Haason Reddick
Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images We were excited when the Eagles inked the Camden native/Temple alum edge rusher ahead of the 2022 season. Then he went on a sacking spree (19.5 between the regular season and playoffs!) that led the Birds all the way to the Super Bowl, and we lost our minds. No pressure, but we’re expecting similarly big things from another local product: onetime St. Joe’s Prep star D’Andre Swift, whom the Eagles stole in a draft-day trade in April.
Mawn
This self-described noodle house with “no rules” twists and merges Southeast Asian classics — banh chow chopped up and bathing in fish sauce, khao soi silky with Neighborhood Ramen’s homemade noodles, galangal-marinated rib-eye skewers marked by chef Phila Lorn’s own Cambodian roots. Mawn knows exactly who and what it is without anything to prove. The sour-sweet-savory dishes will zap you out of your bullshit day and into the moment, psychedelic Cambodian rock will make the small space come alive, and you won’t be able to remember what 9th Street was like without this BYOB. 764 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, mawnphilly.com.
Jelloman
Paul Vile — a.k.a. Jelloman — has been a gelatinous folk hero for years, known for benevolently launching pre-packaged Jell-O shots into eager crowds at music festivals and Eagles tailgates. But his boozy legend reached new heights during the NFC Championship celebration, when he crowd-surfed the gathered Broad Street masses sling-shotting cups of kelly green slurpables. Then the Super Bowl requests flooded in, so of course Vile (yup, Kurt’s bro) spent the run-up prepping an astounding 4,000 shots of jiggly juice.
Pietramala
Go to Pietramala because the salad is dressed and seasoned perfectly in elderflower vinaigrette, making market lettuces a revelation. Go because the cacio e pepe, made in part with fermented white sweet potato, is intensely creamy and savory. Go because the dining room is lined with twinkling lights and smiling, patient servers. Or you could go because it’s vegan. But you might not even notice that. 614 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, pietramalaphl.com.
Morphia's Special Touch
Nestled in a strip mall, this modest Drexel Hill salon is truly a hidden gem for Delco-ers and beyond: Think $10 for a cut, $5 extra for a shave — and $20 a month for a tanning membership, if you’re feeling extra-special. 2220 State Road, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, facebook.com/morphiasspecialtouch.
Patrick McNally Accounting
A few years ago, with a pile of W-2s and 1099s and LLC forms and other tax documents we still don’t understand, we wandered down to Packer Avenue, walked up to the second story of a strip mall, and met a man whose calm and generosity of spirit can only be described as saintly. Since then, we haven’t entrusted our taxes to anyone else. McNally also handles payroll and bookkeeping services for small businesses, and if his tax work is any indication, you’d be in good hands there, too. 1546 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145, mcnallyaccounting.com.
Scatton's Heating & Cooling
We recently needed a contractor for a big project, a basement-to-attic job: oil-tank and boiler- system removal, a switchover to natural gas, mini-duct split units for air-conditioning. (Like we said, it was a big job.) In addition to having the best price, the folks at Scatton’s were personable, did impeccable work, and did so with top-of-the-line products. And as the post-pandemic crush of home renovations continues, we’ll say one more thing — they actually responded to our calls, which can’t be said of everyone. 920 Allentown Road, Lansdale, PA 19446, scattonshc.com.
C.M. Neff: Cook Sup. Co.
Chef Cary Neff opened this impossibly small East Passyunk shop back in April, lining his shelves with both new and used tools, cookbooks, pots, pans and knives. While you’re looking around, Neff will bring your dull santoku back to razor-sharp life for just $9. The trick is to catch him — the hours, according to the front window, are “by chance.” 1940 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, instagram.com/cmneffcooksupco.
Revival Letterpress
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Matthew Hiller has been letterpress printing since 2011, and his equipment — antique Chandler & Price platen presses and a hand-cranked Challenge cylinder press — has been at work for more than a century longer. Inside his studio, Hiller designs everything from wedding invites and business cards to posters and custom packaging, then uses the finest paper and old-fashioned techniques to bring them to life. In a world where DM’d party invites and texted birthday GIFs have become the norm, these character-filled pieces convey the beauty of the human touch. 1901 South 9th Street, number 208, Philadelphia, PA 19148, revivalletterpress.com/project-gallery-page.
Vision Plus Fitness
You’ll find everything at Charles Knowles’s Conshy gym: a robust schedule of group cardio, circuit and resistance training; results-driven trainers who’ll kick your ass but leave you smiling; one-on-one coaching; an open gym for solo lifting or treadmill running; a new active-recovery space with hot yoga and mobility; and a community that’ll uplift you, whether it’s a 5 a.m. or post-work sweat sesh. 701 East Elm Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428, visionplusfitness.com.
Physique 57's Express Power Sculpt
This 45-minute glute-busting, ab-challenging, thigh-quaking combo of barre and free weights will help relieve the stress of chaotic mornings and spike endorphins, so you can push through groggy afternoon slumps. Cardio lovers, prepare to be humbled. 1625 Walnut Street, floor 2, Philadelphia, PA 19103, physique57.com/philadelphia.
Prepped by Carly
Registered dietitian Carly Foglia’s mission is to share the healing power of nutrient-dense, balanced food. Every Sunday, from her West Chester-based kitchen, she’ll deliver plate-clearing dishes — teriyaki shrimp, Snickers overnight oats, better-for-you crispy chicken snack wraps — made with whole, recognizable ingredients right to your door. Bonus: Bulk poultry, fish and veggies, protein balls, and Paleo desserts from the Northeast’s Ferry Good Treats are menu mainstays. carlyfoglianutrition.com.
Laura Jenkins
A visit to Jenkins’s Massage Studio of Philadelphia will immediately affirm her 14-year bodywork cred. In her Old City space, she’ll knead your muscles like a baker would dough, intuitively working out all your kinks (and then some) with deep-tissue, trigger-point and cupping therapies, for optimal mobility. Next appointment: booked on the spot. 219 Cuthbert Street, 4th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, massagestudiophilly.com.
El Provocon
A family-owned Dominican restaurant with a couple of different locations — and very good arroz blanco with steak and sweet platano maduros. 2843 Tyson Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19149, el-provocon.business.site.
Lemonana at Bishos
Photograph by Michael Persico A sip of Bishos’s lemonana is a shock to the system in the best possible way. At this Palestinian restaurant in Northeast Philly, the classic Middle Eastern beverage is mixed daily, tart from fresh lemon juice and packed with mint. It’s spun in a slushy machine and doled out like soft-serve ice cream in to-go cups that you’ll clutch and sip to the very last drop. 7950 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, mybishos.com.