Char
Photograph by K.C. Tinari Feuds have started over this. Block parties have ended in fistfights. Entire neighborhoods have become divided. We understand that coming right out and naming a best meatball in a city like Philly — which takes its meatballs as seriously as religion — is one of the most dangerous things anyone can do. But we are not afraid. Because the impossibly light, almost fluffy, ricotta-shot beef and pork meatballs at Viraj Thomas’s Char are the best meatballs in the entire city right now. This is our hill, and we’re fully prepared to die on it. 310 Master Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, char.pizza.
Al-Baik Shawarma & Grill
New heights of chicken over rice are being reached at this halal haven in Northeast Philly. The menu is full of hits — soft, pliable laffa bread made fresh every morning, silky-smooth hummus, plush and perfectly browned falafel. Don’t miss the impossibly thin manakeesh or the mashawi platters piled with yellow rice, grilled meats, and ever so slightly charred veg. 3217 Willits Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114, albaikshawarma.com.
Holly's Trinket Bar
Adorning your bag with bits and bobs, à la Jane Birkin, is very of the moment. So make an appointment to dig through artist Holly Simple’s collection (sourced over the past 20 years) of vintage charms and trinkets. She’ll take your picks and arrange them into an eye-catching purse chain. 1901 South 9th Street, Philadelphia , PA 19148, hollysimplestudio.com.
Osteria
Of all the things to love about Marc Vetri's casual Italian hot spot, the pizza lightly charred, with thoughtful, harmonious toppings is the real superstar. 640 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, osteriaphilly.com.
Downingtown Primal Screaming Club
When the world feels like it’s collapsing around you, sometimes there’s only one thing to do: scream your lungs out. This is what this grassroots social group in Downingtown offers to anyone in need of an AHHHHHHH! — at no charge. All you have to do is show up once per month in Johnsontown Park and release your barbaric yawp. Trust us: You’ll walk away with softened shoulders, feeling much, much lighter. instagram.com/wearesproutinghope.
Closet Works
Did you know that a closet can be more than a place to shove things, then slam the door? News to us, too. Closet Works has spent decades transforming home chaos into home-eostasis, creating custom spaces so smartly designed that happy customers rave that their closets are now “my favorite room in the house” (?!) and “my peaceful sanctuary.” Walk-ins, pantries, mudrooms, Murphy beds, laundry rooms — if it can hold stuff, they can make it beautiful. 104B Park Drive, Montgomeryville, PA 18936, closetworksinc.com.
Cynthia Peditto
Peditto’s expertise shines in the curl world. The stylist — who’s been cutting and coloring hair of all textures for nearly 30 years — has perfected a freehand twisting technique that defines your locks, can get you proudly rocking bangs (Yes! Even you, curly girls!), and has helped at least one perimenopausal client we know maintain volume despite hair thinning. Bonus: Your grow-out will look just as tight and bouncy as it did in Peditto’s chair. 1503 Walnut Street, Suite 12A, Floor 3, Philadelphia, PA 19102, cynthiapeditto.glossgenius.com.
Jake Strong Magic
It’s an hour into your party. The appetizers have been demolished, the small talk has petered out, and your bored guests are checking Uber avails. What your dud of an evening needs is a little magic — literally. Magician Jake Strong’s close-up illusions, comedy, and easy charm transform disconnected strangers into a delighted “How did he do that?!” hive mind. He mingles with the attendees, MacGyvers mind-bending tricks with their own belongings, and is the funnest party crasher ever. jakestrongmagic.com.
Midsection Connection
It’s no secret that Pilates continues to have a major moment — with a surge of studios and heated debates as to what does and does not adhere to creator Joseph Pilates’s 100-plus-year-old method. This welcoming Spring Garden studio lowers the noise around what’s trendy, inviting first-timers and advanced clients alike to train in the classical way. Choose from sessions on the mat (for Pilates’s original 34 exercises, from the Hundred to the Swan to the Teaser) or using the resistance-springed reformer or other equipment like the chair, the barrel, and the Cadillac. 1827 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, midsectionconnection.com.
Bob's Diner
The era of the classic diner is dead, killed off by shifting consumer tastes and a generation of kids who don’t want to take on the grind of their parents’ businesses. But this stainless steel Roxborough institution that dates back to the 1940s is keeping the flame alive at its tight booths and lunch counter. Try the chili, egg platters, whatever the blue-plate special is, or the fun nod to Philly, the creamed chipped beef on a soft pretzel. If you’re visiting on a weekend prepare for a wait, but there are always plenty of lively locals to chat with until a table opens up. 6053 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19129, bobsdinerphilly.com.
Treemont
You'll want to order chef Rob Sidor's "Fish for Two" from the menu at Treemont be it his double fillet of daurade with a minty green tea sauce that's so fresh you'll want to swig it, or whole-roasted skate wing with charred lovage. Just try to play nice and share. 231 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, thetreemont.com.
Guy's Upholstering
Inside Guy’s modest East Passyunk storefront, bolts of fabric burst from every corner and stacks of furniture parts await refinishing: some chair legs here, a chaise arm there, all anticipating new life. The shop has the gloriously chaotic energy of a workshop where people are too busy creating beauty to worry about appearances. Bring them a sagging sofa, battered armchair, or heirloom tufted stool on its last legs, and they’ll return it masterfully rebuilt, exquisitely tailored, and ready for its second (or third) act. 1645 Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, facebook.com/guysupholstering.
Wm. Mulherin's Sons
Philly's pizza scene has become an embarrassment of riches, and nowhere is this more apparent than at Wm. Mulherin's Sons. The Spicy Jawn pie, with its piquant pepperoni, hot coppa and long hots, is feast-worthy, but it's the caciocavallo and sharp provolone cheeses (plus a perfect doughy-to-crunchy ratio and just the right amount of char on the crust) that move Mulherin's to the top of the heap. 1355 North Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, wmmulherinssons.com.
Pineville Tavern
Most restaurants have a loss leader — a product that's sold at a loss in order to get customers in the door. We're guessing it's the porterhouse for two at Bucks County's comfy Pineville Tavern. For $59, you get a two-inch-thick porterhouse freshly cut by the butcher down the street, perfectly char-grilled by the chef, and served with a few comfort-food side dishes. 1098 Durham Road, Pineville, PA 18946, pinevilletavern.com.
Division IV
This sweet shop ups the ante on otherwise pedestrian hostess gifts. Do you usually present a jar of fruit preserves? Try the bacon jam! Typically exchange fine spirits? Pair a bottle with a charred grapefruit tonic! Even humdrum candles — like a basil-and-cucumber eco-candle in an upcycled wine bottle — earn an upgrade. (Note: Division IV was absorbed into Ali’s Wagon, from the same owners, in 2018.) 2017 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, aliswagon.com.