Out Of Office: Tips For Work Trips In Philadelphia
Get the scoop on the City of Brotherly Love from a local “historian wrangler”
Heading to Philly for business? Uncover the secrets of Pennsylvania’s biggest city so you can make the most of your work and play time.
Philadelphia is a city with a rich history (the Declaration of Independence, the Philly cheesesteak and Will Smith all originated here). But it’s also a bustling, modern metropolis—a major urban hub where industry and history coincide.
To better understand both sides of the city and what they offer to business travelers, we tapped a professional with a foot in each realm. Rebecca Ortenberg is a program associate—think of her job as a “historian wrangler”—at the Science History Institute, so her work ensures she’s up to speed on Philly’s classics. But when she’s off the clock, she likes to get a taste of her city’s contemporary side.
You’re only working a half day today. How do you spend the rest of it?
If it’s nice out, I will head down to Clark Park, just a few blocks from my house, with my laptop or a book. If the weather isn’t so great, I’ll pop into The Green Line Cafe, right across from the park, for a cup of coffee or some of their amazing house-made chai.
Be sure to plan ahead and make reservations for Zahav, an award-winning, modern Israeli restaurant known for its small plates menu. Credit: Alexandra Hawkins
You have three meals—and only three—to get a taste of Philadelphia. Where do you go for breakfast, a quick lunch and dinner?
Breakfast: Four Worlds Bakery has the best croissants. Their baked goods show up all over Philadelphia coffee shops and markets, but I usually grab a goat cheese croissant out of their tiny storefront, which isn’t far from where I live.
Lunch: I have to find myself a hoagie, because what’s a Philly food adventure without a hoagie? I’m not wild about cheesesteaks, but I love a roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe and provolone from DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market. So does everyone else who has ever had one, as far as I can tell.
Celebrate a job well-done with a Southern-inspired cocktail—Classic Mint Julep, anyone?—at Khyber Pass in Old City. Credit: Khyber Pass
Dinner: Assuming I’ve made reservations (I’ve planned ahead, right?), I’ll end my day at Zahav for some amazing Israeli food. The hummus is life-changing.
Where’s the best place to re-energize your mind during your lunch break?
I’m lucky enough to work right across the street from a lovely green space managed by Independence National Historical Park. It’s a wonderful place to sit and read a book.
You want to impress a new client, boss or colleague. Where do you meet him or her?
There are a ton of good business lunch options in the Old City neighborhood where I work. These days, my favorite place to take out a colleague is Capofitto. It’s classy but unpretentious, the pizza is delicious and the gelato is crazy good.
You have a free evening and an expense account! Where do you and your team or client go for fun—whether you’re in the mood for sports, music, film or something completely unique to Philadelphia?
Can we go to the theater? Philadelphia has such an amazing theater scene. I’d get us tickets to see whatever is playing at the Lantern Theater or the Wilma Theater, two of my favorite companies in town.
Business is going great. Where do you and your colleagues meet for happy hour to celebrate, and what do you order?
Khyber Pass is a favorite of ours around here. The bar has gone through a bunch of iterations over the decades, but the whole time I’ve lived in Philadelphia, it has served Southern-inspired food and craft beer. I’ll probably get a sour beer if they have one on tap (the list rotates constantly) and pig out on hush puppies.
You have a free hour or two and a camera. Where do you go to capture the best side of Philadelphia?
I just love the Cedar Park neighborhood of West Philadelphia. It’s got a great park—Clark Park—where there’s a farmers market every Saturday and always tons of interesting characters hanging out. I’d start there, and then I’d take pictures of the old Craftsman houses surrounding it. And I would definitely get some pictures of nearby Baltimore Avenue at sunset.
What’s the coolest thing you can see or do within an hour of town?
This is probably only cool if you’re an oddball history nerd like me, but I definitely recommend driving out to Doylestown to see Fonthill Castle. It was built in the [early 1900s] entirely out of poured concrete, and it’s surprisingly beautiful.
What’s the one attraction in Philadelphia you take all of your out-of-town visitors to see?
Italian Market in South Philadelphia. Everyone wants a taste of South Philly, and it’s a great place to get one, literally and figuratively.
— Rebecca Ortenberg
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