This is a wonderful place. The wait staff dress in late 18th-century uniforms and are polite and friendly. The fare lends itself to period pieces and the dining rooms are tastefully decorated. I had the prime rib which was excellent. Also try their beers. They brew their own I had the Thomas Jefferson Ale which was yummy. My wife had the darker George Washington beer which was good if you like a dark bitter beer. Most important they have a children's menu which my 10 year old enjoyed.

When I say "American cuisine", I mean "American cuisine." The site of the original City Tavern was the busiest city tavern in Philadelphia, a place where Ben Franklin hung out (his home and business were around the corner). Burned and was rebuilt, it's become a landmark that's easy to dismiss as a tourist trap, with its "ye olde"-dressed wait staff and decor. Don't make that mistake! City Tavern has a sophisticated menu that's well prepared and makes extensive use of local ingredients available from Reading Terminal.

Take a step back into Colonial American and taste the cuisine that our forefathers enjoyed.

City Tavern has everything going for it, location, history, and atmosphere. Everyone at the restaurant makes you feel like a welcomed guest. Best of all, the food is hearty and satisfying. The original city tavern opened in 1773. It played host to all the major American figures in the War of Independence. The present tavern was reconstructed in the same style as the original.

We arrived for lunch on a Sunday and had no trouble getting a seat without a reservation. I would think that reservations would be a good idea if you expect to have dinner here.

The decor is of a typical colonial tavern, pewter goblets on the wooden tables and chairs in the Windsor style. The lights look like candles, and the wait staff wears period costumes. The menu also reflects the colonial period. If you want game, try the braised rabbit or the medallions of venison. Other period-appropriate choices are turkey potpie, beef pie, and slow-roasted prime rib. We were not interested in quite so heavy a meal. I decided to start with soup. It was a hard choice between West Indies pepperpot, cream of mushroom, and the soup of the day, which was lentil. Feeling adventurous, I chose the pepperpot.

Dave, our waiter, warned me that it would be spicy. I laugh in the face of spicy. It is indeed spicy, made from taro root, collard green, and beef broth. What makes it spicy is the addition of Scotch Bonnet peppers. Savor this soup, as any gulping will take your breath away - delicious, and it clears your sinuses, too.

Irene chose the shrimp and crab salad, and I chose the romaine and Roquefort salad. Both were very good choices. Mine had large chunks of blue veined Roquefort sitting on a bed of romaine with bacon bits and creamy Parmesan dressing. Fabulous! Irene had large shrimp and a pile of crab sitting on a bed of greens served with herb remoulade. To accompany this, we had a basket of bread that included anadama, Sally Lunn, and sweet-potato biscuits. According to the menu, the biscuits were Thomas Jefferson’s favorite. We have to agree that they are very special.

They have some unique drink offerings, as well as a full service bar. I had a Philadelphia Pale Ale

that was very smooth and very complex. It was a little steep at $7.25, but worth every sip

We finished by sharing a star-anise crème brulee.

It was divine and a unique choice of flavoring. I highly recommend a stop here, even if it is just for the ambience. It certainly feels right after visiting Independence Park.