The Dandelion Pub, Philadelphia

With indoor dining finally reopened in Philadelphia, my mom, sister and I were able to enjoy a day roaming around the city, eager for a warm place to enjoy a late lunch after a cold day out and about. For anyone who recently enjoyed the creativity and ingenuity of the city’s outdoor winter dining, an indoor space with heat and cozy furniture is a much-appreciated semblance of normalcy.

We made reservations at The Dandelion, a Center City staple, offering classic British pub fare, afternoon tea and warm ciders, among much more.

Even with a 2 p.m. reservation, we waited about 10–15 minutes to be seated — no issue as we were just happy to be heading indoors to sit! Before entering the restaurant, the hostess took our temperatures and escorted us to our cozy table upstairs. Seated around the corner from the bar and with only one other occupied table within earshot, it felt like our own private room.

My sister order the fish and chips, and a dark-and-stormy cider, my mom ordered the Dandy burger and I enjoyed the chocolate raspberry trifle — it was 2:30 p.m. and there are no rules anymore. My dessert was made entirely in house, and you could tell — every layer was a burst of flavor and I was in my own personal The Great British Bake Off heaven. I heard rave reviews all around from the clean-plate club (my mom and sister), and the (many) fries I sampled were also on point. While a bit bougie for lunch, the dark, warm pub atmosphere was the perfect cap to a cold day out in the city.

While we happened to be out and about on a busy afternoon, I would still recommend reservations (wherever possible) for dining in the city. Between restaurant’s limited capacity and more people working remotely and able to enjoy city dining, having a reservation is your safest bet.