Best Restaurants In Lower Merion (And The Main Line)

 

Craig LaBan vs.

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Facebook Main Line Restaurant Reviews

Go ahead and bookmark this page, so that when your favorite dining companions complain that they are tired of eating at the same old places, you can point to these two dozen top picks, and a few hundred opinions about them, expressed by knowledgeable and opinionated Main Line Foodies.  

And then you can have a whole new high class problem – too many great places to choose from and not being able to decide where to dine.

Teresa’s Next Door

Wayne

 

124 N. Wayne Ave.  610-293-9909

teresas-cafe.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

What began a decade ago as a Belgian bar with a novel Mexican twist has settled in, refined its Euro-taqueria bistro menu, and evolved into so much more than just a great beer bar.

Ate at Teresa’s Cafe with a friend. I had scallops and shrimp over spaghetti squash (which I substituted for pasta) Read more 

​and more

Autograph Brasserie

 

Wayne

 

503 W. Lancaster Ave. 610-964-2588

autographbrasserie.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

The meat-centric menu is not always as consistent (or original) as it should be for the prices, though the prime burger is memorable and the dry-aged rib eye is tasty.

We ordered the butternut squash soup, which was delicious (although only lukewarm). The downside was that this was the only delicious thing we ate Read more

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Dan Dan

Wayne

 

214 Sugartown Rd. 484-580-8558

dandanrestaurant.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

A stylish and expansive suburban sibling to their compact bi-level Rittenhouse ode to authentic regional Chinese cuisine. This branch serves similar excellent takes on spicy Sichuan and Taiwanese flavors.

Wonderful meal @ Dan Dan in Wayne last week! Flavors that were sophisticated, subtle and exotic all at once.Spicy cucumbers are excellent and yes, spicy. Read more

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The Silverspoon

Wayne

 

503 W. Lancaster Ave. 610-688-7646

silverspoonwayne.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

This BYOB has “ladies who brunch” written all over it. And this kitchen delivered one of the best midday meals of my summer: a perfect waffle topped with fresh fruit

Went to silver spoon tonight , great food and service. One of the more enjoyable meals I have had out in a long time. Try the mushroom soup it is excellent. Read more

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Gryphon Cafe

 

Wayne

 

105 W Lancaster Ave. 610-688-1988

gryphoncoffee.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

I’ve been impressed at each visit with both the quality and complexity of his beans, whether it’s the round and fruity GST espresso (Gryphon Standard Time), or a bag of Guatemalan Rio Azul — full of raspberry, citrus, sage, and bitter-cocoa notes — inspired by a trip to the farm in Guatemala. 

No posts yet, but numerous comments. 

Margaret Kuo’s

 

Wayne

 

175 E. Lancaster Ave. 610-688-7200

margaretkuo.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

It no longer feels like a three-beller, but it remains a favorite for a special occasion, with the added bonus of good sushi from the Japanese restaurant on the second floor. 

Has anyone eaten at Margaret Kuo lately? Read more

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Restaurant Alba

Malvern

7 W. King St. Malvern 610-644-4009

restaurantalba.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

It’s all about the live fire at Sean and Kelly Weinberg’s Malvern oasis, where the aromatic wood grill and the flavors of Northern Italy pair with excellent service and great Piedmont wines for a refined rustic vibe that makes for one of the best overall dining experiences in the suburbs. 

Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and we took some of his recommendations. We couldn’t decide which of the four varieties of Bruschette appetizers we wanted, so we ordered all of them. Read more

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Malvern Buttery

Malvern

233 E. King St. Malvern 610-296-2534

malvernbuttery.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

I loved everything at our brunch, from the buttery chocolate croissants to irresistible cookies and even the pizza. But my highlight was the refined simplicity of an ultimate PB&J, a crusty slice from the bread station slathered with fresh-ground peanut butter and house rhubarb jam.

The salads were fabulous: whole grain and greens with buttermilk dressing, and quite possibly the best kale salad I’ve ever had. The sandwich was fresh roasted turkey with cheddar and apple on their homemade sourdough. Again, fantastic. Read more 

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Fraschetta

 

Bryn Mawr

816 W. Lancaster Ave. 610-525-1007

fraschettaPhilly.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

The food at the rustic Italian BYOB called Fraschetta is always interesting …  Demontis manages to coax powerful flavors from good ingredients with smart but simple combinations.

 

Started w cheese plate w meats and was plenty for four to tease what’s to come. I rarely pass on Ossa buca and every time every where I order it looks typical with round bone. Except here. I was stunned when they placed my plate in front of me. And yes it is better than it looks. Read more

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Enotecta Tradici

Bryn Mawr

915 Lancaster Ave. 484-381-0268

tredicibm.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

The menu combines the Italian-Med plates of the downtown Tredici with the pizzas of its Zavino sibling, and the kitchen has been delivering with even more precision. 

We started with a beet salad with whipped ricotta and candied pecans- huge portion and delicious. My entree was the lemon chicken- another generous portion. Dessert (as pictured) we enjoyed the mousse and tiramisu. Excellent service.  Read more

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El Limon

Bryn Mawr, Malvern, Ardmore, Paoli

847 Lancaster Ave 610-567-0120

ellimontaqueria.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

I’ve been especially impressed with the hand-pressed sopes, the simple freshness of the marinated shrimp tacos, the crackly crisp tostada rounds, and pretty much anything in the excellent tomatillo-tanged salsa verde.

 

We both ordered fajitas, her the chicken and me the carnitas, which were well seasoned with that bit of crispiness that well make carnitas, carnitas. Read more

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Tired Hands Fermentaria

Ardmore

35 Cricket Terrace  484-413-2983

tiredhandsfermetnaria.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

This is the place to taste the widest array of the ever-changing brews along with a menu of traditional and unconventional tacos — curried cauliflower, carnitas, chicken verde — as well as hummus plates and a good burger topped with HopHands mustard.

The kale salad was the highlight along with the shroom spud balls (both recommended). The vburger and samosas were okay. As for the beer – I wanted something that tasted like beer and not sweet and/or sour fruit drink. The waiter seemed daunted at this idea but the result was satisfying if not spectacular. Read more

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Delice Et Chocolat

Ardmore

7 Station Rd., Ardmore 610-649-7001

delicechocolat.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

This elegant French sweets boutique is like a slice of Paris just steps from the Ardmore train station. French-born brothers Joseph and Antoine Amrani, two veterans of the Georges Perrier orbit, are behind the textbook truffles, colorful macarons, and flaky Viennoiserie

 

 Easily the BEST iced coffee I have ever had. Sandwiches were fantastic and so fresh. Finished with an almond croissant that was fresh and soft and delicious. Read more

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Maido

Ardmore

5 Lancaster Ave. Ardmore 484-417-6745

maidoardmore.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

It’s true prize is the okonomiyaki, the delicious savory pancake-omelet hybrid streaked with a lattice of tangy dark sauce and Kewpie mayo, plus shaved bonito flakes that seemingly dance atop the surface in the pancake’s heat.

Ordered okonomiyaki from Maido for restaurant week. Loved the textures and flavors. The flying bonito flakes are always fun. Read more

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B2 Blue Fin

Bala Cynwyd

401 E. City Ave.

610-227-1507

b2bluefin.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

If you crave a tuna fix, the high-grade bluefin being sliced into toro tastings and platters of colorful maki rolls (Benty, Ramp Roll, Ai Maki) and sashimi set this ambitious newcomer a worthy half-step above the suburban average.

We ordered the $160 Bluefin Platter, a sizable combo of sashimi and sushi. It is a safe choice with lots of tuna and salmon but also some interesting depth like the cucumber wrapped, mango topped “bikini roll.” They definitely don’t skimp on the fish or the portions. Read more

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Green Engine Coffee Company

Wayne

 

16 Haverford Station Rd.

greenenginecoffee.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

Chill beside the live plant wall with a crema-topped shot from the “green engine” La Marzocco espresso machine, a glass of cold-brew off the nitro tap, or a hot pour-over of Rival Bros. beans at this very cool café beside the Haverford train station.

The coffee and drinks are excellent as is their food. The avocado toast is great! They also have Capogiro gelato! Read more

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La Cabra Brewing

Berwyn

642 Lancaster Ave. 610-240-7908

lacabrabrewing.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

The kitchen veers liberally from tradition, but leans on indulgent scratch cooking (lots of pork belly and duck confit) to embellish dishes ranging from tacos to Cubano sandwiches and foie gras pierogi. Don’t miss the corn crème brûlée for dessert.

Great food and wonderful atmosphere. If you like good craft beer this is the place to check out. I love sitting by the fire upstairs and having a beer. Read more

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Nectar

Berwyn

1091 Lancaster Ave.  610-725-9000

tastenectar.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

The sushi here is stellar and creative, but don’t miss the crisp lobster dumplings and great steamed pork buns, as well as the wild boar lo mein, tea-smoked salmon curry, butter-poached lobster pad Thai and seasonal specials

Entree choices were filet mignon for him and sea scallops for me. Both were incredible. The scallops were cooked perfectly… And the mushroom risotto was also amazing. Read more

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Le Petit Mitron

Narberth

207 Haverford Ave.   484-562-0500

lepetitmitronpa

Craig LaBan Inquirer

It’s no surprise a line forms before the window curtains are lifted each morning. If there’s a better croissant in the region, I haven’t had it. All the pastries here are simply magnifiques.

No posts yet, but numerous comments

Estia

Radnor

222 N. Radnor Chester Rd. 484-581-7124

estiarestaurant.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

Greek classics are also well-wrought, from flakey spinach pie to tender octopus, lamb chops and moussaka, plus tomatoey shrimp Saganaki. 

The hummus is silky smooth, and the bread has just a perfect hint of char.. The zucchini and eggplant chips are delicately fried and light and delicious. We always go for the seafood menu. My husband gets the grilled prawns, which are some kind of ginormous, prehistoric prawn species. Read more

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Carlinos

Ardmore

2616 E. County Line Rd.  610-649-4046

carlinosmarket.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

It is those prepared food counters where Carlino’s really excels, with great tomato pie, homey soups, myriad variations on labor-itensive lasagnas, tender chicken scallopine and fresh-baked sweets, including cannolis and an olive oil cake my friend Dan swears by

Picked up Beef Stew, as another customer was raving about it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with their stew, but it is safe, “country club food”. If there was garlic, the flavor wasn’t discernible, no tomatoes (in an Italian stew???), etc. Read more

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Hymie’s

Merion

342 Montgomery Ave. 610-668-3354

hymies.com

Craig LaBan Inquirer

The matzo ball soup, amped-up with a “mishmash” of kreplach, bow ties and rice, had a soulful natural broth flavor. The pickle bar was abundant. And most importantly, the house-made corned beef was superbly tender and full of flavor.

Hymie’s or Murray’s?? Read more

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White Dog Cafe

Wayne

200 W. Lancaster Ave.  610-225-3700

whitedog.com/wayne

Craig LaBan Inquirer

A recent meal in Haverford was satisfying, with truffled Kennett Square mushroom soup, mini-latkes draped in smoked salmon, tender Asian duck skewers over soba noodles and a memorable “Twenty Layer” lasagna. With entrée prices routinely tipping into the $30s and above (the burger starts at $19?!) it feels a bit overpriced.

Had a open omelet with mushrooms, caramelized onions and asparagus . It was flavorful and delicate, not heavy in any way . We split, get this, peanut butter and jelly French toast that had a corn flake crust. It was SO good! Read more

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