Scott Greer
No other local actor has the comic timing and powerful stage presence demonstrated by this 44-year-old veteran of the Philly theater scene, who has performed more than 30 times at the Arden alone. See him kill it again in the lead role of the Beast in La Bte, opening at the Old City theater in September.
Andrew Meredith
This 38-year-old Northeast native's debut work, a memoir called The Removers, is dark and bleak and funny and utterly Philly. The down-on-his-luck narrator joins his sad dad, a disgraced former La Salle prof, in the business of making house calls to pick up corpses for local funeral homes. Between encounters with the dead and those they leave behind, he meanders in and out of love affairs, observes the dissolution of his parents' marriage, and ponders why he can't seem to gain any traction. A tour de force that should be the hands-down choice for the next One Book, One Philadelphia campaign. andrewmeredith.net.
Petruce et al.
Whether it's lamb ribs, an exquisitely grilled porgy or a master class on carrots, Jonathan and Justin Petruce's wood-fired cookery represents American food at its best: rustic, finely wrought and familiar but never predictable. Sommelier Tim Kweeder has also made this one of Philly's best places to discover new wine especially by the glass. 1121 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, petrucephilly.com.
Le Cheri
Pierre Calmels executes French dishes only seen on culinary-school exams (rabbit ballotine, pike quenelles) so delicately and artfully that they suddenly seem totally fresh and new. This kind of French cooking never gets old. 251 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, lecheriphilly.com.
Tria Taproom
Leave it to the people who made drinking wine in Philly fun again to rethink a beer bar: The iPad menu shows how much beer is left in each keg; the bar's design was nominated for a James Beard Award; and the list itself features draft beers that can't be found anywhere else in town. 2005 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, triacafe.com/taproom.
Pure Barre
Your thighs will tremble, your belly will scream, and your butt will burn—but those skinny jeans? They'll fit. 1701 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, purebarre.com.
Classic Game Junkie
Whether its the dreaded Playstation 3 red light of death, a scrambled screen image or a console that overheats, the experts here will fix up your childs gaming system before he starts exhibiting symptoms of serious withdrawal. Theyll also give you hope that maybe, just maybe, your kid can build an actual successful moneymaking enterprise out of that Halo addiction. 111 South Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038, classicgamejunkie.com.
Fergie's Pub
Its fair to say that when longtime Fergie's Quizo host Pat Hines moved to Belfast last December, there were more than a few Guinness-fueled tears shed since 1995, he'd been one of the first and finest quizmasters in the region. But then his close pal, the lovely Patti Piascik, stepped up and offered to take over, with one catch: Hines had to commit to writing the questions weekly and e-mailing them from Ireland. The arrangement has worked swimmingly, with Piascik actually building clientele instead of losing it. And best of all, she Quizos twice each week: Tuesday and Thursday. Time to buzz in. 1214 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, fergies.com.
Duck Duck Goose
Theres a smart collection of owner-approved playthings the kind of well-designed, safe, decidedly non-obnoxious games, trikes, dolls and art kits that kids and parents love. But thats only half the story. DDG also sells handmade Etsy-like goods from locals; has an indoor drop-in play space that costs $9 a day; offers group activities like Build-It Fridays and Itch to Stitch Thursdays; and maintains a partnership with the Eilandarts Center, which gives you access to cool classes. 702 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108, duckduckgooseplayroom.com.
Independence Helicopters
You haven't seen Boathouse Row, the stadiums or the Ben Franklin Bridge until you've seen them from 1,000 feet in the sky. But our favorite part is that you can provide your own soundtrack if you bring an iPod. Cue the Wagner! From $129 per person for 20 minutes. 9800 Ashton Road (near Academy and Grant), Philadelphia, PA 19114, independenceheli.com.
Los Taquitos de Puebla
The al pastor darling of the Headhouse Farmers Market has more to offer-from beef cheeks to birria-in its Italian Market nook. 1149 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, lostaquitosdepuebla.com.
Luigi and Giovanni's
Hidden in a small grocery inside a Newtown Square strip mall is a takeout counter where you'll find a roast pork sandwich that eschews the usual slivers for hunks of tender seasoned pig. From there, you make your own decisions (endorsement: sweet and hot peppers, broccoli rabe, spinach, sharp prov) and enjoy a hot, juicy monster of a sandwich that should have been famous a long time ago. 3601 Chapel Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073, luigiandgiovannicaterers.com.
Fork
When you see the private room so prettily set, when your guests get to make their choices from the three-course menu you handpicked, when the servers keep the wine a-flowing, when the Madagascar chocolate cake (with peanut nougatina) comes, and when you finally get the bill (just $20 a head?), you'll be so glad you threw that luncheon here. 306 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, forkrestaurant.com.
Uber
Forget Philly's stinky cabs. Just download the Uber app to your iPhone or Android, register your credit card number, and anytime you want a uniformed driver in a brand-new, spotless, tinted-windowed town car-for just dollars more than a cab ride, in most cases-simply click a button. Within seconds, you'll get an accurate ETA (under 10 minutes in Center City) and a photo of your driver. Never again will you have to argue with a cab driver over why you don't have cash. 00000, uber.com/cities/philadelphia.
Jonathan Barach
Whether you're looking to buy or rent, Prudential Fox and Roach's Barach has your space (and your deal), and he'll sweat every detail so you're free to sweat paint colors. He'll even introduce you to the neighbors. 530 Walnut Street, Suite 260, Philadelphia, PA 19106, thebarachgroup.com/agent/jonathan-barach.