Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 215-735 1137;
www.lareservebandb.com
; 1804 Pine St; r with shared/private bath incl breakfast
from $80/125; )
This lovely 1850s row house sits on a quiet stretch of Pine Street
a few blocks south of Rittenhouse Sq. The B&B's seven rooms come stocked with well-
worn charm - often in the form of faded oriental rugs, plush draperies, tall ceilings, inop-
erative fireplaces and (it seems) the fragile furniture of a minor 19th-century French aris-
tocrat.
Ritz-Carlton
HOTEL$$$
$$$
( 215-523-8000;
www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/philadelphia
;
10 Ave of the Arts; r from $300;
)
This Ritz possesses one of the most lavish lobbies in North America, mod-
elled after the Pantheon. In the afternoon, a formal tea is held in the rotunda. The 331
rooms are contained in a pre-WWII adjoining tower. Spacious, marble-clad bathrooms
feel about as clean as an operating room.
Rittenhouse 1715
HOTEL$$$
$$$
( 215-546-6500;
www.rittenhouse1715.com
; 1715 Rittenhouse Square St; r $249-305, ste
$309-699; )
Just steps from Rittenhouse Sq, this is an elegant, top-notch choice.
Housed in a 1911 mansion and infused with old-world sophistication, it's brimming with
modern amenities: iPod docking stations, plasma TVs and rain showerheads. The
friendly and efficient staff is also worth noting.
Eating
Philly is deservedly known for its cheesesteaks - local aficionados debate the relative
merits of various shops as if they are biblical scholars parsing the meaning of Deutero-
nomy. The city's dining scene has grown exponentially, in part due to the contributions
of the Starr and Garces groups, which have added a range of quality international eater-
ies. Starr in particular has seemingly targeted every cuisine and theme known to human-
ity.
The locavore, farm-to-table modern American trend is going strong (even a single
block, 20th St and Rittenhouse Sq has three) as are gastropubs, which obsess equally
about the provenance of their brews and burgers (Fairmount neighborhood has a hand-
ful). Up-and-coming culinary hotspots inlcude Northern Liberties (Modomio for North-
ern Italian and Fette Sau for barbecue), Fishtown (Pickled Heron for creative French bis-
tro) and East Passyunk in South Philadelphia (Le Virtu for locavore Italian). And food
