(Loveletter is an international romance reader’s magazine based in Germany. This article appeared during the Philadelphia Romance Reader’s Convention. All photos provided by me.)
Let mystery readers eat standing up in bustling train stations, looking uneasily from side-to-side. Let true crime readers drink burnt coffee at second-rate diners while they smoke a butt down to their fingertips. Romance novel readers demand food that touches the soul.
Luckily in Philadelphia, the food is that good. If you know where to go.
Here are the best/most romantic/most fun spots in town. Our standards are high. After all, if there’s not excellence, passion, and surprise, any romance reader worth her salt would much rather stay home with a good book.
The Setting—inspired by XIX (Nineteen)
Step into XIX, high atop the Park Hyatt Hotel on Walnut Street. This place is a knockout. Okay, so are the prices. But you don’t have to eat a bite to go weak at the knees for this room. The floor-to-ceiling arched windows, the multi-story pearl chandelier, and the panoramic views of the city are enough to make you forget why you came. If you can afford the food, by all means, eat. If not, by all means, eat anyway. After all, your other passion—reading—is very thrifty. You deserve a splurge.
The plot—inspired by the Reading Terminal Market
Reading a great romance novel should be like wandering down the aisles of the bustling Reading Terminal Market at 12th and Arch Streets: every turn produces an unexpected treat. Like the pickled beets served by the Amish boy in the suspenders. Or the mango lassi at Nanee’s Kitchen. A canola at Termini Brothers Bakery. A cheesesteak at Rick’s. A cupcake at Flying Monkey Patisserie. A fresh plum at Iovine Brothers Produce. You get lost in this place the way you do in a good book, except here, you do have to count the calories—or not.
The heroine—inspired by Carman’s
If a heroine of a romance novel had her own restaurant, it would be Carman’s Country Kitchen on the corner of 11th and Wharton Street. Carman’s is a tiny hole-in-the-wall in South Philly that serves only breakfast and brunch. But with a breakfast and brunch like this, who needs dinner? Yes, the salt and peppershakers are shaped like certain body parts. Yes, the art on the wall is more shocking than an erotica e-book cover. But Carman herself, like any great character, makes it all worthwhile. She’s beautiful, fun, outgoing, and boy can she get crazy behind her stove and at your tableside. (Yes, she will learn your name.) Make sure you have reservations and tell her we sent you. If you get really lucky, you’ll get to eat at the table in the flatbed of Carman’s truck, parked out front.
The Hero—inspired by Vetri:
Vetri at 13th and Spruce Streets is a must-visit if you want Philly romance. Expect a table-side visit from Chef Marc Vetri. Be prepared to be ruined for lesser men. We mean, lesser chefs. We mean, lesser food. Be prepared to be ruined.
The Subplots—Alma de Cuba, Buddakan, and Brasserie Perrier:
You cannot leave Philadelphia until you eat at Alma de Cuba on Walnut Street and 11th , if not for the food, then for the fun. Last time we were there, we had the pleasure of eating at a table next to the entire Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. We believe there was food on our plates, but it was so hard to concentrate. We may have eaten our napkins.
Buddakhan is considered by many the best restaurant in Philadelphia. Modern Asian doesn’t draw the hockey player/alpha men like Alma, but a more arty, bohemian crowd.
And let’s not forget the excellent Brasserie Perrier. We once ate an orecchiette there so divine, we still yearn for it even though it disappeared from the menu ages ago. We keep hoping to see it again, like a lost lover, or a favorite book that’s out of print.
Happy Endings at Capogiro:
No romance novel is complete without its happily ever after, and no trip to Philadelphia is complete without a trip to Capogiro Gelateria at 119 South 13th Street for a grapefruit Campari gelato. Or, a Mexican chocolate and chili gelato. Ask for at least two flavors in each cup so you get the full taste experience. Remember, you’re a romance reader. You deserve the large! After all, indulgence is what a great romance novel—and a great city like Philadelphia—is all about.