Pennsylvania

At Laser Wolf, gigantic trays come crowded with Levantine salads and sauces, from grilled carrots and spicy cucumbers to sour cherry matbucha and p’kaila. Which could easily stand on their own, for the record. But in this case, they complement grilled skewers of meat roasted over a charcoal grill. (Or eggplant and spiced cauliflower, if you prefer; lots of veg options here). The spritzy cocktails are perfection—there’s one with za’atar-turmeric vodka, and another with lemon, saffron, and bourbon—as is the brown sugar soft-serve. There’s a second location in NYC on top of the Williamsburg Hoxton hotel.

The Renfrew Center treats women and adolescent girls in a residential setting. Integrating traditional psychotherapies with experiential art, movement, drama, mindfulness, and spiritual modalities, the program helps clients move from body hatred and weight consciousness to self-acceptance and mindful eating. Renfrew has one other residential facility in Coconut Creek, Florida, and nearly twenty outpatient facilities scattered around the US. There are also specialized programs based on age and religion and programs tailored for patients with diabetes.

Lauded as one of the most renowned orchestra’s in the nation–and world–,the Philadelphia Orchestra has been a destination for culture enthusiasts since its inception in 1900.

The goal of this Old Town gem is to introduce a whole new generation of sweet-teeth to the traditional ice cream soda fountain experience. As with their candy-focused venture, Shane, the Berley brothers looked to the past for inspiration for both the décor (Art Deco-ish, with an antique bar and tin walls) and the menu (milkshakes, sundaes, house-made waffle cones). Try a phosphate soda or one of the classic banana splits (there are currently three on the menu).

Todd Carmichael has coffee in his roots. Well before founding La Colombe in Philly, a boutique coffee company and café that has sparked a sort of coffee revolution, with its canned draft lattes and pure black varieties, he lived in Seattle where he worked at a café that later became Starbucks. The businessman and traveler partnered with JP Iberti to start La Colombe with the goal of bringing sustainable, good coffee to the masses. In Philly, you can sip their brews at their locations in Fishtown, Rittenhouse Square (their first brick-and-mortar shop), Dilworth Plaza, and Independence Mall.

This craftsman team behind this salvage company has that kind of indelible talent that can make a piece to transform virtually any space. With a reverence for old historic pieces, they turn most anything into functional, stunning pieces (take, for instance, a part of the Long Island boardwalk, which they turned into rustic flooring).

This streamlined boutique hotel is a recent addition to University City, offering parents of Drexel and Penn students, as well as city visitors, a modern chic place to stay (a much needed amenity in the area). The interiors are minimal, architectural, and comfortable and the customer service is top notch–something its parent company, Hospitality 3, is lauded for. A functional, good option for travelers on a budget or those scoping out the university.

This tiny Mediterranean spot is lively and typically packed, thanks to its incredible pizzas (think: red grapes, secret sauce, gorgonzola, arugula, prosciutto, toasted walnuts, and vincotto) and salads, like their watermelon and buffalo mozzarella offering. Dessert here is also a draw—they're known for their budoino (and once even offered their take on a Choco Tac, which was stuffed with frozen salted caramel budino). If you want a table for dinner, definitely make a reservation—seats at the bar are sometimes available if you just walk in.

Meat hooks line the ceiling of this split-level space, which—with its glossy white subway tiles, tidy bar, and expansive front window—is anything but rough around the edges. The menu lives up to the restaurant's name: A meatball and sausage menu complement plenty of meat-forward entrees, like smoked wild boar ribs served with cheesy cornbread. Beers on tap and top-notch whiskey cocktails round out the experience.

Perched on the second floor above sister restaurant Oyster House, Mission has a bright, welcoming space filled with white picnic tables (and tons more seating throughout), several well-placed skylights, and plenty of greenery. Ceviche, chicken mole tacos, and churros are all on the menu, along with a host of excellent cocktails. They also have wifi, so if you need it, it's not a bad place to perch and work with a meal in the afternoon.