Paesano's Philly Style
It's not a pretty sight, this breakfast-lunch-and-dinner on a bun: ribbons of fried lasagna, a meaty Bolognese, mozzarella, sweet peppers and a fried egg, all wedged into a seeded Liscio's roll. And yet there's an undeniable artistry in making something so unruly taste so fine. If loving you is wrong, Bolognese from Paesano's, we ain't ever gonna be right. 1017 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, paesanosphillystyle.com.
Perrystead Dairy
At his new Kensington creamery, cheesemaker Yoav Perry is forgoing wedges of cheddar in favor of young-aged, soft-ripened lactic cheese he calls “Intergalactic,” natural and washed-rind wheels of long-aged cheeses, and innovative monthly specials. There are also drinkable yogurts, flavored kefir and whey tonic — all made with milk from Pennsylvania dairy farms. 1639 North Hancock Street Ste 103, Philadelphia, PA 19122, perrystead.com.
Lindley Gray
Photograph by Alain Simic This Kensington-based jewelry brand features genderless designs handcrafted from recycled metals, Fairmined gold and ethically sourced diamonds, often reclaimed from vintage pieces. The namesake designer’s aesthetic combines traditional craftsmanship, Art Deco influence, and a focus on the subtlety of natural materials. We’d say “I do” to those black-diamond stacking rings any day. lindleygray.com.
Poi Dog
Fried chicken junkies, if you’re looking to get your fix from different latitudes, you won’t want to miss this Big Island version, where the bird is dipped in sweet rice flour, doused in furikake seasoning, and topped with togarashi-yuzu mayo. Psst: It comes on the lunch plate with two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and pickled red cabbage. Yum. 102 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, poidogphilly.com.
Indoor Children's Garden at Longwood Gardens
There's an understandable "Observe in awe, but do not touch" edict at this immaculate Kennett Square destination. Except, that is, in the Indoor Children's Garden, where wee ones are encouraged to splash in the jumping fountains, get up-close and personal with the whimsical statues, climb through the twisty displays and smell the roses. (That it's tucked away inside the Conservatory means it's a great foul-weather destination, too.) 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348, longwoodgardens.org/gardens/indoor-childrens-garden.
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.
Big Top Thrift
Even if Big Top didn’t have a huge charitable aspect — which it does — we’d still want to shop here for the many lighthearted and fun finds (cowboy boots, kitschy kitchen goods). But winking tees are definitely the centerpiece: Garfield, Hard Rock Osaka, Mrs. T’s Pierogies and Uncle Fester are only a few examples. Claim yours by sending a DM through Instagram. @bigtopthrift. instagram.com/bigtopthrift.
Angela Monaco Jewelry
Okay, if you use a pair of pliers, you can remove the permanent bracelets — but why would you want to? They come in various price points, metals (sterling silver, rose gold) and links (hearts, paper clips), and charms can be added. Bring your bestie to your appointment for a modern kind of friendship bracelet — one that’s welded by a laser onto your wrist. 2001 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, angelamonacojewelry.com.
The Cone Rangers
Last winter, despite police warnings of potential violence, fed-up Philadelphians formed a rogue collective named after the fictional Western lawman to snatch traffic cones holding down neighbors’ parking spots on snowy days. Yeah, yeah, savesies are illegal. “So what?” as they say in South Philly. Vivid pro-and-con discussions on Reddit and other online outlets ensued.
Pilates & Plunge At W Philadelphia
What was supposed to be a five-week series last fall quickly became so popular that it’s now an ongoing experience at one of Philly’s chicest hotels. You’ll move through a low-impact, muscle-engaging mat Pilates sesh led by Coach Zha before taking a dip in the W’s outdoor pool. You’ll never want to go back to “regular” workouts again. 1439 Chestnut Street, 7th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, event.marriott.com/phlwh-w-philadelphia/events/philadelphia/pilates-plunge-with-coach-zha.
Invert Your World
This isn’t just a yoga studio — though the vinyasa, Ashtanga, and slow flow classes are fire. (No, seriously: The heat index reaches 95 degrees.) There’s also a packed roster of Pilates, barre, HIIT, and dance workouts; retreats to Tulum; and a newly opened recovery studio boasting red-light and halo therapies and an infrared sauna. With all that variety, it’s no surprise that folks return again and again. 100 Wissahickon Avenue, Ambler, PA 19002, invertyourworld.com.
Cloud Cups
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Rich red velvet cheesecake, French toast stracciatella with chocolate ribbons swirled throughout, and classics like creamy vanilla are among the extensive repertoire of owner Galen Thomas. (He’s created more than 100 flavors.) Think of Cloud Cups as you would jazz: You’ve got a gelato maestro who has a lot of notes to play with, and the result is music to your taste buds. Locations in Kensington and Fishtown, Philadelphia, PA cloudcupsgelato.com.
Red Top/Green Top Farm Markets
These side-by-side farmers’ markets along Route 70 have been run by two different families for almost a century. Green Top leans more toward the home gardener; Red Top is there for the tourists who want local goat-milk soaps and a couple pints of fresh strawberries. Bop back and forth between them to load up on everything from fresh flowers, blackberry cider and homemade preserves to local honey, herb starts, bags of clams and tiki statues. 1801 and 1811 State Route 70, Vincentown, NJ 08088, redtopfarmmarket.com.
The Republican
Common sense will tell you to avoid this place: It's dark. It's grimy. There are two poles and a mirror, and they're used frequently and with varying degrees of skill. But come 2 a.m., this place fills up with an almost glorious assortment of humanity. It's South Philly, folks; embrace it until the wee hours. And if you get too skeeved/drunk/hungry, the Melrose is mere steps up the street. 1734 Snyder Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145, .
Hygge Facial Spa
At this Rittenhouse spa, inspired by the Danish word loosely translating to “coziness,” owner and aesthetician Tia Pinizzotto and aesthetician Bri Crosson deliver curated, uber-relaxing facials using high-quality brands like Naturopathica and Circadia, plus additions like dermaplaning, gua sha and micro-channeling at no extra cost — so you can simply float off the warm, cushy bed with your dewy glow. 1601 Walnut Street, suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19102, hyggefacialspa.com.