If you took the time to read the name of every single bottled beer on the list at Monk's Cafe, the place would probably close down before you had a chance to order one. Its roster of bottle brews numbers in the hundreds, and the suds hail from all over the world—with a heavy emphasis on Belgian beers, However, if you love Mikkeller Beer from Denmark, Sam Smith's Nut Brown from England, or even Olvisholt Lava Smoked Imperial Stout from Iceland, you'll find those names here, too. That's not to mention the full slate of American brews, including many local to the Philadelphia area. The 300-plus bottles are all compiled in Monk's "beer bible."

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the options already, then you probably shouldn't even look at the draft list at Monk's Cafe. It includes 20 rotating beers, and they also come from all around the globe. Yet the beverages are still only part of the appeal of Monk's. The "beer emporium" also offers gourmet fare, including the popular Ghent mussels (just one of many preparations available). The duck salad sandwich is especially popular, so it's a safe order if nothing immediately catches your attention.

Monk's Cafe
264 S. 16th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 545-7005
www.monkscafe.com
www.yelp.com/biz/monks-cafe-philadelphia-4

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/lindseygee

In the City of Brotherly love, you could grab a cheesesteak on almost any corner. Yet Good Dog Bar manages to recreate the classic Philadelphian food in a totally fresh way. Its popular cheesesteak empanadas are stuffed with ribbons of tender ribeye, truffled cheddar cheese, and the final flourish: a bourbon-infused Rogue Chocolate Stout emulsion.

The cheesesteak empanadas not only draw raves from Yelp reviewers, but they also exemplify the staff's shared passion for good beer. Its impressive list of beers changes all the time, incorporating new drafts, bottles, and cans. From Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout, brewed in Michigan, to Sly Fox Helles Lager brewed right in Pennsylvania, its drafts showcase some of the best microbrews from around the country. The bottles and cans also pour beers born in the United States, from New York to Oregon.

Use your chosen brew to wash down the duck pot pie, a popular entree, or a heaping serving of fries. Baked macaroni and cheese, tacos, and burgers round out the upscale menu of down-home American and international fare.

Good Dog Bar
224 S. 15th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 985-9600
www.gooddogbar.com
www.yelp.com/biz/good-dog-bar-philadelphia

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/a.dombrowski

If you’re like most people, your thought process surrounding doughnuts likely only focuses on where the best place is to get them and which flavors to choose once you get there! If you take a break from enjoying your sugary sweet pastry for a moment and actually think about the mechanics of a doughnut, you may begin to wonder how it got its unusual shape. Where did the signature hole in the doughnut come from?

Doughnuts are very dense, chewy pastries, so the main reason for their middle hole is to ensure that they cook all the way through. No one knows for sure which smart baker first came up with this ingenious idea, but fried doughnuts have been around in some form—with or without the hole—for hundreds of years. There is a longstanding myth that a 1930s sea captain named Hanson Gregory first invented the holed doughnut, but because the only proof is Gregory’s story itself, there’s really no way of knowing if this tale is true!

Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes? [Cakespy]
Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes? [Today I Found Out]
Why Do Donuts Have Holes In The Middle? [Knows Why]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Kiran Foster