Sweet Lorraine’s Cafe and Bar: Tasty Creations in Peddler’s Village

Sweet Lorraine’s used to be The Spotted Hog, but patrons have expressed relief that the new owners have executed a thorough overhaul, from the interior to the menu. Warm and homey, the establishment is now as inviting as can be, beginning with the foccacia bread and muffin (dipped in house marinara) that the friendly servers offer you to munch on while waiting for your entrees. After that, it’s an eclectic engagement: Choose from standard fare like jerk chicken salad or more adventurous dishes like maple-cured salmon and yellowfin tuna salad nicoise. Mornings offer hearty breakfasts like the New Orleans Fritatta, cooked with applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar, and spicy Creole sauce. Just beware of Sweet Lorraine’s popularity—it can get pretty packed on Saturdays.

Sweet Lorraine’s Cafe and Bar
Route 202 and Street Road
Lahaska, PA 18931
(215) 794-4040
sweetlorraines.com

JB Dawson’s Restaurant & Bar

First, there was Austin’s Restaurant & Bar in Reading, which became so successful that it propagated itself across the Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. Its first stop was in Langhorne, where it became known as JB Dawson’s Restaurant and Bar. The inside of JB Dawson's is warm, softly lit, and comfy. Likewise, the food here is no-frills comfort fare, right down to the dirty martini you'll sip while munching on Cajun shrimp and waiting for your baby back ribs. JB Dawson's also offers slightly more ornate options, like seared Ahi tuna. But the essence of the place is a good cut of meat with a side of cole slaw. Celiacs will find themselves welcome: JB Dawson’s offers a totally gluten-free menu. Oh, and those ribs? Come on a Monday and you can eat as many as you want of them for $25.99!

JB Dawson’s Restaurant & Bar
92 North Flowers Mill Road
Langhorne, PA 19047
(215) 712-8119
www.jbdawsons.com

Kao Tip: A Great Stop in Philadelphia if You’re in the Mood for Thai

Kao Tip appears to be a fairly standard Thai restaurant from the outside, but it serves a stand-out menu of Thai favorites once you venture in. The atmosphere is low-key and usually fairly quiet, making the service quick and attentive. The early bird special is a great bargain if you come before 7 p.m. during the week—it includes a soup or salad, appetizer, and entrée for only $9.95—but the prices are all moderately ranged, so there’s never a bad time to go. Even traditional dishes like the pad thai are worth scoping out, but you’re unlikely to be disappointed by just about anything from the range of noodles and curries.

Kao Tip
3520 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19149
(215) 708-8799

Christine’s Restaurant

You can wear your Burberry suit to Christine’s Restaurant. Or you can wear jeans! The atmosphere at Christine's doesn’t demand any particular getup. The food, though, is decidedly upscale. Christine’s isn’t Italian food heaped with cheese and meatballs calculated to appeal to middle-American tastes. It’s authentic Italian. You won’t find pizza or strombolis here. What you will find (right from the basket of bread that greets you when you sit down) are fresh, authentically Italian platters, like Tilapia Francaise sauteed in lemon and white wine with shitake mushrooms or lobster ravioli with sherry cream sauce. The salads are light and flavorful and the raspberry vinaigrette has converted many former raspberry vinaigrette adversaries. Christine’s Restaurant is a BYOB; the place definitely calls for bringing your own bottle — preferably an Italian red wine.

Christine’s Restaurant
385 Oxford Valley Road
Yardley, PA 19067
(215) 369-2930
christinesofyardley.com

Constant Craving Cafe: Healthy Delight

At Constant Craving Cafe, it’s the carnivores who will have to undertake closer inspection of the menu. This small Bensalem cafe does offer its share of animal proteins, but the eatery's real highlights are its sprouts, tomato basil soups, oatmeals, and other light and plant-based goodies. The meat dishes aren’t typical "meaty" meats; you won’t find ribeye steaks or bratwursts. Instead, turkey paninis and tuna salad sandwiches complement roasted vegetable salad. Organic coffee and fresh fruit juice are available at Constant Craving. They make perfect drinks in the cafe's bright interior. And at Constant Craving Cafe, "healthy" doesn’t mean "pricey." The most expensive item on the menu is just $7.50.

Constant Craving Cafe
3300 Tillman Drive
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 638-4000
www.constant-craving.com

Morimoto: A Chic Japanese Dining Experience in Philadelphia

One of Steven Starr's most popular dining establishments, Morimoto turns Japan’s storied culinary tradition into a true art form. With celebrity chef Masharu Morimoto at the helm (he's a true Iron Chef, by the way) the combination of extraordinary culinary talent with cutting-edge decor makes eating at Morimoto a true dining experience. The restaurant’s wide-ranging yet sophisticated menu includes both hot and cold dishes, sushi, sashimi, a raw bar, and all of the usual meal staples like soups, salads, and entrée platters. The sugi-ita salmon (wrapped in Japanese cedar with sake broth, organic egg, and yamaimo) and madri shioyaki (whole grilled sea bream with spicy ponzu and miso) are two not-to-miss dishes, while deceptively simple treats like inaniwa udon (chilled wheat noodles with grated ginger and dipping sauce) make Morimoto’s menu amenable to all palette preferences. If you’re feeling adventurous, opt for the Chef’s Omakase, which consists of a multi-course tasting menu that encompasses the diversity of the restaurant’s offerings.

Morimoto
723 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 413-9070
www.morimotorestaurant.com

Historic Piper Tavern: Purveyors of Warm Hospitality and Fine Dining Since 1759

Since before the American Revolution, the Piper Tavern has enjoyed a long and glorious tradition of warm hospitality—and it maintains that tradition today by being a distinctive destination for fine foods & great spirits. The tavern was originally built in 1759, and grew to see several additions including a large kitchen, a traditional dining room, and a two-story piazza with a long ornamental railing that remains a prominent fixture today. The bar features an expansive line of signature martinis, and a lunch menu with tasty appetizers like tavern hot wings and bronzed fried oysters, incredible salads like the duck hunter cobb, and sandwiches that range from the Isaac Weaver Burger to the Mason Dixon hot brown. The restaurant also features a special sunset menu with soups like shrimp bisque, and epicurean entrees like bleu max tenderloin and crabcake Dijon. Not only are all these excellent dishes available on the dinner menu, but you can toss in additional favorites like crusted coastal grouper and prized Australian lamb for an elegant menu that truly delivers.

Historic Piper Tavern
Route 413 & Dark Hollow Road
Pipersville, PA 18947
(215) 766-7100
www.pipertavern.com

The Freight House: Chic Dining with A Menu to Match

Big city-style dining is now available in the heart of historic Doylestown at The Freight House. Leather booths, high-end cocktails, an extensive wine list, and fusion cuisine highlight this converted (you guessed it) warehouse that now houses one of the hottest tickets in the Greater Philadelphia area. An outside patio area with couch style seating and a stone fire pit round out the full court press of elegant artillery.

A raw bar featuring sashimi, king crab claws, and Island creek oysters provides guests with a lite sampling to begin their evening before slipping into small plates of kobe sliders, Kentucky fried sweet breads, or a duck confit spring roll. Entrees are steakhouse inspired, anchored by The Freight House “Surf and Turf”— a petite filet mignon and South African lobster tail served with roasted fingerling potatoes, haricot vert, and Bearnaise sauce.

The Freight House
194 West Ashland Avenue
Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 340-1003
www.thefreighthouse.net

The Restaurant at Hotel du Village: Traditional French Cuisine in the Heart of Bucks County

If you’re looking for an elegant yet casual dining experience, Hotel du Village is the perfect spot. Located at a quaint little inn, the restaurant is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and specializes in country French cuisine. The quiet setting provides a wonderful backdrop for a relaxing and enjoyable evening after a day of exploring the shops and boutiques of New Hope. Hors d’oeuvres range from escargot to clams casino, house specialties range from duckling with cherries to lamb chops with green herbs, and desserts include chocolate mousse and plenty of French pastries. Click here to see the full menu, and make sure to make a reservation once your mouth is watering for a meal!

Hotel du Village
2535 River Road
New Hope, PA 18938
(215) 862-9911
www.hotelduvillage.com

Osteria: A Philadelphia Must for Rustic Italian Cuisine

Take a bite of the flavors grown under that notorious Tuscan sun at Philadelphia’s own Osteria. Nominated by the James Beard Foundation as ""Best New Restaurant"" in 2008, Osteria is designed to combine the rich, rustic magic of a traditional Italian eatery with the modern industrial sophistication of American fusion cuisine. It's the perfect restaurant for a date, impressing colleagues, or for any other special occasion. The rotating menu changes constantly to suit seasonally fresh ingredients, as well as to complement the impressive 100-bottle Italian wine list—ensuring a meal that excels in both quality and coordination. From authentic thinly crusted pizzas to traditionally prepared poultry and meats, there are options for both simple eaters and adventurous carnivores alike. The interior design reflects the restaurant’s juxtaposed influences, with the wine-red concrete floors balanced by antique pine country tables, the state of the art cooking utensils offset by a vintage Faema coffee machine, and a warm, homey feel that ultimately feels polished and fresh.

Osteria
640 N Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 763-0920
www.osteriaphilly.com

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