Dubai can claim a seven-star hotel, but Philadelphia has “12 Starr” restaurants, as in the dozen concept eateries from restaurant magnate Stephen Starr. His arrival in 1995 accelerated a dining renaissance already under way, and today, from cheesesteak legends Pat’s and Geno’s to the legendary Le Bec-Fin, Center City and its environs are an acclaimed culinary destination.
Starr highlights include the open-hearth Striped Bass (215.732.4444; www.stripedbassrestaurant.com), the “luxury boutique” steakhouse Barclay Prime (215.732.7560; www.barclayprime.com) and the happening Continental Mid-Town (215.567.1800; www.continentalmidtown.com).
Other early pioneers that became local institutions include The White Dog Cafe (215.386.9224; www.whitedog.com), a contemporary American favorite using farm-fresh ingredients from local sustainable farms, and Le Bec Fin (215.567.1000; www.lebecfin.com), Philly’s five-star bistro king for four decades.
Philadelphia’s “Restaurant Row” is on Walnut Street, where standouts include the upscale Lacroix (215.790.2533; www.lacroixrestaurant.com), located inside the famed Rittenhouse Hotel, and Susanna Foo (215.545.2666; www.susanafoo.com), an Asian fantasy of long banquettes decorated with orchids and silk lanterns.
A trendy nightlife hotbed, historic Old City is home to Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar (215.627.0666; www.cubalibrerestaurant.com), evocative of old Havana; Amada (215.625.7450; www.amadarestaurant.com), featuring tapas, sangria and flamenco dancers; and DiNardo’s Famous Seafood (215.925.5115; www.dinardos.com), a landmark favorite for crab. Pan-Asian cuisine and nightlife mix at the glam Red Sky (215.925.8080; www.redskylounge.com).
The South Street neighborhood feels plugged into its own electric source, sizzling with hip joints like Ms. Tootsie’s (215.731.9045), home to the signature Tootsie Roll chocolate martini. And for city views along the waterfront, romantics have La Veranda (215.351.4163; www.laverandapier3.com) and AAA Four Diamond fare at Moshulu (215.923.2500; www.moshulu.com), housed in a majestic tall ship.
In the Valley Forge area, Creed’s Seafood & Steaks (610.265.2550; www.creedskop.com) welcomes private parties in a friendly business casual atmosphere, while the Guard House Inn (610.649.9708; www.guardhouseinn.com) in Gladwyne is a vintage favorite, serving German-Continental cuisine in an original 1790 tavern.
New Hope’s hopping restaurant scene includes Marsha Brown (215.862.7044; www.marshabrownrestaurant.com), a Creole kitchen and lounge housed in a 125-year-old stone church with 40-foot ceilings, a premier raw bar and a cigar-friendly bar. Located in a historic country home, Summer Kitchen (215.598.9210; www.thesummerkitchen.net) serves up country fare with a Cuban twist. Across from the historic New Hope train station, the event-friendly Triumph Brewing Company (215.862.8300; www.triumphbrewing.com) is a fine casual choice, while the Golden Pheasant Inn on the Delaware (610.295.9595; www.goldenpheasant.com) in Erwinna serves French cuisine in a fieldstone inn built in 1857.
