Northern Liberties Philadelphia

Philadelphia is the perfect city to refresh your wardrobe and it has one distinct advantage over neighbouring New York – tax-free shopping. Not only is it exciting to explore the stand alone stores of covetable American brands that haven’t yet made it to the UK, but to also get an extra incentive on top of the usually favourable exchange rate.

Here are some of the best places to shop in Philadelphia…

Rittenhouse Row

Rittenhouse Row, including Walnut Street, is a real destination for designer and high end high street shopping with stores such as Burberry, Kenneth Cole, Coach, Club Monaco, Lucky Jeans, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, designer boutique Knit Wit and sneaker store Ubiq.

The neighbourhood also features the Shops at the Bellevue (a historic luxury hotel), including Polo Ralph Lauren, Tiffany, Nicole Miller, Williams-Sonoma and Teuscher Chocolates. For a break from shopping, have lunch on the terrace at Stephen Starr’s stylish brasserie, Parc.

Chestnut Street

Chestnut Street is one of the most popular shopping streets in Philadelphia and includes the Shops at Liberty Place shopping mall. Here you can find J.Crew, Bath & Bodyworks, Victoria’s Secret, Godiva Chocolates and Nine West. However, the most exciting shop on Chestnut is the amazing Italian gourmet produce store, Di Bruno Bros. It’s the place to grab a tasty deli lunch, stop for a coffee and cannoli, find interesting gifts to take home or just drool over the beautifully-presented Italian delights.

The Piazza at Schmidt’s, Northern Liberties

This lovely square is lined with a number of independent boutiques, cafes and restaurants and is the perfect spot for weekend brunch and shopping. Try Blooms for womenswear and accessories by local designers, Corsa for streetwear and Sole Control for rare and limited edition sneakers.

Out of town….

Philadelphia Premier Outlets® is the place to find major bargains at outlet stores by designers and brands. Located in Limerick, PA, approximately 40 minutes drive from the city, Philadelphia Premier Outlets® features over 150 outlet stores by designer and affordable brands.

Womens and menswear stores include BCBG Max Azria, Theory, Polo Ralph Lauren, Elie Tahari, Calvin Klein, Coach, Diesel, DKNY, Michael Kors, True Religion Brand Jeans, Kenneth Cole, Lucky Brand, GAP Outlet, Banana Republic Factory Store and Last Call by Neiman Marcus.

Beauty shoppers will find great bargains at Bath & Body Works, Crabtree & Evelyn, BareMinerals and Lancôme. My favourites stores were the chic and colourful Kate Spade New York boutique outlet, Yankee Candles (with an impressive range of different scents) and the Converse store, where I bought two pairs of sneakers.

There are regular daily bus services from the Greyhound Terminal in central Philadelphia to Philadelphia Premier Outlets® and shoppers can sign up to the VIP Shopper Club online to receive additional discounts.

King of Prussia Mall is department store heaven – Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s and Lord & Taylor can all be found there. Located 25 miles from Philadelphia, King of Prussia Mall is the largest shopping mall on the East Coast with over 400 stores.

Some of the more exciting stores that don’t have a presence in the UK are Madewell, Aeropostale, Lilly Pulitzer, Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn. It would be easy to spend a whole day at King of Prussia Mall. However the dining choices aren’t particularly interesting there, so I’d recommend a light lunch or coffee break at Cafe Nordstrom and then head back into Philadelphia for dinner.

For more Philly destination ideas, read my guides on Things to do in Philadelphia and Arts and Culture in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia has a thrilling dining scene, whether it’s fine dining with impressive views over the city or a vibrant bistro hidden atop a designer furniture showroom with only a kitsch neon sign marking the door. Here are some of my favourite Philadelphia food finds…

Fine Dining

R2L

Chef Daniel Stern’s R2L is Philadelphia’s highest restaurant and the views of the city are spectacular. Located on the 37th floor of Two Liberty Place, the expansive R2L serves Modern American cuisine while Liberty Bar & Lounge offers posh bar plates and cocktails made with hand-cut ice (there is even a Happy Hour).

We experienced the ‘Height of R2L’ seven course tasting menu with wine pairings. Dishes included Grilled Truffle Flatbread, Hot & Cold Seafood Platter, Tuna Tartare, Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Black Truffle Risotto, Roasted Chicken Breast and a trio of steak cuts with buttery mashed potato. We finished with a Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata which came served with pots of vanilla cream and crunchy caramel peanut brittle.

Food is of a high standard and the slick ambiance makes it a great choice for a memorable dinner in Philadelphia. Request a window table and bring a jacket, as the air-conditioning is fierce!

Hidden Gem

Bistro St Tropez

Bistro St Tropez is one of those ‘in the know’ places that only a local would lead you to. Perched on the fourth floor of the Market Design Center, Bistro St Tropez is a bright, industrial-luxe space with spectacular views of the Schuylkill River, 30th Street Station and the Modern Art Museum.

Owner and Chef Patrice Rames offers a menu of Provençal and Mediterranean dishes alongside a few American classics such as Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. I particularly liked the delectable Pain Perdue with house-cured Scottish salmon and cranberry grappa jam.

Just a few weeks ago, Bistro St Tropez opened Le Petit Cafe du Bistro St Tropez on the first floor of the same building. The cafe is perfect for a light bite on the go, such as breakfast pastries with Illy coffee and freshly squeezed juice, casse-croûtes, home-made quiche and salads. Apparently, the béchamel-smothered Croque Monsieur is already a big hit.

Breakfast

Chez Colette

Enjoy a French breakfast with an American twist at Chez Colette at Sofitel Philadelphia. The charming brasserie is filled with iconic French posters and nostalgic light jazz. I started the day with English breakfast tea, freshly squeezed orange juice and a yogurt smoothie shot and shared a basket of the most delicious, flaky croissants. My Eggs Benedict ($15) with Canadian bacon and roasted red bliss potatoes were perfectly cooked and substantial.

The menu offers so many delectable and decadent breakfast dishes that it’s tempting to really indulge. However, the ‘Getting in Shape’ section of the menu offers healthy alternatives such as Wheat Belgian Waffles, Egg White Benedict and Seasonal Fresh Fruit. It’s also possible to create your own omelette.

Chez Colette is ideally situated for a morning of tax-free shopping on Walnut and Chestnut Street, or touring Philadelphia’s sights. Such an elegant breakfast to start the day is a real treat!

Gastropubs

McCrossen’s Tavern

McCrossen’s Tavern is a cosy, family-run pub that is on the cusp of the Philadelphia Museum Mile, but doesn’t seem to have been colonised by the art crowd. It’s conveniently located just a few blocks away from The Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum, in the leafy Fairmount Park neighbourhood.

Opened in 1937, the pub offers a great selection of beer, including the local Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale, and the most delicious Mediterranean and American fare. We stopped by for some sharing plates of oysters, baked mussels, risotto, marinated vegetables and Cajun fries with garlic mayo.

Kings Oak American Grill

Kings Oak American Grill in Philadelphia’s hip Northern Liberties neighbourhood is the place to come and watch a game and enjoy exceptionally good food. As we were a large group, our set menu included pea soup with basil oil, roasted chicken with mashed potato, haricot verts and chicken jus and sticky toffee pudding with Bassett’s pralines and cream ice cream. Kings Oak is one of the few sports bars to offer bistro-style food alongside grilled American small plates like crabcake sliders, buffalo shrimp and sweet potato fries.

There is also an extensive range of craft beers to choose from. I asked our waitress to recommend a light but interesting beer and she picked a winner – the raspberry-infused Abita Purple Haze beer brewed in Louisiana.

Kings Oak overlooks The Piazza at Schmidt’s, so you can enjoy brunch there and check out the indie boutiques or make a night of it and visit the local bars such as Ortliebs Lounge.

For more Philly destination ideas, read my guides on Things to do in Philadelphia, Arts and Culture in Philadelphia and Shopping in Philadelphia.

British Airways offer three nights at the 4* Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Philadelphia from £749 per person based on September 2012 departures. Includes return British Airways flights from Heathrow and accommodation only. For reservations visit ba.com/philadelphia or call 0844 493 0758

Cherie City was a guest of PCVB