The Philly Restaurants Loved by Team Resy

Order more than you think you’ll eat …

If you happen to find yourself at Irwins. The servings are fairly sized, but the food is so good, you’ll be glad you ordered more. My best friend and I called day of, and were able to snag an 8:45 p.m. reservation, and the hosts were so accommodating — they even sat us earlier than planned because we arrived early. When you walk into the building, you’d have no idea that there’s a fabulous Italian restaurant tucked away on the top floor of the building, which happens to be a former school-turned-makerspace. The restaurant playfully brings in the design of the school while still feeling just upscale enough.

The homemade pasta was divine, and the highlights were the swordfish with fermented chile and kohlrabi, and the gnocchi Sardi with eggplant and chile.

Pro tip: The bar across the hallway, Bok Bar, has a gorgeous view of the city which makes the wait pass by quickly if you decide to walk in.

— Liora Fishman, Senior Email Marketing Manager

I was laser-focused on one thing …

On a recent trip to Philly: trying the sandwiches at Middle Child Clubhouse. They did not disappoint, and my favorite was the Shopsin Club, which comes with turkey, cranberry miso mayo (!), sweet pickles, bacon, avocado, and Bibb lettuce on ciabatta. The vibe at Middle Child Clubhouse was so warm and welcoming, and I’m already planning a return trip — this time, to try that pancake.

— Alex Johnson, Senior Manager, Marketing

I had the most amazing meal …

At Honeysuckle Provisions, so much so that I was left fully speechless leaving that evening. The Untitled tasting menu takes place inside an eight-seater grocery cafe and is full of scratch-made dishes and drinks connected to the Black American lineage, and Philadelphia’s regional bounty of products served on chef Omar Tate’s handmade ceramic plates. Omar Tate is an artist, historian, and chef who truly embodies personalized culinary storytelling — and extends this ethos to the rest of his small but mighty team. I loved that during this meal, Omar de-centered himself and instead propped up his staff to lead the experience. In the future, his wife and co-owner, Cybille St. Aude-Tate, will be incorporating her Haitian background into the meal as well.

Chelsea Martin steered the evening introducing each dish and its cultural significance in detail while instructing us on how to best enjoy the dish plated. She was effortless in memorizing the story behind each dish, presenting each course with an infectious enthusiasm.

Standout dishes included sweet-tart handmade candies as an amuse-bouche with an in-the-works fermented beverage by Jamaar Julal; soft scrambled eggs on yam bread layered with caramelized onions topped with black truffle; sliced country “jamón” with sage; a cherry water ice palate cleanser; foraged mushrooms and greens; canned sardines with Creole seasoning; and a chocolate cake dessert featuring plantain in several ways: as a foam, as a jelly, as a leaf powder, and as a dark cocoa nib square.

Pro tip: Honeysuckle is BYOB but leave the wine at home. Instead, bring your favorite spirit and let the team (our “bartender” was Hamada Edwards, Omar’s brother) create a custom cocktail pairing for the evening. We had delicious spritzers with ginger and hibiscus flavors from their in-house concoctions to accompany our meal.

— Alisha Miranda, Contributing Writer, Resy Editorial

A trip to Philly never disappoints …

And that’s especially true when you happen to be in town for The Chef Conference. I had too many incredible meals to count in just the span of a single weekend, but these four stand out most in my memory: One, my first taste of the famed roasted chicken with lemon herb jus from a Philly classic, Vernick Food & Drink. The chicken is textbook perfection — no notes. Second, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the duck fat Cubano and Olivia’s Big Pancake from Middle Child Clubhouse. Chef Edwin De La Rosa’s contributions to the city’s canon of iconic sandwiches and pancakes more than live up to the hype. Third, a lovely brunch over at a.kitchen + bar was the best way to start a Sunday morning, and I could see why so many chefs absolutely love it. And major props to chef Eli Collins, manning the stoves singlehandedly, too, for a busy Sunday brunch shift. (P.S. Do not sleep on the fried maitake mushrooms there!) And finally, an impromptu prime rib dinner at Rittenhouse Grill, complete with an ice-cold martini and shrimp cocktail, was the best way to wind down on a Sunday. The leopard-print carpet and live piano music in the background made it all the more memorable, too.

— Deanna Ting, New York & Philadelphia Editor, Resy Editorial

I was so happy that Dizengoff reopened …

And now that it’s a full-service restaurant, it’s going to become a Center City standby for me. Everything that CookNSolo serves is delicious, but I was especially wowed by the tehina date ice cream sandwich, made light and fluffy with vegan whipping cream. I love how this restaurant group is always innovating (like Goldie’s tehina shakes). My tip for dinner here is to go with a few people and share as much of the menu as you can! And don’t miss the crunchy chicken schnitzel.

— Sarah Maiellano, Contributing Writer, Resy Editorial

River Twice is so nice …

I went there twice. The first time, I gathered a group of friends who wanted to share a bite of the Mother Rucker burger — truly one of the city’s great, iconic burgers. It’s so savory, and I love how the pickled red onions lend a nice balance to the cheese and juicy meat patties. And that sesame bun is just perfect. The second time around, everything was incredible, once again, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the New Jersey sushi rice with Louisiana crawfish and white asparagus. It was so nice and bright, and had this perfect combination of butter flavors with just a hint of acid from yuzu kosho. Pro tip: While River Twice is known for its four-course tasting menus, you can always add on the burger — and you definitely should.

— Alice Tran, Trade Events and Experiences

Nothing beats a lovely sunset dinner with a group of friends …

After we celebrated one of their first half-marathon runs. We decided to head to Sally, where they had perfect outdoor patio seating and a perfect menu for doing just that. We ordered the house ricotta with pistachio pesto and lemon peel; the red pizza with added anchovies, basil, garlic, olives and side of hot honey; and a potato and leek pizza, plus the most amazing orange wine. What’s especially great is that because Sally also owns a natural wine shop attached to the restaurant, they have the most amazing selection — we actually had one of our best glasses there.

— Felicity Lin, Senior B2B Marketing Analyst

My Loup is my ideal restaurant …

With highly seasonal food that doesn’t take itself seriously, Joe Beef Montreal roots, tasty cocktails, and a killer playlist. The scallop, last summer’s tomatoes, and basil dish from the Claud x My Loup Chef Conference Collab Dinner might read as innocuous, but it was a total flavor bomb that exemplified chefs Alex Kemp and Amanda Shulman and their team’s playful spirit. A spring crudo that eats as an ode to a Philly hoagie? I mean, come on!

Pro tip: The “last summer’s tomatoes” also made it onto a dish at Amanda’s Her Place Supper Club menu back in March, in the form of a spinach and ricotta tortellini with a luxurious chicken jus — a riff on flavors of a chicken parm. So if you see it at either restaurant, don’t hesitate to order it.

— Drew Nordstrom, Senior Manager, Strategic Restaurant & Industry Partnerships

Deanna Ting is Resy’s New York & Philadelphia Editor. Some of her other favorite meals this month took place at Càphê Roasters, Friday Saturday Sunday, El Chingon, and My Loup. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.