On Sunday afternoons at this restaurant, you might find perfect French omelets, plates of chickpea panisse and some of Philadelphia’s best chefs eating lunch on their day off. Across from Rittenhouse Square, this all-day restaurant has been open since 2011, quietly maintaining an essential place in the local dining scene thanks in part to the efforts of the chef, Eli Collins. His longstanding relationships with the region’s farmers are a boon to the menu, reflected in dishes like crispy oyster mushrooms grown in nearby Kennett Square, and chicken liver toast topped with red wine-preserved cherries he picks up from the farmers’ market.

RittenhouseAs part of industry pioneer Ellen Yin’s restaurant group, High Street Hospitality, a.kitchen + bar has been a go-to for years with one of the city’s best by-the-glass menus. Its expertly curated 31-page lists includes varietals from wineries in Pennsylvania, Slovenia, or Austria along with often hard-to-find options from California, France, Italy, and Spain. Notable food pairings: Gougeres made with comte cheese, Grilled Swordfish, and the signature Cheeseburger from renowned executive chef Eli CollinsHow to book: Resy

Husband-and-wife team Chad and Hanna Williams have cultivated an approachable space serving a seasonal New American tasting menu with dishes like braised veal cheek that will leave you wanting nothing at Friday Saturday Sunday. American bistro and adjacent bar a.kitchen and a.bar are inside AKA Rittenhouse Square and have been quietly impressing for more than a decade. The staff is warm and passionate about chef Eli Collins's cooking—try the airy chickpea panisse and grilled half chicken with carrot jus.

Smoke, coal, fire, and ash create a through line for the menu at a.kitchen, on the ground floor of the AKA Hotel. Attired in blond wood and Carrara marble, it looks like a spa in the Italian Alps, and its Rittenhouse address guarantees a scene, but the recent involvement of High Street Hospitality (Fork, High Street on Market) has transformed it into a "serious restaurant" with an ace sommelier and a steak tartare that cannot be missed.

Two highly regarded places in Rittenhouse are Vernick and a kitchen. Both are good but Vernick can be tough to get into.

When I put a record on, as opposed to music on my phone, I tend to listen a little bit more seriously,” A.Kitchen beverage and service director Frank Kinyon tells us. “That level of concentration is something you can also apply to wine.” A.Bar next door rightfully gets attention for its craft cocktails and selection of low-intervention wines, but don’t sleep on A.Kitchen’s monthly Vine-yl Nights, at which Kinyon invites a resident expert for a wine-list takeover and full sides of vinyl to pair. To add to the experience, chef Eli Collins makes one-night-only snacks, with an on-theme “A-Side” and “B-Side” menu.

Delicate, whimsical dishes make a.Kitchen one of our favorites in town. The Rittenhouse Square restaurant (owned by Ellen Yin W87 WG93) boasts quite the collection of recent accolades, including the No. 2 spot on Wine Enthusiast’s list of America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants 2015 and Chef de Cuisine Jon Nodler’s semifinalist win in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category of the 2015 James Beard Awards. You’ll see why when you sample a.Kitchen’s lunch and dinner offerings for Restaurant Week—seasonal and sharable dishes that can be paired with wine for an additional $20.

A.Kitchen & Bar is just off the corner of Rittenhouse Square, and it’s one of my favorite places to stop if I’m out in Center City shopping or running errands. It’s a French-inspired restaurant, and it has one of the best wine programs in the city, even being recognized by Wine Enthusiast magazine and as a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine Program award. A.Kitchen & Bar is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner almost every day, and they do an outstanding job at every meal, or you can stop in for a glass of wine and a snack.

This chic restaurant off Rittenhouse Square occupies one of the choicest locations in Philly, below a luxury hotel across from Center City’s busiest public park. Power lunchers and wine professionals rub elbows over chef Eli Collins’ modern American fare and an eclectic wine list. Expect an emphasis on natural wine, the Jura and riesling, as well as cru Beaujolais, new-school American pinot noir and thoughtful seasonal selections that change with the food.

James Beard Foundation Award-Winning Restaurateur Ellen Yin was a trailblazer in Philadelphia’s natural wine scene and her restaurant, A.Kitchen, now boasts the city's most extensive bottle collection. Wine director Frank Kinyon manages a diverse inventory of 450 labels, featuring local producers like Camuna Cellars alongside rare finds from the Loire Valley’s Les Capriades. What to try: Magna Montis Tupungato (malbec)

Famed restaurateur Ellen Yin’s sultry hotspot in the heart of Center City Philadelphia features a beverage program in a league of its own with an innovative cocktail bar, plus a wine program that received nods from the James Beard Foundation. Drink your way across the world with a Melon de Bourgogne from the Loire Valley in France or a pinot noir from Swartland in South Africa. The food doesn’t miss the mark either.

Chef Eli Collins takes an elevated bistro approach to bavette steak, marinating this well-marbled $34 cut of sirloin flap in guajillo chili spice, fresh oregano, and black garlic. After grilling it to a perfect medium-rare, he builds more layers of bold flavors with smoked zucchini and pistachio relish seasoned with herb oil and an arugula salad tangled with pickled banana peppers, basil, and more smoked pistachio.

Restaurateur Ellen Yin was a pioneer in Philly’s natural wine scene, and nowadays, her all-day Rittenhouse Square restaurant, A.Kitchen, is home to the city’s most extensive bottle collection. Wine director Frank Kinyon oversees the stock of 450 labels, which includes local makers like Camuna Cellars and rare gems from the Loire Valley’s Les Capriades. COURTESY OF MURAL CITY CELLARS

I usually don’t get to go out often to eat, but sometimes when I’m lucky enough to get out of work a little early, I’ll go sit at the bar at a.kitchen or Friday Saturday Sunday and order a couple of dishes. For me, Eli and Chad are both chefs’ chefs. Both of their food is always technically sound, consistently executed and shows a quiet confidence in who they are.

This place is appropriately named, given that The Kitchen’s kitchen is not only entirely open, but partially in the dining room. That means you and your date can meander into normally off-limit spots such as the pantry, wine cellar, and walk-in. A truly unique experience, The Kitchen only has one seating for 50 diners per night.

Address: 135 S 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (also a wine bar). a.kitchen, located at 135 S 18th Street in Philadelphia, is a sophisticated spot that doubles as a stylish wine bar. Known for its modern American cuisine and vibrant atmosphere, it’s a go-to destination for both food and wine enthusiasts.

Great for small plates and locally brewed beers, the atmosphere in this joint is always lively, but never too hectic. A handpicked array of fine spirits and natural wines add to the propitiator’s precision in crafting a world class drinking spot – just make sure you try the food as well.