Philadelphia

[Simon]

Any recommendations?  Heading there for a few days next month.  Have enjoyed Vernick in the past but would love some other suggestions!  Thank you!

[GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry]

What kind of experience are you looking for? Some of the most popular spots that live up to the hype are Mawn (modern Cambodian), Pietramala (refreshing and legitimately tasty vegan cooking), Her Place or My Loup (owned by the same couple, the former a supper club-type atmosphere with a prix-fixe menu, the latter a Montreal-esque bistro with Au Pied de Cochon roots), River Twice or Little Water (owned by the same couple, the former a creative, affordable seafood-focused tasting menu spot, the latter a creative, seafood-focused neighborhood restaurant with an a la carte menu), Little Walter's (modern Polish), Bastia (a recent Esquire best new restaurant pick, broadly Mediterranean but in a really fun, fresh way). The new Honeysuckle will be open with a tasting menu ($95) centered around Black food traditions; Friday Saturday Sunday, a JBFA winner for Outstanding Restaurant, is distinct, but similarly pulls from those same cooking traditions and presents them in a tasting menu format ($165). They also have a new JBFA-nominated cocktail bar called The Lovers Bar. Another great watering hole is Super Folie, a wonderful hole-in-the-wall wine bar that has the approval of NYC royalty like Pascaline Lepeltier. They just opened a new spot with a market component and a slightly larger menu called Superette. For cheesesteaks, Angelo's (though it's always mobbed) is the most famous now, but tbh, you can probably just go to Danny & Coop's in the East Village since it's essentially an offshoot; John's Roast Pork is a classic for both cheesesteaks and roast pork, and well worth the trip; check out Paesano's for a great, nontraditional pork and greens sandwich, or a unique fried chicken liver sandwich. Head to John's Water Ice for its signature frozen treat or a gelati (it's also right down the street from Fiorella, Marc Vetri's ode to pasta). Then there's Roxanne, a delightfully weird/cerebral yet playful restaurant that does silly things like putting a burger on the dessert menu, but the patty is seriously beefy and comes with a slice of room temp. Red Rock cheese, a blue-cheddar hybrid out of Wisconsin that almost makes it a cheese course. Also, two of the city's best bakeries, Machine Shop and Second Daughter, are housed in Bok, a repurposed high school that has other vendors worth checking out, plus a rooftop bar with a nice view of the city.

ETA: Speaking of living up to the hype, Kalaya really is quite good. And if you're around during the weekend, the Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park is worth hitting up for items like stuffed chicken wings and lemongrass cheesesteaks.

Edited April 24 by GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry

[Wilfrid]

I remember trekking down to John's Roast Pork (sorry, have nothing new).