Max & Claire
To Do: Max + Food = Opinions
Paesano's
You'll notice this list is sandwich heavy. As it should be -- Philadelphia is America's finest sandwich town, with America's finest sandwich rolls. Paesano's serves slightly cheffed up Italian riffs on Philly classics. Really hard to go wrong here, but the Arista, Bolognese, and Tuscan Tony are particular favorites of mine.
Dinic's
Italian pulled pork, broccoli rabe, sharp provolone, hot peppers. In Reading Terminal Market, very close to the hotel. If you can't make it down to John's, a really excellent option.
John's Roast Pork
No Geno's, no Pat's! They are bad! This is the place for a cheesesteak. It's out of the way, only open until 7:00, closed on Sunday and Monday, and 100% worth the schlep-hassle. Power move -- go with a friend, order one steak and one roast pork with greens, swap halves.
Cosmi's Deli
Another opportunity to swap halves, in this case between an italian hoagie and a very solid cheesesteak.
George's Sandwich Shop
In the Italian market, fantastic stewed tripe and bbq veal sandwiches.
Philip's Steaks
The one redeeming quality of Pat's and Geno's is that they're open 24 hours. But so is Phillip's, and it's vastly superior. Get the long hots.
Dalessandro's Steaks
Another estimable cheesesteak, of the more heavily chopped sub-phylum.
Johnny's Hots
One of the few places that still serves a Philly combo (hot dog with a fish cake), pepper hash is a must.
Nam Phuong Restaurant
Philadelphia has truly excellent Vietnamese food, this is a long time Nisen family favorite. A big generalist, everything on the menu is good, but the rice noodles/broken rice dishes are particularly excellent.
Johnny Brenda's
Great local beer selection, great food, a great music venue, and a great place to sit outside in one of the city's cooler neighborhoods. What's not to like?
Monk's Cafe
Excellent Belgian beer bar with great moules frites and burgers.
El Compadre
World beating barbacoa in the Italian Market. Two to five lamb tacos and a consomme. Do it! Also great tortas.
Zahav
If you're going to have a fancy meal while you're in town, it's hard to do better. Consistently excellent upscale Israeli.
Oyster House
Great seafood, great bloody marys, holder of the torch for the inexplicable but somehow delicious Philly tradition of pairing fried oysters with chicken salad.
Hardena Resto Waroeng Surabaya
Excellent Indonesian steam table in South Philly.
Bibou
Consistently great French BYOB
Root Restaurant + Wine Bar
Excellent wine bar in Northern Liberties with very good food. I've heard the sous chef is exceptionally talented.
Osteria
Consistently excellent Italian. The octopus pizza is a Nisen family favorite, but everything's great. Vetri is the chef's (excellent) more upscale restaurant.
Serpico - New American Restaurant Philadelphia
Really good New American on South Street from a Momofuku empire alum
Brauhaus Schmitz
Schnitzel, wurst, beer in giant glasses.
Dim Sum Garden
Have not been since they moved locations, but excellent soup dumplings.
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
Hand pulled noodles in most imaginable guises.
David's Mai Lai Wah
When the hour is very late, and thoughts turn to salt and pepper wings and dumplings.
Nick's Old Original Roast Beef
Gravy drenched roast pork/beef sandwiches.
Noord
Northern European, very good.
Will BYOB
Maybe the best of the city's many BYOBs
High Street on Market
Excellent food and spectacular bread-things all day long.
Kanella South
Cypriot, really good.
Abyssinia Restaurant
Ethiopian food downstairs, dive bar upstairs.
Carlinos Specialty Foods
Excellent sandwiches, tomato pie in the burbs.
Barnes Foundation
A stunning collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in new and larger digs.
Mütter Museum
of medical oddities. A collection of specimens, skulls, a toxic megacolon. The best museum in the city in Max's opinion.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Rocky steps actually lead to a world class art museum.
Cafe Nhan
Very serious pho