The Piazza at Schmidts
Grab some Stupid Hot wings from Homeslice and a couple of Fleur de Lehigh ales from Gunners Run, and find yourself a seat among the outdoor tables. The same weather and camaraderie as the throngs enjoy at sold-out Citizens Bank, but you don't pay a penny for admission. North 2nd Street at Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123, atthepiazza.com/.
Fat Salmon
Dozens of innovative maki will lure you in, but what will keep you coming back to this sleek modern venue are the hand rolls-simple, delicious, and so fresh that every single piece seems to melt in your mouth like a luscious dessert. 719 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, fatsalmonsushi.com/.
Desert Rose
Sometimes you turn up at a restaurant and immediately wish you had brought some friends so you could try more food. Such is the case with this cute husband-and-wife-run BYO, where the chicken shwarma, eggplant sandwich and hummus with poached egg platter will have you planning another Delco run ASAP. 305 West State Street, Media, PA 19063, desertrosemediapa.com.
Fork
This upscale American bistro helped coax serious eaters to Old City when it opened back in 1997. And now that chef Terence Feury is behind the line, his cooking seasonal, but just slippery enough to keep things interesting has given 'em a reason to come back. 306 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, forkrestaurant.com.
Brauhaus Schmitz
Modern German isnt exactly the easiest trick to pull off, even in this golden age for multi-ethnic cuisine. But chef Jeremy Nolen is wickedly skilled when it comes to getting his food onto the minds and into the mouths of Philadelphians who wouldnt know a stopfleberwurst from a schinkenbrot. The dirndls on the waitresses dont hurt, either. 718 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, brauhausschmitz.com.
Barclay Prime
They come in a cheeky pair, wrapped in paper and served simply with cheddar, mustard, onions and pickles, but that's where -Barclay's walk on the low-rent side ends: The two so-worth-it $20 patties are made of dry-aged strip, rib eye, filet and of course Kobe. 237 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, barclayprime.com/.
Tammy Arbeter
This certified birth doula coaches expectant moms and dads on birthing options and what to expect in the delivery room, and sticks around come D-day to make sure all goes smoothly. (Well, as smoothly as these things go.) Her clients say they wouldn't deliver without her. 00000,
The Arden's Play-in-a-Day Workshop
Your kids (and a dozen or so other K-to-second-graders) spend five hours inside the Old City theater, concocting, writing and rehearsing an original play. Afterward, you come back to witness the too-cute fruits of their labor. Don't forget the camera. 40 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, ardentheatre.org/classes/.
Draw to Action
Draw to Action features original drawings from 30 Philly-based artists, with 100 percent of sales donated to local charities. So when you decide to avoid some grown-up responsibilities to go grab your box of Crayolas, you’re practically a philanthropist. instagram.com/drawtoaction.
New York Bagel Butler
Unwilling to wait in line for some of the city’s best new bagels? Let us suggest this service, which on Fridays and Saturdays leaves Philly at three a.m. to collect New York bagels (and bialys, and schmear!) and delivers them right to your door. nybagelbutler.com/.
Creative Reuse of Spaces
When the doors to the city shut last March, another kind of door opened: all the spaces going unused. Soon, the TLA and various churches became pop-up vaccination sites. Parking spaces morphed into outdoor cafes. Here’s hoping we soon have no more need for the former. The latter, on the other hand …
SNL Vault
In April, Comcast did a limited launch of its first-time streaming service, and Peacock became available nationwide in July. Like most streaming services, it has its pros and cons, but one clear winner is the “channel” SNL Vault, which features the best clips from Saturday Night Live’s heyday. Other things we like about Peacock: all 21 seasons of Law and Order SVU, an unusually high number of classic (as in black-and-white) movies, including some Hitchcock, and … 21 Jump Street! peacocktv.com/.
Pad Porter
File this one under Services You Never Knew You Desperately Needed. Via start-up Pad Porter, Wharton grad Nonya Collier and her crew handle pretty much every moving task you could ever hope to outsource: booking the movers; packing and unpacking; stocking your new fridge; cleaning the old place; even waiting for the Comcast guy. Services are arranged �_ la carte, with prices starting at a (totally worth it) $25 an hour. padporter.co.
Terrence Feury, Fork
You won't find him on the Food Network or pressing the flesh in the dining room, but that doesn't mean Feury isn't a star. He just shines where it counts: on the plate. After making a splash nearly a decade ago at Striped Bass, Feury moved from project to project before landing at Old City's Fork in 2009. It's a match made in foodie heaven Feury's cooking up some of the city's best food and breathing new life into a beloved institution. Everybody wins. 306 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, forkrestaurant.com.
The Little Bakery
Biscotti with just the right texture, crunch and flavor are hard to come by. Demand that they be gluten-free, and the task seemed nigh impossible—until we found the assortment here, which were so good that even the gluten lovers in the office couldn't stop eating. Our other favorite: the delicious mint-iced chocolate brownies, which are moist and rich and left us licking our lips. 921 Penllyn-Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, thelittlebakeryinbluebell.com/.