracks TV and other spending by campaigns.
Malinowski,who generally supports Israel, said in his concession statement that the results of the race “cannot be understood” without looking at the “dishonest ads” funded by the group.
I spoke with Analilia Mejia this morning and congratulated her on her win in our primary. See my full statement below.
I will be forever grateful to everyone who supported and believed in me in this race, and in the fight for our democracy that must go on! pic.twitter.com/J7tIjgmDq1
“I wish I could say today that this effort, which was meant to intimidate Democrats across the country, failed in NJ-11,” he said. “But it did not. I met several voters in the final days of the campaign who had seen the ads and asked me, sincerely: ‘Are you MAGA? Are you for ICE?’”
He said he will oppose any candidates AIPAC backs in the June primary when the seat is again on the line.
Mejia said AIPAC’s attacks demonstrate the influence money has over American politics, but she rejected the notion AIPAC played a decisive role in the race.
“What they didn’t do is win this for us,” she said. “How we won it was people power. How we won it was talking to folks. How we won it was knocking at doors. How we won it was being ready at every moment.”
Old City-based 9.14 Pictures is working on an untitled documentary about comedian Bob Saget, the Philly-bred funny man who rose to fame in the 1980s as the affable Danny Tanner on the ABC sitcom Full House.
The announcementcomes on the heels of the studio’s successful projects centering celebrities with local ties including Disney+’s Taylor Swift: The End of an Era and Prime Video’s most-watched documentary, Kelce. Both were directed by the studio’s owners, Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce.
9.14 Pictures Sheena M. Joyce and Don Argott arrive at the premier of “Kelce” at the Suzanne Roberts Theater in Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 9, 2023. The film is a feature-length documentary featuring Jason Kelce and the Eagles’ 2022-23 season.
According to Deadline, Argott and Joyce will direct this piece, too, and were given access to Saget’s rare home videos and never-before-seen footage.
“The film will reveal the complex life, devastating losses and enduring kindness behind the laughter,” Deadline stated.
The documentary will ultimately help viewers understand how and why Saget’s comedy turned so dark and raunchy before his untimely death in 2022 at a Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, from what medical examiners said was an accidental blow to the head. He was 65.
From left, actors Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, and John Stamos at the People’s Choice Awards 2017 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 18, 2017. (Tommaso Boddi/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)
Saget, who also hosted America’s Funniest Home Videos for eight seasons, was born in Mount Airy, moved to Virginia, and moved back to the area when he was a teenager. He graduated from Abington Senior High and went on to attend Temple University, where he studied film.
While at Temple University, he practiced his stand-up at Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr’s then-Queen Village nightclub. He also won a student Oscar in 1978 for his 11-minute documentary, Through Adam’s Eyes, the story of an 11-year-old boy who underwent a grueling facial surgery.
After Temple, he moved to the West Coast and attended the University of Southern California’s film school but dropped out to do stand-up.
For the next seven years, he was the emcee at the Comedy Store, working among such comedians as David Letterman, Robin Williams, Michael Keaton, Billy Crystal, Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, and Richard Pryor.
He also warmed up the crowd before tapings of Bosom Buddies, the Tom Hanks-Peter Scolari sitcom. The producer later hired Saget to play Danny Tanner on Full House, on which he portrayed a morning TV host in San Francisco.
In an undated photo, the cast of the television sitcom “Full House,” from left, Ashley Olsen, Dave Coulier, Jodi Sweetin, Bob Saget, Candace Cameron, John Stamos and Mary-Kate Olsen. (Kathy Hutchins/Zuma Press/TNS)
Saget lost one sister to a rare autoimmune disease and another to a brain aneurysm, he told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 1994. Those losses, he said, helped him prioritize his life and led to his maudlin sense of humor.
The Bob Saget documentary will be produced by Story Syndicate, Revue Studios, and 9.14 Pictures.
A Norristown police sergeant who struck a naked, unarmed man with his patrol SUV last week has been charged with assault, official oppression, and related crimes, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Sgt. Daniel DeOrzio, 52, used unnecessary force in the Feb. 4 incident, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said. He was placed on administrative leave after the encounter.
Prosecutors said officers had been dispatched to the intersection of West Airy and Stanbridge Streets after reports that the naked man was yelling and damaging cars in the intersection. DeOrzio was among several officers who responded and, according to investigators, he positioned his police SUV behind a gray pickup truck blocking the roadway.
After ordering the truck removed, authorities said, DeOrzio accelerated and struck the man, who was standing in the intersection with his hands on his hips.
The impact sent the man airborne before he slammed onto the pavement, prosecutors said. He was taken to Main Line Health Paoli Hospital and released two days later.
Investigators concluded that DeOrzio, the highest-ranking officer at the scene, used unnecessary force and failed to attempt basic de-escalation tactics, including verbal commands, before resorting to violence, the district attorney said.
“This was not a necessary use of deadly force in this response incident,” Steele said in a statement.
The incident drew criticism at a public meeting last week, where Norristown Police Chief Mike Trail fielded questions from residents upset over the officer’s actions. Trail said he would like to form a mental health co-responder program that would pair officers with mental health experts to de-escalate future situations.
“People experiencing mental health behavioral episodes are more likely to … be subject to use of force by responding law enforcement officers because they lack the tools and the sophisticated training necessary to de-escalate,” he said.
DeOrzio turned himself in Tuesday morning and was arraigned. District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar set his bail at $100,000. DeOrzio could not be immediately reached for comment.
The 76ers are signing Dalen Terry to a two-way contract.
This deal comes after the 6-foot-6 swingman was waived Friday by the New Orleans Pelicans, which came one day after he was traded twice. The Chicago Bulls traded him to the New York Knicks in exchange for former Sixers power forward Guerschon Yabusele and cash. Hours later the Knicks traded Terry, two second-round picks and cash to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jose Alvarado and the draft rights of Latavious Williams.
The Bulls selected Terry with the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He averaged 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 204 games with seven starts in 3 ½ seasons with the Bulls.
Dalen Terry (right) averaged 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 204 games with the Bulls.
Terry, who has a 7-foot wingspan, is regarded as a high-energy player and versatile perimeter defender. Recognized for his active hands, the 23-year-old has the ability to generate deflections.
His best game of the season came in the Bulls’ 128-126 victory over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 14. Terry finished with a season-high 11 points while making 3 of 4 three-pointers, along with five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. He also shot a career-best 41.3% from deep this year.
As a two-way player, Terry can be active for 18 of the Sixers’ final 29 games. They’ll return to action on Wednesday against the Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena before heading into the seven-day NBA All-Star break.
NEW YORK — The Trump administration has stopped flying a rainbow flag at the Stonewall National Monument, angering activists who see the change as a symbolic swipe at the country’s first national monument to LGBTQ+ history.
The multicolored flag, one of the world’s most well known emblems of LGBTQ+ rights, was quietly removed in recent days from a flagpole on the National Park Service-run site, which centers on a tiny park in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. It’s across the street from the Stonewall Inn, the gay bar where patrons’ rebellion against a police raid helped catalyze the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
The park service said it’s simply complying with recent guidance that clarifies longstanding flag policies and applies them consistently. A Jan. 21 park service memo largely restricts the agency to flying the flags of the United States, the Department of the Interior and the POW/MIA flag.
LGBTQ+ rights activists including Ann Northrop don’t buy the explanation.
“It’s just a disgusting slap in the face,” she said by phone Tuesday as advocates planned a rally and some city and state officials vowed to raise the flag again.
One of them, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, called the removal “petty and vindictive.”
“On one level, removing a flag seems extremely, I guess, pedestrian. But the symbolism of doing it here at Stonewall is what is so profoundly disappointing and frightening,” said Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold his office.
A rainbow flag still appears on a city-owned pole just outside the park, and smaller ones wave along its fence. But advocates fought for years to see the banner fly high every day on federal property, and they saw it as an important gesture of recognition when the flag first went up in 2019.
“That’s why we have those flag-raisings — because we wanted the national sanction to make it a national park,” said Northrop, who co-hosts a weekly cable news program called “GAY USA.” She spoke at a flag-related ceremony at the monument in 2017.
The flag is the latest point of contention between LGBTQ+ activists and President Donald Trump’s administrations over the Stonewall monument, which Democratic former President Barack Obama created in 2016. Activists were irritated when, during the Republican Trump’s first administration, the park service kept a bureaucratic distance from the raising of the rainbow flag on the city’s pole.
Then, soon after Trump returned to office last year and declared that his administration would recognize only two genders, the government scrubbed verbal references to transgender people from the park service website for the Stonewall monument.
The park service didn’t answer specific questions Tuesday about the Stonewall site and the flag policy, including whether any flags had been removed from other parks.
“Stonewall National Monument continues to preserve and interpret the site’s historic significance through exhibits and programs,” the agency said in a statement.
The Eagles are retaining running backs coach/assistant head coach Jemal Singleton and wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead, NFL sources told The Inquirer on Tuesday. While coach Nick Sirianni has already made significant changes to his offensive staff, led by hiring Mannion last month, the return of two key members of his staff suggests a relative blending of the old and new.
Mannion, a first-time coordinator, is expected to bring with him some elements of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay scheme that he learned during his playing and coaching careers. While Mannion never previously worked with Josh Grizzard — the Eagles’ new pass game coordinator — Grizzard also has experience in the “Shanahan” scheme.
New tight ends coach/run game coordinator Ryan Mahaffey and offensive line coach Chris Kuper have more direct links with Mannion, having crossed paths with the former backup quarterback and Packers quarterbacks coach.
Eagles wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead running a drill with DeVonta Smith in June.
The Eagles have yet to hire a new quarterbacks coach. Existing quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler remains on staff. Mannion, who played for the Rams, Vikings, and Seahawks during his playing career, is expected to work closely with Jalen Hurts, which could determine the type of quarterbacks coach he tabs.
Several other assistants on offense will return, as well, although their future roles are to be determined. Pass game coordinator Parks Frazier, assistant offensive line coach Greg Austin, and offensive quality control coaches Eric Dickerson and Montgomery VaGorder also will be back, sources said.
Kevin Patullo’s future with the team also remains uncertain. He was removed as offensive coordinator by Sirianni last month following his first season as a play-caller, but he currently remains with the Eagles.
Longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland’s resignation last week perhaps was the most significant change thus far this offseason. Stoutland 13-year run with the Eagles came under three head coaches. He became run game coordinator 2018 but was expected to lose that responsibility amid schematic changes.
Tight end coach Jason Michael also is no longer with the organization, sources said.
On defense, most of coordinator Vic Fangio’s staff will return. Defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Christian Parker left last month to take the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator job. The 67-year-old Fangio considered retirement for a second straight year, but he elected to return, sources told The Inquirer last week.
It’s still unclear how much of the offense will look different with Hurts and most of the starting offense slated to return. The mix of new with Mannion and old from Sirianni’s staff since he became coach in 2021 suggests there will be some carryover.
After decades in business, the expansive store along City Avenue is expected to close in April, according to a Saks Global spokesperson, who said decisions were based on several factors, including store performance and “lease economics.”
Fifty workers at the Bala Cynwyd Saks Fifth Avenue will lose their jobs effective April 11, according to a WARN Act filing with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Another 155 workers at a Wilkes Barre fulfillment center will be laid off, according to a separate filing.
As part of the company’s restructuring, it will shutter seven other Saks Fifth Avenue stores, including at the American Dream mall in North Jersey, as well as a Neiman Marcus in Boston.
“Saks Global is refining its store footprint to focus on profitable locations with the highest growth potential,” company executives wrote on its website, adding that the nine closures represented “the first phase of this ongoing review.”
The move will make the company “better positioned to deliver exceptional products, elevated experiences and highly personalized service across all channels,” CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck said in a statement.
Over the years, the Saks Fifth Avenue in Bala Cynwyd has become the brand’s only physical outpost in the region. It is referred to as “Saks Philadelphia” on the company’s website, despite being located across the city line in a freestanding building at Bala Plaza.
City Avenue is shown in April 2024. The Saks Fifth Avenue along the busy thoroughfare is closing in April.
Until recently, the longstanding Saks Fifth Avenue appeared primed to be part of the area’s future: In 2024, City Ave District, the nonprofit business development agency that straddles Lower Merion and Philadelphia, reported that business at the store was so strong that it had resisted offers to move to King of Prussia.
Once the Bala Cynwyd Saks Fifth Avenue closes, the nearest location will be in New York.
Saks Global also operates a Neiman Marcus at the King of Prussia Mall, which is not on the list of stores to close.
The Neiman Marcus at the King of Prussia Mall, pictured in 2020, will remain open.
Elsewhere in the country, Saks Global is closing the majority of its standalone Fifth Avenue Club personal styling suites, the company said Tuesday.
In New York, Bergdorf Goodman, which Saks also owns, will remain open.
What Philly-area Saks customers should know
Shoppers walk through Saks Fifth Avenue in New York in January.
Shoppers at the Bala Cynwyd store will no longer be able to buy gift cards in person, according to Saks, and will have 15 days from the start of the closing sale to use existing gift cards.
Items that were bought before the closing sale can be returned or exchanged as usual, the company said, but purchases made during it will be final. Merchandise bought during the closing sale will also be ineligible for return or exchange at stores that are remaining open.
SaksFirst credit cards will still be accepted, according to the company, and customers with those credit cards will still earn points for purchases made in store. Shoppers will no longer be able to make in-person credit card payments or apply for credit cards at the Bala Cynwyd store.
At other Saks locations, including the King of Prussia Neiman Marcus, the company says the customer experience will remain unchanged.
Philly apparently didn’t get a rise out of Taylor Chip.
The Lancaster County cookie and ice cream company abruptly shuttered its stores in Center City and Fishtown in the last week with no notice. They had been open for less than a year and a half.
In an email late Tuesday, a Taylor Chip representative said the company planned to file for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11, which would enable it to continue operating while restructuring its financial obligations. In addition to the two Philadelphia locations, a store in Lancaster was also closed, leaving the eight-year-old company with four locations, all in Central Pennsylvania, and an e-commerce business.
A Taylor Chip midnight Oreo cookie.
The company said it had signed Philadelphia leases in late 2022 expecting a timeline and costs similar to past openings, which typically took about three months. Instead, permit delays turned what was planned as a six-month rollout into nearly two years. “Without investors, the company relied on creative financing to continue moving forward,” it said. The Philadelphia stores performed well but could not generate enough profit to offset the debt created during the delays, it said.
Taylor Chip, which launched in 2018 as a home-baking project by husband-and-wife Doug and Sara Taylor, joined a burgeoning trend of high-priced cookie shops in Philadelphia in fall 2024. The owners prided themselves on the shop’s vast cookie selection: 24 to 30 varieties available at all times. Their enormous treats, weighing more than 5 ounces and priced at $5.25 apiece, touted local ingredients and house-made inclusions.
Heavy social media marketing accompanied the September 2024 debut of a Taylor Chip beneath a nail salon at 1807 Chestnut St. in Rittenhouse, as well as the opening in a storefront at 1828 Frankford Ave., near Berks Street. Fishtowners, in particular, were irked over a lower-tech promotion that festooned parked cars with fliers made to look like tickets.
The Fishtown and Rittenhouse stores were the sixth and seventh locations for the budding business, but Doug Taylor told The Inquirer for a 2025 story on the big cookie trend that the company’s goal was to open 40,000 stores in 100 countries.
Taylor Chip has been adept at securing grants, including a $470,076 Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program grant in 2019 (later extended) to support dairy-based processing, and a $510,971 Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant announced in 2025 to launch ice-cream production and expand processing to new markets with Pennsylvania dairy farms.
In December, Doug Taylor told Bloomberg News that even on a slow day, Taylor Chip can generate as much in sales in a few hours livestreaming on TikTok as the company does during a full day at one of its stores.
Taylor also said the company had hired a full-time livestream host and was building a facility in Pennsylvania with two live video studios.
This article has been updated with a company statement about the reason for the closing.
Swiped right on a hottie — or two? Looking to celebrate 10 years together? Need to convince your latest situationship to stay? No matter the romantic situation you’re in, there’s one question on every Philly lover’s mind: In a city teeming with incredible restaurants and bars, what’s the best date-night pick? The answer isn’t always so simple.
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The restaurant has massive chandeliers, house-aged meats, burrata smoked tableside, and a private speakeasy-type lounge accessible through a back alley.”},{name:”Wine Dive”,place_slug:”wine-dive”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/CFJGPQOCQVDQBK2LH6TX7YYPFU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Bar”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/wine-dive/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”surprising, casual”,description:”If you call your bar a u201Cdive bar,u201D is it really a dive bar? Especially if the beers, wines, and cocktails are playfully irreverent and unpretentiously sophisticated? Probably not. But the new Wine Dive, in a former nail salon off 16th and Sansom in Rittenhouse, is a fun, boisterous hangout nonetheless, with a tongue-in-cheek attitude and a killer menu thatu2019s many, many levels above the dirty-water hot dog/reheated pizza level at a typical dive.”},{name:”Cry Baby Pasta”,place_slug:”cry-baby-pasta”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/SB2FKDBDT5COBJWLZCSNWY2HHU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/cry-baby-pasta/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Despite its name, Cry Baby Pasta is a dose of happiness in Queen Village. The zesty scratch cooking from talented husband-wife duo David Gilberg and Carla GonxE7alves, paired with polished cocktails and fairly-priced, interesting Italian wines, add up to the kind of casual-but-quality restaurant for weekly visits.”},{name:”Sao”,place_slug:”sao”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/ZDCECDFENVD6BHT3QRDGG7ZLVI/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Cambodian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/sao/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”The other hottest seat is Phila and Rachel Lornu2019s latest Philly gem. It’s a sultry new oyster bar on East Passyunk Avenue with the same high-voltage u201Cno rulesu201D pan-Asian cooking that Mawn offers. Consider this if the other is booked u2014 although you may still encounter the same reservation frustration. “},{name:”Fleur’s”,place_slug:”fleurs”,location:”philly”,region:”Fishtown/Kensington”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/VJNP46B635CPTJIPROBL3C5HS4/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/fleurs/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails, wine, beer”,vibe:”formal, surprising”,description:”Fleuru2019s is George Sabatinou2019s gorgeous new restaurant in Kensington. The menu focused on chef/partneru2019s use of seasonality and fermentation to elaborate on some classic French ideas.”},{name:”Stina”,place_slug:”stina-pizzeria”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/7QBO4IIRWFASJGD2VAA4NMZIUM/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Pizza, Mediterranean”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/stina-pizzeria/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”casual, surprising”,description:”A charming BYOB, Stinau2019s magic comes from the warmth that emanates from Stinau2019s live-fire brick oven, eclectic gold-framed art on the brick walls, and plates of tender grilled octopus, shatteringly crisp spanakopita, and beef-filled dolmades. Itu2019s the perfect venue for a small table for two, just put your trust in married owners, chef Bobby Saritsoglou and Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou.”},{name:”Spring Mill Cafe”,place_slug:”spring-mill-cafe”,location:”other”,region:”Montgomery County”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/GSAQASM5TBA6FKE3RJL7G6WB7M/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/spring-mill-cafe/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual, surprising”,description:”A 19th-century farmhouse thatu2019s a BYOB with low ceilings, candlelight, and small tables makes Spring Mill Cafe one of the Philadelphia areau2019s most quietly romantic spots. Enjoy pxE2txE9, rabbit, and slow-cooked meats with friendly, smooth service.”},{name:”Revell Hall”,place_slug:”revell-hall”,location:”other”,region:”Burlington County”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/IZ7BINXFBPGI564BRYM6VTWKNE/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Modern American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/revell-hall/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual, surprising”,description:”The menu at Revell Hall is built for sharing. Enjoy black truffle chicken, cast iron miso black cod, and beef tataki toast inside the polished dining room with the backdrop of the Delaware River.”},{name:”Northridge at Woolverton Inn”,place_slug:”northridge-at-woolverton-inn”,location:”other”,region:”Hunterdon County”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/K66QVLS23BG55JFDC4RSN6M5ZA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Steakhouse, Seafood”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/northridge-at-woolverton-inn/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs, wine”,vibe:”formal, surprising”,description:”Beneath a cathedral ceiling is Northridgeu2019s intimate dining room, get cozy with Chef Lance Knowlingu2019s prix-fixe menu with American comfort foods as the fireplace keeps you warm. Itu2019s BYOB, but there are wines for sale nearby.”},{name:”Lu2019Olivo Trattoria”,place_slug:”l-olivo-trattoria-exton”,location:”other”,region:”Chester County”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/F455GN4V7NE4XIFTMM3BYP6X4A/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/l-olivo-trattoria-exton/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual, surprising”,description:”Opened in late 2025, this Italian bistro in Exton specializes in hand-rolled pastas (with some Thai touches). Also: mussels, sausage, swordfish meatballs, paninis, tiramisu and lots of cocktails.”},{name:”La Belle Epoque”,place_slug:”la-belle-epoque-media”,location:”other”,region:”Delaware County”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/OWJO2YHXYRGURLHRHT4WCCBBW4/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/la-belle-epoque-media/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual, surprising”,description:”A mainstay in Mediau2019s vibrant dining scene, this cozy French bistro on State Street offers artfully arranged dishes u2014 from crepes and croissants to le filet mignon au poivre and truite amandine u2014 and a sizable wine selection to pair them with. La Belle Epoqueu2019s onion soup, topped with gooey Swiss cheese, is always a winner, too.”},{name:”Jolene’s”,place_slug:”jolenes-west-chester”,location:”other”,region:”Chester County”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/CKJEFP7JBFEI3LMGFCSFIA3RWI/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/jolenes-west-chester/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”surprising, formal”,description:”This low-lit French-leaning dinner spot is built around cocktails and small plates, delivering date-night vibes. Joleneu2019s is big on buzz u2014 both the local word-of-mouth as well as the volume in the dining room. (The restaurant suggests coming out on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to avoid the din.)”},{name:”Coco Thai Bistro”,place_slug:”coco-thai-bistro”,location:”other”,region:”Montgomery County”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/PN3TXBXETZA5BAQDKRVMGMGUYQ/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Thai”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/coco-thai-bistro/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”casual, surprising”,description:”The Main Line hamlet of Narberth is hardly a hotbed of ethnic diversity, but it does boast a surprisingly varied food scene including a French patisserie, an Osaka-style Japanese lunch counter and this cute Thai BYO offering decent pad thai, hearty vegetarian stir fries with coconut milk, and a fresh take on the traditional Thai green papaya salad.”},{name:”Casablanca”,place_slug:”casablanca-mediterranean-grill”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/IPAWXOB5VFGTNC4SL3B7QERZNI/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Mediterranean”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/casablanca-mediterranean-grill/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”casual, surprising”,description:”Tucked into the longtime home of Bitaru2019s u2014 just a block or so from the Italian Market u2014 Walid and Tala Barukiu2019s stylish Casablanca dining room offers a comparable menu full of shawarma, falafel, silky hummus and tender Moroccan roast chicken. Thereu2019s also a lovely little market attached with Middle Eastern groceries and Soumaya & Sons pita for sale.”},{name:”Abyssinia”,place_slug:”abyssinia”,location:”philly”,region:”West Philadelphia”,price_range:”$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/3KIQT6EFMBEXJI2FSTRZAEOJCU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Ethiopian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/abyssinia/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails, Divey”,vibe:”casual, surprising”,description:”Fast, cheap and open late, this beloved West Philly staple offers hearty Ethiopian meals in an intimate, casual setting. A common Abyssinia experience involves a plate of thick and aromatic Wot stew u2014 have it veggie, or with beef, chicken, lamb, shrimp, etc. u2014 served on a fresh blanket of fresh and chewy injera sour bread. “},{name:”Apricot Stone”,place_slug:”apricot-stone”,location:”philly”,region:”Northern Liberties/Spring Garden”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/26WJ2QFHWJDG3NZN4I4UHL4PNU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Mediterranean, Middle Eastern”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/apricot-stone/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Owned and operated by mother-son duo Fimy and Ara Ishkhanian, this Northern Liberties BYOB has earned a loyal following thanks to Armenian specialties like the crispy manti, tangy hand-wrapped grape leaves, and lahmajoun flatbreads topped with spiced meat. More recently Apricot Stone has benefited from consultation from Cypriot-born chef Konstantinos Pitsillides, who helped broaden the menuu2019s Mediterranean horizons by adding grilled halloumi, slow-braised rabbit and lamb shanks, and shrimp saganaki u2014 a showstopper which arrives bubbling with fragrant tomato sauce and feta cheese.”},{name:”Provenance”,place_slug:”provenance”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/QIIW2K43WZEIPI5RO5EFB2YNPQ/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French, Korean”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/provenance/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Provenance is Philly’s most ambitious French fine-dining restaurant in years. Chef Nich Bazik blends classic French cuisine with subtle Korean influences into tasting menus with over 20 courses.”},{name:”Chateau Rouge”,place_slug:”chateau-rouge-restaurant”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/VUENWF7VGJEDBLFKE7Q5RKGQ3A/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”West African, French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/chateau-rouge-restaurant/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”formal”,description:”ChxE2teau Rouge is a BYOB in Graduate Hospital that blends Cameroonian heritage with French technique in lively, soulful dishes. The menu features peppery suya wings, tender lamb skewers, grilled fish, and sides like plantains or rich stews. The flavors are bold and expansive, carried by a warm hospitality from the staff.”},{name:”Ground Provisons “,place_slug:”ground-provisions”,location:”other”,region:”Chester County”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/KOKYXPDG6ZDWNOUKFFWDT4OS6A/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Vegetarian, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/ground-provisions/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”semi-casual, formal”,description:”Ground Provisions in West Chester is an all plant-based restaurant built around a multi-course tasting menu that changes regularly. The bar keeps things lively with natural wines, craft cocktails, and local brews, making the pairings part of an immersive experience. Meanwhile, a more casual lounge area offers walk-in snacks and smaller plates for those not doing the full tasting.”},{name:”Ginger”,place_slug:”ginger-restaurant”,location:”philly”,region:”Northeast Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/65I6EUM5HZGVHO5FP2K6OPYFWY/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Central Asian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/ginger-restaurant/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Northeast Philadelphia is crowded with kitchens representing the cuisines of the post-Soviet diaspora, from Uzbek plov houses to Georgian bakeries and Uyhgur noodles. But Temir Satybaldievu2019s Ginger is a rare bridge between traditional foodways and the modern ambitions of contemporary fine dining. Plus, the owner/chef is skilled with pastry. The creamy flow of his Basque-style u201CSan Sebastianu201D cheesecake is worth the trip alone. “},{name:”Pho 75″,place_slug:”pho-75″,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/T4TXQQOSNJHWVIUT7ESU76SC2M/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Pho, Vietnamese”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/pho-75/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”casual”,description:”There are many fragrant, beefy, spiced bowls of pho to be slurped around Philly, served in restaurants that often have enormous, almost unwieldy menus. Pho 75 only does pho. It harnesses all its excellence and focus on a single dish, the hallmark of this bare-bones operation out of the D.C. area that has nevertheless wound its way into the hearts of most Philadelphia chefs. Bring cash.”},{name:”Dara”,place_slug:”dara-philly”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/E3QPXD3DCFBIBNMMU5X65GELEE/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Thai”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/dara-philly/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails, byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Dara brings Thai flavors to the heart of Philly with a menu that balances bold spice and richness. From stir-fries to curries, every plate is lively and thoughtfully made. Itu2019s a BYOB spot that feels laid-back and full of flavor, with dishes like the drunken noodles and crispy duck curry standing out among other favorites”},{name:”Geronimo’s Peruvian Cuisine”,place_slug:”geronimos-peruvian-cuisine”,location:”other”,region:”Montgomery County”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/JISLUDL4YJHQZOCLHYKMKKVZ54/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”South American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/geronimos-peruvian-cuisine/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Geronimou2019s Peruvian Cuisine in Ambler serves bold, flavorful dishes inspired by traditional Peruvian cooking. Favorites include the pollo a la brasa, made with fresh ingredients and bright seasonings. Itu2019s a cozy spot where every plate feels vibrant and full of character.”},{name:”Dolsan Korean BBQ”,place_slug:”dolsan-korean-bbq-and-sushi”,location:”other”,region:”Burlington County”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/OA5LQFFPJVFCDHN54C6BI73TEY/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Korean, Sushi”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/dolsan-korean-bbq-and-sushi/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Dolsan KBBQ and Sushi combines the energy of a Korean barbecue house with the precision of a sushi bar under one roof. Guests can grill meats like ribeye, galbi, and pork belly at the table, then mix it up with fresh rolls and sashimi. Add in classic banchan and sides, and itu2019s a spot made for big, shareable meals.”},{name:”Oba Mediterranean Grill”,place_slug:”oba-mediterranean-grill”,location:”other”,region:”Camden County”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/QR6POOR6DZAYVB7DIEC7QV7IHI/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Mediterranean, Turkish”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/oba-mediterranean-grill/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual, formal”,description:”Oba Mediterranean Grill in Collingswood serves Turkish cooking thatu2019s vibrant and full of character. The kitchen dishes out smoky kebabs, crisp pide, fresh salads, and spreads like hummus and baba ghanoush that are meant for sharing. Itu2019s a spot where bright flavors meet a relaxed table, making every meal feel both abundant and inviting. “},{name:”Yanaga Kappo Izakaya”,place_slug:”yanaga-kappo-izakaya”,location:”philly”,region:”River Wards”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/EHYIHNRTRNC2TJULSKK372OAOA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Japanese, Sushi”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/yanaga-kappo-izakaya/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails , beer”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”This is restaurant veteran Kevin Yanagau2019s stealth transformation of what was once the Abbaye in Northern Liberties. The decor remains virtually unchanged from its divey predecessor, but the menu now features a large array of casually presented handrolls, maki rolls, fries with mayo-heavy dips, little rice bowls, and wagyu hot dogs cut into segments to be shared. Thereu2019s an excellent happy hour that includes food specials and drinks, mostly under $10. Behind a bookcase, youu2019ll also find Yanagau2019s far more elevated omakase, where a plethora of ultra-fine ingredients are manipulated into singularly spectacular bites.”},{name:”Roxanne”,place_slug:”roxanne”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/WVLZ4GMQINCIDCT2XDTEMMLTXM/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”American, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/roxanne/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”In Queen Village, Roxanne turns dinner into a playful experiment where flavor and presentation are unpredictable. Chef Alexandra Holt leans into unexpected pairings and daring ideas, from inventive riffs on Philly classics to desserts that flip form from sweet to savory. The result is a restaurant that mixes refined cooking with a fearless, boundary-pushing energy.”},{name:”Parc”,place_slug:”parc”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/5OR35C67B5HSHNFWH5O7TWRUIY/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/parc/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails, wine , beer”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”In a city with a vibrant but restless food scene, Stephen Starru2019s mega-brasserie on Rittenhouse Square has remained relevant by doing what it does really, really well. With its mosaic-tiled floors, pewter-topped bar, and patina mirrors, the perpetually busy and bustling Parc exudes authentic Parisian energy. “},{name:”Le Virtu”,place_slug:”le-virtu”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/EYEMS2JXWFAFPNWWYAUWNFGLAU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/le-virtu/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”wine”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Le Virtu is a South Philly restaurant focused on rustic cooking inspired by Italyu2019s Abruzzo region. The menu highlights handmade pasta, house-cured meats, and dishes made with local ingredients. Itu2019s a steady spot that keeps things traditional without feeling dated. Seasonal specials and a robust selection from the grill round out a menu that leans on the heartier side.”},{name:”Superette “,place_slug:”superette”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/TJXDNSK4QFC35KYEJPOJBQOFHM/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French, Bar, Market”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/superette/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”casual”,description:”Superette is a cozy corner spot on East Passyunk combining a small market and bottle shop with a laid-back wine bar. The menu leans into light bites, refreshing sandwiches, and playful desserts. Itu2019s a chill neighborhood place that gives off a relaxed vibe while staying thoughtfully curated.”},{name:”Poison Heart”,place_slug:”poison-heart”,location:”philly”,region:”North Philadelphia”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/ZJ4OL5SUFZE45PN33ILECXRKWA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Bar, American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/poison-heart/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails, beer”,vibe:”casual”,description:”Low-lit and loud, Poison Heart has a small, impeccably curated menu of good food and drinks u2014 just what you’d expect from an alum of Le Caveau and Good King Tavern. Light bites (oysters, olives, shrimp cocktail, fried pickles) counterbalance an excellent patty melt and grilled cheese. Don’t skip best-selling the freezer cocktails.”},{name:”La Jefa”,place_slug:”la-jefa”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/QCO7RSW4VVBYPI2QIWK33WNSP4/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Mexican, Bar, Cafe”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/la-jefa/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”La Jefa is a Mexican-inspired all-day cafe and nightlife spot in Philly that bridges flavors from Guadalajara and local flare. The menu ranges from chilaquiles to aguachile, with plenty of bold, regional flavors. Drinks lean toward agave spirits with creative twists, while the Milpa lounge in the back offers a more intimate space for cocktails.”},{name:”Suraya”,place_slug:”suraya”,location:”philly”,region:”Fishtown”,price_range:”$, $$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/URTITURTJJHUXJJXNDBZOR2GIE/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Levantine, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Lebanese”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/suraya/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:””,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”The menu at this sprawling and beautiful Fishtown destination for Lebanese food from the Defined Hospitality restaurant group is 90% gluten-free. It offers cruditxE9 in lieu of pita for the mezza (including the intensely smoky baba ghanoush) and nothing with gluten touches the live fire grill that produces some of the restaurantu2019s most memorable flavors, from the various kebabs to the head-on prawns and samke harra branzino.”},{name:”Mary”,place_slug:”mary”,location:”other”,region:”Montgomery County”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/EMAR6EIMLFDCNLLWOIXCOB6FMU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”American, Modern American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/mary/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs, cocktails”,vibe:”formal, surprising”,description:”Mary is a cozy, dimly lit BYOB in Ambler from chef Chad Rosenthal, offering a small menu built around well-executed comfort food. Dishes are prepared in an open kitchen, with an emphasis on high-quality, local ingredients, and layered flavors. Whether itu2019s the pepper-crusted steak or a slice of warm apple cake, you can be sure the food is carefully crafted.”},{name:”Hearthside”,place_slug:”hearthside”,location:”other”,region:”Camden County”,price_range:”$$, $$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/EWQJW76Q4JC2FDW6ECGQOBFPDI/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”BYOB, American, Steakhouse”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/hearthside/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual, surprising”,description:”Hearthside in Collingswood is a modern American BYOB with an open kitchen and wood-fired grill at the heart of its space. The menu changes seasonally and focuses on local ingredients, offering dishes like dry-aged steaks, handmade pastas, and seafood cooked over an open flame. With its warm interior and focus on well-executed food, itu2019s a popular choice for both special occasions and casual nights out.”},{name:”Palizzi Social Club”,place_slug:”palizzi-social-club”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/TJS6KVCLVVDYLODM7XDRARCZFE/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/palizzi-social-club/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”wine , cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Every once in a while, this kitschy, century-old speakeasy in South Philly opens its rolls up to new members, but not many and not often. Your best bet is to buddy up to somebody whou2019s already got a gold seal to flash at the peephole, and play it cool. The main dining room seats about 45 people, while the upstairs cocktail lounge can squeeze in maybe 20, plus five at the bar. “},{name:”Barclay Prime”,place_slug:”barclay-prime”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/XMWQX65E6VFDTODE6PY4H42ZEA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Steakhouse”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/barclay-prime/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”With a reputation for dining excellence among athletes, dignitaries, and visiting celebs, this busy boutique steakhouse in Rittenhouse Square has been in the u201CBest Philly Steaku201D conversation going on two decades. Barclay Prime serves the cityu2019s gold standard for dry-aged luxe prime rib eye, and its other meats, fishes, sides and desserts ainu2019t half bad either. “},{name:”Irwin’s”,place_slug:”irwins”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/J6DBG4R3AFD7ZB7NHEG4QLNHOU/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/irwins/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”High in the hive of creativity that is South Phillyu2019s Bok Building sits one of the most distinctive and edgy dining rooms in Philadelphia. Led by chef Michael Vincent Ferreri, Irwinu2019s is a magnetic dinner destination, offering stellar views of the city and a menu inspired by modern Sicilian flavors u2014 fish, lamb, agrodolce chicken u2014 but shaped by local seasonality. “},{name:”Fiorella”,place_slug:”fiorella”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/F32U3RJM5JGWFAKZHU7DBTBMCY/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/fiorella/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Named for the landmark butcher shop that occupied the space for 125 years, Marc Vetriu2019s bustling pasta bar fits right into its Italian Market neighborhood. With its tin ceiling, tiled walls, and behemoth brass cash register circa 1901, Fiorella exudes antique vibes while swiftly serving up fresh linguini, gnocchi, ravioli, etc. “},{name:”Meetinghouse”,place_slug:”meetinghouse”,location:”philly”,region:”River Wards”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/CD3VTCDV6FAAVAJYGCAITDUF4E/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Gastropub, American, Bar”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/meetinghouse/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Sometimes you need a break from all the innovating and experimenting in the restaurant scene. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows the names of everything on the menu: beer, burger, crab dip, grilled pork and beans. Chef-partner Drew DiTomo and his crew at this Kensington gastropub focus on warmth, preparation and polished nostalgia. “},{name:”Laser Wolf”,place_slug:”laser-wolf”,location:”philly”,region:”North Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/J6ZWKLA5ONBLXJTAOYWNABEI3Y/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Middle Eastern, Israeli”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/laser-wolf/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”With its roll-up doors, picnic tables and breezy dining area, Michael Solomonov’s wildly in-demand Kensington hotspot has the casual feel of neighborhood eatery. Reservations are recommended but hard to come by. Still, critic Craig LaBan says you have options: u201CWith 20 seats around the bar and chefu2019s counter for walk-ins (try early, late or midweek), chances of sating a craving for an arak-spiked cocktail with a koobideh kebab and hummus ringed by seasonal salatim are strong.u201D”},{name:”Ogawa”,place_slug:”ogawa-sushi-kappo”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/QSKFHZDFCZFMDBPXLD3BWKXADY/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Japanese, Sushi”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/ogawa-sushi-kappo/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Led by young but skilled head chef Carlos Wills, the $200 omakase experience at Ogawa is top-notch, offering 23 ever-changing courses of raw and rare delicacies served in a traditional, minimalist style. This includes food cooked (like the Wagyu torched before your eyes until it glistens with fat) and otherwise (i.e. the pristinely cut sashimi plate and nigiri draped over vinegar-tanged rice). This Old City spot represents a down-to-earth Philly rebuke to the obnoxious u201Cbromakaseu201D clichxE9: relaxed, convivial and full of colorful surprises in the form of seasonal catches from Tokyo Bay.”},{name:”Southwark”,place_slug:”southwark”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/HX7TVPINFBAJTEGAVGSQ5KLEB4/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Modern American, Italian, Bar”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/southwark/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”It was a tall order, taking over the handsome Queen Village bar-restaurant credited with leading the cityu2019s cocktail revival, but husband and wife duo Marina de Oliveira and chef Chris D’Ambro have by all accounts passed the test with flying colors over the past decade. In addition to its classy, eye-catching cocktails u2014 with names like u201CLawyers, Guns & Money,u201D u201CHouse Of Jealous Lovers,u201D and u201CMariah Carey Can’t Danceu201D u2014 Southwark continues to impress with its appetizers, entrees, and desserts. “},{name:”Alice”,place_slug:”alice-restaurant”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/JJKERXCG35DYRHQSKAFFYZFEAY/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Modern American, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/alice-restaurant/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Chef Dave Conn’s casually elegant modern American bistro in the Italian Market is more than a smoke show. Itu2019s a date night destination with an intimate, cozy banquettes, an open kitchen, and a lively bar.”},{name:”River Twice”,place_slug:”river-twice”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$, $$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/3JJZIWSM4JDRNIDLHO6AD4KV2Y/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”American, Modern American, Seafood”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/river-twice/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Known for its harmonious blend of gastronomic preciousness and rustic oomph, this modern American fine-dining spot on East Passyunk earned a semifinalistu2019s nod from the James Beard Foundation in 2024. The menu at River Twice is seasonal and subject to the whims of restless (some have said u201Cmercurialu201D) chef Randy Rucker, who favors upscale, strikingly plated reimaginings of downhome dishes. From a perch at the chefu2019s counter, you may observe him and his crew performing feats of molecular modernism, or arranging sprouts with tweezers, to a Southern rock soundtrack. “},{name:”Her Place Supper Club”,place_slug:”her-place”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/N56DZRFTTBEP5FSPAKQUF6ZWNA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Modern American, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/her-place/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Itu2019s hard to overstate the broader influence of Her Place Supper Club, with its frequently changing tasting menus, TED Talk-like course narrations, and Instagram-stoked reservation scrambles that’s led Amanda Shulman to a Michelin star. Her original 24-seat gem is one of Phillyu2019s most exquisitely polished dining experiences, with a thoughtfully concise drink program, an ever-whimsical vibe, and hyper-seasonal menus with French, Italian, and nostalgic Jewish influences. The dishes here are a pitch-perfect collaboration of an all-female kitchen locked in sync.”},{name:”White Yak”,place_slug:”royal-sushi-and-izakaya”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/FDYSRBOBURGDBGN6UVRYTEETSM/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Japanese, Sushi, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/royal-sushi-and-izakaya/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”casual”,description:`The momos u2014 whether they’re the tongue-tingling chili variety, the carefully pleated Himalayan dumplings, or the moneybag-shaped fried firecrackers dressed in a tangy sauce u2014 merit a trek to this Tibetan BYOB, appropriately nestled high on the hills of Roxborough. Chef-owner Treley Parshingtsang has many other tricks up her sleeve, including a spicy glass noodle salad, coins of handmade Tibetan sausage that melt in your mouth, “Shangri-La style” zucchini in a sweet-and-sour sauce, and thenthuk: hand-pulled noodles swimming in a gingery, tomato-infused beef broth. The experience is enriched by the soft-spoken, attentive service in the cozy golden dining room adorned with candle-lit windows.`},{name:”Andiario “,place_slug:”andiario”,location:”other”,region:”Chester County”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/T2DYTLFBQNEHLFPXJMMMVERIXM/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian, American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/andiario/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”formal”,description:”In West Chester, thereu2019s one place for fine dining, complete with white tablecloths and a careful wine list u2014xA0and thatu2019s chef Anthony Andiariou2019s Italian American gem. The hour-plus drive is worth it with whole animal butchery, handmade pastas, and fresh bread at the end. “},{name:”Pera Turkish Restaurant”,place_slug:”pera-turkish-cuisine”,location:”philly”,region:”Northern Liberties”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/DKL2P554IJFD5PVTAJ7AQXSQ4U/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Turkish, BYOB, Halal, Middle Eastern”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/pera-turkish-cuisine/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”This walk-in-only BYOB, its boisterous brick walls festooned with ceramic plates looking out onto a prime Northern Liberties corner, is always packed. Chef Mehmet Erginu2019s menu is the areau2019s finest example of classic Turkish cooking, distinguished by the chefu2019s touch and close attention to techniques that render dishes with extra depth and flavor.”},{name:”Villa di Roma”,place_slug:”villa-di-roma”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/UOMPPN3NQRBBHEXUFA3DSXUW6Y/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/villa-di-roma/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”wine , beer”,vibe:”casual”,description:”Smack in the middle of the Italian Market, Villa di Roma is the eternal answer to u201Cwhere should we take these out-of-towners to dinner?u201D Itu2019s also a favorite of locals thanks to its red-sauce charms and a relaxed atmosphere where getting a little rowdy is encouraged. Come here not for frills u2014 the menus are paper and oft tomato-spattered, and the wine is an afterthought u2014 but for the feeling that not much has changed in this joint since it arrived in Philly in the 1960s. “},{name:”Li Beirut”,place_slug:”li-beirut”,location:”other”,region:”Camden County”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/F3EXKIIIMVANPAUYP3VQL65QH4/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Middle Eastern, BYOB, Halal, Mediterranean, Levantine, Lebanese”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/li-beirut/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Genial host and owner Tony Massoud works every table in Li Beirut’s breezy dining room while wife Patricia Massoud cooks the cuisine of her youth at their bustling Lebanese BYOB on the ground floor of a century-old house in Collingswood. Itu2019s impossible to order incorrectly here, no matter whatu2019s in the colorful ceramic bowls of mezze or on the platters of charcoal-grilled dishes u2014 but youu2019d be ordering especially right if you wind up with the lamb chops or kafta kebab sausages. Or, instead of having to choose at all, you could just get the Taste of Lebanon, a prix-fixe extravaganza that allows you to run the menu and enjoy one of the best values in the region.”},{name:”El Chingon”,place_slug:”el-chingon”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/IHHY5MXYDZBXVBDAACJ43I4O2M/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Mexican, BYOB”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/el-chingon/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Baking has always powered El ChingxF3n, from the swirl-topped sesame cemita rolls that help Carlos Aparicio recreate his favorite overstuffed Puebla sandwiches (get the clxE1sica with Milanesa), to the daily concha roll flavors stuffed with ganache for dessert (love the canela-scented corn pinole!), or even the sourdough tang that infuses flour tortillas for the fantastic xC1rabes tacos sliced off a trompo spit. It is Apariciou2019s creative spirit, however, that makes this cheerful all-day cafe and BYOB Phillyu2019s most exhilarating Mexican kitchen.”},{name:”My Loup”,place_slug:”my-loup”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/FAS3FTDGHZGFVK42VASEJQCTEA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French, Seafood, Modern American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/my-loup/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”formal”,description:”There can be any number of hot restaurants in a given moment, but if there is a restaurant of this particular moment, it is My Loup from chefs Alex Kemp and Amanda Shulman. The dining room thrums with the exuberance of a restaurant that hasn’t just hit its stride, but knows it. Sibling restaurant and perpetual dinner party Her Place may feel more special or even more uniquely Philly, but this is the room you want to be in right now, week after week u2014 at least, if you can afford it.”},{name:”Lark”,place_slug:”lark”,location:”other”,region:”Montgomery County”,price_range:”$$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/EUUQ2VJUUNFMDHHB4R4G6CF5HM/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Mediterranean, Seafood, Modern American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/lark/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails, wine”,vibe:”formal”,description:”Taking in a sunset from the rooftop terrace while cozying up by a fire with a nightcap u2014 say, the Outdoorsman, with mushroom-infused rye and oolong tea u2014 is reason enough to visit this Main Line gem overlooking the banks of the Schuylkill. But the vivid cooking from Top Chef alum Nicholas Elmi and chef Michael Millon would be a powerful lure in even the dreariest setting. The Mediterranean-leaning menu, which u201Ccoaxes big flavors from seemingly minimalist presentations,u201D highlights fastidiously prepared seafood and lush pastas u2014 think ricotta cavatelli with yellow corn, forest mushrooms, and serrano chili u2014 in equal measure in one of the regionu2019s most stunning spaces.”},{name:”Mawn”,place_slug:”mawn”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/H67VBNIEMJFPTC5NPGLHCPARRQ/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Cambodian, BYOB, Southeast Asian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/mawn/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”One of the hottest reservations in town, Phila and Rachel Lornu2019s intimate Bella Vista BYOB is a tribute to Cambodian cooking. The most exciting dishes on the pan-Asian menu highlight Philau2019s Khmer roots, from the banh chow crepe salad with u201CSunday fish sauceu201D to steak and prahok,”},{name:”Heavy Metal Sausage Co. (trattoria)”,place_slug:”heavy-metal-sausage”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/SW6WNC5YMRC2ZPZBI5QSQ3R3PQ/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Modern American, BYOB, Sandwich, Tasting Menu, Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/heavy-metal-sausage/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual, surprising”,description:”Whether you crave a lieberwurst sandwich on housemade bread, fresh country pxE2txE9 to go, or a blowout multicourse dinner, Heavy Metal Sausage Co. has you covered. No culinary corner handcrafts more u2014 or with nerdier ambition u2014 than this South Philly storefront run by chef Patrick Alfiero and Melissa Pellegrino. “},{name:”Amma’s South Indian Cuisine”,place_slug:”ammas-south-indian-kitchen”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$, $$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/O2Q662MVBRH5BNEPSWGKU3V4VE/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Indian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/ammas-south-indian-kitchen/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”cocktails, wine , beer”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”The towering dosa u2014 that tawny cone of parchment-thin crepe drizzled with ghee sailing through the dining room to virtually every table u2014 is a tribute to Mama, for whom Sathish Varadhan and Balakrishnan Duraisamyu2019s restaurant is also named: Amma is the Tamil word for u201Cmother.u201D That dedication to the flavors of home has driven the pair to expand across the Philly area, with four locations and more to come. “},{name:”Friday Saturday Sunday”,place_slug:”friday-saturday-sunday”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/4RRPTZR62NHX5OHBAUJMUBMD24/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Modern American, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/friday-saturday-sunday/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”formal”,description:”This intimate townhouse restaurant off Rittenhouse Square is still basking in the glow of earning a Michelin star. But with one astounding bite after another on their tasting menu Chad and Hanna Williams are clearly not resting on any laurels. Their townhouse oasis off Rittenhouse Square, already the most exciting fine dining experience in Philly, only continues to get better. The hype for Friday Saturday Sunday is absolutely legit. “},{name:”Zeppoli”,place_slug:”zeppoli”,location:”other”,region:”Camden County”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/OUYPDLC5QNDGRDLUVNEZUXBFHA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Italian, BYOB, Tasting Menu”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/zeppoli/”,booking:”walk-in”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”This 35-seat Sicilian-focused BYOB in Collingswood is run by chef-owner Joey Baldino, the force behind the food at Palizzi Social Club. Where the Palizzi feels, well, clubby, thanks to its checkerboard tile floors, leather bar seats, and members-only rule, Zeppoli is brighter and more spare, though often equally packed. The $55 prix fixe has to be one of the best deals in the greater Philadelphia area, with three dishes included, but add-ons allowed u2014 encouraged, even. “},{name:”Gabriella’s Vietnam”,place_slug:”gabriellas-vietnam”,location:”philly”,region:”South Philadelphia”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/JPM7L7Y6LBA7FB4CCXHAMLAS3A/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Vietnamese, Southeast Asian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/gabriellas-vietnam/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”In a city filled with excellent Vietnamese food, Gabriellau2019s Vietnamu2019s star still shines brightly. Chef Thanh Nguyen doesnu2019t just serve dishes that hew to the classic street foods or hot pots of Southern Vietnam, she makes them sensational. Dinner at Gabriellau2019s u2014 especially when Nguyen puts sporadic specials on the menu, like a recent addition of clams simmered in a clear lemongrass and mushroom broth u2014 is a spectacular parade of Vietnamese classics, but made better than anywhere else in Philadelphia.”},{name:”Bolo”,place_slug:”bolo”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/U7SN2RMYMRDY7EI3GRFT76XYWE/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Tasting Menu, Latin American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/bolo/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”cocktails”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Philly has one of the largest and longest-established Puerto Rican communities outside of San Juan and plenty of neighborhood places for a traditional meal of chuletas, mofongo, and chicharrxF3n. Nowhere puts Boricua flavors on a pedestal quite like Bolo. In a beautiful bi-level space in Rittenhouse Square filled with Puerto Rican art, chef Yun Fuentes celebrates his San Juan roots and Latinx cooking from across the Caribbean with polished takes on everything from bacalaitos to ceviche and vaca frita.”},{name:”Vedge”,place_slug:”vedge”,location:”philly”,region:”Center City”,price_range:”$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/2VAN3HKGJBBZDLGURVMHNYSWY4/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Vegetarian, Modern American”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/vedge/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:”cocktails, wine , beer”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”A place that will make your guests ask, as mine did, u201CWait … all this is vegan?u201D you don’t need a plant-based diet to appreciate the restaurant’s many charms. Some of the stars on Vedge’s menu u2014 the smoky campfire carrot, the subtly spicy dan dan noodles, or the rutabaga fondue with perfectly tart-and-snappy pickles u2014 have been there for years, but they’re welcome sights every time you encounter this menu full of vegetable-based innovations. This restaurant’s combination of consistency and delight over more than a decade in operation is especially impressive given the ownersu2019 other ventures u2014 most recently, the charming West Chester market & prix fixe Ground Provisions. “},{name:”June BYOB”,place_slug:”june-byob”,location:”other”,region:”Camden County”,price_range:”$$$, $$$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/L3CA3K3KDZF5TFB7BA2OA7ICVA/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”French, BYOB”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/june-byob/”,booking:”months-ahead”,drinks:””,vibe:”formal”,description:”The elegance of classic French cuisine shines on at this Collingswood BYOB, where Richard u201CToddu201D Cusack draws diners with the turning crank of his duck press and the three-course u201Cvoyageu201D tasting for two, which includes the tableside flambxE9e theatrics of crxEApes Suzette. 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Along with gracious service, this intimate gem has evolved into one of the areau2019s loveliest restaurants for a celebratory meal rooted in classic Gallic style.”},{name:”Pietramala”,place_slug:”pietramala”,location:”philly”,region:”Northern Liberties”,price_range:”$$”,src:”https://interactives.inquirer.com/secondbank/arc/YTNW4LVL6NC3ZABVWXREFLYLMQ/1500×1000.webp”,cuisine_name:”Vegetarian, Modern American, Italian”,more:”https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/pietramala/”,booking:”within-the-week”,drinks:”byobs”,vibe:”semi-casual”,description:”Pietramala is a cozy vegan spot, with such a tight menu u2014 usually no more than 10 plates u2014 that you can comfortably order the whole thing with a group of four and not feel overwhelmed. 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As the final two of three Di Bruno Bros. stores to close this month approached their last days, the wind-down was visible on the shelves. Cheeses, meats, breads, and prepared foods vanished first, followed by deeply discounted packaged goods that remained.
The Di Bruno locations in Wayne and the Franklin Residences in Center City, at Ninth and Sansom Streets, will close permanently on Wednesday, with no immediate clarity about what comes next. (The company’s original Italian Market store and Rittenhouse Square shop remain open.)
The closing of Di Bruno’s Ardmore branch last Wednesday, however, is already reshaping the future of Suburban Square’s Ardmore Farmers Market, where the Italian-goods purveyor opened in 2011 and eventually became the dominant tenant.
Di Bruno Bros. in Suburban Square in Ardmore on Jan. 29, about a week before its closing.
Toward the end of its run, the Ardmore location of Di Bruno Bros. occupied more than half of the market’s stalls. Rather than replacing it with another large operator, the market will be reconfigured to accommodate multiple smaller food tenants, said Douglas Green, a principal at MSC Retail, which handles leasing for Kimco Realty Corp., which owns Suburban Square.
“Di Bruno’s just kind of got too big,” Green said. “It limited cuisine diversity and pushed them into specialty items and cuisines that weren’t really their core business.”
An MSC Retail brochure shows four available spaces ranging from roughly 600 to 800 square feet, several of them divisible. Existing vendors — including Stoltzfus Meats, Ardmore Produce, Ardmore Seafood, Malvern Buttery, Sushi Sei, Tabouli, and the Ultimate Bake Shoppe — would remain, with additional “future opportunity” areas identified near the dining zones.
“The idea is to break the space up into smaller units, create more cuisine diversity, and ideally replace the Italian specialty concept,” Green said.
The original Di Bruno Bros. location at 930 S. Ninth St., as seen in 2024, is unaffected by the store closings.
Green said his firm is already negotiating with multiple potential occupants, including chefs and restaurant groups from Philadelphia interested in suburban expansions. “There’s been a tremendous amount of interest — honestly more than I ever would have imagined, and I’m not saying that in a sales-y way,” he said.
For customers, the swiftness of Di Bruno Bros.’ three-store shuttering has been striking.
Brendan Burland, an insurance consultant who lives in Bryn Mawr, stopped by the Wayne location Friday for lunch with a friend and found the bar closed and the shelves reduced to discounted goods.
“No bread, no meats, no fresh cheeses,” Burland said. “It was depressing — a total ghost town.”
Di Bruno Bros.’ largest location, at 18th and Chestnut Streets in Center City, as seen in 2024.
Burland said the store’s restaurant program had been losing its spark even before the final weeks. “The bar menu had become less inspiring over the last few years,” he said. “It started to feel like, ‘Here’s some pizza and some sandwiches,’ instead of something interesting or unique.”
What he will miss most are the basics that made Di Bruno Bros. a destination. “Their product line was pretty substantial. My buddy and I even joked that we should become cheesemongers,” he said, adding “we know nothing about it other than we like to eat cheese.”
Sandy Brown, the company’s executive vice president, said when talks began with Di Bruno Bros. in 2023, it was facing “significant financial challenges” and was at risk of not being able to continue operating.
“We even stepped in ahead of the acquisition to help ensure they could get through the 2023 holiday season, because many suppliers had already begun limiting deliveries due to concerns about the company’s stability,” Brown said.
That disruption in supply contributed to declining sales and worsening store conditions, she said. “Our goal from day one has been to stabilize the business, protect the brand, and preserve an important part of Philadelphia’s history,” Brown said. “We believed — and still believe — that Di Bruno Bros. is worth saving.”
Sandy Brown said the company decided to prioritize the “iconic” locations in the Italian Market and Rittenhouse “because these sites continue to anchor the brand.”
She said all 69 retail workers at the three closing stores were offered positions elsewhere within Di Bruno Bros. or at Brown’s Super Stores, with no loss of pay or benefits. About 70% are expected to remain, she said, while three supervisory positions were eliminated. Workers had complained on social media about the abruptness of the planned closings.
While plans are coming together for the Ardmore location, the future of the Wayne and Franklin spaces remains unresolved. A representative for Equity Retail Brokers said the Wayne space is not yet on the market. MSC Retail, which also handles commercial leasing at the Franklin location, said that space is also not yet being marketed.
