31. Sang Kee
Chinatown’s Sang Kee has buffed up since its modest beginnings more than 25 years ago, even spinning off a sleek suburban successor in Wynnewood. The menu at the original, though, has barely changed, and that’s okay. Classics like the namesake Peking duck don’t need updating. Neighboring restaurants may have larger menus or more elaborate preparations, but Sang Kee’s roasted meats and noodle dishes can’t be beat.
For more information32. Snackbar
The experimental cuisine that is Snackbar’s calling card proved to be too edgy for its loungey Rittenhouse Square space. Tweaks to the menu have made it more accessible — there’s now chicken with mashed potatoes, and a cheeseburger — but left it less interesting. Still, chef Jonathan McDonald can deliver surprising and satisfying flavors, whether via basil foam, syrah fluid gel and coffee soil, or unexpected juxtapositions of ingredients. The experiments don’t always work, but we’re thrilled when they do.
For more information33. N. 3rd
With a menu so all over the place — pierogies, hummus, soba noodles, pulled pork — it’s hard to pinpoint N. 3rd’s cuisine as other than generic “gastropub.” But don’t let that anything-goes attitude fool you. Someone back in the kitchen is working hard, adding fresh garlic and tomatoes to the heaping mussels order and making sure baby-backs are meltingly tender. This may not have been first in the gastro-revolution, but it sure is a stellar example.
For more information34. The Inn at Saint Peter’s Village
St. Peter’s Village in remote Chester County is a haul from anywhere, but Inn at Saint Peter’s Village chef Martin Gagné is no less ambitious for his far-flung location. In a tiny dining room exuding casual elegance, Gagné executes a polished menu of classic French and modern American dishes, juxtaposed against Peter Scarola’s cutting-edge desserts.
Make a reservation now35. El Vez
This 13th Street Corridor restaurant is sorta like a funhouse: the retro photo booth, the spinning-motorcycle-as-art, the guacamole delivered by bicycle. The crazy concept is carried over to El Vez’s Mexican food, where tiny touches — sweet pineapple in the spicy tuna salsa, pickled onion on the pork confit taco — add intrigue. The über-crowdedness can sometimes make it feel factory-like, but we’d never turn down an invite to dine here.
Make a reservation now
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