What to Eat This Weekend: Tomatoes

Ripe, red and ready to eat!

Though summer is slowly coming to a close, the season for tomatoes is still going strong. Be it cherry, plum, heirloom or Jersey, these fruits of the vine are sliced and diced into Philly menus this weekend.

Meritage
The Rittenhouse restaurant has several tomato dishes to dig your fork into this weekend. Heirloom tomatoes are used in the refreshing tomato gazpacho, as well as in their heirloom tomato salad served with pickled red onion, a Thai basil emulsion and cucumber granita. For a smaller bite of tomato flavor, try their Eberly Farms chicken liver pate with pickled plums and smoked tomato chutney served with a crostini, or their crispy chick pea fries with tomato aioli.
Meritage, 500 South 20th Street, 215-985-1922

Osteria
Marc Vetri’s Northern Italian spot, is serving up tomatoes in more places than on top of its Best of Philly award-winning pizza. Fresh tomatoes are on display in dishes like the fried sepia and heirloom tomato salad, mozzarella in carrozza with olive oil poached pear tomatoes and capers, and heirloom tomato panzanella salad.
Osteria, 640 North Broad Street, 215-763-0920

Sprig and Vine
This vegan spot in New Hope has tomatoes all over their meat-free menu: try the watermelon-tomato gazpacho with a basil-avocado sorbet; grilled peach and heirloom tomato salad served with red quinoa, arugula and balsamic; or Cajun-crusted green tomatoes served with a soft local polenta, collards with charred onions and smoked cherry tomatoes in a spicy remoulade.
Sprig and Vine, 450 Union Square Drive, New Hope, 215-693-1427

Wine Thief
Mount Airy bistro Wine Thief offers several juicy dishes starring perfectly plump tomatoes. Try the fried green tomatoes with chili vinaigrette or their heirloom tomato salad with a chive remoulade.
Wine Thief, 7152 Germantown Avenue, 215-242-6700

Xochitl
Headhouse Square’s Mexican spot serves a torta (sandwich) featuring our plump favorites on their standard menu. The “el tomate” contains large slices of heirloom tomatoes, bibb lettuce, avocado, fava bean croccante, and a basil mayonnaise.
Xochitl, 408 South 2nd Street, 215-238-7280

Zahav
For a Middle Eastern take on the deliciously ripe tomato, Zahav restaurant in Old City serves an Israeli salad made with diced cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Zahav, 237 Saint James Place, 215-625-8800