Good Eats in Philly

August 31, 2008 7:46 AM

MeFi Foodies: Can you recommend good (cheap-ish) eats in or around Philly's Convention Center and Art Museum areas?

I'm heading into Philadelphia today to meet up with my brother and his wife who are staying near the Convention Center. I'm looking for dinner recommendations for a place in between there and the Art Museum area. We're interested in inexpensive and casual (but no Chili's or anything like that). I'm laying off the sugar/carbs, so I think Chinatown might not be an option, but correct me if my assumption is wrong. Meat is good. We're up for anything cuisine-wise.

posted by missuswayne to food & drink (11 comments total)

I believe the convention center is very near to the Reading Terminal Market, which is totally worth a visit.
posted by pete0r at 8:01 AM on August 31, 2008

Marathon Grill has a few locations in Center City. The one at 13th and Chestnut might work for you.
posted by SansPoint at 8:13 AM on August 31, 2008

RTM is not open for dinner on Sundays, closes at 4.

Marathon is .. well .. I've eaten there, and it's .. ok. There's much better places.

In no specific order:

Eulogy Belgian Tavern
136 Chestnut Street

Eulogy is rather inexpensive for the quality, and while the beers are the best in the city, the frijtes are way better than their competitor's, Monk's. It's nice weather out today, the walk from convention center over to Eulogy is a nice one. Walk down Market past independence mall to 2nd, and come down second. Oops, but you said between there and Art Museum... Well, what about:

The Bard's
2013 Walnut St

Not exactly typical bar food, but it's tasty, and a good place to hang out after dinner. Great dart board!

Belgian Cafe
It's Monk's Junior, but I hear that it's better than what was in the space before. Owned by the same guy who owns Monks, I think it's a decent place, but out of the way for me. I'm pretty sure they have outdoor tables, and on a day like today that's a must.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 8:20 AM on August 31, 2008

Thanks for your responses...

Yeah, I was sort of keeping Marathon in my back pocket as a possibility, but I wasn't sure what other good options were around.

And although we might stop into Reading Terminal if I get into town in time, they close at 4 today :(
posted by missuswayne at 8:22 AM on August 31, 2008

I've never been there for dinner, but Sabrina's opened a new location this year at 18th & Callowhill. Their brunches are delicious. But hm... sugar and carbs.

Last night I had dinner with friends at Salento (wow their website is... basic). It's a BYOB on Walnut between 22nd & 23rd. They have lots of pasta but also non-carb based entrees. The artichoke appetizer was amazing.

Since it's Sunday, you can take advantage of their summer promotion which is an appetizer + entree + dessert for $28. Pretty good deal and I wish we could have done that.
posted by polexa at 9:09 AM on August 31, 2008

Hmmm... Eulogy might be out of the way, but the Bard's or Belgian Cafe might work. Although I don't know how I'm going to resist the frites, fish and chips or beer... nom nom nom.

Salento might work also - but it looks like Sabrina's is only open until 4 on Sunday, but some carb-favorable day in the future I might check it out for brunch.

Thanks!!! Keep those suggestions coming...
posted by missuswayne at 9:17 AM on August 31, 2008

All of Chinatown is just a stone's throw away, with a multitude of options.
posted by scalefree at 11:16 AM on August 31, 2008

Ah never mind, I didn't read the whole post.
posted by scalefree at 11:17 AM on August 31, 2008

Seconding Peteor's recommendation of Reading Terminal Market. I was in Philly exactly once, thirteen years ago for about a week, and it is the first thing that came to mind when I recalled food there.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 3:54 PM on August 31, 2008

Thanks Geckwoistmeinauto - We ended up at Belgian Cafe, and it was perfect!
posted by missuswayne at 5:46 PM on August 31, 2008

Funny, so did we. Glad you had fun!
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 6:30 PM on September 8, 2008