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Cicala at the Divine Lorraine.
Jason Varney

Where to Eat Before a Show at the Met

North Broad’s growing restaurant scene ranges from classic cheesesteaks joints to intimate jazz venues and Italian fine dining

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Cicala at the Divine Lorraine.
| Jason Varney

From just past City Hall to Temple University’s campus, Philly’s North Broad Street corridor is evolving. Much of the excitement revolves around the historic Met Philadelphia theater, which reopened several years ago after a $56 million renovation and which will host Ed Sheeran, Billy Porter, Jenny Lewis, and Elvis Costello in 2023, just to name a few. New restaurants have also opened near the Met in recent years, complementing old-school favorites and making it easier to get dinner and a show or grab a post-concert bite. From classic pizzerias to intimate jazz venues, here are the best places to eat near the Met in Philly.

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Sid Booker's Shrimp Corner

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Just a few stops from the Met on the Broad Street Line, Sid Booker’s has been slinging plump and crispy fried shrimp from a takeout window for 50-plus years. Find the pink building at Broad and Wyoming for an affordable and satisfying meal. It’s open late, making it a solid option for a post-concert bite too.

Max's Steaks

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Like the Met, Max’s has played host to its share of famous people: This classic North Philly cheesesteak shop appeared in Rocky sequels Creed and Creed II and also an episode of This Is Us. Some locals like to add roasted peppers for a couple extra bucks to these hefty steak sandwiches. Find a flat surface to eat outside or bring cheesesteaks into the attached Eagle Bar. It’s just a short subway ride from here to the show.

Libertee Grounds

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How about dinner and a show and a round of indoor mini-golf? Hit up Libertee Grounds before the Met to practice your putting skills while sipping local beers and sampling bar food with international flair, like a shrimp tempura po’ boy with ginger sesame slaw. Vegan dishes and alcohol-free drinks are also available. Libertee is 21-plus inside (except Sundays), but the beer garden is family-friendly every day.

Townsend Wentz, one of Philly’s top chefs, owns this warm Italian BYOB. A Mano’s $48 three-course seasonal menu comes with an appetizer like burrata or beef tartare, a fresh pasta dish, and an entree, with options ranging from pork shank to grilled eggplant. Bring a decent bottle to enjoy with dinner and save the money you might’ve spent buying drinks at the show.

Cicala at the Divine Lorraine

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Chefs Joe and Angela Cicala, who met in the kitchen at South Philly’s venerable Le Virtù, spent two years on the build-out of their elegant Italian restaurant inside the Divine Lorraine building — a grand architectural icon that’s on the National Register of Historic Places and underwent a complete renovation after years of deterioration. This is the place to get house-made charcuterie, pasta, and fancy desserts that change with the seasons and inspiration from Angela’s frequent trips to Italy.

Jason Varney

Santucci's Original Square Pizza

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This South Philly favorite for square pies also has a location on North Broad. It’s one of the most casual spots on this list, known for its sauce-on-top pizzas and its cannoli. There’s also a back room with a bar, making Santucci’s a good option for a pre- or post-show beer.

Osteria

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Originally a Marc Vetri restaurant, Osteria has undergone changes in ownership and interior design, but the quality of the modern Italian food has stayed top-notch. Thank James Beard Award winner Jeff Michaud for that; he’s been with the restaurant since the beginning. Order some fresh pasta, a Neapolitan- or Roman-style pizza, or a steak cooked in the wood-fired oven — it’s hard to go wrong here.

Brothers Robert and Benjamin Bynum, veterans of Philly’s music scene, draw diners to North Broad for South, their jazz club and Southern restaurant. The intimate music venue is separate from the dining room, so you can head here just for a drink at the bar; a dinner of grilled oysters, crab cakes, and cornmeal-dusted catfish; or to see a show — or you can combine all three activities. Order a sweet tea mojito or a killer nonalcoholic cocktail.

Love City Brewing

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Love City Brewing offers a couple of fun dining options, depending on the weather. The indoor taproom serves fresh beer, like the brewery’s signature hazy IPA, Eraserhood. Across the street, grab a table in Love City Gardens, a charming outdoor area with its own menu of drafts, cocktails, wine, cider, and mocktails. Order burgers and pizzas from Viva, an on-site food truck, and enjoy the food in either space.

Sid Booker's Shrimp Corner

Just a few stops from the Met on the Broad Street Line, Sid Booker’s has been slinging plump and crispy fried shrimp from a takeout window for 50-plus years. Find the pink building at Broad and Wyoming for an affordable and satisfying meal. It’s open late, making it a solid option for a post-concert bite too.

Max's Steaks

Like the Met, Max’s has played host to its share of famous people: This classic North Philly cheesesteak shop appeared in Rocky sequels Creed and Creed II and also an episode of This Is Us. Some locals like to add roasted peppers for a couple extra bucks to these hefty steak sandwiches. Find a flat surface to eat outside or bring cheesesteaks into the attached Eagle Bar. It’s just a short subway ride from here to the show.

Libertee Grounds

How about dinner and a show and a round of indoor mini-golf? Hit up Libertee Grounds before the Met to practice your putting skills while sipping local beers and sampling bar food with international flair, like a shrimp tempura po’ boy with ginger sesame slaw. Vegan dishes and alcohol-free drinks are also available. Libertee is 21-plus inside (except Sundays), but the beer garden is family-friendly every day.

A Mano

Townsend Wentz, one of Philly’s top chefs, owns this warm Italian BYOB. A Mano’s $48 three-course seasonal menu comes with an appetizer like burrata or beef tartare, a fresh pasta dish, and an entree, with options ranging from pork shank to grilled eggplant. Bring a decent bottle to enjoy with dinner and save the money you might’ve spent buying drinks at the show.

Cicala at the Divine Lorraine

Chefs Joe and Angela Cicala, who met in the kitchen at South Philly’s venerable Le Virtù, spent two years on the build-out of their elegant Italian restaurant inside the Divine Lorraine building — a grand architectural icon that’s on the National Register of Historic Places and underwent a complete renovation after years of deterioration. This is the place to get house-made charcuterie, pasta, and fancy desserts that change with the seasons and inspiration from Angela’s frequent trips to Italy.

Jason Varney

Santucci's Original Square Pizza

This South Philly favorite for square pies also has a location on North Broad. It’s one of the most casual spots on this list, known for its sauce-on-top pizzas and its cannoli. There’s also a back room with a bar, making Santucci’s a good option for a pre- or post-show beer.

Osteria

Originally a Marc Vetri restaurant, Osteria has undergone changes in ownership and interior design, but the quality of the modern Italian food has stayed top-notch. Thank James Beard Award winner Jeff Michaud for that; he’s been with the restaurant since the beginning. Order some fresh pasta, a Neapolitan- or Roman-style pizza, or a steak cooked in the wood-fired oven — it’s hard to go wrong here.

South

Brothers Robert and Benjamin Bynum, veterans of Philly’s music scene, draw diners to North Broad for South, their jazz club and Southern restaurant. The intimate music venue is separate from the dining room, so you can head here just for a drink at the bar; a dinner of grilled oysters, crab cakes, and cornmeal-dusted catfish; or to see a show — or you can combine all three activities. Order a sweet tea mojito or a killer nonalcoholic cocktail.

Love City Brewing

Love City Brewing offers a couple of fun dining options, depending on the weather. The indoor taproom serves fresh beer, like the brewery’s signature hazy IPA, Eraserhood. Across the street, grab a table in Love City Gardens, a charming outdoor area with its own menu of drafts, cocktails, wine, cider, and mocktails. Order burgers and pizzas from Viva, an on-site food truck, and enjoy the food in either space.

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