Amuse at Le Meridien
A sexy, sophisticated hotel bar with spot-on service, sultry house music, provocative art, potent cocktails and, yes, delectable amuse-bouches. Room reservation upstairs, anyone? 1421 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, amusephiladelphia.com.
ReStore of Philadelphia
What happens to the gorgeous original finishes that are ripped out of historic Philly homes when they undergo renovations? They wind up in this two-story salvage warehouse, which is teeming with ornate crystal light fixtures, glass doorknobs, boxes of real subway tiles, carved wooden mantels and porcelain sinks and tubs. (Do with them what you will!) 3016 East Thompson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134, re-store-online.com.
Le Cat Cafe
Pay $12, get a coffee, tea or cocoa, and play with all sorts of felines for an hour. Pretty much the cutest way to take a java break. 2713 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, lecatcafe.org.
DJ Lisa Parks
Delco DJ Lisa Parks has been hosting karaoke for 32 years and can be found at venues all over the region, from Great American Pub in Narberth to 39 North in Glenolden to the Media VFW to My Brother’s Irish Pub in Bridesburg. Click here for her karaoke tips. facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063615270738.
Sa Bai Dee
A newcomer to the thriving ethnic dining scene just west of the Tower Theater, this BYO boasts what is easily the freshest, most reliable and fiery Thai food available outside the city, and could even give Circles a run for its well-earned money. Order anything and everything. You can't miss. 7038 Terminal Square, Upper Darby, PA 19082, sabaideethailaos.com.
Villa di Roma
The quintessential old-school Italian restaurant, where the waitresses are as saucy as the plates of rigatoni. 936 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, phillyitalianmarket.com/market/villa_de_roma.
Milano di Rouge
The badass casual-but-high-end looks by designer Milan Harris (unisex logo-emblazoned sweatshirt/shorts sets; women’s crushed-velvet neon jumpsuits) have become the go-to for those in the know, including Meek Mill and songstress Monica. 1509 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, milanodirouge.com.
Creste di Gallo at Andiario
The Italian “creste di gallo” translates to “rooster’s crest.” Maybe you’ve had them before (they often look like elbow macaroni with curly mohawks), but we promise, pasta god Anthony Andiario’s are different — handmade, stuffed with all things local and seasonal, both wild and elegant. 106 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380, andiario.com.
DB Cleaning Services
Just admit to yourself that you’re never going to get around to cleaning everything — and hire this team, you cheapskate. They’ll scour your home, from the cabinet tops to the baseboards, and leave you wondering what took you so long. mydbcleaning.com.
Focaccia di Recco at Palladino's
Luke Palladino experimented with this unleavened Genovese flatbread for seven years before he finally found the oven that could cook it to his satisfaction. Stuffed with tangy stracchino cheese that melts into pliant dough riddled with wood-smoky blisters, this dish is an object lesson in practice paying off. 1934 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, lukepalladino.com/Palladinos/home.html.
Du Soleil Photographie
Vietnamese-born Minh Cao didn’t learn professional photography until after she’d started her business as a side hustle in 2015. “My parents never deemed photography fit for a profession, so studying it never crossed my mind,” says the Ridley Park resident. She self-trained online, took some in-person classes, and today is known for snapping weddings through a dreamy, tender — almost wistful — lens that makes you never want to leave that moment. dusoleilphoto.com.
Brickbat Books
Sometimes all you need is a cozy spot in which to sit with a book. Brickbat provides both those things — plus records! — in excess at its low-key haunt. Its walls envelop you in new and used reads, many with eye-catching covers. Of note: The shop only accepts secondhand titles in the best condition from genres like poetry, nonfiction and genre fiction, so rather than a dog-eared James Patterson paperback, you might find a collection of journalist Martha Gellhorn’s novellas, or works by big names in lit fic like Don DeLillo. 709 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, brickbatbooks.blogspot.com.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph
We were already all in on Randolph from her roles as Cherise in High Fidelity and detective Donna Williams in Only Murders in the Building. So we weren’t shocked when her portrayal of grieving-but-grounded prep-school cook Mary Lamb in Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers blew the cinema world away. When she won the Oscar for best supporting actress, we were over here like, told ya so.
DaVinci Art Alliance
A white-box gallery nestled in a newly renovated rowhome, this 88-year-old nonprofit exhibits and sells fantastic original paintings, sculpture and photography by local artists — many of which are under $500 apiece. 704 Catharine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, davinciartalliance.org.
Spa Terme di Aroma
A chair massage at this Old City spa is quite possibly the best $15 you'll ever spend: Expert hands melt away tension while you zone out for 15 minutes. Call ahead and you can usually score an appointment just a few minutes in advance. 32 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, termediaroma.com.