worKS
The region’s most revered makers joined forces to create this market-like mecca last year. All our favorites—leather bag gurus Arden + James, upholstery savants Chairloom, French-inspired apothecary Zoet Bathlatier—have carved out nooks in the cavernous warehouse, and it seems there’s always a deal (an upscale yard sale) or event (live folk music) gracing its grounds. 432 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348, workskennettsquare.com.
Long in the Tooth
This no-frills shop is old-school in the best sense, with tunes cranking and a music-geek staff that's cool with you giving that obscure '70s Mexican hard-rock album a spin. Even cooler: If you've got cash, you can buy tickets for concerts at Union Transfer and Boot & Saddle here with no service fees. 2027 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, .
Bundy
As an authorized Apple dealer, Bundy -- in business for nearly a century -- does vigorous in-house testing on the rehabbed iPads it gets from a reliable source, and each purchase comes with a free 90-day warranty. But the "open box" items, which have only been used for demo or floor-model purposes, are the real steal: On a recent trip, we spotted a 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2014 priced $400 below nearly identical newer models. 1809 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, bundycomputer.com.
Ting Wong
This is the restaurant that refuses to die. After closures, re-openings, remodels, and rumors that it would turn into a high-end, white-tablecloth Chinese restaurant, Ting Wong has emerged as essentially the same place it always was — a simple, unfussy spot offering ridiculously good (and cheap) roast duck, congee and Hong Kong-style noodles. It's bright, busy, sometimes sticky and always intimidating to newcomers, but it remains the single coolest restaurant in Chinatown. 138 North 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
Whipped Bakeshop
We were so busy admiring Whipped Bakeshop's pretty little cupcakes in luscious flavors like lemon curd and banana chocolate chip peanut butter that we almost didn't notice the Fishtown bakery's younger, more modern child, the cakecup. It's confectionery genius, really, and thrifty, too: Leftover cake trimmings (mmm, burnt edges) come naked or blasted with icing, ganache or whipped cream, in a grande-size plastic cup. Retail hours on Saturdays only. 636 Belgrade Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125, whippedbakeshop.com.
DiCostanzas Italian Sandwiches
It's probably not on your beaten path, this sandwich shop with a Boothwyn address (GPS tip: actually not in Boothwyn more like Upper Chichester), but you won't regret the detour. Salty prosciutto, capicola, ham and salami add up to an Italian hoagie so gratifying that the owners have made a business actually shipping them to fans around the country. 1930 Market Street, Boothwyn, PA 19061, .
The Home Hero
Pete Rose (not that Pete Rose) started his business as a second career, because he really loves the work. So you get reliability, fair prices, expert craftsmanship, and a contractor whos actually responsive, even via email. Hes built his rep on things like creative baby-proofing, home theater installation, and the prettier parts of remodeling tile, lighting, fixtures and paint. Perfect for the jobs too big for you, but too small for impossible-to-nail-down G.C.s. Call or see website for consultation, 00000, thehomehero.com.
Fête Urbane
This Drew Barrymore-approved business (the star featured the floral studio on her program thanks to its work with the Philadelphia Flower Show) run by a trio of women — sisters Angela Rayfield and Elizabeth Barrella and mom Maggie Ferrante-Barrella — has a knack for gorgeous installations. By that, we mean greenery-filled creations that seem to grow from the ceiling and bloom-clad entryways that make you feel as if you’ve stepped into a magical oasis. feteurbane.com.
Ya Fav Trashman
Electeds may talk about cleaning up the city, but Terrill “Ya Fav Trashman” Haigler is out there doing it. (See: the 325 tons of trash he’s taken off Philly streets.) In two years, he’s gone from rogue sanitation worker to full-blown activist, business owner, nonprofit founder, writer (he authored a children’s book on environmental justice) and, yes, Philly favorite. Wanna fix Filthadelphia? Put this man in charge already!
Suplex Vintage
Before there was concert merch, as the kids call it, there were just plain old concert tees. There’s nothing plain or old about the retro t-shirts here, where a random mix of sports, music and Harley-Davidson tops from across the decades lines the racks. The authenticity of the goods is in the hearty cotton fabrics, the Made in USA tags, and, most of all, the single-stitch construction that characterized clothing until the mid-’90s. 720 South 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, suplexvintage.com.
Flaunt Fitness
After 10 years in business and with a new studio space in the works, Flaunt Fitness remains the place to channel your inner vixen, whether through a pole workout, an inversion workshop, a sultry heels sesh, a twerking party, or one of the many high-energy dance fitness classes. You’ll feel so empowered, you’ll have no shame posting your progress all over IG. 1939 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145, flauntfitness.net.
Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe
Since opening in the late ’90s, Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe has been an if-you-know-you-know sort of establishment. From its busy corner on South 52nd Street, the counter-service spot offers comforting Caribbean classics like warm, flaky beef patties and smothered oxtail as well as incredible Trinidadian specialties, like weekend-only doubles, that consistently sell out. So get there early. 219 South 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139, brownsugarbakeryandcafephiladelphia.bestcafes.online.
Adam Tuttle
We've seen lots of guys turn buckets and cans into drum kits, but this Settlement Music School-trained Lower Merion grad makes the metal frames and plastic windows of newspaper honor boxes sound like a full percussion section. You can find him knocking out beats on Chestnut and Walnut streets between 10th and 20th. Tuttle, 20, says his goal is to land a job making Hollywood soundtracks -- crowdfund him the old-school way and toss him a few bills.
The Orange Loop
The locus of A.C.’s comeback can be found in the Orange Loop, a collection of restaurants and bars plus a music venue, a yoga studio, and a hip cafe along the beach blocks of Tennessee Avenue, St. James Place and New York Avenue (a.k.a. the orange properties in Monopoly). Many additional projects are in the works, including a shipping-container hotel! visitorangeloop.com.
Brewerytown Beats
Vinyl heads come here to flip through the 50,000-strong record collection (all genres, though the specialty is funk, soul and hip-hop), to listen to live midday performances, and to talk music with owner Max Ochester, who has sold LPs to everyone from Questlove to Q-Tip. Check out the shop’s Instagram feed for a first look at the latest rare finds. 2710 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, brewerytownbeats.com.