By Jeff Maskovsky

The Restaurant Scene
It's a bit of a cliché, I know, but it's really true that these days there is much more to Philadelphia's culinary scene than cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. For out-of-towners in search of good, reasonably priced meals, this is both good news and bad. Philadelphia's culinary renaissance of the last decade has made it easier than ever to find great food, but much of it now comes at a hefty price. For those attending December's AAA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, this is an eating guide with budget-conscious options that also includes a few trendy hot spots for those who would like to splurge. Nearly all of the restaurants mentioned here are vegetarian-friendly. Website links where available.

Convenience and Value
The Philadelphia Marriott Downtown is in the middle of the Center City district, a part of the city that caters primarily to tourists, conventioneers and corporate workers. As I mentioned in my last column, the best bet for an affordable breakfast or lunch is Reading Terminal (brochure with floorplan, PDF). Keep in mind, however, that the Terminal is now quite the tourist site, with throngs of visitors at lunchtime. If you're looking for a less crowded alternative you might also try one of the reasonably-priced restaurants listed here, which are all within a 15-minute walk of the Marriott.

• Caribou Café, 1126 Walnut St, 215/625-9535, lunch or dinner. This bistro fare is perfect for lunch, but is also a nice place for a late afternoon drink or dinner.
• Govinda's "To Go" Gourmet Vegetarian, 1408 South St, 215/985-9303, lunch, dinner, take-out. This inexpensive restaurant has been around forever and is great for vegan or vegetarian take-away, though it's a bit of a hike from the Marriott.
• Grocery 13 Inc, 105 S 13th St, 215/922-5252, breakfast, lunch, take-away. Shop for muffins, sandwiches, salads and designer junk food at this centrally-located high-end prepared foods store.
• Italian Bistro, 211 S Broad St, 215/731-0700, lunch or dinner. You won't find anything exceptional here, but the location and prices are good.
• Little Pete's, 219 S 17th St, 215/232-5001, breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night snack. In the "greasy spoon" category, this is one of the few places in Center City Philadelphia that is open around the clock. It's also a gathering place for local politicians and their hangers-on. You can go no matter what time your AAA session ends.
• Maoz Vegetarian, 1115 Walnut St, 215/922-3409, lunch, dinner, take-away. This international chain offers great Middle Eastern vegetarian take-out, and they're open late.
• Lee How Fook, 219 N 11th St, 215/925-7266, lunch or dinner. This Cantonese restaurant will probably seem familiar to those of you who frequent North American Chinatowns: it's not glamorous, but the food here is good and inexpensive, and the service is prompt.
• More than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St, 215/574-0586, lunch, dinner, dessert. They are best known for dessert (try the hot fudge sundae), but I also like their soups, salads, sandwiches and lunch specials.
• Moriarty's, 1116 Walnut St, 215/627-7676, lunch, dinner, bar. With decent pub food, this is a good place to go for cheap lunch or for a beer between sessions. Open late.
• Monk's Belgian Café, 264 S 16th St, 215/545-7005, lunch, dinner, drinks. The walk here might exceed 15 minutes, but this Belgian beer emporium is a perfect choice if you are looking for a slightly upscale but still affordable lunch or dinner, especially if you stick to burgers, salads and beer. The bar is small and the restaurant section is often crowded, but it's worth the wait. Vegetarians should try the seitan cheesesteak.
• Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodles, 927 Race St, 215/923-1550, lunch or dinner. Don't miss this cheap, cash-only hole-in-the-wall with absolutely fantastic food! They do not easily accommodate large groups, so go alone or with a friend.
• New Samosa, 1214 Walnut St, 215/546-2009, lunch or dinner. This is one of many reasonably priced, Indian-vegetarian lunch buffets.
• Vietnam, 221 N 11th St, Chinatown, 215/592-1163, lunch or dinner. This place is popular, so you might have to wait for a table. It's a bit farther from the Marriott than others in this category, but the walk is well worth the trip.

Less Convenient, But Still Good Values
If you have the time or inclination to venture beyond Center City, these best value restaurants are also well worth a visit. Please note that taxis are not always easy to flag down in Philadelphia, so it's probably best to hail one directly in front of the Marriott or to ask hotel staff to reserve one for you.

• Café Huong Lan, 1037 S 8th St, 215/629-9966, lunch or dinner. Attention foodies: forego the Philly cheesesteak and try instead a delicious Vietnamese pork hoagie from this inexpensive, cash-only restaurant in South Philadelphia. Not the best place for vegetarians.
• Carmen's Country Kitchen, 1301 S 11th St, 215/339-9613, brunch. The food at this small, South Philadelphia brunch place is great, but that's almost beside the point. The real reason to go is Carmen herself, and the queer hipster scene she nurtures in her restaurant.
• Dahlak Restaurant, 4708 Baltimore Ave, 215/726-6464, dinner. Those of you interested in exploring West Philadelphia should try this terrific, inexpensive Eritrean restaurant; especially good for small groups that like to eat family-style.
• Jamaican Jerk Hut, 1436 South St, 215/545-8644, dinner. This festive, low-budget restaurant encourages you to bring your own bottle of rum to make a night of it. Not a good choice for vegetarians.
• Mustard Greens, 622 S 2nd St, 215/626-0833, dinner. I tend to prefer cheap, greasy hole-in-the-wall to restaurants attempting "nouvelle" Chinese cuisine, but this place is the exception that proves the rule. You'll pay a bit more here, but the food is definitely worth it.
• Nam Phuong, 1100-1120 Washington Ave, 215/468-1120, lunch or dinner. Delicious, low-priced Vietnamese food! Warning: don't go here for the ambience. The place looks like a giant, old warehouse (because that's what it is). Ideal for large groups!
• Sabrina's Café, 910 Christian St, 215/574-1599, breakfast, brunch, dinner (no dinner on Sundays and Mondays). Hip, reasonably priced New American restaurant near South Philadelphia's famous Italian Market. Be prepared to wait with other hipsters for a table, or try their second location at 1804 Callowhill St, near the Art Museum, 215/636-9061.
• Standard Tap, 901 N 2nd St, 215/351-9144, dinner or drinks. This is a neighborhood bar for the hipster crowd. It serves good, satisfying bar food and is a fun place to hang out.
• Taqueria La Veracruzana, 908 Washington Ave, 215/465-1440, lunch or dinner. An "authentic," low-key BYOB tacqueria catering primarily to Philadelphia's Mexican residents. Cafeteria-style ambiance, in the Italian Market. If you are on the other side of town, try Taco Riendo, 1301 N 5th St, 215/235-2294, for a similar, pleasant experience.
• Rx Cafe, 4443 Spruce St, 215/222-9590, brunch or dinner. Another West Philadelphia option, this restaurant serves fresh, organic New American cuisine in a former pharmacy. Brunch is the better buy.
• Vientiane Café, 4728 Baltimore Ave, 215/726-1095, lunch or dinner. Near Dahlak in West Philly, this Laotian/Thai restaurant isn't exactly "authentic" but it serves good food at reasonable prices.
• Zahav, 237 Saint James Place, 215/625-8800, lunch, dinner, drinks, desserts. This modern Israeli restaurant is a bit more upscale and pricey than many of the other Middle Eastern eateries in town, but it's also one of the best. They serve quirky cocktails, too.

The Big Splurge
If you are going to spend a lot of money for a meal, it ought to be extraordinary. Here is a list of amazing restaurants where you'll pay top dollar, but it will be worth it.

• Bindi, 105 S 13th St, 215/922-6061, dinner or drinks, reservations required. This Indian-New American fusion restaurant is across the street from sister-restaurant Lolita, (106 S 13th St, 215/546-7100), which offers nouvelle Mexican. Both are BYOB. You can't find a better meal in closer proximity to the conference hotel.
• Bistro St Tropez, 2400 Market St, Suite 427, lunch or dinner, reservations required. This upscale French bistro is a fun, more reasonably priced alternative to Le Bec-Fin, the city's premiere fine dining restaurant (1523 Walnut St, 215/567-1000). Bistro St Tropez is located on the 4th floor of the Philadelphia Design Center. Enter on Market St, pass by the design stores, and take the elevator up. Request a table with a view when you make your reservation. Highly recommended.
• Buddakan, 325 Chestnut St, 215/574-9440, lunch, dinner, drinks, reservations required. If your idea of fun is eating dinner at the feet of a giant Buddha surrounded by a youthful, too-chic-for-words crowd, then this trendy, expensive, pan-Asian franchise is for you. I've never made it past the bar here, but by all accounts the food is incredible.
• Fork, 306 Market St, 215/625-9425, lunch, dinner, drinks. This hip, Manhattan-styled, New American eatery offers great seasonal and artisanal foods. Eat at the bar if you can't get a reservation. Highly recommended.
• Horizons, 611 S 7th St, 215/923-6117, dinner, reservations required. Vegans rejoice! This chic, trendy restaurant offers new vegan cuisine that is so cleverly presented and delicious even your most intolerant meat-loving friends will enjoy dining here with you. Highly recommended.
• Knock, 225 S 12th St, 215/925-1166, lunch, brunch, dinner, drinks, reservations required. Friends tell me that this new, gay-owned, New American eatery and bar is fabulous!
• Le Virtù, 1927 E Passyunk Ave, 215/271-5626, dinner, reservations required. Locals call LeVirtù one of the best Italian restaurants in South Philadelphia. Serving up "cucina typical" from the Abruzzi region of Italy, this is at the top of my list.
• Melograno, 2012 Sansom St, 215/875-8116, dinner, reservations highly recommended. This modern Roman trattoria offers some of the most inspired Italian food in the city. Highly recommended.
• Morimoto's, 723 Chestnut St, 215/413-9070, dinner, reservations required. If you are looking for a splurge that induces feelings of irrational exuberance, and willing to pay more than $100 for your meal, give this place a try. The omakase (chef's choice) is extraordinary! The saner among us can enjoy delicious Japanese food at the more moderately priced Shiroi Hana (222 S 15th St 215/ 735-4444, lunch or dinner) and Kisso Sushi Bar (205 N 4th St, 215/922-1770).
• Osteria, 640 North Broad St, 215/763-0920, lunch or dinner. This James Beard-nominated North Philadelphia Italian restaurant is the less expensive alternative to the centrally located and highly celebrated Vetri (1312 Spruce St, 215/732-3478). Highly recommended.
• Pumpkin, 1713 South St, 215/545-4448, dinner, reservations highly recommended. Hip, "intimate" (only 28 seats), BYOB eatery. The menu changes daily and people rave about the whole fish specials. Not for vegetarians.
• Ristorante Panorama, 14 N Front St, 215/922-7800, lunch, dinner, drinks, reservations required. This trattoria is known as much for its wine flights as it is for its excellent, contemporary Northern Italian cuisine. If food and wine pairings are your thing, this Old City restaurant is definitely for you.
• Sonata Restaurant, 1030 American St, 215/238-1240, dinner. This newly open New American BYOB restaurant in trendy Northern Liberties is getting great reviews; an upscale alternative to the Standard Tap. Reservations recommended.

Coffee, Cocktails and Carousing
Avoid conference overload by getting away from it all at these coffee houses, lounges and bars.

• Almaz Café, 140 S 20th St, 215/557-0108, coffee house, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Half-coffee house, half-Ethiopian restaurant, this place serves up good food at reasonable prices, and it's conveniently located, too.
• Ant's Pants Café, 2212 South St, 215/875-8002, coffee house. A bit of a hike from the Marriott, but this coffee house stands out for its Aussie drinks.
• Bump, 1234 Locust St, 215/732-1800, drinks, dinner. A hipper-than-thou gay lounge. The leather boys might prefer The Bike Stop (206 S Quince St, 215/627-1662) and the girls might also like Sisters (1320 Chancellor St, 215/735-0735).
• Capogiro Gelateria, 119 S 13th St, 215/351-0900, coffee or dessert. How fortunate that the city's best artisan gelato can be found just two blocks from the conference hotel. This is a good place to give in to temptation.
• Chris's Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St, 215/568-3131, drinks, dinner, entertainment. Voted Best of Philly Best Jazz Club of 2007, the Martino Quartet with Eric Alexander will be performing on Friday and Saturday nights, Dec 4-5, during the conference.
• Continental Midtown, 1801 Chestnut St, 215/567-1800, cocktails. A pretentious, upscale martini bar-and sometimes that's exactly what's called for. The bar food here is surprisingly good. Another option is its sister restaurant, The Continental, 134 Market St, 215/923-6069, for drinks or dinner.
• The Irish Pub, 1123 Walnut St, 215/925-3311 or 2007 Walnut St, 215/568-5603, lunch, dinner, drinks. Down-scale, casual and fun, it does not defy expectations.
• Last Drop Café, 1300 Pine St, 215/893-9262, coffee house. As close as we get in Philly to a grunge café. Live music on some nights.
• La Colombe, 130 S 19th St, 215/563-0860, coffee house. The best café in the city, by a mile. Highly recommended.
• Time Restaurant, 1315 Sansom St, 215/985-4800, lunch, dinner, drinks. A restaurant, whiskey bar and tap room, it's also a late night "bohemian absinthe bar lounge."
• Tinto Restaurant, 116 S 20th St, 215/665-9150, dinner, Sunday brunch, drinks, reservations strongly recommended. This upscale wine bar serves delicious Basque tapas (pintxos) and has a good selection of European wines.
• Tria Café, 123 S 18th St, 215/972-8742, or 1137 Spruce St, 215/629-9200, drinks, lunch, dinner. Another upscale wine bar, this one specializes in wine and cheese pairings.
• Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro, 129 S 13th St, 215/922-3095, drinks or dinner. A third upscale wine bar to recommend, this one is closest to the conference hotel.

Cheap Amusements
While you are in town, you might also wish to take advantage of Philadelphia's robust performing arts scene.

• The Kimmel Center (260 S Broad Street on the Avenue of the Arts, 215/790-5800) features performances Dec 2-6 by the world famous Philadelphia Orchestra and the Vienna Boy's Choir. Plan ahead and purchase tickets in advance at www.kimmelcenter.org.
• The more edgy Painted Bride Art Center (230 Vine St, 215/925-9914) presents the multimedia exhibition "Shelter," in which 14 Philadelphia artists collaborated with ten Philadelphia households previously on the verge of homelessness (with a First Friday reception on Dec 4). Or see Scott Turner Schofield's one-man show "Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps," Dec 4-5. Tickets for the latter are only $25. Check out the Painted Bride's complete exhibition and performance schedule at http://paintedbride.org.
• See a movie at one of the four excellent movie theaters within walking distance of the Marriott: Roxy Theater (2023 Sansom St, 215/923-6699), Ritz Five (214 Walnut St, 215/925-7900), Ritz at the Bourse (400 Ranstead Street, on Fourth Street between Market and Chestnut, 215/925-7900), and Ritz East (125 S Second Street, between Chestnut and Walnut Streets and Front and Second Streets, 215/925-7900).
• Sasa Beauty (1004 Arch St, 215/923-8212), in Chinatown, offers reasonably priced facials for those seeking a spa during the annual meeting.

Reader Suggestions

• Jeremy Wallach (Bowling Green State U) recommends Hardena Restaurant (1754 S Hicks St, 215/271-9442, a hole-in-the-wall Indonesian place in South Philly. He says that the food is amazing: "Just like the food I had in Java, but better."
• Geoff Clark suggests the Sansom Street Oyster House (1516 Sansom Street, 215/567-7683), a "great Philly tradition."
  
  I invite all of you who live in Philly, and those who have visited recently, to share your favorite cheap eats and amusements (email Jeff.Maskovsky@qc.cuny.edu).

It is the afternoon of December 2, 2009. You arrive at the Philadelphia International Airport and make your way to the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott, the AAA conference hotel. Determined to stay within your paltry travel budget, you opt against a taxi ($30 plus) or airport shuttle ($10 and up). Instead, you take the SEPTA regional rail service ($6, one way) from the airport to the Market East stop (www.septa.com/service/sched/pdfs/R1Airport.pdf) and then walk two blocks to the hotel. All in all, the trip from the airport takes only 35 minutes. So far, so good. What else can you do to cut food, travel and entertainment costs while at the annual meeting?

One affordable choice is frequenting the Reading Terminal Market while you are in town (www.readingterminalmarket.org). This is a very compelling daytime option that is right around the corner from the hotel. First established in 1892, the market was rehabilitated in the 1990s. Although prices went up accordingly, it is still one of the best deals in the entire Center City area. With dozens of merchants selling everything from baked goods to cut flowers, from produce to used books, you can have a delicious breakfast, lunch or a mid-afternoon snack without breaking the bank.

There are dozens of take-away places in the Market. Some of the best include the vegetarian friendly 12^th Street Cantina, which serves delicious Mexican food at very reasonable prices. Or try Delilah’s, which still manages to serve fantastic macaroni and cheese years after being “discovered” by Oprah. For those of you who just have to have it, you can also get a Philly cheesesteak from Spataro’s or Carmen’s. If you are looking for a sit-down lunch, the Down Home Diner is a good choice.

In the Market, you can also get a good cup of coffee at Old City Coffee. Remember, no one should leave Philadelphia without trying a pignoli cookie from Termini Brothers, which is also known for its cannoli. The Metropolitan Bakery is one of many places that sell great bread and pastries. And who could leave Philadelphia without trying a fresh, hot pretzel from the Market’s Pennsylvania Dutch merchants? In fact, they sell some of the most reasonably priced, high quality products in town.

In my next article, I will tell you about some terrific, moderately priced restaurants near the conference hotel. If you have any suggestions, don’t forget to send them to me (Jeff.Maskovsky@qc.cuny.edu) so that I can mention them.

Times are tough. Higher education is tightening its belt, and travel funds are scarce. But don’t cancel your plans to attend the AAA annual meetings just yet. As luck would have it, this year’s meetings are in Philadelphia (December 2-6, 2009), a city that knows well how to cope with tough times. The City of Brotherly (and Sisterly) Love offers much to the conference attendee who must travel on a tight budget.  So don’t be afraid to bite the bullet, pay your registration fee, and make your (discounted) travel arrangements. Frugal Philadelphia awaits you. Here are some things that it has to offer.

Cheap Eats – Philadelphia has a very lively restaurant scene, and unlike in many other major US cities, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to eat well in Philly. The restaurant boom of the last decade produced many a trendy hot spot, particularly in Center City, Philadelphia’s downtown commercial zone.  Restaurants in this area are a bargain compared to their trendy equivalents in New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.  But it is also possible to find fresh and delicious meals at even more affordable prices. To do this, you will have to go where most Philadelphians tend to go to eat: their neighborhoods.  The main conference hotel, the Marriott Downtown, is within easy walking distance of dozens of good, comfortable, moderately priced restaurants in residential neighborhoods such as Old City, Chinatown, Queen Village, Bella Vista, and Rittenhouse Square.  And the more adventurous among us – particularly those willing to hop on a bus or take a short taxi ride – will find fantastic food at bargain prices outside of Center City. 

Cheap Drinks – If you are like me, then you are always looking for a decent place to grab a drink or sit down for a cup of coffee during the annual meetings.  But who really wants to wait in a long line at the Starbucks in the conference hotel or to pay $15 for a glass of wine or $4 for a cup of coffee?  And let’s face it, lingering for too long in the conference hotel lobby is dangerous to your health.  Avoid unnecessary anxiety (induced by the overwhelming sense that the person you are talking to would rather be talking to someone more important) and whiplash (from spinning around too abruptly in search of someone more important to talk to) by meeting people elsewhere.  In Philadelphia, you have many options.  In addition to Reading Terminal Market, which is next door to the conference hotel, there are also dozens of neighborhood bars, brewpubs, lounges and cafés within walking distance of the hotel.  It’s just not hard in this town to avoid the over-priced coffee chains and the cocktail lounges catering to hard-partying suburbanites and convention attendees.

Cheap Fun – In Philly, the arts and cultural scene is buzzing – and there are many inexpensive ways to enjoy it.   Long known for its museums, gallery spaces, concert halls, and theaters, for its vibrant African American, Latino/a and queer community arts scenes, and as a haven for creative, edgy artists, musicians and performers, Philadelphia has much to offer the conference attendee looking for good entertainment.  What you may be surprised to hear is that much of the entertainment on offer in the city is reasonably priced.  Even those on the tightest budget can probably afford an orchestra ticket or two in Philly (as it happens, the world-famous Philadelphia Orchestra is scheduled to perform on the same dates as the conference), and there are frequent free or inexpensive art openings, jazz performances, cabarets, club acts, and other cultural events on offer for those in the know.  I know what many of you are thinking: why would anthropologists be interested in cultures other than our own?  Fair enough.  But for those among us wishing for a brief escape or diversion, cheap options abound.

I will feature some of my favorite cheap eats, drinks, entertainment venues and cultural events in future columns.  I also invite all of you who live in Philly, and those who have visited recently, to share your favorites.  (Please e-mail them to me at Jeff.Maskovsky@qc.cuny.edu).  So stay tuned – and see you in Philly in December!