Sweetie’s Pie Diner opens today at 1822 Spring Garden Street. It’s an all-vegetarian menu of sweet and savory pies.

The pies are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All come with a soup or salad and are made fresh with local organic ingredients. The savory pies top out at $9.50 and the weekend brunch pies are just $7.50.

Check out the menu after the jump.

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Adam Erace’s review of Teplitzky’s at the Chelsea in Atlantic City reads like a prototypical one-bell, hit-or-miss review of another reviewer in town. But that’s not to say there aren’t dishes worth doting over.

Two tender matzo balls bob like buoys in the broth. On the shimmering surface, golden droplets of chicken fat-the only way to conjure them is making the stock from scratch, which Murphy admirably does-catch the light like shipwrecked jewelry on gentle Atlantic swells. These magic molecules inform a broth so deep it sends echoes down the esophagus. Now I get why they call this stuff Jewish penicillin. All the single bubbes, put your hands up. I’m available.
 

Diamonds and Clubs [Philadelphia Weekly]
Teplitzky’s [Official Site]

It takes a lot to lure me out of my mini-hiatus, semi-retirement status these days (mostly because it’s not a hiatus from all work, just foobooz-related work) but for this, I’m chugging coffee and putting fingers to keyboard because this news is just too mind-blowing to be ignored…

Stephen Starr has bought the Broad Street Diner. STEPHEN STARR HAS BOUGHT THE BROAD STREET DINER! Take a moment to wrap your head around that one.

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Adam Erace dines at the soap opera that is the Silk City Diner and finds that despite the kitchen drama, the food delivers.

Silk City’s menu is definitely dineresque — hanger steak, meat loaf, grilled cheese and tomato — but the place doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to be cheeky or retro-chic. The food is interesting, flavorful, and unpretentious, not to mention served in inexpensive, obnoxiously large portions.

This is an accomplishment for a kitchen that’s been a veritable Maury show. North 3rd chef Peter Dunmire helmed the ship until Bee hired David Katz, but Katz left within weeks after issues with menu alterations, and in a recent interview, called Silk City “Applebee’s,” in so many words.

This all went down the very week I ate at Silk City, and Dunmire has since returned to re-re-focus the kitchen. According to Bee, I sampled a little of both chefs’ menus, and though these guys got menu-mama-drama, my yummy meal hardly tasted like sour grapes.

Old Silk City diner is successfully resurrected [Courier Post]
Silk City [MySpace]

Out with the old in with the better as Mark Bee’s Silk City Diner is not the old Silk.

Here’s a more important similarity with Bee’s other joint: The food is remarkable. Chef Peter Dunmire, the unstoppable force behind N. 3rd’s dreamy wasabi-spiked tuna burgers and addictive soba noodles, has rewritten the diner’s menu with characteristic understatement. Burgers, sure. Buffalo wings, whatever. In writing, it all sounds pretty basic. The real impact is at the table, when even a hummus appetizer turns out to be intricately crafted and richly flavored, with a surprise sprinkle of dried chickpeas on top. Formica tables notwithstanding, this “diner” is less Flo and more French bistro.

A Finer Diner [City Paper]
Silk City Diner [MySpace]

Rick Nichols profiles the duck spring rolls at Silk City.

Good Taste [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Silk City has been getting consistent buzz. We’ve heard from more than one source that the ribs are to die for. Check out the entire menu after the jump.

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Dan Gross reports today that the Melrose Diner has changed hands. The South Philadelphia institution was sold by Richard Kubach Jr., whose family has owned the Melrose for 73 years, to Michael Petrogiannis. Petrogiannis also owns the several other diners including the Mayfair Diner as well as 5 Michael’s restaurants in the suburbs.

New Owner For Melrose [Philadelphia Daily News]
Melrose Diner [Official Site]

Gridskipper comes up with the top ten Philadelphia diners, a little something for everyone in this list.

• Down Home Diner
• Little Pete’s
• Marathon Grill
• Mayfair Diner
• Melrose Diner
• Midtown IV
• Morning Glory
• Philly Diner
• South Street Diner
• Trolley Car Diner

Philly’s Best Diners [Gridskipper]
Photo by trishylicious via Flickr