It’s been cold and dark when you get home from work and the last thing you want to do is spend time cooking! Try some of these fairly new and fantastic places to check out in the city.
Entrepreneur David Magrogan is slowly but surely making an impact in the dining scene in University City. With two of his newest ventures in the West Philadelphia neighborhood, I took a trip down to Penn’s campus to check it out. Harvest Grill and Wine Bar is the newest restaurant. The concept of the restaurant is an upscale, farm-fresh atmosphere that promotes local agriculture. A great way to start your meal here is with their long list of flatbreads, which are thin, crispy, and full of flavor. The menu is vast and includes plenty of vegetarian-friendly options. A couple weeks before that, the Magrogan Group also opened Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House in that area, right off 34th and Sansom Street. The seafood restaurant features a long list of seafood menu items (as well as few meat and poultry selections) and a raw bar. Doc’s can be described as a “combination of old tavern mixed with clean, crisp beach cottage feel.”
The brand new boutique Hotel Monaco opened up right in the heart of Philadelphia’s historic district at Independence Mall. Along with the hotel comes two new hot spots in bites and booze. Red Owl Tavern has the feel of a true old school tavern with a gourmet twist. The menu features items that I’m dying to try, including the Port Wine Poached Pear Salad and a list of tavern cuts to choose from. After dinner, take a trip up the elevator to the 11th floor and check out the Rooftop Lounge Stratus. I love rooftop bars, so I was so excited to learn about a new one in town. But this is much more than your typical bar with their sleek, modern design and signature cocktails.
If you’re in the mood for BBQ, then fear not because new smoky, meaty joints are popping up like daisies in Fishtown. If you haven’t heard of the latest Starr installment, it’s called Fette Sau, descending from Brooklyn, NY. Located right next to Starr’s Frankford Hall, the interior has a similar concept. You place your food and drink orders at the counter and find a communal table. In this case, you order meats by the pound and get local beers in mason jars instead of pint glasses. You can get up to a gallon if you want though! Chef Joe Carroll’s dry rub recipe is worth the wait, especially after staring at it enticingly through the glass case while you’re in line. If self-service and haute meat isn’t for you, literally right around the corner is Bubba’s Texas BBQ with a more casual, laid back vibe. Expect the games to be on flat-screen TVs, $3 late night happy hour drafts, friendly bartenders and table service. Their slow smoked wings are done right, and I suggest getting half order of hot + half order of Bubba’s BBQ for a sweet and spicy mix.
