What's a great restaurant near the Hyatt at Penns Landing?

March 26, 2012 4:47 PM

What's a great restaurant within walking distance of the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing?

I'm asking for my former grad school advisor. He and an all-male, meat-eating group of buds are looking for "interesting" and "quality" food for dinner and lunch later this week.

I don't think money is an object for them.

My impression of Old City restaurants is that they tend to serve up pieces of fish and potatoes slathered in fruit sauce or mayonnaise. In other words, I don't have a great impression of Center City dining, so I'm drawing a blank.

Thanks for your suggestions.

posted by vincele to Food & Drink (14 answers total)

Continental. It's a Steven Starr restaurant and my first recommendation for the area.
posted by DoubleLune at 4:53 PM on March 26, 2012

Buddakan, another Steven Starr, is also excellent.
posted by dayintoday at 5:48 PM on March 26, 2012

Note that buddakan is cheaper than it looks from the menu; the dishes are sized and priced to share.
posted by madcaptenor at 6:00 PM on March 26, 2012

I actually stayed in that hotel last summer, and I ended up going to Continental. It was really great... and it's actually probably one of the closest restaurants to the Hyatt.
posted by kimdog at 6:09 PM on March 26, 2012

Response by poster: Thank you all for your suggestions. I should have specified I'm looking for non-Steven Starr restaurants. I have been to several and do not care for the food or service.
posted by vincele at 6:22 PM on March 26, 2012

It's kind of a long walk, but how about Marrakesh? Not a Michelin-rated meal, but I've been there a couple of times and it's been really fun.
posted by Madamina at 6:28 PM on March 26, 2012

HAN DYNASTY. No question. So much better than mediocre Starr restos. Or Eulogy for Belgian and a ridiculous beer selection. Or Farmicia for really good American farm-to-table (we had our wedding there).
posted by supercres at 6:48 PM on March 26, 2012

Also Amada (Garces's first place) and National Mechanics for good pub grub.
posted by supercres at 6:52 PM on March 26, 2012

Morimoto! I recently attended an academic workshop in Philadelphia and that's where our big dinner was. We also ate at Han Dynasty; great food, but they put our large group in the windowless basement, which couldn't compete with Morimoto's atmosphere.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:42 PM on March 26, 2012

Amada is really wonderful, National Mechanics is great during the day. Down Front St at around Christian St (so past South St) is a cajun bar called Catahoula. Eulogy is a good belgian bar with tasty food on Chestnut between Front and 2nd. Oddly City Tavern has quite good food if they wanted that sort of thing. I'd vote for National Mechanics for lunch and Amada for dinner though.
posted by sepviva at 7:56 PM on March 26, 2012

I will third Han Dynasty for people who like to be brave with the spiciness and Amada for great execution (preorder the suckling pig perhaps) and more of a trendy atmosphere. I am not a big fan of Marrakesh (it's an experience b/c of all the courses but I don't find the food very exciting).

I suggest Zahav by Michael Solomonov.
posted by tangaroo at 9:43 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

I would say Garces Trading Co. instead of Amada -- not as stuffy, you can drink on the cheap because there's a wine shop in the restaurant, and I like the food more. Xochitl is right there at 2nd and Pine, and is one of my favorites.
posted by coppermoss at 3:25 AM on March 27, 2012

Places in Old City I have eaten and enjoyed, both for food and service/atmosphere reasons:

Triumph Brewing Company (food is decent but the beer is wonderful), Fork and the adjoining Fork:etc. cafe for more casual dining, Amada, Eulogy, and the brunch at Farmicia. All above would satisfy most self-proclaimed meat eaters as well. If they want to head into Chinatown there are also a lot of good options like Sang Kee, Rangoon Burmese, Vietnam and Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House. I also love Garces Trading Company.
posted by itsonreserve at 5:32 AM on March 27, 2012

Check out The Khyber Pass Pub (Philly Inquirer review - 2 bells). It's pretty casual, but it has a huge range of great meat (brisket, ribs, pork, a kick-ass burger), New Orleans-style southern food (po' boys with Leidenheimer rolls flown in), 22 taps, and it's the antithesis of Stephen Starr. Despite being sort of hipster-heavy, the crowd really does run the gamut, and I see throngs of hipster 20-somethings, little old ladies, families, and douchey suits every time I'm in there.
posted by The Michael The at 6:15 AM on March 27, 2012