Philadelphia’s Newest Restaurant Openings, Now on Resy

What Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby do with Vedge, they’ve recreated with an eye toward the country in West Chester. During the day, grab a sandwich (artichoke with smoked garlic aioli, anyone?) and snack on the porch, or take some cheeses, baked goods, and natural wines for a picnic. At night, the magical little dining room becomes a haven for tasting menus that flip with the seasons and feature as many local ingredients as possible. Go early for a cocktail on the porch or at the little bar.

A good gastropub never goes out of style. Case in point: The Hayes, from chef Townsend Hayes Wentz, whose tapas and sherry bar Oloroso is right next door. You’ll find classic pub fare here, like steak frites, a great burger, and gooey French onion soup. A mix of domestic and craft brews on tap, and straightforward yet elevated cocktails, bring it all together perfectly.

You won’t want to miss chef Evan Snyder’s seasonal modern American menus at this Queen Village spinoff of the wildly popular Redcrest Fried Chicken — itself temporarily without a home, but serving its signature extra-crispy chicken sandwiches out of a pop-up here.

Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon closed the original Italian Market location of her wildly popular James Beard Award-nominated Kalaya to concentrate on the expanded and ambitious Fishtown version of the place, and fans of her incredible Thai dishes, inspired by her mother’s cooking (the namesake Kalaya), couldn’t be happier.

NoChe (for “north of Chestnut”) is back after a nine-year absence, and just as inviting as it always was, with its opulent interior (framed mirrors, crystal chandeliers, hot red drapery) and its extensive repertoire of cocktails (both classic and innovative), served in glassware iced with liquid nitrogen.

Here’s a date night destination in historic Downingtown: an intimate white-tablecloth restaurant bathed in soft light with a menu of familiar French classics like escargots, onion soup, and steak frites, based on locally sourced ingredients.

This modest but enticing little Fishtown hideaway — a collaboration between chefs Jason Cichonski (of Messina Social Club and Little Noodle) and Alex Beninato (of Laurel) in partnership with Wayvine Winery & Vineyard in Nottingham — is a must for pasta-lovers, not least because the pasta’s made with stone-ground flour from Beninato’s Philly Milled, but also because Pennsylvania-grown wine and produce take center stage.

Calling all seafood-lovers … This invitingly casual oyster bar — think brick walls, café chairs, and ceiling fans — from local restaurant mogul Michael Schulson (of Via Locusta, Alpen Rose, Sampan, etc.) brings Midtown Village the freshest fish and shellfish imaginable, simply prepared to let its quality shine.

Because Samuel’s is a Samson Street stunner, with housemade bagels, challah, and deli meats cured in-house. A Jewish-inspired all-day affair built on childhood memories (the chef-owner’s grandfather owned a kosher butcher shop back in the day), Samuel’s is the sort of place a neighborhood relies on, courtesy of an all-star team (Samuel’s counts Via Locusta and Sampan as sister restaurants).

You’ll want to put this swanky modern American place — think tin ceiling with leather, marble, and wood accents — from restaurateur Loïc Barnieu (La Belle Époque, Tap 24) and chef Michael Hackett (House Restaurant) on your Hit List in Media. Do not miss the cocktails, courtesy of James Mullally of Split Rail Tavern fame.

Philadelphia restaurant maestro Stephen Starr strikes gold again with this greenery-framed seasonal outdoor café at Comcast Center, with its French-accented all-day menu of salads, charcuterie, crêpes, and other afternoon-in-Paris fare.

You may feel like one of the luckiest diners in town when you claim one of the eight seats at this kaiseki-style omakase bar, where “sushi whisperer” Kevin Yanaga creates a nightly 25-course menu, under the same roof as his popular Izakaya by Yanaga.

Bring everyone you know to this gargantuan Penn’s Landing waterfront destination abutting the Independence Seaport Museum: It’s the largest outdoor restaurant in town, with room for 1,400 people at a time, and a favorite-foods menu that will please every one of them.

Back from hiatus in full force and now ensconced at a new address, this Art Deco-inspired speakeasy is the place to go for some of the town’s most creative cocktails. Expect roomier digs, a vintage absinthe fountain, and snacks for the very first time.