Top Fall Salads In Philadelphia
As the weather cools, people naturally start craving heartier dishes. But if you're not quite ready to trade in your leafy greens and veggies for cold-weather comfort meals, the fall salad is the perfect compromise. These salads from Philadelphia restaurants embrace fall favorites such as cranberries, turkey, squash and more, while still keeping things light and fresh.
Café Ynez
2025 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 278-7579
www.cafeynez.com
Café Ynez is the third Philadelphia restaurant from husband-and-wife partners Jill Weber and Evan Malone. Joining Jet Wine Bar and REX 1516, the Mexico City-inspired casual spot opened in the spring of 2014 in the Graduate Hospital section of South Philly. The new carne asada salad balances hearty skirt steak and light vegetables for a transitional salad that's great for the season. The $11 salad is made with ancho chili marinated steak, baby spinach, avocado, tomatillos, red onion, parmesan cheese and cumin vinaigrette.
Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar
200 S. 40th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 662-1100
549 Wilmongton West Chester Pike
Glen Mills, PA 19342
(610) 358-1005
www.harvestseasonalgrill.com
With a commitment to sustainable farm-to-table dining, Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar features a healthy menu where 90 percent of the dishes are under 500 calories. The menu changes seasonally to showcase fresh, organic ingredients sourced from local farmers. This fall, Executive Chef David Walti is serving a simple, yet delicious salad of leafy bibb lettuce, Belgian endive and sun-dried cranberries that is dressed with an apple hazelnut vinaigrette.
Heirloom (Credit, Michelle Hein)
Heirloom Fine American Cookery
8705 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19118
(215) 242-2700
www.heirloomdining.com
Located in the Top of the Hill Plaza, with cozy tables inside and covered tables outside, Heirloom is a wonderful spot for dinner (closed Mondays) or Sunday brunch while enjoying a fall day in Chestnut Hill. Chef Al Paris changes his menu seasonally to incorporate the freshest ingredients he can find. This fall, he will feature a kale salad with black eyed peas, farrow and tomato confit. Heirloom is a BYOB with a wine and spirits store just next door, so be sure to pick up your favorite wine to accompany your meal.
M Restaurant
Morris House Hotel
231 S. 8th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 625-6666
www.mrestaurantphilly.com
M Restaurant at the Morris House Hotel is located in Society Hill and boasts one of the most beautiful outdoor dining areas in the city. Complete with wonderful flowers and tiny white lights, it's perfect for those fall days before the temperatures dip too low (indoor seating is also available if preferred). M Restaurant grows many ingredients featured on the menu right in the restaurant's gardens, and the majority of the remaining produce is brought in from the owners' family farm in Frenchtown. This fall, you'll love the salad of baby spinach, walnuts, cranberries, blue cheese and warm bacon vinaigrette.
Pennsylvania 6
114 S. 12th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(267) 639-5606
www.pennsylvania6philly.com
Located in Midtown Village, Pennsylvania 6 was named one of "Philadelphia's 10 Hottest New Restaurants" by Zagat in 2013. While the atmosphere is reminiscent of the 1930s, the menu is contemporary, with an extensive raw bar and drink selections. Whether visiting for an after-work drink and snack, lunch, dinner or weekend brunch, you're sure to be impressed by the menu developed by Executive Chef Marc Plessis. For the fall season, choose from two great salads. Spiced and roasted kabocha squash is tossed with gouda, toasted pumpkin seeds and apples and dressed with a vinaigrette made with a reduction of apple cider, cider vinegar, olive oil and shallots. The second salad features roasted sweet potatoes combined with baby black kale, Asian pears and crema de bleu from local Valley Shepherd Creamery. It's dressed with a bourbon-maple vinaigrette.
Pure Fare
119 S. 21st St.
Philadelphia, PA 19013
(267) 318-7441
1609 South St.
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(267) 687-2292
www.purefare.com
Pure Fare makes healthy eating easy with fresh food that is convenient and satisfying. Not only does this fast, casual restaurant use organic, all-natural ingredients, it also filters its own bottled water and uses eco-friendly packaging. The fall chopped salad features romaine lettuce, cucumbers, red onion, avocado and grape tomatoes along with quintessential fall ingredients including cubed turkey, roasted sweet potatoes and cranberries. It's topped with honey mustard dressing and is available for $9.
R2L (Credit, Michelle Hein)
R2L
50 S. 16th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 564-5337
www.r2lrestaurant.com
Get a view of the city in all its fall glory from the 37th floor of Two Liberty Place. At R2L, Chef Daniel Stern serves American cuisine with sophisticated, modern touches. The multi-colored beet salad features earthy flavors and a mixture of textures that make for a heartier salad that's ideal for the season. Multi-colored beets are prepared in a variety of ways (baked, roasted, pickled and raw) and combined with fresh and aged goat cheese, beet remoulade, beet mustard, potatoes and turnips. The salad is simply dressed with extra-virgin olive oil, sherry and aged balsamic vinegars and garnished with hazelnuts and angel food cake croutons for an unexpected element.
Michelle Hein is the social media 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 husband would love to open.
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