Places to eat in Philadelphia

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Dining at Shula's Steak House in Philadephia, considered one of the finest steak houses in America, is excellent choice I made. The Philadelphia Branch is located at Windham Plaza in 18th street. This elegant, upscale restaurant is filled with memorabilia from Don Shula's perfect 17-0 season as coach of the Miami Dolphins. Shula's serves the very best Certified Angus Beef®, fresh seafood and live Maine lobsters, but what really distinguishes the restaurant are its warm, professional service and the really "huge" oversized portions of food! especially the 48 ounce Porterhouse Steak!

The Steakhouse also houses Shula's No Name Bar!
The "No Name Bar" in Shula's Steak House is named for the Miami Dolpin's 1972 Defensive Team (The No Name Defense). It is the perfect place to kick back and relax daily, from 11:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m.

Favorite Dish: Maine Lobsters! they are terrific but expensive at 10 USD a pound and My Other favorite is the 48 Ounce Porterhouse Steak at 90 USD but I could not finish it since it is HUGE (Hence I can't be a Member of the 48 Club). Their Steaks are Better than Ruth Chris or Morton's.

Xochitl (so-cheet) is a small restaurant that appears to be in an old townhome. There is a large bar, and two small dining rooms. I had trouble getting reservations for three on a Wednesday night - this place is popular, so be sure to make your reservations at least a week in advance.
They offer a large variety of tequilas including a few tequila flights to allow you to sample different types. They also have great margaritas - you can use their house tequila, or choose your favorite.
The service was a bit slow at times, but they seemed stretched a little thin with every table and almost every bar table occupied. Despite the lulls, our server, as well as the food runners, were very friendly and helpful.

Favorite Dish: For an appetizer I ordered the Guacamole con Totopos. The guacamole was prepared tableside - it was presented as a platter of the ingredients and our server scooped out the avocado and crushed it with a mortar and pestle. He then offered the add-ins of cilantro, jalepeños, and onions, and then offered to top it with a hard, grated cheese. The guacamole was served with homemade tortilla chips. The bowl was huge and my dining partner and I thought we'd never make a dent in it, but we ate every bit. If you love avocado, do not miss this dish.
I had the Chiles en Nogada as my entree. This was a poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef, nuts, and dried fruit. It was served coated in a creamy walnut sauce that was swirled with pomegranate. The dish was served at room temperature (this was explained to me ahead of time, so I didn't think my meal had gone cold), which was a little strange, but I think it made the flavors stand out more.

South Philly as I remember it. The food was excellent though not necessarily the only reason for going there. The staff is amazingly friendly and helpful. It sits almost under the I-95 overpass in South Philly. It is huge but there are plenty of TVs and it really doesn't matter that everyone doesn't know everyone else. The Phillies were losing the first time I was ever there and everyone was still in a jovial mood. Everywhere that there was not a TV, there is a picture of a celebrity (mostly athletes) stopping by Tony's. It has numerous awards but perhaps the one that encapsulates all of the others is that it has twice made Gourmet magazine's list of "Best 180 Restaurants in America."

Favorite Dish: Cheese steak sandwich, of course. It may not be the very best in town but it certainly is among the top rankings. The French fries were good and the portions were more than ample.

This marvelous cafe is found in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. There is seating available outside, or inside though it seems to fill up rather quickly once the workday was finished. Upon arriving I began with a drink and was very impressed with the extensive beer and wine menu. Next, I perused the dinner menu. There were many different salads and meals that sounded very interesting, most incorporated something unusual to make it stand out. I chose an arugula salad with beets and goat cheese. It was divine! I highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to my next visit to Philadelphia for another visit to Tria!

Dunkin Donuts are everywhere in Philly, and in my opinion, a quintessential experience (especially for foreign travelers). They are cheap, glaringly colorful, and usually staffed by friendly people. Be aware though that not all DDs are created equal. My favorite is on Broadway, near the intersection with Christian Street.

Favorite Dish: #1: large coffee and two donuts. I'm partial to the donuts with chocolate icing and sprinkles, but keep an eye out for seasonal options! Also be aware that the person behind the counter does the cream and sugar for you--if you don't like your coffee super-sweet, skip the sugar or ask for half the "normal" amount.

Reconstructed inn that was once visited by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, is a very elegant restuarant that will take you back in time. Our visit to the restuarant occured during restaurant week (special three course meal for $30.00). We could have also chosen food from the regular menu. Due to budget restrictions, my company and I chose the fixed price meal, but a trip back to this restaurant would be worth every penny spent.

The food was fabulous!!! Two years later, I can still taste the crabcakes that I had. The Creme Brulee was so light (unlike most that I've had ) it melted in my mouth. And the drinks. I don't remember what the drink was called but it was a mixture of spiced rum and apple cider seved in a nice sized glass. Not a drinker, I had two.

The docents, dressed in period clothing, frequently stopped by to give us information about the Inn or make idle chitchat. However, after awhile I found the interuptions to our conversation to be annoying. Eventually, the docent did stop coming by.

If you are a wine drinker they have one of the most extensive and expensive wine lists that I've ever seen. The lunch menu has many of the same items as the dinner menu, but a few dollars cheaper. Dinner entrees are between $18.00 and $30.00. Price per person below would include appetizer, first course, dessert drinks etc.

A great culinary experience!

Favorite Dish: See comments about crabcakes, dessert, and drinks in description.

We love that the Philadelphia area has a TON of distinct breweries. Yet I was surprised that this little brew pub had escaped my radar. I was very happy to discover it though! They only have a couple beers they brew themselves (and the one I had was fab!) but the other beers they feature are from a few of my favorite local breweries, namely Sly Fox. The crowd is "older" so it's for people who just want to enjoy food and conversation, not be seen.

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I generally hate chains, but I do appreciate ones with creativity. If there was an independent restaurant with this gimmick and quality of food, I would be there in a heartbeat.
The Melting Pot is a Fondue restaurant where you can have cheese, meat and dessert fondue. It's really fun and interactive with you dining companions, which makes for a great night. It helps that the food is excellent as well. The wine is overpriced (as is any wine in restaurant Philly) but the cocktails are very good.

Favorite Dish: The traditional Swiss fondue is the best.