Lacroix At The Rittenhouse, Philadelphia - Courtesy static.howstuffworks.com

Have some memorable dining experiences while in Philadelphia. Don’t let the foodie in you miss out the line-up of restaurants established along well-grilled reputations for laying out choicest fares. Knowing where to begin, if you’re a visitor, is half the battle won. The city has a veritable range of world cuisines on offer to get you started on indulging your taste buds.

Besides the tell-tale Philadelphia staples – Hoagies, Scrapples, Pretzels and the ever famous Philly Cheesesteaks there is a whole lot more to the cuisine on board, in the city’s multifarious restaurants spread all across. In fact, it would not be far from the truth to consider Philadelphia as an emerging destination for the country’s finest culinary fare.

The last decade has witnessed phenomenal growth in Philadelphia’s culinary scene. All over the city you have elegant dining rooms as also unassuming but note-worthy bistros offering some great food. From upscale taprooms to romantic hideaways to family-operated BYOB (Bring-Your-Own-Bottle) establishments all the better known restaurants have become favorite eat-out places.

Always Fresh in Philadelphia - Courtesy www.menudine.com

Even as the downtown business district gets revamped with new restaurants and bars every once in a while, even other areas are gaining a fine reputation on account of the restaurants that draw people from everywhere. Whether its a chic upscale bistro or the latest hot spot, its good to know of delectable places where you can chew with pleasure. Philadelphia restaurants come for all pockets. From inexpensive eateries to classy dining places, they cater to every budget.

Its a good thing that Philadelphia cooking is mostly from local produce. Whether it’s succulent sweet corn or tasty ripe tomatoes - all arrive fresh from local farmers. Philly chefs shape their seasonally-changing menus around what’s available around here. Of course the proof is in the eating so go on, try out! Remember some of the finest establishments are located within walking distance of the Historic District and Downtown.

You will love to track down some famous Philadelphia culinary landmarks. For a ‘hands-on’ experience try hard shell crabs at Crab House. Aside from the Baltimore style crabs they have a full menu of other fish and seafood delights. Chinatown has many many restaurants offering dim sum and noodles, but your best bet could be the Singapore Kosher Vegetarian or Rangoon that offer aromatic South Asian Cuisine.

Delectable Fare in Philadelphia - Courtesy www.gophila.com

You can find dozens of different restaurants of varied cuisines and price levels. A few to make note of include The Continental, Karma, and Kabul around the Chestnut and Market area for consistently good food. If you are around the Doubletree area then check out The Academy Café, Upstares, Soto Varalli or Zanzibar Blue for some great fare. Remember tipping in Philadelphia generally is expected to be 18 percent of the pre-tax tab. But if you’re really very satisfied and have had exceptional service then a 20 percent tip is in order.

If you want to do things differently then try out Dahlak, the Ethiopian restaurant. Food is served in a traditional fashion on a large platter with bread but no cutlery! The White Dog Café has an eclectic menu with organic ingredients. It offers contemporary American cuisine with Native American and Southeast Asian influences. Its high on quality with its farm-fresh ingredients. Philadelphia offers a myriad of dining experiences. From Chinatown to downtown, you are sure to find exciting new flavors as well as comfortable favorites.

There’s nothing quite like outdoor dining in Philadelphia. If you enjoy the feel of outdoor dining - on a deck, sidewalk, or roof, then you may book for tables at some of the top picks fop outdoor eating places. The Adobe Cafe has some amazing Mexican Food while the Brasserie Perrier has a regular following of French dining. The Astral Plane can have you enjoying Italian fare while the Bump Lounge offers a global cuisine with unique martini happy hours.

Much more on the menu comes from Cebu, for casual American dining, Continental Mid-Town for its famous Lobster Mac n Cheese, Devon,s Sea Food for creative ocean fare, Ernesto’s 1521 Cafe for pastas and Fork Restaurant for inventive American Bistro meals that vary with the season. Well actually al fresco Philadelphia meals abound in places like Jamaican Jerk Hut, Loie Bistro, Moshulu, Osteria, Rouge, Southwark, Tavern 17 and Valley Green Inn besides a host of other eateries that make the fun of being in Philadelphia all the more intense.

Guide to Best Restaurants in Philadelphia Courtesy www.johnmariani.com

More restaurants near the convention center and center city can have you relishing the city’s gastronomic delights. Go for Japanese cuisine at Raw Sushi and Sake Lounge or unwind at Aya’s Cafe with Mediterranean fare for kebabs and koftas. Relish Malaysian cuisine at Banana Leaf or savor the likes of venison stew and lemon sage roasted chicken at Nodding Heads! The Down Home Diner can have you enjoying comfort food like meat loaf, smashed potatoes with the skins attached, large portions of scrapple plus grits and gravy – a bit of nostalgia there. Ummm even the waitresses address you as hon!

The best thing about Philadelphia dining is that many restaurants allow you to bring your own liquor. The BYOB is an accepted thing that makes things more pleasant. BYOB restaurants with quality and reputation are Django, La Boheme, Pumpkin and an old favorite La Bec-Fin known for its elegance. Matching in elegance and style is the Japanese Morimoto and Lacroix at The Rittenhouse. But of course all said and done every visitor must try the Philly Cheesesteak at the two best places - Pat’s King of the Steaks and Geno’s steaks that are both 24 hour joints.

True epicureans wanting to know more about the best restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, drinking places should visit MenuDine.com on the internet to find out about Philadelphia restaurants. You will enjoy the dining gift certificates, dining discounts, and restaurant gift cards on offer here. Just make sure that you find suitable accommodations close at hand to the finest dining establishments, so be sure to log on to Philadelphia Hotels for reservations.

Tiger cubs at Philadelphia Zoo - Courtesy laelaps.files.wordpress.com

Little did I imagine that I would enjoy a trip to the zoo as much as I did when the family decided to give little Sandra, all of six, her first visit to the zoo. The parents were keen to include the grandparents hoping to make it memorable for the moppet. The family outing to watch all creatures great and small was too alluring to ignore. So the missus and I joined in to visit the legendary Philadelphia Zoo after a gap of about twenty years or so.

Philadelphia Zoo is really old. First Zoo of United States it was set up way back in 1874. Located on the west bank of Schuylkill river and spreading across 42 acres it remains open all year round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New year. Home to nearly 2000 animals that include mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds its been drawing visitors from all over the country and even from abroad, we hear. Our reservations through Philadelphia Hotels site over the net for the weekend-getaway was a comforting thought.

Red Panda at Philadelphia Zoo - Courtesy laelaps.files.wordpress.com

Parking would have been a bit of a hassle had we not taken on the Zoo membership. But even with the free parking that was part of the deal finding space got tighter by the minute. Which is why perhaps many visitors from the city opt for the hourly shuttle, I guess. Moving on inside the zoo it became clear that the earmarked terrain still adhered to the planned natural habitats housing various species. This included well defined areas like African plains, Big Cat Falls, Bear Country, Bird Valley, Rare Animal Conservation Center, Lemur Island, Avian Center, Pachyderm House, Reptile and Amphibian House among others.

The zoo truly connects you to nature and her wonderful creations of the wild that both children and adults seem to be enjoying all around us. Enveloped with a sense of adventure we circumvented the creatures harbored in close-to-natural settings. We were in for delightful surprises one after the other. Stopping by the Children’s Zoo we joined in with the kids to feed the sheep, goats and ducks. Moving on we caught the pandas feasting on bamboo, the amazing kangaroos, bears snacking up and pelicans gulping fishes. Bats, hornbills, penguins, tortoise, lemurs, mongoose, hippos and condors all had us in a real tizzy.

Sea Otters at Philadelphia Zoo - Courtesy laelaps.files.wordpress.com

As family pictures were taken it was the oohs and aaaahs of the kids all around that was really more delightful. What was even more interesting along with the variety of animals that we saw was the chance to experience other things. Like the balloon ride or paddle boating in the lake that was so much fun. I have not enjoyed more on a lake as much as I did that day paddling for Sandra. It was also fun watching grown up kids having a good time with the interactive educational exhibits that made them learn while playing. While even the grown ups appeared to be in awe of the rare species here, like the white lions, red pandas, polar bears and the country’s only giant river otters.

It was a full long day that had us enjoying all that the place had to offer. But if you are in the mood for a unique experience then you may go in for the overnight programs that are held here, I am told. I am sure young ones would just love to spend a night at the zoo. There are a great many fun and educational programs that the zoo provides. Also periodic special events add to the entertainment experiences. Best of all appeared to be the school workshops for children programmed in line with their curriculum.

Pachyderm Enclosure at Philadelphia Zoo - Courtesy laelaps.files.wordpress.com

The Channel 6 Zooballooon tethered 400 feet up in the air offered a birds eye view of the Zoo, the Schuylkill River, and the Philadelphia Center City skyline. We did enjoy climbing aboard the helium balloon for a soaring-safari that took us above the treetops of the Zoo to look down on the giraffes and zebras. We were told there were evening rides also besides the daytime ride that we took. The view of Fairmont Park from above was also special. For us it was a joyous 10 minutes but our little grandchild had to be carefully hand held all the time.

There is always something new and exciting taking place at the zoo. As animals change, grow and adapt to the seasons the zoo constantly evolves to field special programs for visitors. All this to keep visits appealingly refreshing. Its always a good idea to check the calendar of events for Philadelphia Zoo to make the most of your visit. October is going to be fun filled with exciting activities. Major events include the popular costume party for the whole family called Boo at the Zoo, scheduled for October 25-26, 2008. Come out for plenty of treats and sweets with candy stations throughout the Zoo. Storytelling, games and music make Boo at the Zoo Philadelphia’s most festive Halloween destination.

Also every weekend in October would be sporting the Beast Festival in line with the Halloween spirit. Watch out for October 11-12 for Croctober Weekend that is to celebrate the zoo’s favorite crocodiles. Kids will get to learn all about the fascinating reptiles, as well as their other scaly friends. Why we were already planning to come back again for more fun! Best of all we were happy to learn that the animals would be getting special harvest treats. For Beast Feast they are to get choice produce from local farms as part of the zoo’s Buy Local conservation campaign. Yes that sounds good. I am already looking forward to join in the next family outing to Philadelphia Zoo!

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