The February Hit List: Harper’s Garden, Booker’s, and the New Bridget Foy’s

If you’re looking for an elegant dining experience for Valentine’s Day, Harper’s Garden is a great choice. Nothing says romance like sipping craft cocktails and enjoying a fresh, seasonal meal in a private greenhouse. Work your way from coast to coast with a half-dozen oysters, and for more seafood, the pan-roasted redfish encrusted with hazelnuts is like no other. Harper’s Garden can even turn a burger into a fancy meal: The ‘Merica Burger is a double stack of Wagyu beef topped with cheese, pickles, onion, Dijon mustard, and ketchup all served on a soft, milk bread bun.

Dining status: Indoor and outdoor dining via reservation only. Takeout and delivery are also available.

Bridget Foy’s has been an institution in Philadelphia dining since 1978.  When a fire in October 2017 caused the restaurant to shut down, the community mourned. But they’re coming back under their original name East Philly Cafe. The new restaurant is opening in the spring, but this pop-up gives you a taste of what to expect. The menu focuses on comforting American eats like a chicken tender sandwich and the short rib and black bean chili. There are also vegetarian options like a vegetable chili and the Sloppy Bella sandwich made with BBQ mushrooms and adzuki beans topped with a vinegar slaw.

Dining status: Indoor and out dining via reservation only. Takeout and delivery are also available.

Booker’s in West Philly is all about hospitality. Whether it’s creating a dynamic outdoor space that makes diners comfortable during all seasons or conceptualizing dishes for all dietary needs, making costumers feel at home has always been one of Booker’s top priorities. Every meal at Booker’s is outstanding, but their brunch, a vast menu of southern comforts and decadent breakfast options, is particularly popular. It’s likely the only spot in Philadelphia where you can order cheesecake French toast topped with blueberry compote, while your dining companion can enjoy crispy catfish sliders.

Dining status: Outdoor dining available.  Reservations not required but if you’d like to make one call (215) 883-0960. Takeout and delivery are also available.

Parks on Tap allows people to enjoy good beer and good food while also supporting Philadelphia’s parks. The organization has made its way to the Fairmount Horticultural Center Arboretum, setting up their first ever indoor pop-up restaurant inside the center’s greenhouse. The 30,000 square foot space gives diners lots of room to socially distance while enjoying snacks, sandwiches and barbecue platters courtesy of Craft Hall and breads and pastries provided by Lost Bead Co. Visitors can also sip on beer, wine, and cocktails (a warm apple toddy is a perfect way to stave off the winter chill) while taking in the arboretum’s lush surroundings.

Dining status: Indoor dining via reservation only.

Restaurants have come up with a lot ways to create safe dining spaces both indoor and outdoor, and Jose Garces and his team at The Olde Bar may have just come up with the most clever idea yet.  Tucked away in what used to be an event space during the pre-pandemic era are now socially distanced “study nooks.” Using walls to create 14 separate cozy corners, diners can enjoy upscale comfort foods like a lobster pot pie with a savory sherry cream and a “corn dog” made with a whole lobster tail, in their own private nook. Each space is decorated to look almost like a private dining room or a miniature library.  The space has an old school, Oxford leather lounge kind of vibe that jives well with the rest of The Olde Bar’s décor.

Dining status: Indoor dining via reservation only. Call (215)253-3777.  Takeout and delivery are also available. More info on their website.

As the name suggests, Hearthside in Collingswood celebrates the art of cooking over a fire. The open kitchen with wood fire stove is not only the center of the restaurant’s rustic elegance but also the heart of the menu. Chicken and branzino just hit differently when roasted over a flame. It’s a very romantic spot, which is why they’re offering a special menu for Valentine’s Day weekend. The four-course menu includes a succulent, braised rabbit with a hint of lavender served with tagliatelle and kale, and a strip loin seasoned with a coffee rub with a side of charred tomato’s and cauliflower.

Dining status: Indoor dining via reservation only.

Variety is the spice of life. Whether you’re getting sushi or robatayaki, Double Knot is all about variety. The underground izakaya-inspired restaurant has an array of creative dishes like Tokyo hot chicken made with spicy miso hot sauce. It’s a casual spot where you can sample a few small plates over a fresh brewed coffee for lunch, or go all out pairing the chef’s tasting menu with a couple of cocktails for dinner.

Dining status: Indoor and outdoor dining via reservation only. Takeout is also available.

There are a lot of incredibly flavorful dishes to try at DanDan, but it’s the hot bowl of spicy dan dan noodles that’s by far one of the restaurant’s most popular delights. The noodles are covered with a nutty sesame paste, sweet soy sauce, and a spicy chile oil and topped with minced pork and scallions. You may be coming to DanDan in the Rittenhouse neighborhood for their noodles, but you’ll end up staying (and returning) for their other Sichuan and Taiwanese dishes. To help balance out those spicy noodles, try the shredded duck sautéed with ginger; the garlic sauce chicken sautéed with a sweet, sour and spicy sauce; and the twice-cooked fish infused with a broad black bean sauce with a hint of umami from the fermented black beans.

Dining status: Indoor and outdoor dining via reservation only. Takeout and delivery are also available.

If you love the brisket ramen at Cheu Noodle Bar in Fishtown and the cheesesteak bao at Bing Bing Dim Sum on East Passyunk, then you’d love Nunu, Shawn Darragh’s and Ben Puchowitz’s imaginative Japanese izakaya-inspired bar. To go with their impressive selection of Japanese spirits (they’ve got everything from sake to shochu), Nunu offers a menu of sushi rolls, bar snacks, and more.  Like they do at their other restaurants, there are a few dishes on Nunu’s menu that give a subtle nod to Darragh’s and Puchowitz’s Jewish background. Their specialty rabbi roll combines brings smoked trout roe, dill, and poppy seed labne into a sushi roll with salmon, avocado, and cucumber.

Dining status: Outdoor dining via reservation only. Call (215) 278-2804. Takeout and delivery are also available.

At Modo Mio Taverna in Queen Village, chef Peter McAndrews is very generous with his applications of fresh cheeses, aged balsamic vinegar, brown butter, and Mediterranean herbs. Gnocchi lovers will love McAndrew’s take in which he crisps the potato dumplings in lemon and thyme brown butter with artichoke and mushrooms topped with a nutty fontina fonduta. If you’re a fan of ravioli, try the agnolotti, stuffed with rabbit and fig, with a rich balsamic brown butter. If you’re looking for a hearty Italian American meal, Modo Mio Taverna will satisfy your cravings.

Dining status: Indoor and outdoor dining via reservation only. Takeout is also available.