The June Hit List: Charley Dove, Leaf, Lucha Cartel, Café La Maude, and More

Ortlieb’s has a long history in Northern Liberties as being a hole-in-the-wall spot that offers up exceptional bar food and great local beer, but it’s also a music venue that welcomes small local acts as well as larger bands rolling through town. Even when bands aren’t hitting the stage, Ortlieb’s is a very cool, low-key hang.

Taco Tuesdays are the highlight of the week with a rotating roster of heavenly specimens. Same goes for Handmade Pasta Wednesday. But with items like the juicy Double “O” Burger and the vegan meatball Parm (tasty for herbivores and carnivores alike) every other day of the week is just as great.

Nothing beats dining by the riverside, especially in the summer when you’ve got a fresh cold drink and are sharing bites with friends. The views of Philadelphia by the Delaware River are spectacular here, and the menu makes you feel like you’re hanging out on the beach along the Gulf Coast. Try the poached crawfish tails and gulf shrimp along with pickled okra in the Louisiana Roll, or take a bite of the flatbread topped with spicy pork belly and queso Oaxaca.

Audrey Claire, the longtime upscale-yet-chill spot on 20^th and Spruce, has reopened with a new name: Charley Dove. Though they’ve got a new chef and new director of operations, the reimagined menu will still feature the kind of Mediterranean fare the original restaurant served up since opening in 1996.

The roasted cauliflower served with a spicy herb labneh has a sweet and nutty crunch thanks to the pomegranate and walnut. And the harissa brings a flavorful heat to the whole roasted black bass that’s balanced with cool cucumber and creamy yogurt. They’re the kind of dishes you’ll want to pair with a nice wine, so be sure to pick up a bottle on your way to your (BYOB) reservation.

Extraordinary whiskeys and spirits collide with innovative pub fare at the Goats Beard. Their whiskey bible has an incredibly thorough list of small batch bourbon and rye from across the country, including a selection of whiskies from Pennsylvania distillers.

But you don’t have to be a whiskey lover to enjoy your visit. Their menu features outstanding dishes that spotlight local and responsibly-sourced ingredients. Cheesesteak egg rolls are a play on the local classic made with seasoned shaved sirloin served with caramelized onions, American cheese and garlic aioli with a bit of spicy ketchup on the side. There’s also pulled-pork tacos with a smoky flavor, enhanced by the acidity of pickled red onions and the earthy pungency of chimichurri.

Old City is the happy hour capital of Center City Philadelphia, and in the middle of the action is the ever-spunky  Lucha Cartel. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday there’s a continuous flow of $5 classic margaritas, along with a steady stream of tacos, empanadas and quesadillas. But even when it’s not happy hour, the spirit of “after-work hustle dining” is still alive.

To wit: Try to summit the mountain of Nachos Carne, tortilla chips layered with short ribs, cheese sauce, black beans, radish, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño topped with cotija cheese and crema. Or dive into a burrito made with a 12-inch flour tortilla, stuffed your choice of meat (the pork carnitas are exceptionally delicious) or wild mushroom for our vegetarian friends.

A short ride on the PATCO line from Center City Philadelphia and you’re right on Kings Highway, where the small boutique shops and local restaurants are hopping. There’s a lot to choose from when it comes to dining in Haddonfield, but for vegan dining we’re going with Leaf. Their all-vegan menu includes almond ricotta filled ravioli made from scratch and a bowl of spicy tahini dan dan noodles. To go along with your meal, they also offer  wines from New Jersey’s own Cedar Rose Vineyards.

Brunch is the name of the game here: The French-Lebanese restaurant is known as one of Northern Liberties’ best spots for sweet pancakes and waffles, savory egg dishes, and Parisian and Lebanese-inspired meals. Satiate your sweet tooth with the red velvet tiramisu pancakes, topped with huge mound of mascarpone whipped cream. If shakshuka is your go-to brunch, you’ll have two to choose from. The red shakshuka comes with the more familiar onions and peppers in a spiced tomato sauce,  and is also served with Lebanese sausage, while the green shakshuka incorporates green tomatoes, spinach, kale, green fava beans and toasted almonds for a more herbaceous, nutty take.

Tables are first come, first served. More info here.

The suburban dining scene has been gaining a lot of attention lately, and though there are new restaurants popping up, many of these spots are institutions that have lined main streets for years. Sapori Trattoria is one of them. Chef Franco Lombardo came from Palermo to the United States in 1995, and in 2003 opened up Sapori on Haddon Avenue in Collingswood, N.J. His menu remains a sampling of the best that northern and southern Italy have to offer. Meaty veal-pork-beef ragu sauce clings to hearty homemade gnocchi, and you can get a sense of the fruity notes of white wine in the risotto allo scoglio. But don’t fill up on starters! You’ll need room for the pan-seared pork, topped with a tangy demiglaze, and served with mascarpone-flavored mashed potatoes.

Whether you want to dine indoors or outdoors, are in the mood for comfort foods or plant-based meals, Front Street Cafe is your go-to in Fishtown. The Buffalo cauliflower bites are a must try; get them with a classic Buffalo sauce, or with garlic sriracha sauce, tangy whisky barbecue, or a take on General Tso’s. Main course? The carefully constructed sandwiches include a Waldorf-esque smoked chicken salad sandwich, made with grapes, celery, onion, tarragon, and whole grain mustard; or for dinner, there’s a special soft-shell crab sandwich served with mustard remoulade and pickled radish. And vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diners, fear not: Front Street has you covered.

Call 215-515-3073 to make reservations.

Escape the city for a bit, and enjoy colonial-era Pennsylvania cuisine with a modern touch. The inn may be over 300 years old, but the food and décor have kept up with the times. Start off with a taste of local tradition with William Penn’s snapper soup: turtle meat served in a thick, sweet broth that only gets richer when you add a bit of dry sherry. If you’ve been craving a steak dinner, here’s is the place to get a juicy filet mignon prepared with a Cognac pepper sauce, or the surf and turf, which adds in a Maine lobster tail.