New on Resy: KPod, Townsend EPX, Spice Finch, and More

The former Pod has been transformed, and now it’s become a showcase for chef Peter Serpico’s thrilling Korean American cooking. That means crisp honey butter fries, kimchi pancakes, hand rolls, budae jjigae, and a whole fried chicken served with instant ramyun seasoning.

There’s nothing like a triumphant comeback. Chef Tod Wentz’s blue-chip French restaurant Townsend transitioned into a more casual wine bar in 2020, then closed. Now it’s reopened in full Gallic glory with a nightly six-course tasting menu that figures to remind diners why Wentz has long been considered one of the city’s best.

This 14,000-square-foot Central City extravaganza resembles an elegant ristorante in Milan, with its vintage photo-lined hallway, its Carrara marble bar, and its high-style pastry and Italian sandwich counter, but the fare is elevated South Philly Italian-American, from meatballs and gravy to chicken Parm.

With its sunny, vegetable-forward Mediterranean menu (plus kebabs, whole fish, and not-to-be-missed lamb ribs) and its quietly elegant decor (seafoam-green leather chairs, mosaic tabletops, custom French wallpaper), this Rittenhouse essential stands out brightly on the Philadelphia restaurant scene.

Marina de Oliveira and Chris D’Ambro (Southwark) offer their deeply personal take on Italian food at this intimate 16-seat jewel of a place, offering a single multi-course feast nightly. Offerings have included such original creations as smoked trout cannoli and Sicilian-style lamb breast.

A laid-back neighborhood bar and grill with a deliciously accessible menu and a legendary local publican — Fergie Carey of the venerable Fergie’s — as ebullient co-owner might be just what Rittenhouse needs. Pro tip: The BLT virtually defines this classic sandwich.

The whimsical murals by local artists, the hand-blown cartoon-themed glass bar lamps, and the Chinese emperor beds converted into booths tell you right away that this isn’t just another dim sum parlor — and dishes like Jewish chicken wonton noodle soup and cheesesteak bao confirm your suspicions deliciously.

You’ll want to become a regular at this classic all-American bar and restaurant in Old City’s historic National Mechanics Bank building (vintage 1837). Order a burger, some wings, or a fried shrimp basket and one of 30 or 35 featured beers or a cocktail on tap and settle back knowing that you’re in the right place.