Press Release

IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY-SIDE UP IN PHILADELPHIA
Rise And Shine At One Of Philly’s Great Brunch Spots

PHILADELPHIA, September 20, 2007 - Weekends were made for brunching—chatting with friends, digging into a stack of syrupy pancakes, lingering over a cup of a coffee and a few refills. No one knows this better than Philadelphians, who have a wide array of fantastic brunch restaurants to choose from every Saturday and Sunday. Whether the craving is for a five-star buffet with caviar, a Latin feast of plantains and agua fresca cocktails or fresh granola and locally grown blueberries, Philadelphia foodies have plenty of options for a morning meal in this town. The following are some of the region’s best brunch options:

Brunch aboard the Moshulu

Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

 

• The Loft District’s sleek Café Lift specializes in European style delicacies like a banana and chocolate hazelnut crespelle and a pesto and tomato frittata with thick home fries. 428 N. 13^th Street, (215) 922-3031, www.cafelift.com
• A South Philly institution, the quirky, tiny Carman’s Country Kitchen features an exotic and unpredictable brunch lineup that might easily include alligator tail or mincemeat waffles. 1301 S. 11^th Street, (215) 339-9613
• Diner food gets a Southern accent at the Down Home Diner, a Reading Terminal Market hideaway that serves some of the meanest catfish and grits around. 12^th & Arch Streets, (215) 627-1955
• Port Richmond’s Hinge Café is a community gathering spot with a menu of inventive edibles like breakfast bruschetta and Swiss fondue on a bagel. 2652 E. Somerset Street, (215) 425-6614, www.hingecafe.com
• A homey hipster hideaway in Northern Liberties, Honey’s Sit ’n Eat charms with its fusion of Southern and Jewish fare. Think chicken-fried steak, fresh biscuits and giant crispy latkes. 800 N. 4^th Street, (215) 925-1150
• Savor the city’s only traditional Irish breakfast with rashers, beans, pudding and potato bread in the sunny rooms of Ida Mae’s Bruncherie. 2302 E. Norris Street, (215) 426-4209
• At Port Richmond’s always-crowded Mercer Café, friendly servers offer mascarpone French toast, chipped beef on toast and hearty daily specials. 2621 E. Westmoreland Street, (215) 426-2153, www.mercerstreetcafeonline.com
• Every day feels like Sunday at Mixto, a Cuban/Columbian hotspot on Pine Street’s Antique Row. The daily breakfast offerings include Argentinean Steak and Eggs, Frittata Colombiana and Huevos Rancheros. 1141 Pine Street, (215) 592-0363, www.mixtophilly.com
• Sabrina’s Café and its new sibling, Sabrina’s Café and Spencer’s Too redefine brunch with creative dazzlers like the huevos rancheros—blue corn tortillas topped with smoky chipotle Mexi-chorizo red bean tomato sauce, fried eggs, lime cilantro and spicy red pepper guacamole—and thick slices of French toast stuffed with all manner of sweets. Choose the original Bella Vista location or the new one in Fairmount. 910 Christian Street, (215) 574-1599; 1804 Callowhill Street, (215) 636-9061
• The lines out the door never lie: Sam’s Morning Glory Diner is a favorite for its homemade ketchup and creative pancake specials served with a side of hot biscuits and greasy-spoon attitude. 10^th & Fitzwater Streets, (215) 413-3999, www.morningglorydiner.com
• The first meal of the day is the mainstay at downtown West Chester’s Market Street Grill, which has developed a devoted following for its cinnamon-swirl French toast with caramelized bananas and homemade corned beef hash. 6 W. Market Street, West Chester, (610) 429-5328, www.wcmarketstreetgrill.com

• The seasonal New American menu at Old City’s Fork is always changing, with the exception of the house-baked scones and buns, house-cured salmon and fluffy omelets stuffed with local ingredients. 306 Market Street, (215) 625-9425, www.forkrestaurant.com
• Fine dining tastes even better in the daylight hours with Jake’s two-course, prix-fixe brunch. Try the eggs benedict, featuring the city’s best crab cake topped with brioche and leek cream. 4365 Main Street, (215) 483-0444, www.jakesrestaurant.com
• Hop aboard the Moshulu for a Sunday brunch on the water, featuring a three-course prix-fixe meal with first course and dessert buffets. Save room for the sesame-crusted filet mignon or a farm salad with smoked chicken in between. 401 S. Columbus Boulevard, (215) 923-2500, www.moshulu.com

• Keep the party going at the Continental with brioche French toast or seared tuna, accompanied by a champagne cocktail or an espresso martini. 138 Market Street, (215) 923-6069, www.continentalmartinibar.com
• Cuba Libre’s brunch of fresh juice mimosas, guava pastries and coconut waffles is a tropical paradise in Old City. 10 S. 2^nd Street, (215) 627-0666, www.cubalibrerestaurant.com
• The burgers, fried smelts and chalkboard omelet specials at Northern Liberties' Standard Tap will chase any hangover away, though a pint of local microbrewed beer won’t hurt either. 2^nd & Poplar Streets, (215) 238-0630, www.standardtap.com
• The wakeup call at The Columbia Bar and Grille, a restored Victorian hotel in Phoenixville, includes a house version of eggs benedict with crab cakes, shrimp and mandarin oranges and a list of fruity martinis. 148 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, (610) 983-0300, www.columbiabarandgrille.com

• Grand Marnier French toast and filet mignon with poached eggs go down easy with a side of live music at the funky and historic Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus. 847 N. 3^rd Street, (215) 922-1035, www.ortliebsjazzhaus.com
• The weekly live music at Rembrandt’s on Sundays is a perfect soundtrack for spinach and mascarpone crepes, Eggs Basildict and garburé (French farmer’s stew). 741 N. 23^rd Street, (215) 763-2228, www.rembrandts.com

• The city’s most elegant place to brunch is the Four Seasons Hotel’s Fountain Restaurant. The sumptuous $65 buffet—stacked with caviar, smoked fish, lobster tartlets and endless desserts—is a relative bargain. 1 Logan Square, (215) 963-1500, www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia/dining
• Stay the night at the charming guesthouse, then fill up a plateful of goodies from the overloaded brunch buffet at the Colonial General Lafayette Inn & Brewery. 646 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, (610) 941-0600, www.generallafayetteinn.com
• Overlooking the park after which its named, Lacroix at The Rittenhouse serves a filling Sunday brunch, featuring more than 40 appetizers and raw-bar specialties at three stations. A decadent dessert table and live music round out the offerings. 210 W. Rittenhouse Square, (215) 546-9000
• A rural oasis in Bucks County, the Golden Pheasant Inn is a wonderful brunch destination with a prix-fixe menu of elegant omelets and French-inspired entrees. 763 River Road, Erwinna, (610) 294-9595, www.goldenpheasant.com
• The lavish buffet brunch at the Radnor Hotel is made even more tempting with live classical piano music, a garden view and a Belgian chocolate fountain. 591 E. Lancaster Avenue, St. Davids, (610) 341-3188, www.radnorhotel.com

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.

CONTACT:

Donna Schorr, GPTMC
(215) 599-0782, donna@gptmc.com

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