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Photo by B. Krist for Visit Philadelphia
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Photo by Paul Karns
Photo by Paul Karns
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Photo by Paul Karns
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Photo by Paul Karns
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Photo by Paul Karns
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Photo by Paul Karns
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Photo by Paul Karns
Accompanying my daughter on the first leg of a trip to see family in the Midwest provided an opportunity for me to visit Philadelphia, a place whose beer, food and culture I had long wanted to explore. With a bit more than 24 hours to sample the City of Brotherly Love’s extensive offerings, I hit Facebook and asked friends for suggestions of must-see places.
Extraordinary Selection
Among other things, Philly is known for its excellent craft-beer scene, and as a co-founder of a Richmond craft brewery, I was eager to see for myself. Monk’s Café has led the way for many years with its extensive bottle list and selection of unusual Belgian beers. The fact that it is also one of the only places outside of California where you can find Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Elder — widely considered one of the best beers in the United States — made it a first stop on my itinerary.
Small-Batch Goodness
To get a taste for the vanguard of the craft-beer scene, however, hop the SEPTA Regional Rail train out to Ardmore ($7.50 round-trip from Suburban Station in City Center), and visit 2-year-old Tired Hands Brewing Co. The trip is well worth it to taste the excellent small-batch beers being produced by Jean Broillet. The beers change often and, on this visit, included an excellent Gose (brewed in collaboration with Richmond’s Dave Witte and April Viar), three different saisons, and a complex and delicious rye IPA. While there, be sure to sample the house-made pickles, butter and charcuterie.
Street Feast
For lunch and great people-watching, headto the Italian Market on South Ninth Street for one of the country’s oldest outdoor markets. Tucked among the epicurean delights is the tiny Paesano’s sandwich shop, where a wall of pictures shows the owner with various celebrities, including Anthony Bourdain and Bobby Flay, both of whom featured the shop in their TV shows. The handwritten menu on the wall changes frequently, and the shop is cash-only. I grabbed an Arista, a piquant stack of roast pork, spicy provolone, “Italian long hots” (peppers) and broccoli rabe.
Rustic Sophistication
Since this trip was turning out to be a study in contrasts, I took a friend’s advice and later headed to the University District for dinner at Osteria, the first of the Vetri family of restaurants. A world away from my $8 cash-only lunch, Osteria offers an excellent cocktail program and award-winning Northern Italian-inspired fare. Before I knew it, I had passed a couple of hours sitting at the bar, eating and chatting with locals.
Fine Art
Because no visit to Philly is complete without a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, if only to see the steps where Sly Stallone ran as Rocky, head over and watch the hordes of tourists — and a lookalike actor — run the steps. VMFA members should bring their membership cards for free entry to the museum, which is well worth visiting for its extensive contemporary and Impressionist collections, not to mention an excellent assemblage of Picasso’s drawings and studies.
Medical Lore
For this study in contrasts, however, a trip to The Mütter Museum is a must. Billed as America’s finest museum of medical history, the Mütter is a fascinating collection of medical oddities and studies from the 1800s. View a plaster cast of Siamese twins, skeletons and skulls of all shapes and sizes, cross-sections of fetuses, and much more. Civil War buffs who make a trip in the next few months will also find a special exhibition on medical treatment during the war.
