So you're hungry — and you're ready for some New American food. Good news: we've found the freshest spots to satisfy your appetite. Here are the newest places to check out the next time you're in the mood for contemporary American cuisine.
Muscle Maker Grill
1115 Walnut St., Center City
Muscle Maker Grill is a fast-casual restaurant offering wraps, meal plans, catering and more. The chain — which has more than 50 locations throughout the country — was founded in 1995. It bills itself as a restaurant that creates healthy versions of popular mainstream dishes, per its website.
Look for options like turkey tacos with reduced-fat cheddar cheese, red beans and fat-free sour cream; grass-fed burgers with turkey bacon, onions and zero-carb signature sauce; and the European wrap with grilled chicken, spinach, roasted peppers and Parmesan.
Muscle Maker Grill has one five-star review on Yelp.
"I went here yesterday because of their Facebook ads," Yelper Tung T. said. "I ordered a fresh strawberry-banana shake and a Mona Lisa wrap. Everything tasted so good. Perfect for my diet plan. I recommend to everyone."
Muscle Maker Grill is open from 10:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m.–8 p.m. on Sunday.
Sandler's on 9th
834 Chestnut St., Center City
Next up is Sandler's on 9th, a New American spot specializing in seafood, steaks and more in the Franklin Residences.
The restaurant is serving up lobster rolls and onion ale soup made with Philadelphia pale ale, caramelized onions and melted Gruyère; salmon with roasted corn salad and grain mustard sauce; and skirt steak au poivre with skinny fries.
Sandler's on 9th currently holds five stars out of four reviews on Yelp.
"If you want a wonderful dining experience I highly recommend this place," Yelper Patty C. said. "The food was great, the bison burger was perfect, and the staff was very attentive and kind. The restaurant is attached to the Franklin so the atmosphere is high-end without high prices."
Shelly B. noted, "I have rarely had anything as interesting as the deep-fried cheesesteak with eggs in the middle. It was amazing. The soup was also delicious."
Sandler's on 9th is open from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. daily.
Harper's Garden
31 S. 18th St., Center City
Harper's Garden is a cocktail bar and New American spot, offering tapas and more with outdoor dining near Rittenhouse Square.
This establishment's bill of fare includes fried plantain chips with jerk spice and roasted pineapple; white tuna crudo with black olive oil and scallions; pea and leek ravioli with dandelion greens; crab spaghetti with summer squash, crab sauce, basil and oregano; and American red snapper with chorizo, clam broth and English peas.
Harper's Garden's current rating of four stars out of 38 reviews on Yelp indicates the newcomer is off to a promising start.
"Went on the first night of their soft opening and was really impressed," Yelper Jamie S. said. "Obviously, it's visually appealing, but the food and service were also really good. I enjoyed the homemade meatballs and the fish with ramp hushpuppies. This place was basically designed to impress the pants off your date."
Yelper Julie S. added, "Love this place. The food was great, as well as the drinks. There's not one negative thing I could say about this new little addition to the city. I can't wait to go back."
Harper's Garden is open from noon–2 a.m. daily.
Bernie's Restaurant & Bar
3432 Sansom St., University City
Last but not least is Bernie's Restaurant & Bar, which offers lunch, dinner, cocktails and more. It has two other locations north of the city, with another slated for Manayunk.
Get started with chicken wings in flavors like honey barbecue, teriyaki and sweet and spicy garlic. Standout entrees include the pan-roasted crab cakes with cilantro-jalapeño remoulade, and the mushroom umami burgers with provolone cheese, roasted garlic aioli and a fried egg.
Bernie's current Yelp rating gives the establishment 3.5 stars out of 28 reviews.
"Bernie's spans multiple levels and is very contemporary without being pretentious," Yelper Jeremy C. said. "It's open and visually appealing, so it's easy to find a place to sit where you can get comfortable. They even have a fire pit out back for those sunny yet not quite hot days where you want to sit in the sun."
Bernie's Restaurant & Bar - University City is open from 11:30 a.m.–2 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m.–2 a.m. on weekends.
