Food/Drink

The Early Bird: "If you don't put out more scrapple salad, I'll want my $2.99 back."

Michael T. Regan The Early Bird: "If you don't put out more scrapple salad, I'll want my $2.99 back."

Best Nationally Hyped Sandwich That Actually Manages to Be Good

For a guy who started his career in telecommunications, Vesuvio's Jerry D'Addesi makes a mean meal — grilled veal chops, filet with black truffle sauce, pan-seared red snapper. Yet it's his restaurant's $11 Cheesesteak BLT sandwich — the one that won the NBC Today Show's "Best Sandwich in America" contest in September — diners know best. A ciabatta roll is treated sweetly with spicy mayo and filled with thin-sliced (but not too thin) filet mignon, provolone, caramelized onions, bacon, lettuce and tomato. Vesuvio Restaurant & Bar, 736 S. Eighth St., 215-922-8380, www.vesuvio-online.com. —ADA

Well-deserved hype aside, the pithy portions and glamour prices at Amada put it sadly out of reach for everyday eating — unless you follow the sun to the restaurant's Catalan Express lunch. Try the comforting, brothy ham and white bean stew followed by a roasted vegetable sandwich with a heap of addictive aioli-laced fries. It's a big-name meal at an entry-level price — the two-course lunch is a mere $12.50. 217 Chestnut St., 215-625-2450, www.amadarestaurant.com. —FD

Along with sumptuous curries and tangy Vietnamese fusion delicacies, the very best thing Ly Michael's in Chinatown has to offer beyond a nice late-night vibe is chef Dung "Kim" Dang's traditional pho noodle soup. You can add bruised basil, fish sauce, meatballs or sliced raw steak to the several varieties of rice-noodle-laden pho — they're all delightful. But you'll never, ever find out what Dang puts in her broth to make it so rich and tasty. 101 N. 11th St., 215-922-2688, www.lymichaels.com. —ADA

Even though the actual chairman behind the popular Chairman's Selections was pushed out of his job, Jonathan Newman made dreary state-run liquor stores much more wine lover-friendly, in terms of price and selection, in his tenure. This is a big improvement. BUT STATE STORES STILL SUCK. Trash 'em and bring capitalism to Pennsylvania already. —PB

Sansom Street Oyster House owner Cary Neff took a sledgehammer to the once-hexed restaurant space at Fifth and Bainbridge, giving the location the overhaul it'd been needing for years. Now, Coquette Bistro and Raw Bar is booming thanks to his wrecking-ball-esque approach to interior design. A superfluous wall was uprooted and removed to accommodate a long bar, earthy walls, tin ceiling panels, mirrored partitions and the right amount of dining room seating; a wraparound glass façade lights up the always-busy intersection. The kitchen's classic French bistro fare (we dare you to find a better roasted chicken) complements Neff's overall approach, which is fun and slightly theme-y without being cheesy. 700 S. Fifth St., 215-238-9000, www.coquettebistro.com. —DL

Despite the game of Musical Chefs Silk City's kitchen has endured in the past few months, the club/restaurant has consistently offered interesting and unpretentious options. Many choices are simple and diner-esque (burgers, grilled cheese, meat loaf), but scope out the appetizers. Pulled chicken empanadas with cheddar and jack cheeses and avocado mousse, Thai chili-glazed ribs with toasted peanuts and cilantro — drop in for a cheap night out with tasty international munchies. 435 Spring Garden St., 215-592-8838, www.silkcityphilly.com. —AS

I applaud the efforts of Reb's Market to promote a sense of community every Wednesday by making fantastic hoagies — and selling them for the unbelievable price of $1.50. As Bob Marley said, "A hungry man is an angry man" — and the adorable church ladies at Reb's are keeping people happy with sandwiches stuffed with turkey ham and corned beef. 662 N. 39th St., 215-386-0572. —PG

Though quesadillas have become as ubiquitous as burgers on bar menus, they usually consist of half-melted Kraft shreds and rubbery chicken between two barely toasted tortillas. But Old City's National Mechanics cares about your palate. Their 'dilla comes filled with onions, chicken and everyone's favorite Mexican ingrediente de modo — chipotle peppers. With Monterey Jack cheese inside and out of the tortillas, the sour cream and salsa on the side serve as flavor enhancers, not inferiority maskers. 22 S. Third St., 215-701-4883, www.nationalmechanics.com. —CJ

In a neighborhood where Pat's and Geno's rule, it's nice to find a place where you can get a bagel and whitefish, pressed sandwiches and fun liquid fare like Vietnamese coffee. But the funniest is when you can hardly get in to InFusion Coffee & Tea Gallery due to all the beardo pops toting around hoodie-wearing kids in baby slings. As small as it is there, you can feel invisible — for better and worse — when the dads are in full-on Mr. Mom mode. 1001 S. 10th St., 215-413-0504, www.infusioncoffeeandtea.com. —ADA

You have nine minutes to get in, stuff your face and get out. Run directly toward the Rittenhouse roll at Mizu, where $6.25 buys a 12-piece tuna and avocado maki. Prepared rolls are ready for those who have only, say, six minutes, and the friendly staff will make you custom orders without any eye-rolling or comments on your inside-out, extra-spicy, no-rice salmon skin specifications. 133 S. 20th St., 215-563-3100, www.mizusushibar.com. —FD

Drop by Positano Coast, and you'll see Andres Sanchez busily accommodating bar orders with his steel-trap mind — not to mention his killer smile and sexy Latin accent. Mixing multiple cocktails with effortless flair, he's happy to create specialty cocktails, and he might even persuade you to try the sea urchin pasta. And, if you linger too long over your food before a film at the Ritz, he'll save dessert for you until after the show. It's service worth bellying back up to the bar for. 212 Walnut St., second floor, 215-238-0499, www.lambertis.com. —GK

Zizi's salads are grand, filling things with a healthy variety of vegetable amid the lettuce. One is packed with seasoned avocados; another is topped with a hearty loaf of ground almonds and cashews. But the mock meat is just as great. Don't miss the crispy chicken wrap, Buffalo chicken cheesesteak or sesame citrus rib tips. 177 S. Centre St., Merchantville, N.J., 856-317-1949, www.zizis2go.com. —MJF

OK, so it's not served with a bombilla (metal straw) or in that gourd Argentinian gauchos use, but the fragrant leaves (and twigs) that make up the caffeinated drink yerba mate can be purchased locally at Premium Steap. The folks there will fix you a cup, but it's more fun to buy a loose bag to make your own. This strong, green tea-like beverage, served hot or iced, has a pungent grassy aroma that stimulates the senses. 111 S. 18th St., 215-568-2920, www.premiumsteap.com. —GK

The space that formerly housed Lula, Sukhothai, Pamplona and Dmitri's has received a new lease on life thanks to former Woody's owners/brothers Bill and Steve Wood. Knock, the upscale Gayborhood bistro named after a town in Ireland, dishes entrées like pecan plank salmon and braised rabbit. Think of it as Bump for the older set. 225 S. 12th St., 215-925-1166, www.knockphilly.com. —NHM

While I can't claim with any confidence that I've always known how to pronounce Zot correctly ("zult," apparently?), I'd put money on my belief that the Headhouse Belgian has set the mark when it comes to sheer mussel mass. Highlights of chef/co-owner Bernard Dehaene's 20+ moules styles include the Philippine (mollusks flavored with delicious crab fat and tart calamansi), the Bangkok (lemongrass, cilantro and ginger) and my personal favorite, the Jamaican (coconut milk, curry and Red Stripe beer). 122 Lombard St., 267-639-3260, www.zotrestaurant.com. —DL

M Catering's new gourmet delivery program, Good Eats, brings plated delicacies right to your home or office. Dig in to Mediterranean-inspired entrées (opah loin, bulgar salad) for under $20. Even vegetarians can sup with black bean chili and roasted tomato risotto. And don't feel guilty about ordering five days' worth of cooked lunches and dinners for under $140 — proceeds go to MANNA, which feeds people in our own backyard living with life-threatening illnesses. 215-940-0506, www.goodeatsphilly.com. —NHM

Mark Stehle TEA TOTALER: Peggy Stephens, owner of tea boutique Premium Steap. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

Tom Peters and Fergus Carey's newest toast of Europe, in Fairmount's former Tavern on Green, has turned a mediocre neighborhood bar into a beer lover's paradise. The former pub's funky smell and ugly murals have been trashed to make way for The Belgian Café, a Gothic/Art Nouveau haunt with beer and food menus that rival sister restaurant Monk's (264 S. 16th St.). You won't be disappointed cozying up to the big, wooden bar with Monk's Flemish Sour Ale and some signature mussels with pommes frites. 2047 Green St., 215-235-3500, www.thebelgiancafe.com. —NHM

Ryan Margolis' 707 has no trouble drawing in the Washington Squarians with fun-fried American comfort snacks (reuben spring rolls, pigs in a blanket) and chichi happy-hour cocktails. But the sleek-and-dustless decor, designed by Freeman Interiors, also boasts one magnificent bathroom space. Abutted by a handsome leather-and-mahogany lounge and a private dining area, a row of dimly lit individual restrooms grants diners unparalleled privacy. They may even be sweet enough to persuade male patrons to travel downstairs in packs to dish about their dates. Maybe not, but seriously, these bathrooms are nice. 707 Chestnut St., 215-922-7770, www.707restaurant.com. —DL

While most happy-hour specials guarantee a Banker's Club headache with your cocktail, Sisters Nightclub is the only Gayborhood spot to feature top-shelf liquor for just four bucks. Gals get there between 5 and 7 p.m. on weekdays to watch bartender T.J. shake up a dirty martini (make that really dirty — she's known for her signature moves) or tap a dollar draft. Early birds don't have to pay cover charges for late-that-evening entertainment. 1320 Chancellor St., 215-735-0735, www.sistersnightclub.com. —NHM

There's something about goat that gives timid eaters the willies (the billies?). No matter how much "you'll like it" prodding the unconvinced may endure from foodie friends, it's one protein that always elicits a strong reaction — especially from people who've unfairly written it off without ever trying it. The cabrito at Cantina Los Caballitos is the best way to change their tune. The entrée's hill of succulent, strongly seasoned roasted goat meat, whole cloves of garlic tucked in throughout, is accompanied by rice, refried beans and an assortment of crunchy cold vegetables for your palate-cooling pleasure. Try it or get the horns. 1651 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-755-3550. —DL

In a desert of $5-to-$10 beers and mixed drinks, there exists an oasis where Yuengling Lager flows — in wondrous 23-ounce form — for the unbeatable price of $3 a glass. This isn't a happy-hour special, either. At any time of day, parched bar-goers at Oscar's Tavern can quench their thirsts with a deal that will get you buzzed after two without draining your wallet. 1524 Sansom St., 215-972-9938. —PG

The signature Rangpur Rose at the criminally underrated Palace at the Ben sounds and looks fancy, but it thankfully manages to still taste like a cocktail and not some fruity concoction wrought from a Jack La Lanne juicer. Manager/mixologist Ryan Henry combines Tanqueray Rangpur gin, muddled ginger, Pama pomegranate liqueur, fresh lime and light splashes of cranberry and rose water to create a drink that goes down easy but still packs an exotic punch. Benjamin Franklin House, 834 Chestnut St., 267-232-5600, www.thepalaceattheben.com. —DL

Sure, the beer is cheap, the company's good and the hot dogs are a staple of many a drunk's late-night escapades. But these days, thanks to the smoking ban in effect at virtually every other Center City dive, the air quality at McGlinchey's is worse than that of Mexico City. Hordes of regulars squeeze into booths and bar stools to suck down as many cigarettes as they do $1.25 Rolling Rocks. If you brave the insidious ozone to order beer from Bernadette, don't bother washing your clothes — just burn them. 259 S. 15th St., 215-735-1259. —NHM

After years of one Italian restaurant after another opening up in South Philly (yawn), we have a slew of new French restaurants in Queen Village, forming a kind of Gallic culinary triangle: bustling Coquette at Fifth and Bainbridge, Cochon in the old Café Sud location at Catherine and Passyunk; and a yet-to-debut spot at Sixth and Bainbridge. Now, we can have our snails and eat them, too. —PB

Once, bars in Graduate Hospital were characteristically shady and bare-bones. Now it's slowly becoming the premier neighborhood in town for friendly gastropubs. Of this crop, we're most impressed with Sidecar. The beer selection is impeccable and the film-noir lighting is enticing, but it's chef Rich Freedman's food that really stands out, from zesty Southern dishes like jambalaya and Cajun sausage to one hell of a Reuben (harder to find than you'd think). Sidecar Bar & Grille, 2201 Christian St., 215-732-3429, www.thesidecarbar.com. —MP

The melt-in-your-mouth ricotta gnocchi at Sovalo is so divine, it's sinful. The polla alla matone, a Cornish game hen split and served with seasonal sauces, is heavenly — crispy skin outside, tender meat inside. Other dishes on the revolving menu range from duck confit to fig-filled pasta, all of which combine delicate flavors and textures to make your meal sensational. While some dishes require explanation for the non-foodie, the varieties of pastas (bucatini! tortelli!) illustrate the imagination of the kitchen. Bravo! 702 N. Second St., 215-413-7770, www.sovalo.com. —GK

Mocha-holics will satisfy their chocolate and coffee cravings with Alternative Baking Company's Explosive Espresso Chip Cookie. A base is made from all-natural, organic ingredients, then jazzed up with extreme espresso flavor and packed with loads of super-sweet chocolate chips. Every ABC cookie is totally vegan, and so big that you'll probably need to split it with a friend. Available at Essene, 719 S. Fourth St., 215-922-1146; and Joe Coffee, 1100 Walnut St., 215-592-7384. —JS

The gang at Elcy's Coffee House at the Glenside Train Station names their sandwiches after regulars and relatives (Reggie, Charley, GiGi, Jean Marie, etc.). Since a handful of the locals would call in special requests, it was only fitting for them to earn a spot on the café's menu. With a laundry list of delish ingredients — tender London broil, turkey dijon salad, champagne mustard, an array of cheeses — you're be able to grab a quality lunchtime bite just in time to catch your train back into the city. 1 W. Glenside Ave., Glenside, 215-884-5600. —AS

Once you get hooked on chai, you can't give it up — even when you cut dairy out of your life. But soy chai latte doesn't compare to the real thing; it tastes more like chalk than cream. But not at Walnut Bridge Coffee House. Don't know if it's the friendly service or the way they mix it, but nobody else makes it taste so great. 2319 Walnut St., 215-496-9003, www.walnutbridgecoffeehouse.com. —MJF

Made fresh daily on-site, the chocolate peanut butter bomb cake at vegan-friendly Gianna's Grille is not the healthiest dessert around, but it's one of the most addicting. With a massive outer cocoa shell drizzled with peanut butter and an interior that's so, so moist and gooey, you may have to pry yourself away before you — heaven forbid — eat the whole thing. 507 S. Sixth St., 215-829-4090, www.giannasgrille.com. —AS

Where will old Philly surfers go when the only bar devoted to their ilk is wiped out? Mako's Retired Surfer's Bar is slowly transforming into ... something else. The plastic Jolly Roger flags on the side of the building suggest a pirate theme; there's a vague biker motif inside; the wooden planks covering the exterior resemble a carpenter's workshop; there are Budweiser chameleons creeping down from the roof to devour the old mermaid mural. Pretty soon, that surfer catching an eternal wave up Third will be wiped out. 301 South St., 215-625-3820. —JD

Tomato pies are the strippers of the food world: They're usually ordered for special occasions, and everyone tends to get a little too excited around them. But you've got good reason to freak if you ordered from Corropolese Bakery & Deli. The perfectly baked doughy and sweet red sauce (go for the full sheet, trust us) will leave you salivating for more. 2014 Old Arch Road, Norristown, 610-275-6664. —AMS

There's nothing like a crisp pils in the summer, and Harrisburg's Tröegs Sunshine Pils had something of a breakout year. The light, crisp, way-tasty beer showed up like a stalker in every bar I frequent. And I drank it like water. www.troegs.com/beers_sunshine.htm. —BH

Despite being more sleek and chic than trashy and flashy, happy hour at Ansill starts any girls' night out right. From 6 to 8 p.m., hit up $5 glasses of bubbles and $1 oysters on the half-shell to get the gossip flowing and ensure totally drunken declarations of love later in the evening. 627 S. Third St., 215-627-2485, www.ansillfoodandwine.com. —FD

It pains me to rave about Vic Sushi Bar for fear that word will get out and non-near-neighbors will descend upon this tiny takeout, almost completely concealed by the scaffolding that's obstructed Helium Comedy Club for months. Chef Qiyang Shi has a gift for coaxing the most out of deluxe ingredients: One bite of his Yellow Dragon (charred eel and avocado maki nestled in razor-thin slices of mango) or his named-after-the-house roll (shrimp tempura, cucumber and crab dressed in a decadent lobster salad), and you'll be circling the blocks around 20th and Sansom looking for parking. Back off, I say! 2035 Sansom St., 215-564-4339. —DL

Michael T. Regan BOOZE MUSE: Palace at the Ben's Rangpur Rose. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

Let it rain, and clear it out: Don't expect many of Corner Bar's regulars to know who Young B and DJ Webstar are, or how to do the "Chicken Noodle Soup." But they do know where to order CNS capable of making Campbell's kids cry salty, condensed tears of shame. For just $1.50 a cup or $2.25 a bowl, the Port Richmond establishment dishes out first-class, homemade chicken noodle with a buttered roll. Let's get it, let's get it, let's get it, let's get it. 3066 Richmond St., 215-634-8494. —ET

As 2008 approaches, you might be wondering when scientists will get a move on and develop the hoverboards we so yearned for in our formative, molded-by-Back to the Future childhoods. No word yet from the eggheads, but rest assured that humanity as a whole is making progress: Dubbed one of the flagship "new concept" Dunkin' Donuts locations by corporate, the 24-hour DD at Broad and Christian features slews of strange products, from toasted flatbread sandwiches to mini pizzas (which, by all accounts, are quite tasty). Take me to your leader. And could I please get a medium Coffee Coolatta? 809 S. Broad St., 215-545-9677. —DL

Nestled into a potentially treacherous strip of Chestnut that includes Devil's Alley, Continental Mid-town and Noche, Square on Square is a welcome but easy-to-miss oasis. But the Chinese BYO's servers are charming, the noise level never raises above a soft hum and none of the patrons are drinking any kind of "bomb." The food is equally enjoyable — try the chicken and shrimp spring rolls served up with piles of fresh ginger — but it almost doesn't matter. 1905 Chestnut St., 215-568-0088, www.squareonsquare.com. —MW

In the past year, there has been an explosion of outdoor seating, even at modest corner tappies. So why is this such a good idea? Philly sidewalks are mostly not fit for this, with people tripping over you and diesel fumes wafting over your steak frites. By the way, is it even legal everywhere? —PB

If Sandra Lee and her vase full of marbles have taught us anything, it's that tablescapes are best confined to wedding receptions. Farmicia, however, manages to keep it zen with simple green apple centerpieces. The fresh fruit complements the earthy-mod dining room without cluttering the table or obscuring anyone's vision. And if your appetizer is running late, you can always take a nibble. Try doing that with a plastic rose. 15 S. Third St., 215-627-6274, www.farmiciarestaurant.com. —MW

Wedged into a tiny G-Ho corner at 20th and Fitzwater, Jonathan Adler's Beauty Shop Café has been serving up wonderful coffee since opening in June — including the best iced variety around. What are they doing differently? We wish we could figure it out. Like any staffer manning a neighborhood cuppy, baristas here whip a chilled pitcher of java out of the refrigerator, pour up a cup and send you on your way. But it's the taste — bold, strong and flavorful, without a single drop of dilution marring the experience — that'll keep us coming back as the mercury drops. (Beauty Shop's the first café to serve roasted beans from the esteemed Chestnut Hill Coffee Co.) 2001 Fitzwater St., 215-546-1002, www.myspace.com/beautyshopcafe. —DL

Program the following into your iPhone, or write it on Post-its and cover your cat with them: Wrap Shack on the Square, the second location of the popular Old City lunch stop, is open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. That means a delicious, hot wrap is waiting for you long after you've been tossed out of [insert Rittenhouse bar here]. Try the "No Limit," chicken, steak and shrimp with broccoli, mushroom, gobs of cheddar and pepper jack cheese and a sauce of your choice; it'll do wonders soaking up those Red Bull and Vodkas. Also, you should really stop drinking those; you've been out of college for like five years. 120 S. 18th St., 215-569-1666, www.myspace.com/wrapshack. —DL

Since Dogfish Head changed the name of its limited-availability Golden Shower beer to Golden Era, one would presume it'd make it easier to sell in bottles. No matter. The 9 percent ABV powerhouse imperial harkens back to the days of real Czech-style beer — the way it tasted before American brewers got a chance to water it all the way down. It's chewy, crisp and heavy, which, yes, sounds like the opposite of a modern, mass-produced pilsner. www.dogfish.com. —BH

Mom's PB&J renditions often got soggy by the time lunch period rolled around, so that's why we're obsessed with the made-to-order immediacy of the gourmet PB&J menu at Café Loftus. There's the Elvis (PB, banana and honey served hot), the Peanut Butter Cup (Nutella and chunky PB), the classic Fluffernutter (PB, Fluff, heaven) and more. The café has free WiFi, too, so you can chronicle your experience at ijustate6fluffernutters.blogspot.com while you munch on your seventh. Technologic! 136 S. 15th St., 215-988-9486, www.cafeloftus.com. —DL

Charles Plaza has an extensive menu for health-conscious meat eaters and vegetarians, and owner Charles Chen is likely to come over and give you more personal attention. What are you in the mood for today? Do you like it prepared this way? What about this sauce? Let him talk you into anything. He's got your best interests at heart, and he'll never steer you wrong. 234 N. 10th St., 215-829-4383. —MJF

Sunday Craft at Tattooed Mom lets your inner child play with your outer lush — for free! From 1 to 9 p.m. every Sunday, Mom's offers half-price sandwiches from 2 to 4 p.m. alongside all the felt and googly eyes you can shake a Popsicle stick at. Past projects include potato heads, painted skulls, Mother's Day cards and corncob people. Kids are allowed before 7 p.m., and older kids can enjoy $1 Pabst from 7 until 11 p.m. Careful with the scissors, now. 530 South St., 215-238-9880, www.myspace.com/tattooed_mom. —GM

There are bakeries called "Wild Flour" everywhere from Wisconsin to California. Though I haven't sampled any of their wares, I feel confident in proclaiming our Wild Flour Bakery, run by Nishon and Laura Yaghoobian, the best of the bunch. You might've picked up one of their superb baguettes or croissants during a visit to their Headhouse Farmers Market stand, but also know the bakers are the perfectly leavened geniuses behind the bread at some of your favorite eateries, from always-packed gastropubs like Standard Tap and Good Dog to swankier, be-seen-at spots like Snackbar and Rouge. So to the other Wild Flours: Bring it on. You've got nothing on Philly. 8701 Torresdale Ave., Unit 1, 215-624-3300, www.wildflourbakery.net. —DL