Rittenhouse

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.

Yes, the donuts at this teeny spot are exceptional (flavors rotate and the cinnamon brown sugar is a good introduction to what they do here), but many would argue that the main draw is the fried chicken. Instead of a biscuit, chicken platters—customize yours with a choice of seasonings and glazes—come with a honey donut on the side. Get here on the early side, the fresh-baked stuff tends to go crazy-fast and plan on eating yours on-the-go as seating as limited.

Out of context, this teeny bistro looks like it was plucked right off a quiet European side street—and the same can be said of the Mediterranean menu (note the seasonal specials written out on a chalkboard): grilled baby octopus, watermelon with feta cheese, and really well done fish, like the potato-crusted ahi. Diners are responsible for their own wine pairings (BYOB).

While it’s not exactly a hotel, Roost in Rittenhouse (there’s also a Midtown location) is where you want to post up when staying in town on a weekly or monthly basis. The one- and two-bedroom apartments come beautifully furnished with all the creature comforts—tricked out kitchens, on-site laundry, (real!) houseplants, and, brilliantly, Apple TV. The Roost team can also set you up with groceries, temporary gym memberships, and a 24-hourse concierge to meet pretty much every need and fancy. Best part: pets and kids are more than welcome.

The dough here is so delicious that you can easily make a meal of the crusts alone—or order a Rotolo as an appetizer. The Napoletano-style pies cover all the toppings bases—margherita, porchetta, even a tuna—though after eating your way through the city, one of the salads, which are excellent (we like the arugula), is a lighter option. For dessert, the Nutella/marshmallow pizza is a big hit with the littles and so is the soft serve. The space is cozy, so you can watch the pies go in and out of the massive wood-fired oven from pretty much anywhere.

Chef-owner Gregory Vernick’s namesake Rittenhouse Square restaurant is one of those spots that gets name-checked every time someone talks about the booming dining scene in Philly. And while it has topped many “best-of” lists in the last few years, we can say with certainty it’s worth all the hype. (There’s an entire corner of the menu dedicated to beautifully plated toasts—need we say more?) There are plates big (grilled black sea bass with spicy broccoli and saffron) and small (Maryland crab on toast), plus simple wood-fired Amish chicken and a fish of the day. The back dining room has the best views of the open kitchen, but the bar is just as nice if you can’t snag a reservation.

In an intimate, 16-seat exhibition space, local chefs like Malik Ali of the Dutch, Matt Kemp of Shoon Sushi, and Peter Scarola of R2L put their cooking skills to work on a monthly basis. (See the full list of classes here.) The retail arm stocks an exhaustive assortment of cookbooks, kitchen gadgetry for every skill level, plus produce from Fishtown-based Green Aisle Grocery.

A drop-dead gorgeous example of marrying old with new, antique with modern, Harp & Crown is a destination for foodies and the design-minded alike.

1 Tippling Place is furnished with a variety of antiques and estate sale finds like floral couches and leather chairs, which makes it feel more like an eclectic neighborhood coffee shop than a stuffy cocktail lounge. The homey bar in the back is manned by owner Anne Frey, a local institution who makes all of her cocktails from scratch, with syrups that are mixed-in house and ingredients that change with the seasons.