I am going to be in Philly later on this month and am looking for a restaurant recommendation for dinner. There is a GLBT event there and it looks like the restaurant of choice is Bistro St Tropez, so that will be one evening...the menu looks fabulous. I was hoping for some carpaccio...so an Italian restaurant would be wonderful. Anybody able to assist?

Flygirl: Welcome in advance to Philadelphia.
We basically have two styles of italian in the city (this is an oversimplificaction). There is the "South Philly" italian which has the traditional veal parm, pasta and "gravy," baked manicotti, etc. Some very good places for that include Villa di Roma and Dante & Luigi's. These would be about 10 minutes max by taxi from the main center city hotels.

There is also the more mediterranean style. We have an excellent array of BYO restaurants, where you can bring wine and get a very nice meal. Some of my favorites in Center City include Melograno and La Viola. Melograno does take credit cards but La Viola does not. Places like Pompeii, La Buca, Tutto, and Monte Carlo living room have reputations, but I think they have more style than substance. Saloon is a hybrid high end place but in South Philadelphia and a Philly power scene - good if you are on expense account.

Feel free to send me a note if you need more info.

Fabulous!! Thank you for the suggestions...I'm looking forward to trying one of them out!

I would have to agree with PHLbuddy's recommendations (at least the ones that I have been to recently).

For the 'down home' South-Philly Italian, Dante and Luigi is as much as state of mind as a restaurant.

And, if you like opera, or at least are intrigued by it, I highly recommend Victor Cafe on Dickinson Street. It is the original 'singing waiter' restaurant, since they have had vocal studeny from the Curtis Institute as waiters for over 50 years (Mario Lanza was discovered there). The food used to be pretty dreadful, overcome only by the ambience. But over the past few years, the food has improved to where it is decent and sometime very good.

As for the upscale, in-town restaurants, I echo the choice of La Buca. I was also a fan of La Famiglia on Front Street, but rumor is that it has closed. I also enjoyed Adriatica, which is more pan-Mediterranean, but with lots of Italian dishes.

Then there are cheeseteaks -- Pat's, Geno's, or Jim's. But I won't set off WW3 by making a recommendation

Yo -- there is no shortage of places to eat in Philly!!

did you end up trying any or have your own suggestions?

Gourmet Mag�s (Oct 04) �Big Deal / Good Deal� restaurants in Philadelphia

Big Deal = Gourmet, Elegant food
Good Deal = �cheap� local�s spots

Big Deal Restaurants:

Striped Bass
1500 Walnut Street
215.732.4444

Matyson
37 South 19th Street
215.564.2925

Good Deal Restaurants:

John's Roast Pork
14 East Snyder Ave
215.463.1951

Shiao Lan Kung
930 Race Street
215.928.0282

I can recommend Cucina Forte for the Italian choice. Stupendous gnocchi. The dining room can be pretty loud, but not in a "scene" way--it's just loud.

Flygirl - On the high end - I agree about the Striped Bass and I would add the following.

I would also recommend the Saloon in South Philadelpia
750 S 7TH St
Philadelphia, PA 19147-2944
Phone: (215) 627-1811

and of course (very high end)

Le Bec-Fin (Center City)
1523 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 567-1000


Just hanging out during the day

Reading Terminal Market - Various choices and all are good.
11 and Arch streets
Center City Philadelphia - next to the convention center.

Is Le Bar Lyonnais still open on the lower level of Le Bec-Fin? Used to be that Le Bar Lyonnais served some of the exact same Georges Perrier creations served upstairs at Le Bec-Fin but at a somewhat lower price (and less formal atmosphere).


Reading Terminal Market is definitely not to be missed!


Also to second a recommendation further up in this thread. Victor Cafe, 13th & Dickinson Sts. in South Phila. is a must for any opera fan. The Italian food there is decent. The experience is incredible however - amazingly talented singing waitstaff with an excellent command of the standard operatic repertoire.

Le Bar Lyonnais is indeed still open. I was served there recently by none other than Georges Perrier! The only issue is it's fairly small, and cigar friendly. So if this is a problem for you, you may be in trouble.

Cheap Good Eats according to City Search
http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/b...005/cheap_eats

1. Georgine's
3915 New Rodgers Rd, Levittown, PA

2. Tony Luke's
39 E Oregon Ave, Philadelphia, PA
Big sandwiches for small prices are the lure at this little family-run shop.

3. Nifty Fifty's
2491 Grant Ave, Philadelphia, PA

4. Lorenzo & Son Pizza
305 South St, Philadelphia, PA
The city's favorite late-night slice.

5. Vietnam Restaurant
221 N 11TH St, Philadelphia, PA
Classic Vietnamese food shines in this renovated Chinatown favorite.

6. Little Pete's
219 S 17th St, Philadelphia, PA
Neighborhood greasy spoon allows complete indulgence in the 24-hour diner lifestyle.

7. Taco House
1218 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA

8. L2
2201 South St., Philadelphia, PA
A charming corner restaurant right outside the Center City hubbub.

9. Pat's King of Steaks
1237 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA
The birthplace of the cheese steak.

10. Picnic
3131 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA
For a quick fix of gourmet goodies, this quaint cafe will even pack a to-go basket.

A current favorite of mine is just across the street from number 5 on sweetwillie's list.

Vietnam Palace