Philadelphia: A new mecca for restless culinary talent

Philadelphia in recent years has become a magnet for talented chefs, said Kate Krader in Food & Wine. Always a great food town, the City of Brotherly Love is now emerging as a destination of choice for many chefs from New York, Washington, and farther afield. Think of it as “a less annoying, less high-rent Brooklyn.”

Serpico Freed from the cramped kitchen at New York’s Momofuku Ko, chef Peter Serpico finally has a space as expansive as his imagination. His dishes “run the gamut from chorizo-glazed ravioli stuffed with rehydrated corn to his version of Momofuku’s epic pork buns.” 604 South St., (215) 925-3001

Le Virtù On a “very hip” strip of East Passyunk Avenue known as “the new Williamsburg,” Joe Cicala is spotlighting the foods of Abruzzo, Italy. He earned his stripes at “superb” Italian restaurants in Washington, D.C. (Galileo), and Manhattan (Del Posto). At his new place, he “does something really cool”: He hand-pulls a single strand of pasta until it’s 100 feet long, then tosses it with olive oil, garlic, and pecorino, and serves it with a fork and scissors. 1927 E. Passyunk Ave., (215) 271-5626

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Vedge “I generally don’t make a beeline for vegan food,” but chef Richard Landau’s new spot “has emerged as the country’s pre-eminent new vegan restaurant.” He gives his vegetables meat-like treatment without trying to pass them off as, say, wheat-gluten spareribs. One of his inspired ideas: chioggia beets roasted with pastrami spices, then hot-smoked over three kinds of wood. 1221 Locust St., (215) 320-7500