Our Easter/Passover Dining Guide
BY JUSTIN PAHL
With both Easter and Passover right around the corner, we took the guesswork out of the planning for you. Here, six spots for a hassle-free Easter brunch, plus three city spots hosting Seder dinners.
PASSOVER
Zahav
What better place to celebrate Passover than this beloved Israeli restaurant? The highlights of chef Michael Solomonov’s Passover feast are coffee-braised brisket and roasted matzoh balls served in a black-garlic broth. The always-innovative Solomonov is sure to give some well-known Jewish dishes a new look. Mach 29th through April 6th. $42 per person. 237 Saint James Place, 215-625-8800.
London Grill
If you like your meals served with a story, check out this Fairmount staple on March 29th or 30th for a $40 prix fix Seder dinner (kids eat for just $20!). Co-owner Terry Berch entertains diners with her own re-enactment of the Passover story, complete with ceramic frogs, plastic bugs, and sunglasses. 2301 Fairmount Avenue, 215-978-4545.
Supper
Chef Mitch Prensky’s traditional Seder dinner includes crispy potato latkes, old-fashioned chicken/matzo ball soup, and his mother’s world-famous brisket chicken. And don’t miss the caramelized apple/matzo kugel for dessert. Monday, March 29th, and Tuesday, March 30th. $50 for adults; $25 for kids 12 and under. 928 South Street, 215-592-8180.
EASTER
City Tavern
An Easter brunch for history buffs. The Tavern’s menu is filled with foods both old — roasted leg of lamb with rosemary au jus — and (kind of) new — eggs benedict with tavern crab crabcakes. $34.95 for adults; $24.95 for kids 12 and under. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 138 South 2nd Street, 215-413-1443.
Farmicia
If you’re in the mood for fresh and local fare, head to this Old City standard, where the menu includes brioche French toast with apple-cherry compote and Amish grits with country pork sausage. $26. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 15 South 3rd Street, 215-627-6274.
The Radnor Hotel
This Easter Sunday, sip champagne and admire the gardens at Wayne’s Radnor Hotel. The kids will enjoy a visit from the Easter bunny. Oh, and the food’s good, too — stuffed pork loin, corned-beef hash, and a chocolate fountain for desert. $35.95 for adults; $17.50 for kids under 12. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 591 East Lancaster Avenue, 610-341-3188.
Thirteen
At this restaurant in the Downtown Marriot, parents will enjoy making their own mimosas and bloody Marys while their kids hunt for Easter eggs. Then, the whole family will sit down for a brunch that includes roast beef au jus and herb-roasted tilapia. $24.95 for adults; $13 for kids. Noon to 6 p.m. 1201 Market Street, 215-625-2900.
Le Bec-Fin
For a dressed-up Easter brunch, head to Georges Perrier’s Le Bec. The meal starts with a breakfast buffet of assorted pastries and made-to-order omelets, followed by your choice of entrée, like the potato-smoked lamb terrine or the petit fillet with black pepper/mint jus. Cap off the meal with a selection from the dessert cart. $75. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1523 Walnut Street, 215-567-1000.
Jack’s Firehouse
For an art-filled Easter, we suggest checking out “Picasso and the Avant Garde” at the PMA, then stopping by nearby Jack’s Firehouse for a three-course brunch, featuring a beautiful pan-seared Atlantic salmon, roasted leg of lamb, and peanut butter cheesecake for dessert. $25 for three courses, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 2130 Fairmount Avenue, 215-232-9000.
