A Taste of History

Philadelphia is rich with sites celebrating the history of our country; this restaurant delivers a taste of the cuisine from 18th century colonial America!

While Philly has modern-day museums, theaters, shopping, and restaurants, tourists are drawn to the historic sites.  The Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross' House, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Center attract many people to the Olde City section of Philadelphia.  "City Tavern" helps celebrate the city's history with a dining experience celebrating the customs and cuisine of colonial America.  The restaurant is a vision of the past.  John Adams visited the year-old City Tavern in 1774, saying is was the "most genteel tavern in America".  The Tavern is lovely, with old fashioned furniture and place settings.  The employees dress in colonial outfits keeping with the 18th century theme.  The tavern has seven rooms, two wine cellars, and a wonderful outside garden area.  The rooms are decorated with wooden furniture and old fashioned nic-nacs.  The windows are huge (from floor to ceiling).  I've been to City Tavern many times and love the atmosphere and old time ambiance.  But the award-winning menu is what keeps us coming back.

The costumed wait staff shares a brief history
of the Tavern while serving your meal.

I've tasted many of the dishes at City Tavern and have loved everything they serve.  Over the years the menu has changed, but the items they offer are exquisite!  Do yourself a favor and try the basil shrimp for an appetizer.  These jumbo shrimp are served with bacon and fresh basil, with a horseradish barbecue sauce.  What a delightful way to start a meal.  The shrimp are fresh with such a nice flavor from the basil, and bacon - what doesn't taste good with bacon!  The sauce is a very nice change from regular cocktail sauce.  The sweetness of the barbecue sauce mixes very well with the heat of the horseradish.  There are two dinners I would like to highlight in this review; the turkey pot pie and the rack of lamb.  The colonial turkey pot pie is a traditional comfort food.  Tender turkey chunks are served in a hearty sherry cream sauce with mushrooms, peas, and potatoes topped with a flaky pastry crust.  The pot pie is served in a pewter casserole dish.  Life is a little slice of heaven when you're sitting by the window of City Tavern on a fall evening watching the trees blow in the breeze while eating this classic dish, and chatting with dear friends!  And now for the rack of lamb...this meal is elegant!  It's picture perfect to see and absolutely delicious to taste.  The lamb is roasted with rosemary au jus and basted with Dijon mustard sauce and walnuts.  It is served with mashed potatoes and asparagus with Bearnaise sauce.  This is a Thanksgiving Day type meal; when you're done you need to undo the top button and take a nap!  But, ummmm, so good!



Visit the City Tavern Gift Shop
You Can Purchase Tableware, Cookbooks, and Their Herb Rub and Sauce (shown above)



If you have family and friends visiting the Philadelphia area, treat them and yourself to this classic restaurant.  There's something very special about sharing the history of our country; dining at the City Tavern gives you that feeling!  City Tavern is going to be part of Philadelphia's Restaurant Week -

Restaurant Week - $20 3 Course Lunch, $35 3 Course Dinner
Join Chef/Proprietor Walter Staib for Center City Restaurant Week that celebrates local ingredients. City Tavern recreates 18th Century dining, when the farm to table movement was the only option and all food was scratch cooking. Chef Staib's menus are full of late summer's bounty, just as the founding fathers would have dined! September 12-16 & 19-23, 2011.

City Tavern

138 S. Second Street

Philadelphia, PA  19106

215-413-1443

www.citytavern.com