The November Hit List: High Street, Banh Mi & Bottles, Eatwell, and More

During the pandemic, much changed for everyone’s favorite all-day cafe, High Street on Market. It moved from Old City to Center City, shifted to a takeout model, and dropped the second half of its name. Now, 2023 James Beard award winner Ellen Yin has brought it back as a full restaurant. That means there’s a shiny new bar with a boozy and booze-free cocktail program, sleek design by Marguerite Rodgers, and a moody private dining room. Chef Christina McKeough created a menu designed for snacking and sharing, anchored by pizza, pasta, elegant small plates like gently poached shrimp with Castelvetrano olives, and entrees like roast half chicken served over schmaltzy toast.

Just below busy South Street, Good King Tavern is a secret gem. Though it’s now been open for a decade, Chloe Grigri’s intimate French bar and restaurant somehow feels fresh and like it’s always been there, all at once. Dishes here run classic with steak frites, a duck of the day, and escargot paired with glasses of wine and proper cocktails. November 16 also happens to be when the French commemorate the release of the new Beaujolais vintage, and Good King Tavern always marks the occasion with a day of wine-soaked fun.

Sofia Deleon’s fast-casual spots bring Central American flavors to Chestnut Street and Reading Terminal Market. The stars of the show at El Merkury are pupusas, tostadas, and crunchy, tender taquitos that will put those things you microwave at home to shame. Don’t leave without getting a churro with Guatemalan dark chocolate sauce and a fresh juice or almond milk horchata. Deleon also just launched a Guatemalan rum brand that’s — incredibly — made in a distillery that her great-great-grandmother once ran.

No reservations.

Though far from her first time on this rundown, chef-owner Amanda Shulman was just named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs. That is a big deal. Shulman’s cooking is confident, balanced, and fun — just like the vibe in her restaurants. At My Loup, Shulman and husband Alex Kemp pay tribute to the modern French cuisine they enjoyed while working and dating in Montreal. The menu changes daily, but if you can get the cold roast beef au poivre with fries, don’t miss it (and don’t be afraid to eat it with your hands).

Philly’s Elijah Milligan cooked in some of Philly’s best kitchens — including Le Bec-Fin, Vernick, and Laurel — before bringing his talents to Rosemary. Located in Delaware County, this new destination brings snazzy style and a cocktail bar to humble Ridley Park. Milligan says a can’t-miss dish is his shrimp mafaldine with Calabrian chiles and yuzu, though all of his pastas knock it out of the park. And a diverse menu pleases all with a chill burger accented by truffle aioli and a New York strip for two, plus kids options.

Though right on busy South Street, Tuan Phung’s casual Vietnamese restaurant hasn’t always gotten as much attention as it should. But, this just in: The restaurant recently got a design glow up, new lounge, menu revamp, and fresh cocktail program courtesy of Ranstead Room’s Nico Diaz. As you’d expect, Bahn Mi and Bottles offers a few bahn mi varieties, from classic to vegan to a deconstructed steak and eggs version. Noodle soups (bún, phở, and mì) are also popular choices here as are bao stuffed with pork or portobello. Two seafood towers are a fun new addition. To drink, start with an ube espresso martini.

Ever since we heard that chef Ian Graye, known for his Moto Foto pop-ups, was opening a fine dining vegan restaurant, we’ve been here for it. Graye counts vegetable focused restaurants throughout New York city and state, including Blue Hill at Stone Barns, among his resume highlights. Like Philly’s other famous vegan restaurant, Vedge, vegetables star at Pietramala — which was just named to Bon Appetit’s best new restaurants list (alongside South Philly’s Heavy Metal Sausage Co.). Vegetable dishes change frequently with the seasons, but the sourdough focaccia is always a good place to start.

Call 215-970-9541 to book.

Old fashioned charm and solid execution have kept Jansen on Philly’s fine dining map since 2016. After years cooking at the venerable Fountain Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel (the old one on the Parkway, before the new sky-high version), David Jansen opened his own place in the storied Mt. Airy neighborhood in the city’s Northwest. In a restored 1700s building, he serves refined entrees like beef Wellington for two, accompanied by wines from Napa to Bordeaux and beyond. The covered outdoor patio is an especially charming all-season place to dine.

The most luxe Sunday brunch in Philly happens in the Rittenhouse Hotel’s restaurant. Lacroix played around with the format of its food stations over the last couple of years, but recently got back to basics when it reopened its active kitchen to guests. To get the full experience, plan for a few hours in this fancy space. You’ll start out with bubbly or coffee at your table before exploring the caviar-studded raw bar and a lineup of a dozen or more salads and cheffy bite size dishes. After that, head into the kitchen for hot entrees and the dessert room. The menu changes often, but rest assured that it’s always special.

Call 215-790-2533 to book.

Lately, Philly’s historic district, Old City, has been shedding its tourists-only rep and seeing some fresh, exciting dining options hang out a shingle. Eatwell Philly is one newer option that locals and visitors are loving. Aisha Wahab and Stephen Oyelakin’s bi-level BYOB serves Nigerian cuisine, including fried snapper, jollof rice, and stews, in a casual setting.

More info here.