The 9 Best Restaurants For When You Can’t Get Into Zahav

"Unfortunately, you lost the piece of paper where you wrote down “MAKE ZAHAV RESERVATIONS AT MIDNIGHT,” and now you don’t have anywhere to take your dad for his birthday. Laurel in East Passyunk is a good alternative for a tasting menu experience. It’s formal but not stuffy, and the French-ish food is consistently delightful—like oysters topped with pickled serrano and gelée, boquerones on sweet brioche, and scallops in a creamy broth you'll want to bottle. You can always order a la carte if you like control (the servers don't need to know this—save it for therapy)" - candis mclean