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1 month ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Candis McLean |Alison Kessler
Tokens of affection can come in the form of love notes, or Bryce Harper’s sweatband. But for us, it’s a smashburger from Two Robbers in Fishtown. It’s not so flat that the patty stretches beyond the edges of the toasted potato bun. This is a perfectly aligned, simple, and satisfying smashburger. Double patties, pickles, onions, and tangy house sauce lay on a pillowy mattress, beckoning to be eaten. Just thinking about it gets us worked up.
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1 month ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Alison Kessler |Regan Stephens |Matt Tervooren |Tonya Russell
Dock & Claw is for anyone yearning to relive childhood memories of clam shack dinners downashore, but realizes in adulthood that nostalgia alone doesn’t quite make up for the frozen seafood and soggy fries some are serving these days. In 2022, new owners took over this space of a beloved Beach Haven seafood institution.
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1 month ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Candis McLean |Alison Kessler |Sydney McElwee
This is the Gayborhood's only Black-owned bar. And yes, at some point during bingo, late-night karaoke on Thursdays, or a drag show, you'll likely hear at least five Whitney Houston songs. The LGBTQ+ spot has a long bar, a few lounge areas, and goes full neon after 9pm. But it's not all glowing lights and cognac cocktails here.
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1 month ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Alison Kessler |Candis McLean
Once the city hits 80 degrees, Oyster House gets even better—we swear the martinis are colder and the people-watching is even more absurd. Grab a window seat and at least a dozen oysters on the half shell, and let the chaos unfold. You might see summer romances begin, colleagues getting way too drunk with each other, and 20-year-olds with fake IDs getting rejected from the bars on Sansom Street. RESERVE A TABLELuxury spas? Sure. Shopping? Definitely. Pigeons the size of small dogs? In abundance.
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1 month ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Candis McLean |Alison Kessler
You've got seven emails to send, a free YouTube TV trial to cancel, and a two-hour code of conduct webinar to watch before noon. A quick breakfast is non-negotiable. At Cafe Walnut in Center City, you can grab a cheesy, eggy, sweet-beef-on-a-bagel masterpiece, plus a coffee or a honey tea, all while your 2012 Dell is still heating up. They also have neatly packed tuna onigiri for lunch, in case your afternoon is as busy as your morning.
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1 month ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Alison Kessler |Candis McLean
Almyra could very well be the vaguely Mediterranean restaurant in an adults-only all-inclusive resort. Hot pink floral arrangements drape down from the ceiling, the DJ plays house music at “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you” volumes, and you can’t get to the bathroom mirror without interrupting an Instagram live. Come here to see people with modest Internet followings eat salmon and tuna tartare.
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2 months ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Bryan Kim |Molly Fitzpatrick |Alison Kessler |Veda Kilaru
The chef at this hot Brooklyn spot previously worked for the group behind 4 Charles Prime Rib, and the two restaurant’s burgers have a lot in common: a pair of nicely seared patties smothered in creamy cheese, with absurdly thin mandolined pickles. The Snail’s version is great. But it's not great enough to justify the two-hour wait for a table, especially given how inconsistent the rest of the paint-by-numbers trendy menu (steak frites, shrimp cocktail, house martini) tends to be.
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2 months ago | 
theinfatuation.com | Candis McLean |Alison Kessler |Sydney McElwee
Adoro is an Italian spot in Queen Village with the requisite chicken parm that's too big for its plate and oil paintings of the old country on the walls. There may be white tablecloths and daily desserts displayed on a silver platter, but this place is easy to walk into for a casual date night, seven days a week. You'll see couples maneuvering their bottles of red around giant homemade pastas and families passing bowls of garlicky mussels in white wine sauce.
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Mar 10, 2025 | 
theinfatuation.com | Alison Kessler |Candis McLean
If we could eat at one old-school Italian restaurant for the rest of our lives, it'd be Dante & Luigi’s. Open since 1899, the South Philly spot uses that century-plus of experience to perfect their penne a la vodka, osso bucco, and the best baked lasagna in town. (Though we swear it's gotten even better over the last few years.) Servers wear suits and tell ghost stories, and the converted rowhome dining rooms are decked out with ornate chandeliers and black and white photos.
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Mar 10, 2025 | 
theinfatuation.com | Alison Kessler |Candis McLean
If you’ve lived in Philadelphia for more than 10 minutes, you’ve likely eaten this soup or dined beside someone who has. It’s the most popular dish at Rittenhouse’s most popular restaurant, and for good reason. The combination of rich broth, silky onions, crusty-sopping bread, and a shocking amount of gratinéed gruyere is often replicated, but never quite as technically excellent as it is here. RESERVE A TABLEThe tacos at South Philly Barbacoa are our emergency contacts.
