A noted Philadelphia restaurant critic reviews 123 of her favorite dining places in Center City and nearby, including places suited for families, couples, students, and the wealthy

If you are hungry for a good meal and a delicious story, this book is here to serve you. It introduces you to the most fascinating restaurants and chefs in Philadelphia. Discover how two chocolatiers got engaged; dinners interrupted by bungled mob hits; restaurants that survived an earthquake, a fire, and even Prohibition; a secret restaurant that began in a backyard tent; and a distillery that started in a basement. The book includes the sweet and spicy stories behind more than 90 bistros, bars, bakeries, and breweries - restaurants with moving stories and good food and drink. Learn how to get reservations at trendy restaurants and into secret speakeasies. Find the most sinful desserts, where senior citizens dine with college seniors, where to taste goat, and spot celebrities too. Philadelphia, perhaps best known for its famous cheesesteaks, is finally getting recognized for its restaurant scene. It seems natural that a city sandwiched between two rivers would become one of the hottest food cities in America. With so many great restaurants, this book will help you to be well read and well fed.

Food Lovers' Guides Indispensable handbooks to local gastronomic delights The ultimate guides to the food scene in their respective states or regions, these books provide the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy, and celebrate local culinary offerings. Engagingly written by local authorities, they are a one-stop for residents and visitors alike to find producers and purveyors of tasty local specialties, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including: • Food festivals and culinary events • Farmers markets and farm stands • Specialty food shops • Places to pick your own produce • One-of-a-kind restaurants and landmark eateries • Recipes using local ingredients and traditions • The best wineries and brewpubs

As restaurants continue to flourish in Philadelphia, choosing the perfect place for dinner, or even a casual lunch, can pose a challenge. We are sure you will find no better guide to the dining establishments of the city and its environs than noted Philadelphia Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan. Whether you crave a ?decadent splurge? at a fine steakhouse serving succulent cuts and sides, the comfort of a neighborhood bar that ?takes its chicken wings as seriously as its seared tuna, ? or an Italian BYOB where the ravioli are divine and the table worth the two-hour wait, this comprehensive guidebook will satisfy the most discriminating palate. LaBan presents seventy-six in-depth reviews of favorites, giving mouth-watering menu recommendations (as well as caveats about less-inspired dishes) and everything else you might want to know (from the quality of the wine list to the chattiness of the staff), in addition to over five hundred capsule reviews of all the other enticing eateries

Culinary Memories from Philidelphia's Past...Beyond the Cheesesteak Long before Philadelphia's food scene was splashed on covers of Bon Appetit and local establishments garnered accolades like America's best restaurant, culinary pioneers set the city's restaurant industry ablaze. Frenchman Georges Perrier brought the city the highest, most-respected opulence, Le Bec-Fin, for 40 years running. The ultimate seafood institute, Old Original Bookbinder's, held the title of the world's largest lobster tank and prepared impeccable oyster Rockefeller. Steve Poses changed the culinary game with the Frog that captivated palates with the infusion of international flavors. The nation's very first automat, Horn & Hardart's, consistently delivered near-perfect comfort food classics via vending machine. Amy Strauss revisits celebrated spaces, unforgettable personalities and must-have recipes that made Philadelphia's historic restaurants remembered for their delicious moments in time.