Winterfell Dessert
While the rest of the city is rolling ice-cream roses with paint scrapers, Winterfell went with a Game of Thrones-themed Taiwanese shaved ice shop. For the uninitiated: Shaved Thai ice is what happens when ice cream and cotton candy fool around together. 32 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, facebook.com/winterfelldessert.
Saté Kampar
This BYOB has an adorably illustrated (kopitiam) menu that’s true to the street-side coffee shops in Malaysia; rare imported brews—hot or cold—are mixed with condensed milk, citrus and more to create all sorts of tasty concoctions. So join us while we yawn at all the cappuccinos in Philly. 1837 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, facebook.com/SateKampar.
Sing Your Life Karaoke at W/N W/N Coffee Bar
Sara Sherr has been ruling the local karaoke scene for a while now, but her newest series—in this unexpected coffee shop/bar/co-working space mashup—is the freshest one yet. The themed Thursday nights include Queer, Feminist, Big Gay Country and, our personal favorite, Protest. 931 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123, winwincoffeebar.com.
The Ivy Inn
When the pretzel shop next door to Bill Kelly’s 64-year-old Ivy Inn went belly-up, the shuffleboard enthusiast decided to open a 1,000-square-foot annex devoted to the game, complete with three regulation-size tables. It makes for quite a scene, especially on weekends. 37 Brookline Boulevard, Havertown, PA 19083, ivyinn.org.
Louella
Employ a smart strategy when shopping at this Main Line boutique: Grab as many whale-dotted Vineyard Vines shorts, Alice and Trixie tunics and Two Bees Cashmere sweaters as you can, and you'll never have to search for an occasion-worthy ensemble again. 227 East Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, and 335 East King Street, Malvern, 19087, louellastyle.com.
Dylanlex
The jewelry at online shop Dylanlex (crafted by Drexel grad Drew Ginsburg) comes in the form of rings, bracelets and chunky multi-layered collars, made from mixed metals and Swarovski crystals, that have earned a cult following among style-blazers. (Rihanna's a fan.) Dylanlex.com.
Catch and Release Merchants
Picking through the retro finds at this charming shop is what we imagine peeking through June Cleaver's and Carol Brady's kitchen windows would be like: peach lusterware, Depression-glass shakers, a mid-century pink Waring blender, and even an antique Philco fridge (that works). 1832 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, catchandreleasemerchants.com.
iPartz USA
This tiny company operating out of a cluttered space above a pizza shop is actually one of the largest cell-phone parts wholesalers in the Northeast, so they have the real Apple screens (not the knockoffs others use) dirt cheap. We recently brought them a badly shattered phone: Ten minutes and $60 later, it was like new. 299 Levering Mill Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, ipartzusa.com.
Bob and Barbara's
There's rarely a cover at this Philly dive bar, where a shot and a beer still cost just $3.50. And the talent lineup is always intriguing, from a twice-monthly country music hoedown and a funky Saturday-night guitar trio to the lounge-y sounds of Dena Miranda and the Mellowtones. 1509 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, bobandbarbaras.com.
Tired Hands Fermentaria
That cheer you heard this spring was beer geeks everywhere celebrating the opening of Tired Hands' brewpub. It's understandable: This trolley repair shop-turned-bar has room for you and all your friends to sample its latest drafts in one spot -- a big step in the evolution from local favorite to big-deal brewer. 35 Cricket Terrace, Ardmore, PA 19003, tiredhands.com/fermentaria.
Kristel Closets
Sorry, Stitch Fix. This Conshy-based service is refreshingly old-school in that clients get a closet critique from a real-life style expert, followed by one-on-one shopping trips to fill holes. Stylists are also available via Skype for quick consults. kristelclosets.com.
PucciManuli
This shop feels like the set of The Nutcracker, where items like heirloom rocking horses, model boats and life-size stuffed animals (some of which cost thousands of dollars) share space with sweet wooden puzzles, floppy teddies, and goods made by old-school crafters. 35 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, puccimanuli.com.
Occasionette
When Sara Villari recently expanded her shop just so she could stock more paper goods, we let out a squeal, because an email will never pack the gravitas of a hand-scrawled greeting atop weighty cardstock. 1825 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, occasionette.com.
UBIQ
A sneakerhead's heaven looks a whole lot like this modern, industrial shop, where kicks are mounted in gold-and-glass cases like works of art, elevated street wear hangs at the ready, and cult-followed sneaker launches see crowds lining up around the block. 1509 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, ubiqlife.com.
Gorshin Trading Post & Supplies
This two-year-old shop is a venerable retail anchor for Haddonfield's sleepy main street, with a mix of gear and goods he'll love from brands like Filson, Topo Designs, Dubarry and Shinola. Want something out of the box? Starting this fall, Mitch will lead trips to outdoorsy spots like Steamboat, Colorado. 125 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ 08033, gorshin.com.