Watch CBS News

Top Cherry Dishes In Philadelphia

February isn't just the month of Valentine's Day; it's also known as National Cherry Month. Running the gamut from sweet desserts to savory entrees and unique drinks, cherry dishes can be found on the menu of some of Philadelphia's best restaurants and dessert shops. Here are your top spots for enjoying this sweet fruit.
Monk's Café
264 S 16th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 545-7005
www.monkscafe.com

Monk's serves over 300 beers, so it's no surprise that DrinkPhilly.com named it Philly's Best Beer Bar in 2012. With varieties from both popular and lesser known breweries, it's a beer lover's haven. Among the many varieties of beer, at least half a dozen are "Kriek" beers. This style of Belgian beer is made using sour cherries to ferment lambic. The result is typically a dry and slightly sour beer with a hint of fruit flavor.

Tria
Rittenhouse Square
123 S 18th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 972-8742

Washington Square West
1137 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 629-9200

University City
3131 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 222-2422

www.triacafe.com

The small plates and reasonable prices at Tria invite you to sample a variety of wines, cheeses and other snacks. With an upscale yet casual atmosphere, all three locations are perfect for relaxing with friends or a date while sharing a drink and a bite to eat. All three locations offer a crostini with cheese and tart cherry bruschetta for $4.50. The Center City locations also serve a spinach salad topped with duck, pistachios, poached cherries, cheese and a citrus-mint dressing priced at $10.

Related: Top Wine Bars in Philadelphia

Chez Georges At Le Bec Fin
1523 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 567-1000
www.lebecfin.com

Also known simply as "the downstairs bar," the recently renamed and renovated Chez Georges at Le Bec Fin is a more relaxed way to experience the famous restaurant. The a la carte menu is a more approachable way for visitors to experience the food as it is notably less expensive than the prix fixe menu in the main restaurant. Order the pistachio custard with poached cherries offered on the dessert menu at $9.

Parc Restaurant Bistro
227 S 18th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 545-2262
www.parc-restaurant.com

Dining at Parc is as close to a French bistro experience as you can have in Philadelphia. From the beautiful dining rooms to the basket of bread and glasses (or carafes) of wine, it's easy to imagine sitting in Paris circa 1950 rather than Rittenhouse Square. Try the duck, prepared rotisserie style and served with kale and a caramelized cherry sauce for $29.

Nifty Fifty's
2491 Grant Ave. at Roosevelt Blvd.
Philadephia, PA 19114
(215) 676-1950
www.niftyfiftys.com

Casual, homemade food and friendly customer service has made Nifty Fifty's a 10-time "Best of Philly" award-winning restaurant. In addition to fresh-cut fries and handmade beef burgers, Nifty Fifty's is probably best known for its milkshake and soda flavors. This casual 50s-style restaurant is home to the World's Largest Soda Fountain and offers both standard and unique flavors for just $2.19 (with free refills!). In addition to the many other flavors, Nifty Fifty's offers over a dozen cherry-flavored sodas such as black cherry, cherry bubble gum, cherry lime and cherry cheesecake. Cherry flavors also appear on the extensive milkshake menu, with options including Choc-Cherry and Cherry Bomb for $4.59 and the more exotic Cherry Cheesecake at $5.19.

Philly Flavors
2004 Fairmount Ave. (coming soon - 343 S. 13th St.)
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 232-7748
www.phillyflavors.com - under construction

While often imitated, water ice just isn't the same anywhere outside of Philadelphia. In addition to ice cream and other frozen treats, Philly Flavors offers the kind of water ice that the city is known for - not too much water, not too much ice. Over 30 flavors will satisfy any customer, but the cherry and black cherry are known favorites, with real pieces of cherry mixed into every bite. Philly Flavors is known for large portion sizes, so the small -- or even the kiddie size -- is enough for most visitors.

Related: Top Spots for Water Ice in Philadelphia

Michelle Hein is a copy editor for a women's fashion company in Bucks County by day and a self-proclaimed food and drink fanatic by night and weekend. She enjoys attending wine classes, trying new recipes in the kitchen and going to old favorites and new restaurants alike in the Bucks County and Philadelphia area. If the writing gig doesn't pan out, she constantly dreams of owning her own bakery...perhaps connected to the restaurant/bar that her lawyer boyfriend would love to open. Examiner.com
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.