A good restaurant and bar isn't just the perfect place to practice close-up magic on unsuspecting patrons; it's also a great spot to meet friends and share Burton Gilliam gossip. With today's Groupon, $15 gets you $35 worth of savory American fare and satiating drinks at the London Grill in Fairmount. This bar combines moderately upscale eats with a well-stocked, well-manned bar, forming a synergy unseen since individual robos and bots realized they could join forces to form a larger, more powerful structure.

The dinner menu at this neighborhood gem uses classy ingredients in creative ways, forming a lineup that's accessible to all palates. The menu changes often, but sample starters include fried clams tartar with grilled lemon ($9) and barbecue veal ribs with peach salsa ($12). Main courses ($12–$25) range from a familiar pizza topped with barbecue sauce, pineapple, chicken, red pepper, and Vidalia onions ($12) to gnocchi with rabbit-chorizo sausage, artichokes, and goat cheese ($16 for full portion). London Grill is also open for lunch (Tuesday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.) and weekend brunch (11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.). The midday feast includes various sandwich options, such as a roasted turkey BLT with fries ($8.50) and main dishes such as the fresh-daily vegetable harvest ménage á trois ($13). Accompany any meal with a pull from the full bar, including micro and macro beers on tap and in bottle and a lengthy wine list.

Escape the winter cold by warming your body from outside in. Sample the ample libations flowing through the establishment like the friendly River Lethe. Amicable servers tend to your every need, while equally helpful tenders are always happy to serve. Gather around a cozy table, or pull up a seat at the bar with a few friends or potential suitors for an outing filled with good drinks, upstanding eats, and thrilling footsie sessions.

Reviews

Gayot lists London Grill as one of the best brunch spots in the city. The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia magazine have also featured the restaurant:

• The distance between great bar food and fine dining gets a little shorter each time I visit the London Grill. In one hand, I see an English muffin squeezing what may be the best burger in town — a charred organic patty of ground Lancaster beef smothered in sauteed onions and herby, homemade Boursin cheese. In the other, I wield a crackly crisp spring roll stuffed with meltingly soft ginger duck. – Craig LaBan, Philadelphia Inquirer
• A busy bar leads to a brightly modern dining room, the premier neighborhood restaurant since the development of the Fairmount district in the '70s. It sets a warm, friendly backdrop for the cuisine of Michael McNally, which ranges from down-home favorites to something a bit more on the cutting edge…The wine list is thoughtful, and the menu provides hints for wine pairings next to each entrée. The staff is helpful and friendly, as is co-proprietor Terry McNally, who keeps London Grill on a smooth track. – Gayot

Citysearchers and OpenTable reviewers give London Grill 3.5 and 3.6 stars, and 76% of Urbanspooners recommend it:

• I very much enjoyed my fish and chips served with vinegar and horse-radish sauce, downed with a Bass Ale. A true British experience. The restaurant is a neighborhood gem. – OpenTable user who dined on 01/14/2010