12 Excellent Philly Restaurants That Are Open on Mondays
Long live Monday night dinner.
A spread at Mish Mish. / Photograph by Michael Persico
Much like Garfield, you may hate Mondays. That’s a reasonable stance. Mondays are for remembering (and agonizing over) all the tasks you should have completed last week. To make matters worse, many of Philly’s restaurants shut down for the day. But not all of them. When you’re on the hunt for an exceptional place to eat on Monday — whether you have the day off or not — these are the places we’re sending you to first.
Mish Mish, East Passyunk
Planning a dinner on Monday with someone you hope will deem you dateable? This Mediterranean restaurant right off of the Singing Fountain nails the atmosphere of a romantic night out — thanks to big windows, golden-glow lighting, and an ultra-cool playlist — without feeling stuffy or try-hard. The dishes, like harissa crab dip with saltines and a seasonally flavored chicken that’s roasted and then grilled to order, are consistently light but satisfying. 1046 Tasker Street.
Blue Corn, Italian Market
On a Monday that feels like it’s only worsening by the hour, you could ask a loved one for a hug, or you could go to Blue Corn and order coctel de camarones and chalupas. Both activities will produce similar chemical results in your brain. The walls of this warm Italian Market dining room are lined with booze, framed photos and soccer paraphernalia. It’s an easy place to sit for a while. When you’re ordering, take a cue from the name and prioritize masa in its near-infinite varieties (slider-sized sopecitos, for example, or thick huaraches smothered in refried beans and grilled cactus). Bonus fun: Walk to 12 Steps Down after dinner, where you can play free rounds of pool on Monday nights. 940 South 9th Street.
Café Nhan, South Philly
When you’re elbow-deep in rich, iron-y bún bò huế or one of eight banh mi varieties, it’s possible you’ll wonder why you’d want to visit any other restaurant in Philadelphia other than Café Nhan. In other words, it’s easy to get caught up in the simplicity and charm of this casual neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant run by a mother-son duo. Just know that the place closes at 7 p.m., so come for an early dinner or lunch. 1606 West Passyunk Avenue.
The chef’s counter at Suraya. / Photograph by Casey Robinson
Suraya, Fishtown
Between its mammoth size and the consistently stellar Levantine dishes, Suraya remains one of the city’s most useful restaurants for an upscale meal with a group. You can usually snag a table on a Monday night without issue, even if you’re bringing a gaggle of relatives or birthday celebrators to split cumin-spiked muhammara and slow-roasted lamb. Prepare to spend at least $50 per person. 1528 Frankford Avenue.
Dubu, Elkins Park
If you want to eat amazing Korean food on a Monday, there are plenty of options near Olney and Elkins Park. Dubu sits high up on that list, especially if you order crispy haemul pajeon, a stone pot of kimchi soondubu, and spicy marinated daeji bulgogi. But it’s also worth mentioning because the location is right next to H Mart in Elkins Park, which means you can have dinner and go grocery shopping for the week in one fell swoop. Heads up: H Mart closes at 8 p.m., and Dubu closes at 10 p.m. 1333 West Cheltenham Avenue, #102.
Pera, Northern Liberties
Pera serves thoughtful Turkish food in a brick-walled corner spot on North 2nd Street. All the cold mezze plates here come with fluffy pita slices that steam like angry kettles when you open them up. Start with Pera’s ezme — sweet from pomegranates, garlic-slapped, and smoky from roasted hot peppers. Then get some chicken or lamb kebabs, juicy in the center and charred on the outside, or the doughy manti bathed in chili oil and a cold yogurt sauce. The next time you need a BYOB choice that’s slightly more exciting than your regular old neighborhood spot, try Pera for date night or family dinner. 944 North 2nd Street.
Kalaya, Fishtown
Kalaya’s new location could eat four of the old Kalaya’s and still have room for dessert. That’s a quirky way of saying the palm-filled warehouse iteration of James Beard Award winner Nok Suntaranon’s Thai restaurant is giant and therefore can accommodate you and a bunch of friends on a Monday night. There are approximately 1,000 ways to build a meal here, based largely on your interest in spice. Share a dish or two from each menu category and save room for a show-stopping shaved ice dessert. There’s also booze available at this new location. 4 West Palmer Street.
River Twice’s “Mother Rucker” burger. / Photo by Mike Prince
River Twice, East Passyunk
While the format at this inventive fine-dining restaurant has often changed, it’s still holding steady on Monday nights. Here’s the thing: You can have the $80 four-course menu and beverage pairing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, but Monday is the only day that Chef Randy Rucker offers his Mother Rucker burger as an add-on. It’s double-stacked, layered with Cooper Sharp, rich, drippy, and served on an ultra-fresh bun. Just like everything at River Twice, local sourcing is a priority for the burger. 1601 East Passyunk Avenue.
My Loup, Rittenhouse
My Loup does things a bit differently. Chef-owners Alex Kemp and Amanda Shulman open their celebrated restaurant only on weekdays, leaving them and their staff with weekends free. It’s a unique set-up from a uniquely talented duo. The menu here, which is rooted in French Canadian cuisine, changes daily. A chat with your server should help narrow it down, but we always order the roast beef and fries. Everything at My Loup is shareable, perfectly executed, and fun to eat. 2005 Walnut Street.
Kampar, Bella Vista
Chef-owner Ange Branca’s new place was one of the most anticipated openings in recent memory. We missed her soulful Malaysian cooking ever since her East Passyunk restaurant closed, but now with Kampar, she’s back at it. Lucky for us, it’s open Mondays. Another perfect place for sharing, you’ll want to sample the beef rendang, achat, and nasi lemak. Start there and see what else your server or Ange herself, who bops around the dining room, recommends. There’s a full bar with excellent, cocktails this time around. 611 South 7th Street.
Sang Kee Peking Duck House, Chinatown
Since 1980, Sang Kee Peking Duck House has been a Chinatown destination for their savory, melt-in-your-mouth duck encased in crispy, crackling skin. Though Peking duck is a must, you should give their other Cantonese comforts a try. Decompress after a long day of meetings and emails with a cozy bowl of noodle soup overflowing with meaty dumplings and hearty wontons and a saucy plate of General Tso’s chicken. 238 North 9th Street.
Abyssinia, University City
Nothing livens up a drab Monday like the vibrant flavors and aromatic spices of the Ethiopian classics at Abyssinia. Come with friends, order a platter of lamb tibs, stewed lentils, collard greens and doro wat to share, head upstairs to the bar to order a cocktail or three, and celebrate that you’re one day closer to Friday. 229 South 45th Street.
