One could say Philadelphia is a city that has it all, and really knows how to work it. In the past several years, the cobbled streets of Old City and beyond have truly come alive, pulsing with hot clubs that serve cool drinks, hip stores that combine classic and vintage and restaurants that dish out decadent delicacies in the land of the Philly cheese steak.
At the ME & Blue boutique, at 311 Market Street, owner Mary Elizabeth Ster blends vintage, new trends and A-line skirts of her own design. Greene Street Consignment, at 700 South Street, offers clothing from $2 up to $1,000, including pieces from Fendi and Gucci. Crash Bang Boom, at 528 South Fourth Street, sells punk-rock and alternative clothing from labels such as Lip Service and Lucky 13. Town Home, at 126 South 19th Street, sells home accessories lines exclusive to Philadelphia, including Burn, Salviati and Jeanine Payer. And don’t miss Petulia’s Folly, at 1710 Sansom Street, selling home accessories, as well as apparel and shoes from lines such as Nicole Farhi, Habitual jeans and Hollywould.
Choosing a place to enjoy fine cuisine in Old City isn’t easy, but a great place to start would be, well, the one that started it all. Stephen Starr’s The Continental restaurant and martini bar, at 134 Market Street, is still packed from open to close. Start your day with pumpkin waffles or curried tofu scramble for brunch. This may tempt you to return for dinner for Thai chicken lettuce wraps or some lobster mashed potatoes. Nearby, at 217-219 Chestnut Street, is chef Jose Garces’ Amada, a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant that opened in October and features flamenco performances every Wednesday and Friday night. For groups of four or more, order asado de cochinillo three days in advance. A pig is roasted for more than a day, then served with green onions, potatoes, chickpeas with spinach and rosemary white beans. At Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s restaurant, Morimoto, at 723 Chestnut Street, bamboo ceilings and booths that change color set the atmosphere. Enjoy dishes such as spicy king crab broiled on the half shell or shira ae, vegetables mixed with tofu. Chill at 32 Degrees Lounge, at 16 South Second Street, where customers can order shots in glasses made of solid ice, or buy your bottled liquor of choice when you come in and get creative with mixers set at the tables.
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One of the most striking features of Philly is the architecture. At the 15-room Morris House Hotel, at 225 South Eighth Street in Center City, visitors can enjoy a garden encompassed by the stone walls of the hotel, offering a sanctuary from the sounds of the bustling street. The Alexander Inn, at 12th and Spruce Streets, sits at the heart of Center City. Of its 48 rooms, the largest, which are corner rooms with bay windows that offer great views, go for $159 a night. For a familiar hotel name with a unique bed-and-breakfast feel, the Best Western Independence Park Hotel, at 235 Chestnut Street, is within walking distance to nightlife, restaurants and shops.
This article appeared in WWD FAST, a special publication of WWD available to subscribers.