Why Ellen loves it: “Greg and Julie Vernick and their family have been friends for 25 years, so for me, it’s an honor to see them have such an impact on the dining scene. They also have a great bar—Jon Bamonte, one of our former team members at Fork, is the lead bartender. I love to see all our alumni succeeding.”

Why Ellen loves it: “Talula’s has an outdoor garden that is perfect for warm-weather dining. It's the vision of Aimee Olexy, a fellow female entrepreneur. When I think of women in the industry who are not chefs, Aimee is at the top of the list. She exudes hospitality and is super passionate about relationships with local farms. The menu is hyper-seasonal. One of Aimee’s passions is cheese, so if you want a cheese board, Talula’s is the place to go get it.”

Why Ellen loves it: “I love Tuna Bar, because although it is a Japanese sushi bar, the owner, Ken Sze, is from Fuzhou, China. One of my favorite things on his menu is his grandmother’s ethereal wontons. He calls it ‘grandma’s wonton soup.’ There’s also amazingly fresh sushi and Japanese cuisine. Plus, it’s right on the way to one of my favorite destinations, Race Street Pier.”

Why Ellen loves it: “My favorite thing about Parc is the incredible view of Philadelphia's most iconic square. Who doesn’t want to have a glass of wine and a seafood tower in front of Rittenhouse Square Park? You feel like you’ve escaped to Paris via 18th and Locust.”

Why Ellen loves it: “I love the classics, like chef Yongcheng Zhao’s spicy wontons and pork bone soup. There's pressed tofu sauteed with pork and celery. These are some of my family’s home-cooked dishes, reminding me of my mom’s cooking, so I love ordering them. If I took my mother here, I wouldn't hear any complaints about it.”

Why Ellen loves it: “Pub & Kitchen is a great place to go after work for burgers and beers. It’s a very convivial bar. Eli Collins, our chef at a.kitchen, was formerly the chef there. It’s well-executed, fun, and very authentic as a neighborhood tavern. That’s why it’s one of my favorites.”

Why Ellen loves it: “It’s owned by Gianluca Demontis and Rosemarie Tran, with whom the city fell in love when they opened Melograno. L’Anima is the grown up version of Melograno. It’s more Roman. His pastas are delicious—one of my favorites is his wild boar pasta that always takes me back to Tuscany. It’s just great to be eating something really traditional.”

Why Ellen loves it: “The Olde Bar is also in our Old City neighborhood in the original Bookbinder’s restaurant, which was a classic Philadelphia institution serving seafood. Olde Bar took that inspiration and made their re-envisioned version all about their raw bar. And it has an amazing cocktail program—if you want a craft cocktail, that’s the place to go.”

Why Ellen loves it: “They have very traditional Mexican cuisine. I love the tortilla soup, and they also have a pretty substantial seafood component and a great tequila and mezcal selection. The space feels very festive—the environment is always very colorful, like a party.”

Why Ellen loves it: “You see all the fresh fish on ice, everything is simply done reflecting the quality of the product. It’s very healthy, delicious dining in an elevated setting. Estia is a great place for a business meal. It’s also across the street from the Academy of Music, so if you're going to a show, it's a perfect opportunity to grab dinner before the orchestra.”