| The Best New Restaurants in the Philadelphia Area | |
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The Greater Philadelphia area is rapidly gaining a national reputation as a superb destination for fine dining experiences. Many of the region's restaurants have long been recognized by such nationally respected authorities as Gourmet magazine, Mobile Travel Guide and Zagat Surveys. These restaurants include The Fountain at the Four Seasons, ¡Pasión!, The Striped Bass, Susanna Foo, and Le Bec-Fin (which made national news when its Mobile five-star rating was reduced to four stars in 2000).
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Many new restaurants that further enhance the city's stature as a restaurant Mecca have opened in the last two years. Two of these new restaurants have recently been included by Condé Nast Traveler in its May 2002 list of the world's 50 top new restaurants: Alma de Cuba and Morimoto. Philadelphia Magazine's choices for the best four new restaurants are Avenue B, Django and Les Mas Perrier in addition to the aforementioned Alma de Cuba.
For those who have a affection for Hawaiian and Pacific Rim cuisine, you won't want to miss Roy's Philadelphia. For fans of Chinese food, Billy Wong's on 2nd Street is one of the best.
Let's take a quick look at some of these new restaurants. We're including links to user reviews for each, courtesy of Citysearch Philadelphia. Reviews for virtually any local restaurant can be found on Citysearch Philadelphia by using the partner box located on the upper right of each of our About Philadelphia pages.
| Alma
de Cuba 1623 Walnut St Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: (215) 988-1799 Fax: (215) 988-0807 |
The restaurant features modern Cuban cuisine inspired by the diversity of Cuban culture. Much of the menu consists of interpretations of traditional ethnic cooking. Developed by chef Douglas Starr (the godfather of nuevo latino cuisine) and Philly restaurateur Stephen Starr, the restaurant was chosen by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the 50 top new restaurants in the world. user reviews |
| Avenue B 260 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19102 Phone: (215) 790-0705 Fax: (215) 790-0688 |
Veteran restaurateurs Neil Stein and Gabe Marabella own and operate Avenue B, directly across from the new Kimmel Center on the Avenue of the Arts. The menu offers modern Northern Italian cuisine with an international fusion. The restaurant was chosen by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the best new restaurants in Philadelphia. user reviews |
| Billy
Wong's 50 S. 2nd St. Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone: (215) 829-1128 |
Located behind the 2nd Street Lounge is one of the city's best new Chinese restaurants. Chef Billy Wong, formerly of Mustard Greens fame, features a menu of light flavors, crisp textures as well as most standard Chinese favorites. user reviews |
| Django 526 S. 4th St. Philadelphia, PA 19147 Phone: (215) 922-7151 |
This BYOB restaurant named after '40s jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Bryan Sikora and Aimee Olexy. It features Sikora's own regional European cuisine. Selected by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the city's best new restaurants, reservations are a must at all times. user reviews |
| Les Mas
Perrier 503 Lancaster Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 Phone: (610) 964-2588 |
Famed local restaurateur Georges Perrier, of Le Bec-Fin fame, has opened his first suburban restaurant which focuses on the cuisine of the Provence region of France. Complete with its own bread kitchen located in the basement, Les Mas Perrier was another choice of Philadelphia Magazine as one of the region's best new restaurants. user reviews |
| Morimoto 723 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA Phone: (215) 413-9070 |
Chef Masahuru Morimoto, of TV's "Iron Chef" and New York City's Nobu restaurant fame has opened his own establishment here in Philadelphia. The development and opening of the restaurant is featured in an hour-long special shown frequently on the Food Network. The restaurant offers Morimoto's famous Japanese fusion cuisine and superb sushi. user reviews |
| Roy's 124-134 S. 15th St. Philadelphia, PA 19102 Phone: (215) 988-1814 |
David Price, who has worked in several of Roy Yamaguchi's restaurants, serves as executive chef at Roy's Philadelphia. Yamaguchi is one of Hawaii's best known chefs, and his Hawaiian fusion cuisine is something that has long been needed in the Philadelphia area. There are now more than 25 Roy's locations extending from Tokyo to Hawaii and across the United States to this, their newest location. user reviews |
Do you have a restaurant review to submit? Drop me a line at philadelphia.guide@about.com.
Recommended Resources
Philadelphia
Magazine
The only magazine devoted entirely to the Greater Philadelphia and South
Jersey Area, Philadelphia Magazine is a must buy for area residents or anyone
interested in what's going on in the region.
Condé
Nast Traveler
One of the best magazines for anyone who loves to travel. Some of the
world's best travel writers give you top tips and little-known secrets about the
world's top travel destinations.
Zagat
Survey: Philadelphia Restaurants 2001-2002
The local
version of America's leading guides to restaurants and hotels as determined by
you the consumer.