"The Love, part of the Stephen Starr multiverse, is a seasonal American restaurant just off Rittenhouse Square that’s always a solid plan B for brunch, lunch with co-workers, or dinner with the in-laws. It’s just the right blend of upscale and casual, so you’ll fit in whether you’re in a tracksuit or a suit-suit while a big group at the table next to yours drinks fruit-topped cocktails. The menu leans Southern, with longtime staples like hushpuppies, shrimp and grits, and Nashville fried chicken. These are all reliable choices that peak around “good.” But you don’t go to The Love because of the great food. You go to The Love because the menu has something for everyone—burgers, salmon, salads, an always-too-decadent pasta—the service is great, and you couldn’t get into Parc. Food Rundown photo credit: GAB BONGHI Pancakes Like the rest of the menu, the pancakes here rotate seasonally—lemon poppy with lemon buttercream and sour cherry sauce in the summer, pumpkin pancakes with orange buttercream and candied pecans in the fall—but they are always delightfully dense and hold up to the decadent toppings du jour. Add these to your group brunch order. photo credit: Alison Kessler Shrimp & Grits The shrimp are plump, well-cooked, and bathing in a Southern shellfish sauce, which basically just tastes like heavy cream with a touch of heat. A good choice. photo credit: Alison Kessler Take Me Away Nashville hot chicken served with toasted brioche, a spicy “comeback sauce,” and pickles. The chicken itself is great: crispy, never greasy, with the kind of heat that sneaks up on you a few seconds after eating. But the soggy griddled toast and sauce are extras we don’t need. photo credit: Alison Kessler Pumpkin & Ricotta Ravioli The Love always has a ravioli on the menu, and sometimes it’s very good. This is not one of those times. These ricotta-filled pockets are topped with so much sweet butternut sauce and candied pecans that they take on a dessert-like quality. And not in a good way. Line Caught Tuna Crudo Like the pancakes and pastas, The Love always has a highly decorative tuna dish on their lunch and dinner menus. It's sometimes accompanied by delicate rice crisps and a garlic kimchi dressing, and other times it's more straightforward with hunks of avocado. No matter the preparation, it's a reliable order." - Alison B. Kessler
