A Weekend in Philadelphia – Where to Stay, Where to Eat, Where to do it for the Gram

Philadelphia surprised me.  It honestly was not high on my USA travel bucket list, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to visit.  I can now say it is one of my top 5 favorite US cities.  The city was filled with cultural diversity, beautiful scenery, and delicious food.  Visiting Philly definitely made me want to explore more of the US next year.

WHERE WE STAYED

Hotel Suite No. 108 at The Touraine, hosted by Spruce Street Commons – keep reading for a discount code! 🙂

Spruce Street Commons was the main reason why I came to Philadelphia.  They extended a complimentary stay for my boyfriend and me to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and we couldn’t have been more grateful. While this was a hotel partnership, I was not asked to include this in my blog post so all opinions are my own.  This space was cute and cozy, with amazingly inviting detail.  The suite was extremely spacious and located near many popular attractions in the city. It was literally the perfect home away from home!  I highly recommend staying here if you’re planning to visit Philly.

Click here to book & use the code PTPASSAGES for 20% off a minimum two-night stay.  
(I do not receive a commission off of this so Merry Christmas! Lol)

“No.108 was designed by our Creative Director, Liz Solms who grew up in the building. Filled with color, light, texture, plants and lots of soul, you will find handmade ceramics in the kitchen, an art book library, a cozy nook for relaxing, and the most cloud-like bed piled with pillows and linen sheets. The details throughout No. 108 are as surprising as they are inviting: aromatherapy and crystals in the bathroom, a bright orange Smeg fridge in the kitchen, unique vintage and locally made artwork, and an atmosphere lush with plants. And, of course, there are all the comforts you’d want from your own home like Rival Brothers coffee and the paper in the morning, bathrobes, Netflix-ready television, free wi-fi, full access to our fitness center and yoga room, plus cookware for fixing a homemade meal.” – Spruce Street Commons

WHERE TO EAT

*FYI, a ton of the restaurants we went to were CASH ONLY.

• Dalessandro’s Cheesesteaks

We came to Philly on a mission to find the best cheesesteak in town.  After advice from our friends, locals, and our uber drivers we found ourselves at Dalessandro’s.  We dined at 2 other delicious cheesesteak restaurants, but Dalessandro’s remained undefeated.  There was something about the perfectly seasoned beef, the freshness of the bread, and the perfect hint of spiciness from their (optional) pepper relish.  I almost cried tears of joy.

• The other two cheesesteak spots we tried:

• Reading Terminal Market

• There are ALL types of restaurants here.  We visited 3 times and still didn’t come close to trying everything in this market.

• Sarcone’s Bakery

I’ve honestly been thinking about their Tomato Pie every day since we’ve left.

• Franklin Fountain

We actually came here twice.  Franklin Fountain has a delicious selection of ice cream, vegan ice creams, floats, sundaes, sorbets and more! I didn’t think I liked root beer floats until I tried one from here.

• Zahav

Ok, it is imperative that you visit Zahav!  This was my first time having Israeli food and I AM HOOKED.  Table reservations were booked until the end of the (2018) year, BUT we were able to walk in and secure a seat at the bar.  It was a bit pricey, but every bite was worth it.

• Green Eggs Cafe

Their menu was so hard to choose from because EVERYTHING SOUNDED SO GOOD.  I ended up ordering the Créme Brulee French Toast and my boyfriend ordered the Chicken and Waffles Benedict.  Both were DELISH!

• Le Mandingue African Restaurant

Andrew Zimmern recommended this place on his show which was perfect because we had been craving West African food ever since returning from the Ivory Coast.

*Other suggested restaurants that we did not have a chance to visit:

• Amada
• Pat’s vs Geno’s Cheesesteaks
• Ms. Tootsie’s Soul Food Cafe
• Lorenzo and Son’s Pizza
• Jamaican Jerk Hut
• Karma Restaurant & Bar
• Goldie Falafel
• Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai

Instagrammable Places

• City Hall

• Love Park

• Magic Gardens

Walking through this mosaic space you can find hand-made tiles, bicycle wheels, sculptures from other countries, & a whole bunch other cool ish.  Tickets are $10 and I totally suggest booking in advance!

• Washington Square

• Rocky Steps & Statue

• Liberty Bell

because history, ya know?

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As always, If you have any questions that I didn’t cover in this post feel free to comment below, email me, or shoot me a DM!  I’ll be more than happy to help ❤