Picking Philly’s best restaurants | Let’s Eat

Another week, another honor for Philly’s restaurant scene. Also on our plate this week: Coffee snobs get down with the pumpkin spice latte, Craig LaBan finds a winner of a new restaurant in the Italian Market, and a handful of teens assess Wawa’s new pizza and give us their grades. And read on for literal scoop: free ice cream!

— Mike Klein

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Best-of lists — “best cheesesteaks,” ”best new pizzerias,” “best dishes around town” — are everywhere. Of course, we are partial to our annual Inquirer Dining Guide and critic Craig LaBan’s annual list of his 10 best restaurants, as well as his other favorites. As Craig pointed out in his article, Philadelphia won more national accolades than any other city at the 2023 James Beard Foundation awards. Hey, even the Phillies shared with us their own favorite Philly restaurants.

This week, the New York Times added to the dinner din with a roundup of its top 25 restaurants, a follow-up to its article last month that included three Philly restaurants — El Chingón, Kalaya, and My Loup — in its list of 50 restaurants it’s “most excited about now.”

Of course, there is considerable overlap among the lists. In the top-25 restaurant list, the Times shouted out Doro Bot, an Ethiopian restaurant in West Philadelphia that’s included in Craig’s seven-part TastePhilly newsletter. (Subscribe here.)

One observation: Fourteen of the NYT’s 25 restaurants are in South Philly, prompting one commenter to cheekily add: “Seems to heavily favor the hip South Philly scene without exploring the whole city. … But I’m glad it focuses on just this crowded area with no parking, keeping tourists in one part of town.”

Chef Dave Conn’s name may not ring a bell. But if you’ve dined out locally in the last 15 years, you very well may have eaten his food. Critic Craig LaBan explains how at Alice, Conn’s casually elegant and airy corner space in the Italian Market, he’s come into his own, personally and professionally.

The pumpkin spice latte is beloved and reviled. Can coffee snobs get behind it? Jenn Ladd finds that the haters haven’t stopped Philly’s independent coffee shops from embracing the combo. Even those who won’t do them have started riffing on the idea.

Coffee shops and cafes happen to be classic example of “third places,” a term used to describe social environments outside home and work. Hira Qureshi tells how Philly’s immigrants, diaspora, and BIPOC communities also offer a connection to culture and community.

Wawa has launched pizza, again, and the convenience chain is facing pushback from critics. We went to the prime demographic — a gaggle of teens — for their assessment. And though our focus group at Science Leadership Acadey found it “edible,” they seemed fine with the idea of being able to get it in the middle of the night.

Imagine opening a Center City restaurant under the radar. It helps when it’s under street level, as we saw last night when they flipped on the neon in the window of Chika, opening next week in the former Rooster Soup space below 1526 Sansom St. I hear it’s a Blade Runner-inspired ramen bar, backed by GLU Hospitality (whose Bagels & Co. is above) and designed by Boxwood Architects (Tuna Bar, K’Far, Goldie, Tredici, etc.). Did I really type “Blade Runner-inspired ramen bar”? As in tonkatsu with a side of dystopia? We’ll see.

Rittenhouse’s carb scene will expand, effective Nov. 18, with the opening of the syndicated Blueprint Cookies at 268 S. 20th St., the former Rittenhouse Manicure & Waxing. It’s across from the Bake Shop on 20th and two doors down from Spread Bagelry. Blueprint keeps long hours: 8 a.m.-11 p.m.

Free ice cream: Vita, a gelateria by Massimo Boni and Ana Pelucarte at 261 S. 17th St., is marking its grand opening in the front section of what was Branzino restaurant by giving out 100 small cups or cones beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday. When they’re gone, it’s buy one/get one until 8 p.m. Vita offers 12 rotating flavors (including staples such as pistachio, raspberry, and Amarena cherry), as well as pastries from Isgro Pastries and coffee from Pilgrim Roasters in Manayunk.

Chef Wyatt Piazza knows his vegetables from his experience in Sonoma. He’ll showcase them alongside sustainably raised meats on his seasonal menu at Kiddo, a bistro opening Friday at 12th and Pine in Washington Square West. Shown above is a whole roasted pumpkin that you can eat, skin and all.

Kiddo, 1138 Pine St. Hours (starting Friday): It will be BYOB until the liquor license arrives.

It’s only a hundred feet above sea level, but the new Nepali Momo Kitchen in Spring Garden delivers a peak Nepali dumpling experience from the family behind the acclaimed Mount Masala in Voorhees. Casual vibe is reminiscent of the corner storefront’s pizza-shop past, and you get to dial in the heat level for the noodles and momo sauces, such as these Himalayan Chilly Momos. I got a 3, but could have asked for mo.

Nepali Momo Kitchen, 532 N. 15th St. Hours: noon-9 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday. (Closed Wednesday, in other words.)

One of the success stories of 2023 is the rise of Brunchaholics, the casual brunch spot that Aaron Anderson (shown below) and chef Terrance Clarke founded last spring in Fishtown Crossing. They’ve just branched out into Cherry Hill, taking the former Zöes Kitchen at 1200 Haddonfield Rd., just off Route 70. That’s a gutsy move, as they are up against all the chains. Could this be a turning point for Cherry Hill? First, watch what they do: a changing menu including signature dishes such as this French toast cobbler (shown above) and jerk salmon cheesesteak, backed by the breakfast staples.

Brunchaholics, 1200 Haddonfield Rd., Cherry Hill. Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. (Closed Monday.)

Diners are closing, one by one. If it isn’t changing tastes and weary owners (like the Red Lion Diner, which closed last month), the issue is eminent domain. Last weekend, the Gateway Diner in Westville, N.J., shut down after three decades to make way for a bridge construction project.

Taco Bell has won its campaign to free the phrase “Taco Tuesday” from trademark protection. Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar in Somers Point, which held the mark in New Jersey, gave up its fight. The owner seems OK with it.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has opened a lottery for people to buy bottles of exceptionally rare whiskey. Where else can you find a Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon 17 Year Old 2022 Release for only $110?

Cookies 4 Coats, which brings together bakers to raise funds to purchase winter coats for those in need, is back for a second year. Last year’s boxes raised $8,000 for the Open Hearts Cafe; all of this year’s proceeds will go toward coats for Broad Street Ministry and Sunday Love Project. All boxes are prepaid and will be available for purchase in advance ($100 each) next Wednesday via Tock. Boxes will be available for pickup at Her Place Supper Club from noon-2 p.m Nov. 18. Ordering info and the full list of bakers are forthcoming. Check in with Her Place’s Instagram.

Herr’s, the Chester County snack maker, is scouting out flavors for the third annual Flavored by Philly contest, whereby it showcases chips inspired by Philadelphia-area small businesses for a chance to win a grand prize of $5,000 and a year’s supply of Herr’s chips. (“Long Hots & Sharp Provolone” won in 2022 and Corropolese’s tomato pie won in 2023.) The nominated small business behind the winning flavor will receive a $10,000 prize. You can nominate through Nov. 14.

Center City’s Oyster House will host chef Ange Branca for a one-night-only Malaysian seafood dinner in a collab with Oyster House chefs Joe Campoli and James Waters on Nov. 6. Branca, a James Beard-nominated chef at her former Sate Kampar, is building out a new restaurant — Kampar — on the old site of Nomad Pizza (611 S. Seventh St.). The Nov. 6 dinner at Oyster House (1516 Sansom) will offer six courses ($90, plus tax and tip) at seatings between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Although Resy says it is sold out, I’m told that you may still snag a bar stool or high-top; call 215-567-7683.

Retired NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and his fiancee left a $1,000 tip on dinner at which area restaurant?

A) Buddakan

B) Oregon Diner

C) Bahama Breeze

D) Locust Rendezvous

Find out if you know the answer.

Where have the Chinese-owned food carts in Center City gone since the pandemic? — A reader

It’s pretty safe to say that the number of all street vendors has dipped since March 2020, reflecting the immediate downturn of lunchtime crowds that has recently reversed. Dan Tsao, a well-connected business owner in Chinatown (he owns EMei restaurant as well as a collection of Asian newspapers), agreed with that assessment and added that hiring has been particularly challenging.

📮 Have a question about food in Philly? E-mail your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com for a chance to be featured in my newsletter.