Philadelphia's downtown grid between the rivers, with Rittenhouse Square as the green heart and Walnut, Chestnut and Market as the dining spines.
Vetri Cucina in Philadelphia is Marc Vetri's 1998 Spruce Street townhouse tasting menu, a Michelin-recognised Italian room with the spinach gnocchi.
Signature: Spinach gnocchi with brown butter, Whole roasted baby goat
Order: Spinach gnocchi in brown butter and ricotta salata; the whole roasted baby goat for the table.
Tip: Book 60 days out on the venue's own site. The eight-seat counter is the room's quiet best seat.
Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia is Chad and Hanna Williams's narrow Rittenhouse townhouse, James Beard Best New Restaurant 2019 and the city's most.
Signature: Mushroom soup, Foie gras toast
Order: The mushroom soup, with foie gras toast on the side. The dish that anchored their James Beard year.
Tip: The upstairs bar takes walk-ups. The wine list runs natural and the pours arrive faster than reservations.
Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia is Greg Vernick's James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 2017 Rittenhouse bi-level brownstone, with the avocado toast.
Signature: Avocado toast, Wood-fire fish
Order: The avocado toast with chilli flake; whatever whole fish is on the wood fire that night.
Tip: The chef's counter on the second floor watches the open kitchen. Book it specifically when reserving.
Parc in Philadelphia is Stephen Starr's Rittenhouse Square French brasserie on 18th Street, a Parisian-cafe room that runs croissants by 08:00 and onion soup.
Signature: Steak frites, Croque madame
Order: Steak frites with bearnaise; the croque madame at brunch; a half-bottle of Sancerre.
Tip: The outdoor sidewalk seats on 18th Street face Rittenhouse Square. Book them specifically in summer.
Barbuzzo in Philadelphia is Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran's 13th Street Mediterranean kitchen, open since 2010, anchored by wood-fired pizzas.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Salted caramel budino
Order: The wood-fired pizza of the week; salted caramel budino for dessert, the dish that built its reputation.
Tip: The bar counter overlooking the open kitchen takes walk-ups. It is the room's quietest table on a Friday.
K'Far in Philadelphia is Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook's all-day Israeli bakery and cafe at 19th near Rittenhouse, the morning room before the Zahav night.
Signature: Borekas, Shakshuka
Order: A bourekas filled with feta and za'atar; shakshuka at brunch; the babka to take home.
Tip: Walk in for the bakery counter at 08:00 before the work crowd lands at 09:30. The pastries sell out by 11.
Barbuzzo in Philadelphia is Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran's 13th Street Mediterranean room since 2010, with wood-fired pizzas and the salted caramel.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Salted caramel budino
Order: Wood-fired pizza of the week; salted caramel budino, the dish locals order by name.
Tip: The bar counter overlooking the open kitchen takes walk-ups. Quietest table on a Friday night.
K'Far in Philadelphia is Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook's all-day Israeli bakery and cafe at 19th near Rittenhouse, the morning sibling to Zahav's evening.
Signature: Borekas, Shakshuka
Order: A bourekas filled with feta and za'atar; shakshuka at brunch; the babka to take home.
Tip: Walk in for the bakery counter at 08:00 before the work crowd lands at 09:30. Pastries sell out by 11.
NOTO on Vine Street in Philadelphia is the Center City megaclub with LED walls, HD screens and a top-tier touring DJ booking on the city's biggest dance.
Tip: Doors 22:00, Thursday through Saturday. Buy advance tickets for marquee weekend sets; door discretion enforces upscale casual after midnight.
Franky Bradley's on Chancellor Street is the Midtown Village bar, dance club and music venue in Philadelphia, with the FB Main Bar downstairs and the Cove.
Tip: Downstairs is the dining room and cocktail bar; head upstairs to the Cove for late-night dance bookings and drag-led variety nights.
Voyeur on Saint James Street is the Gayborhood after-hours club in Philadelphia, with three dance floors across 20,000 square feet and 03:20 close.
Tip: Doors 23:00 Friday and Saturday, midnight Thursday. The after-hours licence stretches past 03:00, so this is the latest dance floor in Center City.
Union Transfer on Spring Garden in Philadelphia is the 1,200-capacity former Spring Garden train station turned indie rock room from the R5 Productions team.
Tip: Doors usually 19:00 with show at 20:00. The balcony has the cleaner sight line; the floor pit fills fast on touring weekends.
Chris' Jazz Cafe on Sansom Street is the long-running Philadelphia jazz club, with two sets a night Tuesday through Saturday and a tight room of bar.
Tip: Two sets nightly, typically 19:00 and 21:00 with the late set running to 02:00 Thursday through Saturday. Reserve a table at the rail.
Attico on the 16th floor of the Cambria Hotel in Philadelphia faces the Avenue of the Arts, with Mediterranean small plates, retractable roof panels.
Tip: Friday DJ and bottle service 22:00-02:00. Closed Monday and Tuesday; the dinner kitchen runs Wednesday through Sunday.
El Techo on the 11th floor of the Motto by Hilton hotel in Philadelphia is the rooftop taqueria above Condesa, with a retractable roof for year-round mezcal.
Tip: Walk-ins only on the rooftop; reservations only for Sunday brunch downstairs. Closes midnight Friday and Saturday, 23:00 weeknights.
Ranstead Room on a Center City alley behind El Rey is the unmarked Philadelphia basement cocktail bar, walk-in only with a tight room and an interesting list.
Tip: Walk-in only, no reservations. Open 19:00 to midnight Monday through Wednesday; pushes to 02:00 Thursday through Saturday.
Woody's on 13th and Walnut in the Gayborhood is the multi-level Philadelphia gay bar and dance club, with a pool room, a piano bar and a Friday and Saturday.
Tip: Open Wednesday through Sunday 17:00-02:00. The pool tables stay quiet early; the dance floor upstairs fills after 22:00.
254 on South 12th in the Gayborhood is the rebranded Tabu space in Philadelphia, three floors of gay sports bar downstairs, dance club upstairs and roof deck.
Tip: The drag-show calendar runs most weekends; the rooftop opens year-round. Downstairs sports bar is the casual walk-in.
Tavern on Camac on the narrow Camac Street block in Philadelphia's Gayborhood holds a tavern, a piano bar with live entertainment nightly and the Ascend club.
Tip: Piano bar runs nightly 16:00-02:00; Ascend club upstairs is 21:00-02:00 Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for showtunes.
The Bike Stop on Quince Street is the Philadelphia leather and bear bar since 1982, four floors of themed nights tucked on a quiet alley off Walnut.
Tip: Underwear night Wednesday; the Pit basement runs the late-night cruise. Dress codes vary by floor and night.
Knock on South 12th in Philadelphia's Gayborhood pairs a New American restaurant with a busy bar, hosting drag karaoke Wednesday and piano nights Friday.
Tip: Dinner crowd gives way to the nightlife crowd after 22:00. The Philly Pride Visitor Center occupies the former private dining room.
Dirty Frank's at 13th and Pine in Philadelphia is the cash-only horseshoe-bar dive since 1933, a thicket of signs, the Customer Hall of Fame and the cheapest.
Tip: Cash only, opens 13:00 Wednesday through Saturday, 16:00 Monday and Tuesday. Bar raised the minimum age to 25 in 2024.
Oscar's Tavern on Sansom Street in Philadelphia is the cash-only Center City dive, with a long bar of regulars, a sturdy cheeseburger and a 90 percent.
Tip: Cash only, Monday through Saturday 11:00-02:00. Order the Manhattan, sit at the bar, do not ask for a menu twice.
Locust Bar at 10th and Locust in Philadelphia is the corner neighborhood dive on the Gayborhood edge, with a popular kitchen of cheap chicken wings.
Tip: Open 11:00-02:00 every day. Order the wings, sit at the bar, the back booths fill late on weekends.