Lunch help needed

[lancastermike]

At the last minuite Maggie and I have taken off work tommorow and are headed to Philadelphia for shopping. RTM and DiBruno's on my list of places to shop.

She wants to have lunch and I would be thrilled with a roast pork at Dinic's but she would prefer an upgrade.

Don't care to go to one of the expense account places, but someplace nice and happy were we can relax and eat. Neighborhood and price not a real issue.

Any ideas?

Thanks to all

[David McDuff]

For good burgers and mussels and a great Belgian beer list, Monks is a good lunch spot (16th and Spruce on 16th). For a more elegant setting and more interesting food, Matyson is a good bet (on 19th just south of Market) and it's BYO if you're up for a little vino with lunch. Just up the street from RTM, Vietnam Palace (11th just south of Vine) puts out pretty respectable Vietnamese food at pretty reasonable prices.

[MarketStEl]

Some other options if you're in the mood for burgers:

--Good Dog, on 15th Street between Walnut and Locust. The house burger comes stuffed with Roquefort cheese, topped with caramelized onions, and served with sweet potato fries on the side and is one of the best burgers in town, if not indeed the best. Decent selection of craft brews to boot. One caveat: I don't know what the crowd is like at lunch, but at happy hour, the lawyers and bike messengers together produce an almost-deafening decibel level.

--Bootsie's, on 19th just below Market. You'll end up shelling out $10-$15 for your burger combo here, but that gets you a juicy Kobe beef burger and some of the best fries in town. Service runs the gamut from attentive to slipshod, but it's still fairly quick and efficient, and if they screw up, they make it right right there and then. No license, but I think you can order off their menu at Tragos next door; Bootsie told me he was planning to add beer to his offerings when I dined there last month.

[Diann]

Good Dog's burger is pretty ridiculously good, but it is still a bar, so if your wife wants an upgrade, I'd go to Matyson or Amada -- both nicer weekday lunch options. Here are links to sample lunch menus: Matyson and Amada.

If I were in town on a weekday before 2PM, though, I'd hie myself over to John's Roast Pork to figure out what the fuss is all about.

[Bluehensfan]

Good Dog's burger is pretty ridiculously good, but it is still a bar, so if your wife wants an upgrade, I'd go to Matyson or Amada -- both nicer weekday lunch options. Here are links to sample lunch menus: Matyson and Amada.

If I were in town on a weekday before 2PM, though, I'd hie myself over to John's Roast Pork to figure out what the fuss is all about. 

←

All of the recommendations listed are great (but haven't tried Bootsies or the Good Dog yet) but if I were you, I'd be kicking myself if I missed my sandwich at DiNic's. You could always split a sandwich at DiNic's and try something upstairs at the cafe at DiBruno's, which is generally pretty good (although no more Kobe burgers...now they are angus!), and then follow it up with some hot chocolate at the Naked Chocolate Cafe or the Ritz Carlton (both close by!)...

Edited December 7, 2006 by Bluehensfan (log)

[mrbigjas]

i always enjoy fork for lunch. i don't think i've ever had a bad (or even less than very good) meal there.

[Dish]

I'm pretty sure that snackbar just started serving lunch. The food is great, very interesting and the vibe is very NYC....think hotel lobby.

For people watching and one of the best burgers (imo) Rouge is always fun.

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

Other fine options...

Nodding Head

The Happy Rooster

Sansom Street Oyster House

and

Ludwig's Garten.