The Motherchic
Villanova’s Lindsey Schuster has turned raising four little boys into a modish enterprise by giving her nearly 100K Instagram followers affordable ideas for looking cool while mom-ing out — and making them easy to buy. themotherchic.com..
Smak Parlour
This staple has a rotating collection of quick night-out finds (spotted on a recent trip: a striped jumpsuit and a knot crop top) that are mostly under $100, but of way better quality than what you’ll get at Forever 21. 219 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, smakparlour.com.
Spogue Kitchens & Bath
Yes, it’ll be hard to walk past the marble countertops and custom Shaker cabinets, but keep your eye on the real prize: the collection of 20th-century drawings and paintings procured directly from renowned art markets in France and waiting for your walls. 302 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087, spogue.com.
3rd Street Hardware
3rd Street Hardware. Photograph by Jared Gruenwald It’s as hip as an art gallery and as cool as a record store, but this year-and-a-half-old shop still has all the Dremel tools, rat traps, HVAC filters, trash bins, tub caulk, etc., that a homeowner could ever need. 153 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, .
Harry’s World
You can smell the (organic) incense wafting from a block away. Inside, you’ll find all things transcendental, including ritualistic candles, smudge sticks and spiritual oils that are made in-house. 1210 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, harryspirtualworld.com.
Capa Shoe and Leather
They’ll fix your downtrodden soles and broken straps with the artisanship that has kept them in business since 1936. 1015 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, philadelphiacustomleather.com.
Bar Snacks at V Street
There are three snacks on the happy-hour menu: spicy cold chiu chow noodles, tacos with cured tofu and Peruvian chilies, and chocolate beignets. Order all three, then order them again. 124-126 South 19th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, vstreetfood.com.
Old Italian at Uncle Oogie’s
Simple, straightforward, perfected — this is pan pizza that doesn’t come with an agenda. No one wants to think too much about dinner on a weekday night anyway. Multiple locations. uncleoogies.com.
Angelo’s Pizzeria
There are always crowds outside of Angelo’s, a surefire sign that whatever’s being handed over the counter is worth a wait. If you’re smart, you’ll order a sandwich, the eggplant rollantini, and the monster square pies. 736 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, angelospizzeriasouthphiladelphia.com.
Aunt Berta’s Kitchen
Whole fried chicken, Cajun-spiced wings, fish and grits, pig’s feet with collard greens and potato salad — any home-style soul food you’re craving can be found at Berta’s. Additional location in Berlin, N.J. 639 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn, NJ 08107, auntbertaskitchen.com.
Jezabel’s Argentine Cafe & Bakery
When Jezabel Careaga moved her Fitler Square Argentine cafe west, she combined it with a teahouse and retail shop, and it immediately became a hit — a place to eat, work, study, host events, and run into the neighbors. 206 South 45th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, jezabelscafe.com.
Tinys Bottle Shop
Your go-to source for cloudy California pet-nats, wild-fermented pinot noirs and glou-glou bottles is located in a former garage in Port Richmond. We never thought we’d be writing these words either, but hey — that’s 2019 for you. 3124 Richmond Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134, lunarinn.com/tinys-bottle-shop.
The Hot Dog Stand
The kind of place where you walk up to a window and order Whiz-slathered dogs from a friendly woman who gives free refills on soda. And if you aren’t in the hot-dog mood, the meatball sandwiches are much better than you’d expect from, you know, a hot-dog stand. 401 West MacDade Boulevard, Folsom, PA 19033, .
R&D
R&D. Photograph by Stephen Recchia A dark, gorgeous, and highly experimental bar with a cocktail list that changes every few months but isn’t too full of itself to serve tiki drinks in volcano bowls. 1206 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, rdphilly.com.
Salmon Cheesesteak at Sister Muhammad’s Kitchen
As Philly’s Muslim population grew, so did the popularity of the salmon cheesesteak. It’s become essential to any aficionado’s checklist. Start here. 4441 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144, sismuhammadskitchen.com.