Five Restaurants to Try This Weekend

Friday night dinner and drinks: Silk City

Veuve Clicquot Journey, a cross-country, pop-up champagne tour, makes its Philly stop tonight at Silk City. Outside in the "garden", the Veuve folks will be pouring $20 by-the-glass pours of Veuve ($25 for Veuve rosé), or if you're feeling economical, buy a bottle for $80. The wine may be fancy, but that doesn't mean the place has to be: live music and lawn games will go from 6 - 10 p.m.

Veuve Clicquot/Facebook

Saturday lunch: Salumeria

In just about a month, Salumeria's owner Ed Sciamanna will retire, closing his Reading Terminal Market Italian deli and specialty goods store after 34 years of business, according to Philly.com. So stop in on Saturday — yes, Saturday; amongst the masses — and buy some cheese, crackers, maybe a sandwich. Set up camp in the middle of the mayhem, and soak it all in. That sandwich in that setting is a uniquely RTM experience, and while the hoards of people will always be there, Salumeria won't. Enjoy it while you can.

Salumeria/Yelp

Saturday night dinner: Las Bugambilias

It's the little Mexican restaurant on South Street that constantly flies under the radar. Husband and wife team Carlos Molina and Michelle Zimmerman have created an especially cozy atmosphere — somewhere between no-frills taqueria and an upscale Mexican restaurant — where Molina coaxes some serious depth out of simple, traditional recipes from Mexico City, Puebla, Vera Cruz, and Yucatán. Don't forget, it's got a full bar — take advantage of it.

Las Bugambilias/Yelp

Sunday brunch or buffet: Aldine

Owners George and Jennifer Sabatino are taking their first real vacation since opening their Rittenhouse restaurant in 2014. But before they leave for the shore (the restaurant is closing June 27-July 4, opening back up July 5), they're turning their regular three-course Sunday Supper into a buffet. Same deal, $35, but this time it's all-you-can-eat. Can't make it that night? Go for brunch from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., and see how Sabatino takes breakfast to new heights.

Aldine/Facebook

Or...oysters: Pinefish

At this new Washington Square West seafooder, there's a happy hour that runs from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. every day. And since Sunday dinners normally start a bit earlier anyway, two hours of $1 oysters and discounted drinks ain't a bad way to cap off the weekend. Order some bottles (the list is a great value), bring on the oysters, and make sure to stay for a real dinner — the restaurant is especially pretty at night.

Photo by Tamer Tewfik