South Street West Update: Miles Table and REX 1516

Philadelphia's South Street West neighborhood has seen several new cafes, restaurants and shops open in the past year. Last fall we wrote about Magpie, The Cambridge and a few other new faces... here's our take on two more neighborhood spots open for brunch and dinner.

Miles Table

At 16th and South, Miles Table is a new casual eatery/coffee shop focused on fresh, high quality yet simple dishes. It's an offshoot of Catering by Miles, which runs the concession stand at the Lombard Swim Club (where we are now on the waiting list, check back in 5-7 years) and is the exclusive caterer for the Gift of Life Donor Program, an important cause to us having both donors and recipients in our immediate family.

Breakfast sandwich at Miles Table

I stopped in for breakfast after a long bike ride and was surprised at how much foot traffic Miles Table was getting. By the time I left, it had a healthy brunch crowd of couples with dogs outside, hungover hipsters and families with small kids.

The $6 breakfast sandwich at Miles Table was a hit. Lots of scrambled egg, a good everything bagel (tough to find in Philly), the right amount of cheese without going overboard, and crispy bacon, served with a few nice apple slices as a surprise.

Philly Neighborhoods: Where to Eat in South Street West

Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods that not only help define the people who live there, but also foster hyper-local passion for each area's contribution to our food culture. In a series of posts, we'll talk about what's new and where to eat/drink in different neighborhoods across the city.

Bar and a few tables inside Magpie

"South Street West," as you might expect, is the stretch of South Street that runs west from Broad, and it is really moving up in the ranks of local food communities.

Several spots opened there in the last few years, such as thai BYOB Sawatdee, The Quick Fixx for high quality takeout and Sweet Freedom gluten free desserts. They join the likes of Pumpkin, Bob and Barbara's and Jamaican Jerk Hut to make South Street West home to a variety of new drinking/dining experiences.