Basque-born chef-owner James Howard French-influenced New American plates can be highly photogenic: A perfect round of chopped salad—endive, parsley and walnuts—is bound with buttermilk-Roquefort dressing and presented with a fan of Granny Smith apples; lobster paella is as busy and vividly colored as a Picasso painting, though the lobster and shellfish were overcooked. There’s inner beauty in the ravioli filled with wild mushrooms and foie gras. The Orchard is the first ownership venture for Howard, who has kitchen-side experience at Le Bec-Fin and worked a front-of-house turn at Buddakan. The pampering service has a finesse that few restaurants can match. References to the mushroom-country location include a bounty of mushrooms on the menu, and portabella-colored carpeting and upholstery.
Featured In
Best of Philly 2005 Service
At a time when graciousness is in short supply, this very proper BYOB hideaway will remind you how much you miss it. The detail-orien...
Join Philadelphia magazine for a unique tasting experience as the city’s top chefs and restaurants compete for Dish of the Year, Best Appetizer, Best Entrée, and Best Dessert.
Join Philadelphia magazine and PA Wine & Spirits Stores at the Lincoln Financial Field and sample hundreds of wines at the most anticipated tasting event of the year.
For your iPhone: Keep the city's best restaurants, shops and services at your fingertips! Browse five years of winners including our brand-new 2011 list. Click to download now!
This text is replaced by the Flash movie.
To view this page, you must be using Internet Explorer 7 or higher. Please visit microsoft.com for more information.