Sansom Street and the White Dog Cafe (3420 Sansom Street)

Oh, how I love the White Dog! For as many times as I have been there, though, I have never actually wanted to sit in the restaurant part of it... for me, it's all about the bar! And not because I drink. On the contrary, I feel that the tastiest things (and most reasonably priced, I may add) are found on the bar menu there. I encourage everyone to check it out, and maybe peek into the adorable shops that are on either side. It's a delightful place, and has the added bonus of being a grassroots activism supporter. The proprietor is the ex-wife of the guy behind the Urban Outfitters stores-- while he went big money, she preferred to keep it local, and keep it real. Who wouldn't want to support that?

When you walk in, you'll see a few tables and the bar. The tables have waiter/waitress service, but you can also eat at the bar. On many a slow afternoon I would go in with some work, sit at the bar, and just order coffee. But if you go in looking for dinner, you may find it lively and crowded... maybe sit outside? They often have tables on the sidewalk in nice weather. Or, if you think it looks good, try the restaurant-- but I'm not a big fan of the big entree style-- their dishes seem a little fussy and are definitely on the expensive side. But that's just me.

My FAVORITE thing at the White Dog is the Veggie Burger with guacamole. Whenever my birthday rolls around, this is always what I want! Add a local beer, like a Yards or Flying Fish, and it is a great meal. Try the creme brulee with a dog-shaped cookie for dessert.

If you want to go upscale, La Terasse is a few doors down, and also is a restaurant with a bar. The New Deck Tavern is where kids in my day would go to get fried foods cheap, but if you feel like something very informal, try them!

Also next to the White Dog is The Black Cat/Saturn Club-- where a gift shop is fused with a salon AND a cafe (I think??). I have always liked checking out the unusual stuff at the Black Cat, and for a while my mom was a big fan of their jewelry.

Avril 50 is a small, sort of overflowing international magazine/paperie type place where I used to go to buy dark chocolate bars-- you know, the serious 90% dark stuff. If you like a European feel for your chocolate and newspapers, it's WONDERFUL!

Though I haven't been in there for a while, Bucks County Coffee still has their flag hanging on Sansom Row. In my day, they had the best frozen coffee with sprinkles. It's also a local establishment-- Bucks County is north of the city-- and perhaps a nice alternative to the same old Starbucks.