I should start this inquiry with some kind of "Nostalgia Alert". Have not been in PHL in a very long time -- many FT'ers were not born yet, which gives you some idea -- but may be going thru again. Did a little search, and to my shock found all the classic eateries I can recall are now closed. In a place so wed to the past, I somehow thought they would all survive forever while the rest of the world went its own way.

From the famous -- both Bookbinders locations apparently, altho I think they were actually not related -- to the "neighborhood" places like Three Threes, where I think I first tasted the exalted delights of pan-sauteed shad roe. Heck, I even happened to be walking past Old Original B's one day, where my dad had taken me for a first lobster newburg, and they were filming a TV ad with a dressed-to-kill, glamorous and still beautiful and elegant, late lamented Joan Fontaine; talk about nostalgia. Not sure what they paid her or how many tables she booked for them -- probably not enough. In the environs, there was also the Black Bass Inn in Bucks, surely gone too by now. High end spots like Le Bec Fin had a well-publicisized swan song recently, and others like Le Panettiere were gone before I ever could scrape up the cash to try them.

So anyhow, my question is simple: are there ANY of those old places left? If so what are they like today? All replies deeply appreciated, even if the answer is no and only memories still remain, thanks.

Ralph's Italian is still around.

I think I heard something like it was either the oldest Italian restaurant in Philly or possibly even America.

Oh right, that place in South Philly -- has an active web page, it's still there! Thank you for a great find. Can't recall if I ever went there, but as Teddy Roosevelt was the first President to do so it definitely has the heritage going for it; food looks mighty good too.

Your post got me thinking and I will be trying this restaurant when I am there next week: http://citytavern.com/

Can't get much more historic than this: http://citytavern.com/history1.html

Solid reviews online as well. Not sure when your trip is but I can let you know how the place is if you would like.

Thank you so much for that one also -- really does qualify as "old-time" too, in spades! Ironic, the reconstructed Tavern opened in 1976, which was the last year I lived there, and left before I could try it out. I seem to recall it had some rocky going in the beginning, but has certainly proved resilience in the meantime, quite a feat in this day and age; I expect the food is quite good now, and it also has the advantage of being right in the historic area for plenty of foot traffic and visitor patronage. Please do let us know how you like it, if you do go.

Now here's one I found with a little research: Black Bass Hotel in Lumberville is still there. It WAS closed, but then bought and deeply restored and opened again a few years ago. Great looking menu (upscale but more up-to-date than in earlier years I'm sure), and with dining and several lovely brand-new suites for overnight, right on the Delaware. History lives on there as well -- that place traces back to 1740 if I recall right; glad they did update the menu a bit since that time and I would really appreciate the modern beds and plumbing if I decided to sleep there!

Friday Saturday Sunday is still around after 40 years and still gets great reviews.

You might try scrolling through the list on OpenTable.com and see if there's anything you remember.

I noticed that Ristorante La Buca is still open. Can't imagine that anybody I knew from the early '80s is still working there. My friend Jerry was the ma�tre d' back then.

Cheers!

That's a good one.

Have you checked Astral Plane? Sansom Street Oyster House? The one slightly north of Center City with Firehouse in its name? Or the elegant and somewhat expensive one with a courtyard in an old house, IIRC around 17th and Spruce? (Another name I can't remember at the moment.)

Striped Bass at 15th and Wlanut has been in existence since the mid 1990s.

City Tavern is very nice and quite popular. Lots of new Philly-brewed beers also!

If you want to go to Chinatown, you can still go to Lee How Fook and get a dish of beef chow mein. Ahooooooo!

I was just going to post that. My mom & dad had a date there when Nixon was president.

Well thank you all for all of those leads. Don't normally consult Opentable but did now, and found virtually NOTHING I remember, certainly nothing really worth remembering. OTOH, the range of selection is now amazing with more upscale and int'l. selections -- including Asian ones -- than could be imagined in years past. Times have changed, and the City's food offerings have changed with them, that's pretty clear -- probably for the better, nostalgia aside.

Friday Saturday Sunday YES -- lived a couple of blocks away and did like it very much, I do recall it now. It was not a classic then, it was new; but it's become a kind of classic today. Very interesting link on its page to a recent Inquirer story about it: from the vaunted restaurant renaissance of the '70's, it is the ONLY one still around. Amazing!

Oyster House, I think was also quite new in the '70's, I think I do recall it vaguely, but does still seem to be going very strong, TA reports very positive. Astral Plane is another sort of "classic" of that era -- but alas, seems to have closed a few years ago.

Now if someone will just tell me where to get my classic pan-fried shad roe in Center City... Meanwhile thanks again for these leads!

Almost all the places you mentioned have long closed. Sansom Street Oyster House was taken over by new owners who extensively renovated and changed its name to simply "Oyster House."

To the OP: if you have a large budget, you might want to go to The Fountain at the Four Seasons Hotel. It was recently revealed that the Four Seasons hotel will be moving in a few years to a new location at the top of the just announced new Comcast Tower, so the fate of this excellent restaurant is in question.

Thanks for that rittenhouseq. The Fountain I think was already going on when I was there last, but never ate there; my recollection of the property is sharing an elevator with John DeLorean, now keep in mind that was LONG ago, the 80's. The resto, however excellent, is not what I had in mind or in my budget, altho will suggest it if any moneybags friends offer to take me to the place of my choice, I could very well pick that -- looks great, likely one of the very top offerings there now. Could shoot myself that I did not get back there in time to invite THEM to Le Bec Fin before it closed.

Rather, I'm trying a little "nostalgic" game to connect with the PHL I knew back in the 70's-80's -- when I took my first job there just out of school. Clearly, it is all mostly gone now, time does march on as we all should know. Mostly lived near Rittenhouse Sq., but probably would scarcely recognize the area today; most luxurious dining around there was the Barclay dining room with heavenly creamed potatoes au gratin served in a separate little chafing dish. Talk about nostalgia, amazing I could still recall that today after so many years -- and just try to find that anyplace now, good luck.

My best bet might be a meal at Reading Terminal Market, presumably one can still find fried scrapple and pepper pot soup -- not my favorite I confess, but still, nice to know it could still be found -- and Bassett's French Vanilla, Rum Raisin, and Banana ice cream there, if Bassett's is still in business; their claim to fame then was the highest butterfat content of any ice cream, hardly a selling point nowadays. Afterwards, a long stroll to see if my very first apartment at 741 Spruce Street is still there in a very old townhouse at the corner of 8th -- I fear maybe not. The big name eating places meant little to me back then; best memories are of Three Threes, today a restored private home; now that was graciousness defined. I'd go there solo on a paycheck weekend with a little extra cash and they were so nice to me; have to wonder if ANYONE remembers that place today, it has been gone for quite awhile already.

Anyhow thanks for your attention and any other thoughts from anyone else out there.

Rittenhouse Square (my neighborhood obviously) remains a fashionable area, and the dining and bar scene here has really exploded in the last 5-10 years. So many options now and the streets are crowded almost every night of the week.

Bassetts is indeed still very much in business. In fact they have developed a huge business selling ice cream in China, where they have a very high end reputation. While other ice cream companies, such as Haagen Daaz may sell more ice cream in China, what makes Bassetts unique is that they still make all their ice cream in Philly and import it to China (rather than relying on a local vendor).

Well that is one great piece of news -- the legendary Bassett's survives. Made my day to know that. I do seem to recall that, way back in the day, the old as in non-refurbished Reading Terminal Market was one of only a very, very few locales to buy it, there was counter service with single servings and also quarts and gallons etc. It was such a rarity I once had them pack a couple of flavors in dry ice and flew it back to Illinois with me, where it made a huge impact on family. Don't think they had really even penetrated retail in Philly, probably didn't want to and weren't equipped to handle any real volume. And today, a big hit in China -- amazing. Now if only I could find availability here in SoCal...

Anyhow thanks for that news Rittenhouse, it does prove that not all nostalgia searches come up empty-handed. Do you happen to know if they still maintain the Reading Terminal slot, that would truly be worth a trip to some of us I think.