Restaurants in Camden

Fogged-glass light fixtures illuminate the wood-paneled walls and the polished granite bar tops that span the length of Bliss's multileveled dining room. These elegant decorative touches combine with a menu of contemporary American specialties for a sensory experience that led Esquire to praise Bliss as one of the Best New Restaurants of 2004. The magazine noted in its review that, like a schoolyard court drama or a Hawaiian-print tuxedo, the aptly named restaurant strikes "just the right balance between casual and serious." This balance is especially apparent in the Bliss kitchen, where staffers play with flavors to produce entrees such as duck breast in a spiced wine reduction and red snapper with shrimp-mousse dumplings. Other specialties include a pork tenderloin with bourbon-apple butter sauce and a filet mignon with red-wine butter sauce, both of which pair exquisitely with a freshly milked cocktail from the bar.

The chefs at Gigi Restaurant & Lounge draw upon the culinary traditions of America, Spain and Thailand. For example, the eatery’s empanadas—traditional Spanish stuffed pastries—burst open to reveal the shredded beef, mushrooms, peppers, and cheddar of a Philly cheesesteak. Stir-fry coated with a sweet chili teriyaki glaze hails from Asia, and seafood paella crafted with shrimp, calamari, and mussels pays further tribute to the dishes of Spain. Meals unfold in an expansive al fresco dining area or an indoor dining room where the latest sports flicker across flat-screen televisions every day until 2 a.m. Along with game nights, Gigi entertains patrons with karaoke, live music, Sunday brunch, and VIP tasting events, where visitors might finally have a chance to steal a lock of hair from an alderman.

Matthew Corrin was fashion designer Oscar de la Renta's marketing manager, which meant a lot of long hours at work and a lot of hurried lunches at local delis. After his umpteenth greasy sandwich, Corrin began wondering why there weren't more healthy and convenient lunch alternatives. This rumination and a resignation letter to de la Renta begot Freshii, a fast, casual eatery that serves healthy meals and has graced the pages of various publications, including the Chicago Tribune and Inc.'s 30 Under 30 list. Environmental awareness also plays a big part in the business model—even the food packaging is made from eco-friendly vegetable starches.

Every Freshii kitchen is stocked with base ingredients of brown rice, rice noodles, romaine lettuce, field greens, and spinach; toppings such as carrots, broccoli, grilled tofu, and candied walnuts; and an array of dressings and sauces. Using these ingredients, the chefs create bowls, wraps, salads, soups, and burritos for lunch and dinner. During morning hours, when the sun is still busy curling its rays, they scramble eggs, serve house-made oatmeal, and top fat-free frozen yogurt with a choice of fruit. Customers can bring their own bowls and the staff will wash them and fill them with fresh ingredients hailing from environmentally responsible farms that fairly compensate their workers.

Within a warmly lit exposed-brick interior, the flavor mavens at Manakeesh Cafe Bakery prepare a bounty of Lebanese-American fusion dishes lauded by ABC-6 news and Philadelphia magazine. Halal meats share the menu with vegetarian and vegan options as well as savory starters. Freshly baked manakeesh flatbread sandwiches journey through an open-flame oven, allowing guests to detail each movement with their own suspenseful voiceover narration. Diners can opt for a yogurt-cheese-spread labneh sandwich or invite the shawarma, which tucks sirloin into a fluffy flatbread coverlet, to a mouth sleepover party. A piece of the café's signature baklava soothes sweet teeth, and a strong Turkish coffee can fortify an extended stay inside a Trojan horse.

At 5 n 2 Tokyo, sushi chefs design avant-garde fish dishes, assemble maki, and craft upscale Japanese cuisine. Classic appetizers, such as seaweed salad and tempura, whet appetites before diners dig into red-snapper sashimi, a crispy tuna roll, or an uni shot made with sriracha. 5 n 2 Tokyo’s chefs arrange each dish carefully, creating edible art unparalleled since the brief period when Renaissance court painters decided to etch their portraits onto french toast.

In a video for the blog Philly in Focus, Leziz Turkish Cuisine owner Sal Kucuk greets his son at the appetizer-prep station. He stops by the grill line to thank the head chef, who brings his own experience from owning a restaurant in Istanbul for 14 years. In the dining room, Sal stops for a moment to pay respect to his mother's framed image––a beloved photograph blown up by his fiancée as a gift. Formerly S & H Kebab House, Leziz Turkish Cuisine is still the same family-owned restaurant that was bestowed with Talk of the Town's Excellence in Customer Satisfaction award for 2010 and 2011.

Specializing in authentic Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisine, the eatery employs organic lamb, top Choice Black Angus steaks, and fresh seafood for kebabs and sautés. Amid hanging lights and butter-yellow walls, warm pita sops up creamy hummus and whipped caviar to pair with patrons’ BYOB beverages. Live bands on Fridays and monthly belly-dancing events fill the air with music, unlike the falafel-juggling mimes hired by most restaurants.