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Best of Philly 2017
This city changes by the minute. Restaurants open; stores close; trends pop up out of nowhere and then vanish; unassuming gems turn into instant classics.
It’s exhausting to keep up with it all, right? That’s where we come in. For the 44th year in a row, the editors of Philadelphia magazine fanned out across our region to taste, test, sleuth and nitpicking-ly determine the very best, so you know where to spend your time and money right now. In the process, we discovered some awesome things: that the best mechanics are women; that there’s a play place for kids built high in the trees; that Philly’s media personalities can still wow us with their honesty; that fine dining is far from dead. So go ahead — dig in and seize the day.
Best of Philly 2017
- Best African: Kings and Queens
- Best Authentic Mexican: Tacos California
- Best Bar Revival: Bonk’s Bar
- Best Bar Snack: Duck hearts at Fond
- Best Bar Staff: Watkins Drinkery
- Best Beer Garden: Suburban Restaurant & Beer Garden
- Best Breakfast: The Turning Point
- Best Breakfast Sandwich: Stockyard Sandwich Co.
- Best Brewpub, ’Burbs: La Cabra Brewing
- Best Brewpub, City: Crime & Punishment Brewing Co.
- Best Brunch, ’Burbs: Cornerstone
- Best Brunch, City: Bufad
- Best Burger: Royale with Cheese at Butcher Bar
- Best BYOB, ’Burbs: L’Angolo West
- Best BYOB, City: Jaxon
- Best Ceviche: Blue Corn
- Best Chef: Cristina Martinez at El Compadre
- Best Chicken Dinner: Braised half chicken at Hungry Pigeon
- Best Chinese: Hunan
- Best Classic Pizzeria: Angelo’s Pizzeria
- Best Cocktail: Assassin’s Handbook at Friday Saturday Sunday
- Best Coffee Drinks: Saté Kampar
- Best Dessert: Nutty Buddy at Wister
- Best Doughnuts: Yum Yum Bakeshop
- Best Drunk Food: Scrapple poutine at Shoo Fry
- Best Family-Friendly Restaurant: 24
- Best Food Destination: Market at the Fareway
- Best Food Hall: Chinatown Square
- Best French: La Maison
- Best Fried Chicken: Poi Dog
- Best Fried Seafood: Bait & Switch
- Best Gringo Mexican: Sancho Pistola’s
- Best Happy-Hour Scene: Mission Taqueria
- Best Hoagie: Old-Fashioned Italian at Ricci’s
- Best Ice Cream: Tubby Robot
- Best Indian: Devi
- Best Industry Bar: Townsend
- Best Jewish Bakery: Essen Bakery
- Best Latin American: La Mula Terca
- Best Low-Key Bar: Burg’s Hideaway Lounge
- Best Mall Restaurant: Mistral KOP
- Best Meal “Deal”: Friday Lunch at Vetri
- Best Menu Specials: Stella
- Best New American: Friday Saturday Sunday
- Best New Bakery: Cake Life Bake Shop
- Best New Celeb Chef: Joe Beddia at Pizzeria Beddia
- Best New Coffee Shop: Rival Bros.
- Best New Italian Restaurant: Res Ipsa
- Best New Reading Terminal Stand: Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs
- Best New Restaurant: Palizzi Social Club
- Best Noodle Soup: The Good Deal at Stock
- Best Old-School Steakhouse: Saloon
- Best Outdoor Patio: Southwark
- Best Pasta: Wm. Mulherin’s Sons
- Best Pasta Maker: Vera Pasta
- Best Place to Bring a Posse: Perla’s Kamayan Dinner
- Best Quick-Serve, ’Burbs: Malvern Buttery
- Best Quick-Serve, City: Real Food Eatery
- Best Quick-Serve Pizza: Snap Custom Pizza
- Best Reason to Eat at the Supermarket: The food court at Whole Foods
- Best Reason to Eat Caviar Again: Caviar service at ITV
- Best Red-Gravy Italian: Pica’s
- Best Restaurant Concept: Bánh Mì & Bottles
- Best Restaurant Designer: Kate Rohrer of ROHE Creative
- Best Roast Beef Sandwich: Caffe Chicco
- Best Rooftop Bar: Bok Bar
- Best Sandwich: Pretzel Melt at American Sardine Bar
- Best Seafood: The Clam Tavern
- Best Server: Luis Pedrogo at Noord
- Best Service: Abe Fisher
- Best Shareable Appetizer: DIY stuffed grape leaves at Opa
- Best Sister Restaurant: Kanella Grill
- Best Soul Food: Debreaux’s
- Best Splurge Sushi: Royal Sushi and Izakaya
- Best Strip-Mall Restaurant: Sky Cafe
- Best Supper Club: Dino’s Backstage & the Celebrity Room
- Best Takeout Sushi: Jason’s Toridasu
- Best Tasting Room: Philadelphia Distilling
- Best Trendy Ice Cream: Winterfell Dessert
- Best Tuna Sandwich: Philly Style Bagels
- Best Under-the-Radar Restaurant: Ambra
- Best Up-and-Coming Chef: Michael Vincent Ferreri at Res Ipsa
- Best Wine Guy: Tim Kweeder at Kensington Quarters
- Best Blowout: Cara Brady at Currie Hair Skin & Nails
- Best Boutique Fitness Studio: Roots Athletics
- Best Brow Grooming: Dana DeMarco at LashBee
- Best Cardio Workout: Incline Running
- Best Chiropractor for Preggies: Katie Samsel at Samsel Integrative Health
- Best Curly Cut: Teresa Badolato at Curl Hair and Wellness
- Best Everything but the Blowout: Lacquer Lounge
- Best Facial: Soothing Facial at Green City Beauty
- Best Gym: Life Time Athletic
- Best Hair Removal Guru: Janice Stein at AME Salon and Spa
- Best Healthy Recipe Inspiration: @plantbasedblonde
- Best Hiking Resource: Philly Day Hiker
- Best Lunchtime Fix: High Frequency Zit Zap at Rescue Spa
- Best Luxe Tanning Treatment: Custom Airbrush Tan at the Rittenhouse Spa & Club
- Best Makeup Artist: Aleksandra Ambrozy
- Best Massage to Fix Your Aches: Alpine Arnica Deep Tissue Massage at the Logan
- Best Men’s One-Stop Grooming: Joe Grooming Lounge at Duross & Langel
- Best Mommy Mecca: Hatch
- Best New Salon: Tribe
- Best New Spa: Cure de Repos
- Best New Workout: Solidcore
- Best New Yoga Studio: Rebel
- Best Reason to Love Lululemon Again: Lululemon Local
- Best Reason to Work Out on a Friday Night: Namaslay at Three Queens Yoga
- Best Running Group: Chasing Trail
- Best Salon for Bold Color: Barnet Fair
- Best Salon for Natural Hair: Syreeta Scott at Duafe
- Best Spin Studio: SoulCycle
- Best Secret Gym: The Training Station
- Best Trainer: Katie Gould at KG Strong
- Best Walk-In Bang Trim: Richard Nicholas Hair Studio
- Best Wrinkle Treatment: Healing Arts Center
- Best Yoga Teacher: Brittany Everett at Grace & Glory Yoga
Food & Drink
Health & Fitness
Media, Politics & People
- Best Alterations: Wardrobe Clinic
- Best Bartender for Hire: Spirit Forward
- Best Bike Repair: Dr. Cycles
- Best Canine Coiffer: Neil K. Davis at Doggie Style
- Best Curb-Appeal Upgrade: DIY workshops at Karen Singer Tileworks
- Best Custom Cabinets: Kole Made
- Best Denim Repair: SewRob
- Best Dinner Planners: What a Crock
- Best Dogs by the Hour: Saved Me
- Best Dry Cleaner for Terrible Stains: Upland Cleaners
- Best Emergency Plumbers: Goodman Plumbing
- Best Exterior Contractor: AMDG Exterior Contracting
- Best Family Photographer: Carolyn Clement
- Best Flower Delivery: Petit Jardin en Ville
- Best Housecleaners for a Deep Clean: EverGreen Maids
- Best Mechanic for Your Jaguar: J & J Motors
- Best Multipurpose Garage: Girls Auto Clinic
- Best Place to Get Stuff Fixed: ACS Repair Center
- Best Place to Get Your Driver’s License Renewed: AAA Ardmore
- Best Quickie By-Hand Car Wash: Spring Garden Wash & Lube
- Best Self-Memorialization: PeoplePrints 3D
- Best Shoe Repair, City: Charles Shoe Repair
- Best Supermarket Flowers: Wegmans
- Best Teens for Hire: GoPaperboy
- Best Wardrobe Makeovers: Style Camp
- Best Website for Cyclists: GoPhillyGo
- Best Alternative to the Mall Perfume Counter: The perfume wall at Joan Shepp
- Best Annual Sale: United by Blue Sample Sale
- Best Architectural Salvage: Provenance
- Best Audio Store: Bang & Olufsen
- Best Cooking Supplies: The Restaurant Store
- Best Estate Jewelry: L. Priori
- Best Furniture Collaboration: Roar + Rabbit at West Elm
- Best Greeting Cards: Groundswell Greetings
- Best Homewares: Preservation Fine Goods
- Best Hostess Gifts: Division IV
- Best Independent Bookstore: Head House Books
- Best Luxe Shop for Stoners: Sweetflag
- Best Men’s Jeans: Gentry + Rose
- Best Men’s Shoes: ToBox
- Best Music Store: Russo Music
- Best New City Boutique: Rennes
- Best New Furniture-Store Concept: Lema Studio
- Best New Sister Shop: Occasionette
- Best New Suburban Boutique: Kirna Zabête
- Best New Suit Shop: Damari Savile
- Best Pet Store: Unleashed by Petco
- Best Place to Find Pretentious Art Magazines: Avril 50
- Best Place to Start Your Gallery Wall: Gallery Carré d’Artistes Philadelphia
- Best Place to Trick Out Your Bar Cart: Art in the Age
- Best Pop-Up Turned Brick-And-Mortar: Yowie
- Best Preppy Kids’ Clothes: Gilbert & Evans
- Best Rain Jackets: American Trench
- Best Reason to Go to Walnut Street: Thos. Moser
- Best Secret Linen Stash: Cuttalossa
- Best Shopping Destination: worKS
- Best Shopping Event: The Craftery Market
- Best Shore Shop: Givens
- Best Toy Store: Tildie’s Toy Box
- Best Unintimidating X-Rated Shop: Kink Shoppe
- Best Vintage Furniture: RareCo Vintage
- Best Wallpaper: Nottene
- Best Way to Up Your Gifting Game: Printfresh
- Best Women’s Accessories: Delsette
- Best Women’s Shoes: Zoë
- Best Women’s Vintage: Millay
- Best Amusement Park Ride: The Great White at Morey’s
- Best Bro-Free Karaoke: Sing Your Life Karaoke at W/N W/N Coffee Bar
- Best Classes for Budding Thespians: Music Theatre Philly
- Best Comedy Club: Good Good Comedy Theatre
- Best Couples Getaway: The Water Club
- Best Daredevil Fun: The Heart of Darkness Tour at Spring Mountain
- Best Easy Camping: French Creek State Park
- Best Easy Fishing: Linvilla Orchards
- Best Film-Nerd Series: Exhumed Films
- Best Fun for Xbox Enthusiasts: Play2 at Chickie’s & Pete’s
- Best Fun Suburban Town: Doylestown
- Best Geeky Fun: Science After Hours at the Franklin Institute
- Best Highbrow Fun: Opera Philadelphia
- Best Movie Theater: Regal Edgmont Square 10
- Best Music Venue Revival: Dell Music Center
- Best Neighborhood Festival: Italian Market Festival
- Best New Group Activity : Urban Axes
- Best New Museum: Museum of the American Revolution
- Best Overlooked Tourist Attraction: The Navy Yard
- Best Park: Clark Park
- Best Place for Bar Games: Elbow Lane at Harp & Crown
- Best Place to Climb a Tree: Treehouse World
- Best Place to Discover the Next Theater Star: Scratch Night at FringeArts
- Best Place to Get on a Horse: Sheeder Mill Farm
- Best Place to Have Sex on the Beach: North Brigantine Beach
- Best Place to Play Shuffleboard: The Ivy Inn
- Best Public Place to Smoke Weed: Race Street Pier
- Best Reason to Go to the Library: Musical Instrument Collection at the Free Library
- Best Redneck Fun: Buck Motorsports
- Best Road Trip: Gettysburg
- Best Soccer Bar: Fadó
- Best Staycation: Lokal Hotel
- Best Theater Company: Arden Theatre Company
- Best Under-the-Radar Dance Club: Tavern on Camac
- Best Waspy Fun: Sundays at the Brandywine Polo Club
- Best Way to Get Aggression Out: Holmesburg Fish and Game Protective Association
- Best Weird Museum: American Treasure Tour
- Reader Poll: Best Beer Bar: Monk’s Café
- Reader Poll: Best Burger: White Dog Café
- Reader Poll: Best Cheesesteak: Dalessandro’s Steaks & Hoagies
- Reader Poll: Best Italian Restaurant: Gran Caffè L’Aquila
- Reader Poll: Best Suburban Restaurant: Teresa’s Next Door