Philly - Best 3 Brunch Spots In Old City Philadelphia

The Old City neighborhood in Philadelphia is known for its wide array of museums and historical landmarks -- from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell to the Constitution Center and the soon-to-be opened National Museum of Jewish American History. It's also a hot spot for Philadelphia nightlife, with a variety of bars, restaurants and clubs all within walking distance of one another. But another fantastic feature of Old City -- one that's less heralded but equally worth experiencing -- is its selection of fantastic restaurants and bars that offer delicious weekend brunch menus.  As someone who thinks that brunch is the best meal of the week, I've sampled items from many of the brunch menus offered around Old City on any given Sunday.  My three favorite spots are described below.  If you've had a great bloody mary or a killer plate of eggs at a restaurant I haven't listed, let me know by leaving a comment below -- I'm always looking for tasty new places to try!

Located on the west side of 3rd Street between Market and Chestnut, National Mechanics is hands down my favorite brunch spot -- not just in Old City, but in the whole city. From the stone steps and pillars out front, to the strange light-up greyhound sculptures on the walls inside, it's just a funky, cool place to hang out. And a fun environment in which to enjoy some excellent food.

The bloody mary bar is so massive, with so many hot sauces and other ingredients to choose from, that I was too intimidated to even try it the first time I had brunch there. When I did finally work up the nerve, it was just as awesome as I'd hoped. They have a chipotle hot sauce that adds a smoky tang to your drink, and you can order bacon flavored vodka (served with a slim jim garnish alongside the traditional celery). For beer lovers, they make a great "Him-mosa," with Blue Moon, orange juice, and triple sec. For more "normal" brunch drinkers, the bellinis are great, and so is the coffee.

And brunch at National Mechanics only gets better when the food comes. My personal favorite is their Eggs Maryland -- just like Eggs Benedict, but with crab cakes where the Canadian would normally be. De...licious. And with their killer home fries on the side, it's pretty much the perfect meal. They also make breakfast skillets, with tiny home fries mixed with vegetables, bacon or ham, and cheese, and a sunny-side-up egg on top. And, for anyone looking for a traditional breakfast, they have a menu item called "Breakfast!", complete with the exclamation point. Eggs, meat, potatoes, and toast. Just plain good food.

They open at 11, and there's almost always an open table if you get there before noon.

Across 3rd Street from National Mechanics is another great brunch spot called FARMiCiA (capitalization provided by them, not me). On the rare occasion when I can resist the pull of my usual Eggs Maryland, I snag a table near the window across the street. FARMiCiA is a bit of a hot spot, so there's often a wait unless you get there closer to 10 am, when they open.

FARMiCiA is home to a small satellite of the Metropolitan Bakery, so they offer great fresh breads, pastries and desserts.  They also have fantastic fresh-squeezed juices.  I've never had a bad meal there, but my favorite brunches are the brioche french toast (light and fluffy, with a vanilla berry sauce) and the Amish cheddar grits & country pork sausage.  It's tough to find good grits north of the Mason-Dixon line, but these are the real deal.  And the cheddar they use takes them over the top.

The menu is also vegetarian-friendly, with a scrambled tofu & vegan chorizo sausage option.

A bit fancier than the other two, Fork is located on a great block of Market Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets and near Franklin Square (home to Ben Franklin, the 1st Post Office, and a great ice cream shop).  Fork offers upscale food in upscale surroundings.  The cocktail menu goes well beyond the typical bloody mary and mimosa options, although those stand-bys are well done at Fork's bar.  I sampled a delicious citrusy cocktail that was light and perfect for breakfast, as well as a drink composed primarily of white wine and Elderflower liqueur, which rocked my world.

The food is worth the price, and Fork is one of the few brunch spots that has been able to tempt me with its "lunch-y" options (I usually prefer the "breakfast-y" side of a brunch menu).  They make wonderful pasta dishes, which change seasonally.  I enjoyed a butternut squash risotto on one visit that made me wish the meal would never end.  Their quiche lorraine is also something worth experiencing more than once.

Note that Fork only has brunch on Sundays (unlike National Mechanics and FARMiCiA, which both serve brunch on Saturdays as well).