The February Hit List: Spice Finch, Walnut Street Cafe, Vedge, and More

If you’ve ever wanted to experience food prepared by a contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef” without going further than Rittenhouse Square, head directly to Spice Finch. Executive chef Jennifer Carroll, one of the series’ All-Stars, brings her wealth of expertise here. Along with co-executive chef Billy Riddle, the two have developed a menu that blends the flavors and influences of the Mediterranean and Middle East. If you’ve stuck to your goal of eating more vegetables in the New Year, the roasted cauliflower is a delicious meal that will keep your veggie streak going. It’s a perfectly-roasted whole head of cauliflower with a nutty and spicy coriander cashew butter, pickled red onions, and a zesty, herbaceous chermoula sauce. It pairs perfectly with the signature cocktail, Rest in Pete’s, a vodka and prosecco drink flavored with lemon, turmeric, saffron, and sumac.

Walnut Street Cafe is delightful any day of the week, but the place comes alive during Sunday brunch. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays, brunch comes with a side of live jazz. Now you can have buttermilk biscuits topped with two sunny-side up eggs and drenched in a peppery turkey gravy while enjoying music by local jazz musicians like the West Philly Foot Tappers. If you’re staying for a while, definitely get the mimosa kit, which comes with a bottle of bubbly and two different kinds of juices.

Dim Sum Garden has everything from Shanghai-style dim sum to hot and savory bowls of handmade noodles. But the most beloved dish on the menu, the one that Dim Sum Garden is known for in Philadelphia, is the xiao long bao — steamed soup dumplings, from the classics to one filled with crabmeat and pork soup. These are the real deal. Head chef Shizhou Da claims a lineage to the chef who first created the xiao long bao, and she has over 30 years of experience making this Shanghai culinary tradition.

Call 215-873-0258 for reservations.

Dining in Elwood feels like dining in a forest homestead turned into a white-linen restaurant. Focusing on the idea that food is a living history, the menu takes local ingredients to create modern representations of heritage dishes from throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Rustic dishes like the whole striped bass, the half goose, and the kitchen ham celebrate hunting and fishing culture. You’ll walk away from the table having learned something new about the bountiful foods of our region.

Brunch is back at Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, the place that proves that anything can be brunch if it comes with an egg. At brunch you can get a succulent steak with two perfectly cooked over-easy eggs and a side of crispy potatoes. The Mafaldine carbonara brings together roasted pork belly and a sunny-side up egg. There’s even a brunch stromboli filled with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and a subtly spicy salsa verde.

With every season comes a new menu at Vedge that explores just how multifaceted plant-based eating can be. Though every dish is special and delightful in its own way, there’s something especially unique about Vedge’s winter menus. Winter vegetables like the red kuri squash take center stage in an aromatic dish of whipped squash tahini, pickled chickpeas, and sunflower dukkah, and brussels sprouts mingle with fregola in a rich truffle butter. It’s hearty vegan eating at its coziest.

Ever since Kensington Quarters shifted their focus to seafood, the restaurant has really hit its stride. Shrimp cocktails may seem basic, but with a citrusy spiced chojang cocktail sauce, their take on the classic appetizer is like no other. Cozy up with a hot bowl of seafood chowder brimming with slow-poached salmon and braised leeks swimming in a creamy mussels chowder. Mac ‘n’ cheese fans will get a kick out of the cacio e pepe, a cheesy, peppery pasta topped with trout roe and chives.

IndeBlue is the kind of spot where you can go for any occasion. It’s upscale enough for a special date-night dinner, but also casual and approachable enough for happy hour. They even serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regardless of when you arrive, the vegetable samosas chaat is a must-try dish, filled with spiced potatoes and served with chickpeas, a yogurt tamarind chutney, and a mint chutney.

Chef Yehuda Sichel, previously of Abe Fischer, concocts some of the most decadent sandwiches you’ll find in Philadelphia. Sink your teeth into a grilled swordfish sandwich with a kimchi tartar sauce or indulge in a braised short rib grilled cheese with a fruity, tangy peach mustard. Every one is stacked with thoughtful ingredients, with flavors that play off one another. Plus, they use fresh, billowy, housemade milk buns.

No reservations.

Thirsty Thursdays just got a little more interesting. Bloomsday, the natural wine bar at Headhouse, offers fresh oysters from the Brigantine Oyster Company every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Best of all, it’s $1 per shuck! Now you can pair natural wines with the briny flavors of local oysters.