Press Release

RECAP AND REFUEL: PHILLY’S DINING SCENE CATERS TO DISCERNING (AND FAMISHED) NIGHT OWLS
Plenty Of Options For Late-Night Eats In Philly

PHILADELPHIA, January 22, 2008 - As Philadelphia’s dining scene continues to grow, the city’s bistros, gastropubs, brasseries, eateries, diners and fast food spots are growing by…hours. By law in Philly, last call at the bar happens at 2:00 a.m. Last call for food, however, is anywhere from 11:00 p.m. to never. Check out this list of the hottest, coolest and coziest spots to nibble, nosh, gobble and dine well into the early morning hours.

Melrose Diner

Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC

 

• Chef Jose Garces serves up Spanish-fusion fare, including ham and fig salad, manchego and artichoke empanadas and super-clever combos of Spanish cheeses with homemade spreads, at Amada, a popular Old City venue for flamenco dancing. 217 Chestnut Street, (215) 625-2450, www.amadarestaurant.com
• Wok-seared lobster atop lobster mashed potatoes, hot eel over sushi rice, edamame ravioli and chocolate-filled bento boxes are available until midnight at Buddakan, restaurateur Stephen Starr’s ever-popular, always-glamorous Old City shrine to Asian fusion fare. 325 Chestnut Street, (215) 574-9440, www.buddakan.com
• Sushi lovers can feast on tofu mixed tableside, Yellowtail searing in a sizzling stone bowl and divine toro sashimi, along with sake-infused cocktails at Morimoto, the Iron Chef’s palace of contemporary Japanese cuisine. 723 Chestnut Street, (215) 413-9070, www.morimotorestaurant.com

• Serving a signature menu of wine, cheese and beer until a minimum of 12:30 a.m., Tria, a popular Rittenhouse-area bar—with a newer location in Midtown Village—offers boutique beverages; brie and Allagash cherry bruschetta; Lancaster cheddar and smoked chicken sandwiches; smoked salmon, asparagus and caperberry salad; and truffled egg toast with Fontina cheese. 18^th & Sansom Streets, (215) 972-TRIA; or 12^th & Spruce Streets, (215) 629-9200, www.triacafe.com

• Coquette, the glittery new brasserie and raw bar just off South Street, serves a late-night menu of hamburgers à cheval (topped with a fried egg), herb-drenched mussels, buttery steak frites and authentic Niçoise salads Tuesdays through Sundays. 700 S. 5^th Street, (215) 238-9000, www.coquettebistro.com
• With a jukebox stocked with indie hits, South Philly’s Royal Tavern plays host to a devoted hipster crowd there for pints of microbrews, refined meatloaf sandwiches, crispy-edged gnocchi, salmon spring rolls and multifarious vegan noshes, available nightly. 937 E. Passyunk Avenue, (215) 389-6694, www.royaltavern.com
• The South Philadelphia Taproom, a corner bar on the edge of the newly trendy Passyunk Square neighborhood, serves its super eclectic cuisine—escargot, queso torta, flash fried calamari, wild boar burritos, nacho-style plantains and tacos of the moment—nightly. 1509 Mifflin Street, (215) 271-7787, www.southphiladelphiataproom.com
• A menu of chalkboard specials is offered at this corner hangout for Fishtown hipsters and the live rock acts that entertain them (in a 250-person concert space upstairs). Johnny Brenda’s serves clever seasonal fare—grilled pork sandwiches, seafood kabobs, shoestring fries—and taps locally brewed beer only. 1201 N. Frankford Avenue, (215) 739-9684, www.johnnybrendas.com
• Dinner’s for sale (until 1:00 a.m. Thursday-Saturday) in the form of an international assortment of curry-sauced salmon, shrimp and veggie dumplings, potato pierogies and BBQ baby back ribs at Northern Liberties’ boisterous N. 3^rd. 801 N. 3^rd Street, (215) 413-3666, www.norththird.com
• Midtown Village’s modern Medi-Latin bistro Valanni keeps it fresh by turning itself into a lounge that serves crispy chickpeas and chorizo, grilled octopus, goat cheese and shallot croquettes and simple plates of hummus, tzatizki and dolmades to go. 1229 Spruce Street, (215) 790-9494, www.valanni.com
• An old stainless steel car is the home to this newly revived, always-popular late-night spot. Silk City’s recent rocker renovation coordinates with its internationalized menu of spicy-thick chili, sloppy roast beef sandwiches, Thai chile-glazed ribs, shrimp and crab potstickers with a lobster brandy cream sauce, pulled pork quesadillas—here, spiked with wasabi. 5^th & Spring Garden Streets, (215) 592-8838

• A nautical theme and upscale bar fare are offered at the refined but fun Misconduct Tavern, where fish ‘n’ chips share a menu with Boursin-and-cheddar-swathed skirt steak sandwiches, pear and brie sandwiches—and surprisingly refined Armagnac and champagne. 1511 Locust Street, (215) 732-5797, www.misconduct-tavern.com

• Things don’t even start to warm up at this Northern Liberties tapas bar until around 11:00 p.m. Bar Ferdinand serves share-able lobster-stuffed empanadas, garlicky tortillas Espagnolas, Andalusian pork skewers, classic bacalao croquettes and all manner of Spanish cheeses, charcuterie, wine and sangria nightly (and affordably) until close. 1030 N. 2^nd Street, (215) 923-1313, www.barferdinand.com
• It’s worth ducking out of the pub early to get in line at Tony Luke’s, a homemade sandwich vendor deep in South Philadelphia. Just-baked rolls filled with slow-cooked roast beef and broccoli rabe, house-made roast pork slathered in garlicky spinach and sharp Provolone, veal or chicken cutlets topped with marinara, spicy meatballs and what many claim to be the best cheesesteak in town are just a quick taxi ride away from Center City. 39 E. Oregon Avenue, (215) 551-5725, www.tonylukes.com

• What Pat’s, Geno’s and Tony Luke’s are to South Philly, Sonny’s Famous Steaks is to bar-filled Old City. Open until 3:00 a.m. on weekends, Sonny’s serves up cheesesteaks of all sorts, rib-eye burgers, cheese fries and onion rings to partyers who need to fuel up before going down for the night. 228 Market Street, (215) 629-5760, www.sonnysfamoussteaks.com

• It’s an all-ages show until 4:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings at Lorenzo & Son, a walk-up pizza kiosk on South Street. Here, an energized post-concert crowd loads up on $2 slices of oversized, thin-crusted, cheese-loaded pizza, devouring floppy wedges that taste distinctly better the later the hour. 305 South Street, (215) 627-4110

• The slogan at the Melrose Diner, a 70-plus-year-old South Philly institution, is “Everybody who knows goes to the Melrose.” And, on weekend nights, it seems like every Philadelphian does. Booths here are shared, peach pies are homemade and the longtime servers are no-nonsense. 1501 Snyder Avenue, (215) 467-6644
• After a late night in Midtown Village, partiers head to one of Center City’s Midtown Diners for feta and spinach omelets, open-faced tuna melts, homemade vanilla shakes and other rib-sticking fare. 122 S. 11^th Street, (215) 627-6452, www.midtown2restaurant.com
• South Philly’s rival cheesesteak vendors Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks agree on one thing: There are going to be lines once the bars close. By 2:15 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, these across-the-street joints get slammed. Well-worn Pat’s, with its notoriously sloppy Cheez Whiz topping, and blindingly neon bright Geno’s, with its fancy Provolone, draw crowds that meet in the Avenue’s center, often stopping traffic just before dawn hits. Pat’s, 1237 E. Passyunk Avenue, (215) 468-1546, www.patskingofsteaks.com; Geno’s, 1219 S. 9^th Street, (215) 389-0659, www.genossteaks.com

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery.

CONTACT:

Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com

Related RSS Feeds

Topic	XML Feeds
What's New This feed will be updated whenever any new content is added to Gophila.com’s Press Room. It includes all topics.