PHILADELPHIA RESOURCES
HOTELS
Alexander Inn, 301 S. 12th St. Tel: 215-923-3535 or 877-253-9566. Doubles $129-$159. Lovely and welcoming boutique hotel with nice rooms and a perfect Gayborhood location. www.alexanderinn.com.
Le Méridien, 1421 Arch St. Tel: 215-422-8200 or 800-543-4300. Doubles $159-359. Nice rooms, cozy coffeehouse feel in the lobby, and oh those eclairs! www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3238
Loews Hotel, 1200 Market St. Tel: 215-627-1200 or 800-235-6397. Doubles $179-349. Loews comfort in a vintage skyscraper o the edge of the Gayborhood. www.loewshotels.com/philadelphia-hotel/
Monaco, 433 Chestnut St. Tel: 215-925-2111 or 855-295-2355. Doubles $191-379. Kimpton style and gay-friendliness with all of Old City at your feet. www.monaco-philadelphia.com
Palomar, 117 S. 17th St. Tel: 215-563-5006 or 888-725-1778. Doubles $168-469. More Kimpton style in this art-centric hotel near Rittenhouse. www.palomar-philadelphia.com
Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel, 220 S. 17th St.. Tel: 215-735-6000 or 800-333-3333. Doubles $170-210. A stunning 2014 remodel brings this 1926 building into the luxury Radisson Blu division. www.radissonblu.com/hotel-philadelphia
RESTAURANTS
Amada, 217 Chestnut St. Tel: 215-625-2450. The first restaurant of star chef Jose Garces is still a winner with its Spanish tapas menu. www.amadarestaurant.com
Bing Bing Dim Sum, 1648 E. Passyunk Ave. Tel: 215-279-7702. Just opened by the guys behind Cheu Noodle Bar, it’s already a hit. www.bingbingdimsum.com
Bridget Foy’s, 200 South St. Tel: 215-922-1813. Perennially popular (and gay-popular), such a good time you can forget how good the food is. www.bridgetfoys.com
Cheu Noodle Bar, 255 S. 10th St. Tel: 215-267-639-4136. An instant hit when it opened, this tiny spot has great noodle dishes and a few other surprises. www.cheunoodlebar.com
Fond, 1537 S. 11th St. Tel: 215-551-5000. Contemporary American cuisine in a casually gracious East Passyunk spot. www.fondphily.com
Fork, 306 Market St., Old City. Tel: 215-625-9425. For years one of the most creative and appealing restaurants in Old City. www.forkrestaurant.com
Two rivers flow through Philadelphia, the nation’s fifth largest city. The Schuylkill River, pictured here winds through the west side of the city near Fairmount Park and Center City, Philadelphia’s business district.
Istanbul Restaurant and Lounge, 216 South St. Tel: 267-639-3214. Turkish cuisine at its finest. www.istanbullounge.us
Kanella, 1001 Spruce Street. Tel: 215-922-1773. Cypriot cooking from an ultra-talented chef, super-friendly staff. Quite simply, Philadelphia’s best. www.kanellarestaurant.com. At press time there were website problems, so try also: www.facebook.com/kanellarestaurant
Me n Mo, 214 South St. Tel: 215-928-3262. Great meatballs, from traditional Italian to more outre. www.menmophilly.com
Noord eetcafe, 1046 Tasker St. Tel: 267-909-9704. Warm, inviting restaurant featuring dishes of Northern Europe. www.noordphilly.com
Pennsylvania 6, 114 S. 12th St. Tel: 267-639-5606. Their raw bar makes them famous, but all the food is top-notch here. www.pennsylvania6philly.com
Palladino’s on Passyunk, 1934 E. Passyunk Ave. Tel: 267-928-4339. Long-awaited restaurant from star chef Luke Palladino scores a solid hit with its Italian-based cuisine. www.lukepalladino.com
P’unk Burger, 1823 E. Passyunk Ave. Tel: 215-468-PUNK. New burger joint that also has a fascinating variety of shakes. www.punkburger.com
Tinto, 114 S. 20th St, Rittenhouse. Tel: 215-665-9150. Delicious Basque offerings, mainly in small plates, make this Jose Garces restaurant a winner. www.tintorestaurant.com
Tria, 123 S. 18th (Tel: 215-972-TRIA) or 1137 Spruce St. (Tel: 215-629-9200). www.triacafe.com. A wine, beer, and cheese bar that has great food, friendly staff, and a laid-back and lovely vibe. In addition to their two main branches, check out the Tria Taproom at 2005 Walnut Street (Tel: 215-557-TAPS), and their new Fitler Square spot. www.triacafe.com
Village Whiskey, 118 S. 20th St. Tel: 215-665-1088. Prime whiskeys combine with Garces’ great food: any more questions? www.villagewhiskey.com
Xochitl, 408 S. 2nd St.. Tel: 215-238-7280. Creative Mexican food on Headhouse Square. www.xochitlphilly.com
Zahav, 237 St. James Pl. Tel: 215-625-8800. Wonderful Israeli/Middle Eastern food. www.zahavrestaurant.com
COFFEE/DESSERT
B2, 1500 E. Passyunk Ave. Tel: 215-271-5520. Laidback, hipster-y coffee spot right on East Passyunk.
Cake and the Beanstalk, 1112 Locust St. Tel: 215-592-6505. Homemade desserts are super-tempting at this sweet little Gayborhood coffeehouse. www.cakeandthebeanstalk.com
Cinemug, 1607 S. Broad St. (at Tasker). Tel: 267-314-5936. A new coffeehouse and movie rental spot all in one, with homemade pastries and great caffeine drinks. Fab website name: www.cinemug.coffee
Elixr, 207 Sydenham St. Tel: Funky/cool café on a little side street. www.elixrcoffee.com
La Colombe, 130 S. 19th St. Tel: 215-563-0860. You’ll drink their coffee at many establishments, but it’s nicest in their popular Rittenhouse coffeehouse. www.lacolombe.com
Old City Coffee, 221 Church St. Tel: 215-629-9292. Great Old City spot for coffee or light lunch. www.oldcitycoffee.com
NIGHTLIFE
Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. Tel: 215-627-1662. Philadelphia’s leather bar, but all are welcome to their three floors of fun. www.thebikestop.com
Boxers, 1330 Walnut St. Tel: 215-735-2977. The city’s newest gay bar follows its New York model of sports theme and scantily clad bartenders. www.facebook.com/boxersphl
ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. Tel: 267-324-3500. Bar downstairs, dance spots and various terraces upstairs for a multi-purpose venue, tilting younger. www.clubicandy.com
Knock , 225 S. 12th St. Tel: 215-925-1166. A somewhat older crowd at this low-key, pleasant bar. www.knockphilly.com
Pink Pub Crawl, the two-three times yearly group bar visit that is a great way to see a bunch of spots in the company of locals. www.nightlifegay.com/p/pink-pub-crawl.html
Stir, 1705 Chancellor St. Tel: 215-732-2700. One of the nicest mixes of gay men and lesbians at this down-to-earth and friendly bar, the only LGBT night spot not in the gayborhood. www.stirphilly.com
Tavern on Camac, 243 S. Camac St. Tel: 215-545-0900. Fun spot with a piano bar, cabaret upstairs, and restaurant downstairs. www.tavernoncamac.com
Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. Tel: 215-964-9675. Sports bar with upstairs performance space that hosts a wide variety of entertainment, many as community benefits. www.tabuphilly.com
U Bar, 1220 Locust St. Tel: 215-546-6660. Venerable bar with an attractive new look, with a fortyish crowd and some younger faces mixed in. www.ubarphilly.com
Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St. Tel: 215-545-8731. Their drag brunches are fab, and the mostly-senior crowd that’s there any given night makes you feel right at home. www.viphilly.com
Voyeur, 1221 St. James St. Tel: 215-735-5772. Late-night dance club with a variety of drag and other shows. www.voyeurnightclub.com
Woodys, 202 S. 13th St. Tel: 215-545-1893. The go-to place for many, especially young guys and gal pals, with a bar downstairs and dance floor upstairs. www.woodysbar.com
One of five original squares planned by city founder William Penn in the late 17th century, Rittenhouse Square sits in the middle of some of the most desirable addresses in Philadelphia. High-rise residences, luxury apartments, an office tower, popular restaurants and retail stores surround the tree-filled park, which offers an oasis of respite and relaxation amidst the bustling city.
SIGHTSEEING
African-American Museum, 701 Arch St. Tel: 215-574-0380. Permanent collections and temporary displays focus on Philadelphia and beyond. www.aampmuseum.org
Independence National Historic Park (Independence Hall/Liberty Bell), 6th and Market Sts. Tel: 800-967-2283. Philadelphia’s—and America’s—history in a nutshell. www.nps.gov/inde
Magic Gardens, 1020 South St. Tel: 215-733-0390. A spectacular world of mosaics by local artist Isaiah Zagar. www.magicgardensphillycom
Mütter Museum, 19 S. 22nd St. Tel: 215-563-3737. If you like casess full of medical oddities, it’s the place for you. www.muttermuseum.org
National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. Tel: 215-409-6600. One of Philadelphia’s best museums, about the Constitution and the freedoms it guarantees. The major venue for Reminder 2015. www.constitutioncenter.org
National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East. Tel: 215-923-3811. Several floors of exhibits around Jewish immigrants, their diverse experiences, and their new life in America. www.nmajh.org
William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Tel: 215-732-2220. The LGBT community center offers lots of activities and events for locals, as well as a major exhibit in the Reminder 2015 celebrations. www.waygay.org
Rodin’s “The Thinker” muses at the gateway to the Rodin Museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. One of the city’s museum gems, this elegant structure houses the largest collection of work by Auguste Rodin outside of his native France.
EVENTS
GayFest!, Plays & Players, 1714 Delancey St., and Theatre Exile, 1340 S. 13th St. Tel: 215-627-1088. Philadelphia’s major LGBT theater festival celebrates its fifth anniversary this year with productions of several world/Philadelphia premieres and a “one-night stand” series. www.quinceproductions.com
Gay Pride Parade and Festival, the city’s annual June event. www.phillygaypride.org
QOTA events occur monthly in East Passyunk. Check their Facebook page for the latest. www.facebook.com/pages/QOTA/270700659612227
Reminder 2015, the 50th anniversary celebration of this early gay rights demonstration, has exhibits all over town and a July 4 re-enactment. www.reminder2015.org
INFORMATION
Philly Gay Calendar provides a wide variety of information, from parties to cultural events; if it’s LGBT and in Philadelphia, you’ll find it on Philly Gay Calendar. www.phillygaycalendar.com
Philadelphia Gay News is your source for community news and listings. www.epgn.com
Visit Philly, Philadelphia’s tourism organization, has a wealth of knowledge on its website (and a somewhat comprehensive GLBT section). www.visitphilly.com
