Tips for the best weekend in Philly

If you had just one weekend in Philly, where would you go? A recent New York Times feature set out to answer that question, mapping out a 36-hour visit. But, every Philadelphian has their own favorites: a coffee shop, must-see neighborhood, iconic meal, hidden gem, and the place they insist every visitor should experience.

Some of the Times’ recommendations are obvious. Others are under-the-radar. But when it comes to Philly, there’s always another great restaurant, park, museum, mural, or corner bar waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or planning your first visit, it’s a heavy lift to fit the best of the city into just one weekend. 

On this episode of Studio 2, we’re building our own ideal 36 hours in Philly. We’ll talk about what made the NYT list — and what didn’t — and round up your suggestions for a truly memorable, exciting and perfectly Philly trip. 

Guests:

• Tonya Pendleton, Things to Do curator for WHYY
• Stephanie Farr, Philadelphia Inquirer features columnist who writes about what makes Philly weird, wild, and wonderfully unique
• Alisha Miranda, freelance hospitality reporter and owner of a creative agency

Where to Stay

Stephanie Farr:

•  Penn’s View Hotel in Old City – “You get a view of the waterfront and it’s an historic building. You’re also within walking distance of so much in Old City and all of the historic sites.”

Alisha Miranda (and Avi):

• Hotel Anna & Bel in Fishtown – “ A beautiful boutique hotel.  It has an on-site bar and restaurant, Bastia and Caletta.  For overnight stays, they have discounts for locals. I’m actually staying there next month!” 

Tonya Pendleton:

• W Philadelphia in Center City – “I went straight to the big spenders. It’s centrally located. It has a spa. It has a pool.  It’s near all the theaters if you’re going to a show.  When you’re coming to Philly and you want to have a more upscale experience, start with the W.” 

Cherri Gregg:

• Hotel Monaco in Old City – “ They have the Red Owl Tavern as a restaurant. [They have] Stratus Rooftop Bar, so if you come in late, you can still go upstairs and get a drink.  You can see the Liberty Bell from your room window.”

Dinner and a Drink

Alisha Miranda (and Avi, again!): 

• Bastia and Caletta at the Hotel Anna & Bel in Fishtown
• BAR ilu in Kensington – “[It’s] a new Spanish tapas spot.  The team that owns Lloyd Whiskey and Cormorant Corner bars opened up that spot.”
• Meeting House in Fishtown

Tonya Pendleton: 

• Irwin’s in South Philly – “ You get the fantastic views and you get a little slice of Philly history because the Bok building used to be a high school.”
•  Bok Bar – “ That’s the top of the Bok building.  You have an insane 360 view from the top.  Irwin’s is on the same floor as Bok Bar.”

Stephanie Farr: 

• Panorama in the Penn’s View Hotel in Old City – “ They actually have more than 150 wines on tap.  Now, wines on tap sounds terrible, but in reality  it actually keeps the wines fresher.”
• Khyber Pass Pub – “It’s legendary.”
• Sassafras – “I love the vibe there and their cocktails are phenomenal.”

Cherri Gregg: 

• AMINA in Northern Liberties – “ They have African-Caribbean food and I literally had one of the best meals I’ve ever had there.”
• Newsroom Philly – “ They have a door that looks like an old 7 Up machine and you go in there and it’s a whole ‘nother world.”
• Avi Wolfman-Arent: Les and Doreen’s Happy Tap in Fishtown – “Total neighborhood bar.”

Listener picks

Becky: Vedge in Center City

 Christine: Rouge along Rittenhouse Square

Coffee

Alisha Miranda:  

• La Jefa near Rittenhouse Square – “It’s one of the rare day-to-night cafes that we have in town.”

Tonya Pendleton:

• Elixr Coffee Roasters, Callowhill location – “ That’s where I take people when I want to do a nice, calm meeting.”

Stephanie Farr (one of the few journalists in existence, we assume, who doesn’t drink coffee) picked:

• La Colombe because she has a gift card.

Avi Wolfman-Arent picked:

• the other La Colombe location on Frankford Avenue

Cherri Gregg:

• Old City Coffee on Church Street – “ I get to see some of the old housing.”

Attractions and Hidden Gems

Stephanie Farr:

• Magic Gardens on South Street – “ I think it is uniquely Philly. I’ve never seen anything else like it in the world.”

Tonya Pendleton:

• “The Museum Run” (Franklin Institute, Barnes Foundation, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art) – “ If you do your timing correctly, you can start at the Franklin Institute and go down the parkway to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.”

Avi Wolfman-Arent:

• Historical Sites in Old City (namely: Carpenters’ Hall and Penn Hospital Museum)

Alisha Miranda:

• Book a Hidden City Philadelphia Tour  – “ I love their tours. They’re all really varied. I’ve done several.”

Listener picks

Nicholas: Date Night at The Head & The Hand Bookstore in Fishtown

Judith: John’s Roast Pork in South Philly

Caitlin: Pietramala in Northern Liberties

Ted: Dream Garden at the Curtis Center

Mindy:  A cycle ride with Bicycle Club of Philadelphia

Sue: City Hall Observation Deck

Entertainment

Stephanie Farr: 

• Live music at  Bob and Barbara’s, Time, and/or Solar Myth – “Those are all classic Philly venues that are intimate but really quirky and fun.”
• A Phillies or Flyers game – “ If you can, get a seat in Gritty’s Chaos Corner for an extremely visceral experience.”

Alisha Miranda:

• Live band karaoke at Fergie’s Pub

Avi Wolfman-Arent: 

• Catch a game at the Palestra on UPenn’s campus – “ I think it’s the best sports venue in the country.”
• Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown

Tonya Pendleton: 

• The Annenberg on UPenn’s campus – “ There are often great jazz shows there and it’s just a wonderful vibe.”
•  Helium and Punch Line comedy clubs – “ There are always great comics in town.”

Cherri Gregg:  

• The Velvet Whip near Chinatown – “ They have some burlesque dancing. Y’all can tell what kind of weekend we’re having!”

Listener picks

Stephanie: Neighborhood Jawnts Tour

Robin: Arden Theatre in Old City

Late-night eats

Alisha Miranda:

• Jim’s South St. – “Wiz wit, keep it moving.”

Cherri Gregg:  

• Ishkabibbles on South Street. – “ I like the chicken cheese steak hoagie, or the South Philly chicken cheese steak, and I’m gonna get some mozzarella cheese.”

Stephanie Farr:

• “ If I’m being honest, I’m getting a Shorti at Wawa.”

Avi Wolfman-Arent:

• Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop in Fishtown – “ It’s convenient and you’ll have the cheese steak experience.”

Tonya Pendleton:

• Jade Harbor in Chinatown – “ It’s excellent, old-school Chinese food and I love it.”

Brunch

Alisha Miranda:

• Sulimay’s in Fishtown – “ It’s one of the last old-school, no frills, cash-only diners that we have left in this city.”

Stephanie Farr:

• Sabrina’s Cafe 

Avi Wolfman-Arent:

• Tamalex in South Philly – “ Great tamales and it’s their weekend special. It’s a little treat for our weekend visitors.”

Tonya Pendleton:

• Jerry’s in Fishtown – “ It’s got great vibes, good ambiance. The food is good and it’s fun.”

Cherri Gregg:

• Cafe La Maude in Northern Liberties – “ All I have to say is: tiramisu pancakes.”

Listener picks

Miles: Griddle and Rice in South Philly