Philly's Best Lunch

By SARAH BAICKER

Updated 1:04 PM EST, Mon, Feb 9, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

Getty Images

Gone is the season when diners can pack their own lunches and enjoy them outdoors in Rittenhouse Square. Temperatures have dropped, and the only enjoyable outdoor activity these days is, well, ice skating.

So, when it comes to your weekday lunch, we recommend doing the only sensible thing: Going out.

Check out the list below, so the next time your boss says lunch is on him, you know where to go.

Philadelphia magazine: Capital Grille
1338 Chestnut St.
Need a lunchtime spot to take clients you’re hoping to impress? Look no further than Center City’s Capital Grille. Yeah, it’s a chain, but you’re almost guaranteed to dine alongside some of Philly’s most influential lawyers, politicians and businessmen here. The signiture cheeseburger (“almost too big to wrap your hands around it,” the menu says) is a popular lunchtime option, but lighter options, in the form of salads and seared seafood, are also available for those who might just have to actually get back to work after the meal.

Citysearch: Shank’s & Evelyn’s Luncheonette
932 S. 10th St.
The house specialty at Shank’s and Evelyn’s is the roast beef sandwich—it draws Philadelphians from across to the city its cozy Italian Market location. But there’s a lunchtime option for every taste here, from those in search of a light salad to carnivores hankering for a cheesesteak that doesn’t come from those other joints around the corner. The place isn’t fancy, seating is extremely limited and it’s often overcrowded, but lunch doesn’t need to be about presentation. It needs to be a culinary break from your day—and that’s just what you’ll get at Shank’s.

MyFoxPhilly: Pita Pit
1601 Sansom St.
Sometimes, the best lunch is the cheapest, quickest, easiest-to-customize option, and we gather that’s what MyFoxPhilly is going for with its pick of make-your-own wrap chain Pita Pit. Start out with a primary ingredient of your choice (chicken, turkey, steak, etc.), choose a pita (white or wheat), then pile it sky-high with veggies and dressing. Most menu combinations top out at about $7, so you can eat well without breaking the bank. For those of you who are slaves to your desks during the workday, Pita Pit offers online ordering, and will deliver anywhere in the city—which means you can get your lunchtime fix without lifting a finger from your mouse.

Around Town pick: XIX
Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue, Broad and Walnut sts.
No, your average lunch isn’t three courses—but that’s precisely why we’ve chosen XIX (that’s “Nineteen” for those of you unfamiliar with Roman numerals) as Philly’s top lunch spot. Situated high above butsling Walnut Street, XIX occupies the Bellevue’s 19th floor—and it’s not to be missed. For your first course, choose from a buffet of salads, cheeses and charcuterie. The entrée menu features an appetizing selection of gourmet items, including a perfectly grilled steak and a fish of the day. Finally, the dessert bar—oh, the dessert bar!—which is filled to capacity with miniature cakes, pies and cookies, is enough to wreck the diet of even the most strict calorie counter. And while $19 certainly isn’t cheap for lunch, this is the kind of meal that can last you an entire day. Trust us.

More Best of's:
Philly's Best Burger
Philly's Best Fries
Philly's Best Pizza
Philly's Best Cocktail
Philly's Best Brunch
Philly's Best Sushi
Philly's Best Mexican
Philly's Best Dessert
Philly's Best Coffee Shop
Philly's Best BYOB
Philly's Best Seafood
Philly's Best Cheesesteak
Philly's Best Vegetarian
Philly's Best Beer Bar
Philly's Best Dive Bar
Philly's Best Thai
Philly's Best Happy Hour
Philly's Best Romantic Restaurants