Stephen Simons and David Frank
When this duo (Cantina Los Caballitos, Dos Segundos, Royal Tavern, Royal Sushi Izakaya, etc.) isn't running pop-up beer gardens, they're resurrecting spots like Khyber Pass Pub and Triangle Tavern and remaking them into modern hot spots with local booze and interesting bar food — and managing to do so without turning entire neighborhoods into identical seas of bearded hipsters.
L'Etage
We're over the neon dance clubs of yesteryear, where you can't find your friends if you get separated, you can't hear yourself think, and the drinks have stupid names. We prefer this French-inspired club, where DJs spin hip-hop, R&B and club classics (best is DJ Muhammad on most Friday nights) but you don't have to drink Buttery Nipples to fit in. 624 South 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, creperie-beaumonde.com.
Osayi Osunde, Fit Academy
It takes nothing short of superpowers for a fitness trainer to make flutter kicks fun. So fun, in fact, that you leave the workout looking forward to doing more of them the next day, like some sort of masochist. Meaning: Osayi Osunde, who leads muscle-burning, laughter-filled boot camps at the Art Museum steps, might just be ... a superhero? Fitphl.com.
Greensgrow
The nursery at the Kensington outpost of this urban-gardening nonprofit has the easiest-ever way to add some life to your window box or curb: Just drop off your containers in late winter, and Greensgrow experts do all the planting, watering, pruning, babying and coddling until Mother's Day, when you pick them up and put them out for your neighbors to envy. 2501 East Cumberland Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125, greensgrow.org.
Daly Termite and Pest Management
When your backyard starts to feel like a life-size game of Whac-A-Mole or the scurrying noises in the attic seem to be multiplying, your fix is Jim Daly. He's not only one of the few local exterminators licensed to deal with larger, four-legged nuisances (which he does humanely) -- he also makes appointments for specific times and gives you his cell number, so you can reach him anytime. 19003, dalypest.com.
FringeArts
With the big move to its beautiful Old City venue, Fringe has, after 18 years, officially been cemented as a Philly arts institution. But that doesn't mean head honcho Nick Stuccio and crew have strayed from their original mission of bringing cutting-edge artists from around the world to Philly. In fact, they're doing it better than ever. 140 North Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106, fringearts.com/_.
Nine Ting
You know what's good? Korean barbecue. Also good? Shabu shabu. But what's awesome is having them both in one place -- and getting them for an all-you-can-eat price of $32. It sounds a little expensive on the surface, but if you wanted, you could literally just sit there all day and make the servers bring you one of everything off both menus. And who wouldn't want to do that? 926 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, .
Il Pittore
Screw you and your vegan, fair-trade, farm-to-table almond milk. There are some things we'll always do better on the East Coast, and Italian food is one of them. The ironic thing? Il Pittore looks like every taste-of-Tuscany dining room scattered across the Left Coast, but the food is so much richer, smarter and more soulful than virtually anything you'd find at any of those "lighter is better" places. 2025 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, ilpittore.com.
Monarch Yoga
This energetic, community-minded space has it all: a range of all-levels practices, from heated power flow to yin yoga and slow flow; roof-deck, garden and pop-up classes across the city; and regular $5 classes. Plus, the dynamic, rotating event roster includes live DJ sets, journaling, meditation and sound baths. 171 West Berks Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, monarch-yoga.com.
Beekeepers for a Day
Sure, you could meet at a bar or try to get a table at the best new restaurant in Philadelphia. But if you really want to see what your possible future better half is made of, both of you can don some beekeeper outfits and spend half a day delving deep into bees and their hives with South Philly apiarist Mark Berman. Bonus: You get to take home a bottle of backyard honey. What you do with that honey after this segment of your date ends is your business. instagram.com/annabeeshoney.
Tabachoy
The best BYOBs take advantage of the comparatively affordable start-up costs to do something exciting. Tabachoy is a model example, offering an experience that feels fresh and personal, with a menu ranging from classic Filipino dishes, like the lumpia Shanghai stuffed with pork, to an only-at-Tabachoy Caesar salad so crunchy with napa cabbage and mustard greens and savory with fried scallions and cured duck yolk that it gives the ukoy, a gigantic fritter of shrimp, sweet potato and carrot, a run for its money. 932 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, tabachoyphilly.com.
Tony Burritos California
Know what goes great with beer? Tacos. Know what should be in every beer store in the city? A taqueria. As proof-of-concept, see Tony Burritos — a stand-up Mexican operation run from behind an old deli counter inside the Foodery in Roxborough. It’s doing simple, stripped-down double-tortilla street tacos filled with pork carnitas and chopped onions, brightened up with a squeeze of lime, and soft birria tacos dripping with consommé. 6148 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19128, tonyburrtioscaliforniainc.com.
Patti Brett at Doobies Bar
Bartenders like Brett are a dying breed. She’s run Doobies since inheriting the business from her mom in 2003, and she holds court each night, serving craft beer, chatting with regulars, and curating an ever-changing jukebox full of Maggie Rogers, Sly & the Family Stone, and Brett’s beloved David Bowie. Her openness and easy conversation are reminders that connection, however casual, is as sustaining as a Citywide at the end of a long day. 2201 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, doobiesbarphilly.com.
Sylvester Mobley
Mobley has been a citywide hero for a long while, having previously been honored with the prestigious 2018 Philadelphia Award for his groundbreaking work in advancing his nonprofit, Coded by Kids. But he’s become a tech legend since launching his new venture capital fund for under-represented founders — and he continues to rack up national recognition and accolades, including being named a For(bes) the Culture 50 Champions honoree last year.
Cindy Carniecki
The Liquor Control Board isn't exactly famed for its knowledgeable staff. Which is why we were so pleasantly surprised to find Cindy Carniecki at the new PLCB-run boutique wine store in the Garces Trading Company, skillfully recommending a $15 French ros to go with our meal. It's nice doing business with a real wine enthusiast. (Cindy worked in the restaurant biz for 30 years before taking a job with the PLCB.) And apparently the feeling's mutual: The best part about working at the new store, she says, is customers who are excited about wine. 1111 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, garcestradingcompany.com.