Darling's Diner
Northern Liberties
1033 N. 2nd St.
Philadelphia, PA
267-239-5775
www.darlingsdiner.com

After a night of bar hopping and beer swigging, sidestep your way to Darling's Diner in Northern Liberties. Open until midnight during the week and 6am on the weekends, this contemporary diner on N. 2^nd, at the northern tip of the Piazza, offers traditional diner fare, comfort food classics and award-winning cheesecake. Think Mel's without that gum-smacking Flo.

As soon as you walk in, you're met with glass cases displaying some serious desserts.  But these aren't your run-of-the-mill key lime pies and chocolate cakes. On top of their cheesecake being crowned the "Best in Philly" by Philadelphia Magazine and praised as "killer homemade cheesecake" by critic Craig LaBan, Darling's also offers creative artisan pies like the Apple Blueberry and Apple Cherry.

You can either grab a seat at the counter or slide into a booth. The diner's décor coolly blends the old with the new, combining polished chrome stools and orange leather banquettes with quartz countertops and exposed concrete walls. Outside seating is also available in the warmer months.

If you're in the mood for comfort food, try the chicken piccata and linguine or the braised short ribs served atop whipped mashed potatoes. If you prefer something a little less savory, go with the Shanghai salad or an open faced tuna melt. And of course, true to diner tradition, pancakes and omelets are never out of the question. Just be sure to save room for dessert.