Assassin’s Handbook at Friday Saturday Sunday
These days, even your corner shot-and-a-beer bar can mix up a technically perfect manhattan. (In other words, we wonder if Philly has reached maximum craft-cocktail capacity.) And then along comes barman Paul MacDonald with his zinger of a list. The star: the Assassin’s Handbook, a mixture of Jamaican rum, cognac, averna, amaro and mulled wine, with a spark of habanero at the finish. Wow. 261 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, fridaysaturdaysunday.com.
Parisa Rugs and Décor
While Parisa Abdollahi's Old City showroom is an absolute treat, filled with new and antique rugs and quirky trinkets for the home, the real treasure is her Manayunk warehouse, which houses roughly 3,000 rare Persian rugs — a museum-quality collection, started by her father 34 years ago, that clients can shop by appointment. 33 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, parisarugs.com.
Philly Style Bagels
It's the modern success story: Two smart foodies host a popular bagel pop-up shop at Pizzeria Beddia, launch a successful crowdfunding campaign, and, earlier this year, finally open their own corner bagelry in Fishtown, so everyone — even your pretentious New York friends — might know the bliss of a crusty bagel boiled in Yards IPA. 1451 East Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, phillystylebagels.com/new-page.
True Blue Bakery
The simplest pie at this Australian shop in the western suburbs is treated like the national treasure it is — flaky-crusted and filled with delicious gravy, ground beef and onions — but True Blue only starts there. It would be unforgivable to leave without some pasties for lunch, a vanilla slice or Lamington cake for dessert, and a couple sausage rolls just to keep you going through the day. 324 Main Street, Royersford, PA 19468, truebluebakery.com.
Philly's Fake-Injury Cops
As if the police department needed any more PR problems, the Inquirer reported that more than 650 officers — 11 percent of the force — are out on full-pay injury leave, many of them spending their “recuperation” doing things like running a roofing business or winning an MVP award in a slow-pitch softball league. This is the same department that just received a $30 million budget increase, mostly to cover — what else? — rising officer salaries.
Fast Local Locksmith
There are home services where response times don’t especially matter, like furniture assembly or hanging pictures. (Come on, they’ve been leaning against the wall since the day you moved in.) And then there are times when you’re locked out of your home with three whining kids. And it’s snowing. Fast Local is professional, clear at communicating, and, most importantly, super-speedy. 1526 Catharine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, fast-locallocksmith.com.
70Six Boutique
With more than 15 businesses set to debut through 2022, NoLibs is in the midst of a neighborhood renaissance. 70Six, a trend-focused women’s-wear shop with a Cali-cool slant and affordable prices, was among the earliest to open its doors, in May. The first retail concept of its kind in the area is already a fast favorite for best-friend birthday gifts, self-care essentials (read: candles), and vacation-worthy going-out tops. 215 West Laurel Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, shop70six.com.
Jim Thorpe
There aren’t many places that are just 90 minutes away and that offer exhilarating white-water rafting excursions, adventurous-sounding (but actually quite easy) mountain-bike journeys down a gorge (the key word being down), scenic rides on a historic train, and a cute Main-Street-America shopping district with bars, restaurants, and eclectic boutiques and indie bookstores. Come to think of it: There’s only one!
All That Jazz Sound & Security
It’s right there in the name: All That Jazz Sound & Security. This Lancaster Ave shop has spent its entire existence keeping Philadelphians’ trunks thumping and vehicles secure, but the electronic expertise here has kept pace with the trends, too, with remote starters, backup and dashboard cameras, LED lighting, whatever. While these might seem like bells and whistles — hey, they do custom horns, too — adding undercarriage lighting to your motorcycle is an increasingly popular way to stay safe on your bike. 4977 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, allthatjazzphilly.com.
Veronica Beard
Stop by Veronica Beard to buy one of the brand’s beloved blazers to throw over your new summer dress. Those structured Dickey jackets have been a staple of King of Prussia department-store collections and Main Line closets since the label launched in NYC in 2010. But the new shop’s edit focuses on VB wardrobe heroes — all in one place. For summer, that means delicate knit tops, slinky silk dresses, linen blazers galore, and wooden heels courtesy of a collab with Dr. Scholl’s. 47 St. Georges Road, Ardmore, PA 19003, veronicabeard.com.
Yum Yum Bakeshop
Go ahead, judge these treats on how they look. You won’t be disappointed. Multiple locations, yumyumbakeshops.com.
Vestige
When the novelty of wearing sweats 24/7 wears off, head to this shop, where casual-comfy-chic dressing was being elevated to an art form well before the pandemic. Everything here — from the cream-colored elastic-waist pants to the gauzy maxi dresses to the dusty blue foam-soled leather slides — is breezy, loose, and insanely wearable. 2041 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, shop-vestige.com.
Shroomwit at Frizwit
The meatless cheesesteak — treated as an afterthought in most Philly steak shops — is given the reverence it deserves at Frizwit in Pennsport. The mushrooms are local (from Mycopolitan, a mushroom farm that supplies some of the city’s finest chefs) and the cheese is made with local Abundantly Good cheddar (a do-good cheese that benefits Philabundance), and along with some onions, it’s all stuffed into a hoagie roll baked by Merzbacher’s in Germantown. Most importantly, the shroomwit eats like its meaty counterpart: unabashedly greasy, impossibly cheesy, and as junky and delicious as it ought to be. 100 East Morris Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, frizwit.square.site.
Home Appétit
Sick of having to plan, shop for and cook freaking dinner? Also sick of takeout? Home Appétit delivers enough precooked meals to your doorstep at the start of the week to feed your family through the weekend. No meal kits with shrink-wrapped garlic and complicated instructions, no pizza boxes — just a fridge full of food that actually tastes good. homeappetitphilly.com.
Keystone Sign & Company
Even if you don’t know the name, you know the work. DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market. Love City Brewing. Garage in Fishtown, Primal Supply Meats in Brewerytown, K’Far, and scores of other signs, all hand-painted by Christian Cantiello and his crew. The next time you walk into a restaurant, bar or shop, look a little more closely at the logo out front — there’s a good chance it’s Cantiello’s work. keystonesignco.com.