Amuse, a French brasserie located within Le Méridien Philadelphia, specializes in amuse-bouches—bite-size hors d'oeuvres meant to serve as a taste of the chef's signature style. But there's a twist. Here, amuse-bouches accompany signature cocktails; the chef might pair a martini with a bit of crystallized grapefruit, for instance, or a Knob Creek manhattan with a bacon-wrapped date.

These tempting bites are just the beginning of Amuse's menu, though. Other offerings include breakfast feasts, gourmet lunch sandwiches, and sumptuous dinner courses. Share a plate of housemade charcuterie and foie gras with pickled fruit, or indulge in entrées such as the hanger steak with fries freshly cut in the kitchen's tiny guillotine. The decor here is as refined as the cuisine; massive fireplaces and chandeliers line the space, and windows open to sweeping views of City Hall.