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Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Northern LibertiesDon't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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Oh my goodness. My dad and I were getting dinner last night after seeing the Trans Siberian Orchestra (we rock, I know), and he wanted to check out this place because of it's veggie friendly yet meat-tastic menu. I've been meaning to make it over here but constantly forgetting about it. So glad it's now on the radar!
I got tomato soup, an open facet ALT, and a side of macaroni and cheese. Everything was awesome! Loved that the mac was whole grain. It's so much more satisfying and hardy. My dad got the chicken pot pie and a side of brussel sprouts au gratin. They were delicious! Who knew that brussel sprouts aren't gross?
This place is so cute, and the waitress was really nice, especially to my wacky father who asked the cook to marry him (I can't take him anywhere). Really though, the food is awesome. A Full Plate is one of those places where the food tastes less like your at a restaurant and more like you're at a dinner party hosted by a fantastic cook. It's a great spot for when you want a delicious, home cooked meal but lack the motivation to turn on the oven.
I found this place a couple of years ago when seeking a new brunch spot and I've been happy as a pig in s... well, let's just say that I've been delighted ever since. The decor is wonderful - quirky and colorful with plenty to eyeball (like the infamous A Christmas Story leg lamp) while sipping mint iced tea from a mason jar.
Although the place is small, I've never really had a long wait for a table and the waitstaff is awesome. Friendly, but not that saccharine overbearing kind of friendly.
I've never had a meal there that I didn't like and I personally recommend the veggie Toads in a Hole for brunch.
I'm withholding the last star because I think that they close too early during the week (9PM) and there was this one weird time where they were closed because someone wasn't feeling well (there was a tacky note on the door).
I originally tried A Full Plate since Honey's was always unbearably crowded + the wait ridiculous on a weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to find a simple, but accommodating menu.
For brunch, they serve the standard breakfast fare, but also include vegan french toast, tofu scramble, fake sausage, etc....making it really nice to hit brunch with your omnivore friends + not be stuck eating oatmeal. Their lunch + dinner menu is also good, but they are prone to running out of things + I've left frustrated a few times.
On the whole, I really like A Full Plate + would recommend it to anyone wanting to grab brunch without having to factor in an hour-long wait. The servers can definitely be hit or miss, though.
The food may be slightly above the average brunch fare in Philly, but don't go there on the weekends unless you have a bunch of time to kill and no expectations.
I waited an hour, yes one hour, between the time I placed my order until the time my food arrived. Granted, the place was crowded, but there aren't enough tables on this earth to warrant a wait like that. It also took 20 minutes to get two glasses of Schuylkill sludge tap water. It's not like we're tapping any mineral water reserves in NoLIbs, so I can't explain the holdup.
Finally, if you are looking to substitute turkey sausage for anything -- don't bother. Apparently they only make it specifically for one dish and they won't compromise.
The food itself is good -- but it in no way makes up for the wait. Not to mention, customers bring their loud dogs who sit table-side and bark at anything that moves.
If I want to wait like that again, I'll just go to Honey's. At least there I know what I am getting into.
The food may be slightly above the average brunch fare in Philly, but don't go there on the weekends… Read more »
A Full Plate...
I went on a friend date with my friend Amanda who lives around the corner from liberties walk. So, I drove into the city wondering what exciting eating establishment she had in mind because I was starving and she was sick and needed some comfort food. She had settled on A Fully Plate and I was up for it.
So, we walk in and we're the only people there, the adorable waitress was super sweet and did the whole giving us menu thing etc. I was overwhelmed because everything looked so good on paper and i didn't want to be disappointed, but i went outside of my comfort zone and ordered the Fried Egg BLT. Amanda got the Mac & Cheese. We both got huge waters.
(Love the water in the jars p.s.)
Ok, my fried egg Blt was seriously so good that i slowly ate the second half because at that point i was emotionally invested. What can I really say about a sandwich that good? It was awesome. It was perfect. I've craved it ever since. Amanda seemed to really enjoy her mac & cheese as well.
For dessert I got a blondie which was hella good and she got the Elvis cake to go. I didn't get a chance to try it, but i need to go back and do just that. The portion was...well....huge. Like a huge awesome brick of greatness. The best part was, at the end...I wasn't broke but i was VERY full and happy.
A Full Plate...I've got a big fat crush on you. You'll be seeing me as soon as I can convince another friend to travel out there with me or meet me there...and my mouth is watering already.
this seems to be the best option for brunch in philadelphia if you're vegetarian. although all the usual suspects are there (i.e. meat, eggs and cheese), they've also got crazy things like vegan french toast and mexican breakfast pizza. on my visit i had the veggie sausage with biscuits and gravy, which is a little over the top for a guy who normally just grabs an apple, but its decadence was well worth it. i think next time i'll check out the tofu scramble, as this is more or less the benchmark for judging veggie brunch.
oh, and the bonus for this place is that water is served in mason jars and i got seated immediately. on a saturday.
Love love love for brunch!
Its nice to have multiple brunch places in Northern Liberties that have non-egg based breakfast options - Full Plate being on the top of the list.
* The Veggie Sausage with Biscuits and Gravy is my top recommendation- I'm pretty sure my boyfriend and I have both had this dish about 20 times. My only wish would be that there were more sweet potatoes in the home fries - but that's a personal taste. Still awesome to have the multi-potato home fry combo!
* Vegan French Toast - while I'm usually more a savory over sweet eater, I had this once and it was super delicious and so awesome to have a non-egg version.
* Tofu Scramble - Reliable, good dish. The part of me that envies all those huge egg dishes people get makes me wish this came with a side of toast, but there's definitely enough food on this plate that its not necessary. Though at 10 dollars, its a bit pricey for tofu scramble. There's also a Vegan Mexican Pizza that comes with the tofu scramble, also a pretty good dish - but loses the side of home fries that comes with some of these other dishes.
I haven't eaten here for lunch/dinner in a long time, and I see they have changed the menu and added some things I would like to try. Like the ALT melt.
I can say that I wasn't a huge fan of the Monster Wrap, but I do highly recommend Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin. Brussels Sprouts rule. As does the cake.
Lastly, I wish their web site didn't have a splash page and their Google Maps entry has the wrong phone number/address listed.
Definitely a good place for brunch. I can't talk as to how well they do dinner here, but brunch has never disappointed me here. They have some very original menu options...try the Huevos Rancheros, very good!
Besides, I'd rather get a table right away here than sit for an hour and a half outside of Honeys (which is good, but a bit overrated in my opinion). Try A Full Plate on for size, you probably won't be bummed out.
Food is pretty darn good. Service was also good, and i'm pretty hard to please. Our waitress was respectful of our requests - and that goes a long way in my book. Yummy vegan options.
I was excited to go to this restaurant after checking out the menu, and i was thrilled w/ my meal- so so delicious. Went w/ a group of 9 for dinner on a friday night- the waitstaff was super accommodating and helped put tables together for our large group. So many options, veggie and meat, that everyone at the table had a hard time picking. I got the brussel sprout salad, which was AWESOME, and a side of mac and cheese, also delicious. A great combo, the salad was a great mix of textures and flavors w/ yummy dressing, and the mac and cheese complimented it perfectly. My boyfriend got the catfish po'boy, which was pretty good, and a side of okra, which was obscenely small- i'm talking 5 pieces of okra for 3.50$. Especially in comparison to the side of fries, which was HUGE and the same price- seemed like a joke. Also got the elvis cake, which was HUGE and so tasty- banana cake w/ peanut butter frosting and chocolate chips. yum.
All in all my meal was awesome, but everyone's wasn't- the 4 stars was my experience. There was variety in quality and quantity both. BYOB w/ no corkage, so was reasonable price for a tasty meal and lots of wine that we brought. The restaurant chill and pleasant, and seemed like it would be great in good weather. I'll be back for brunch!
A great affordable stop in NoLibs with great mac and a BLT thats solid. Sweet potato fries are always good and the salads are fresh. It sucks that it's locked away in the corner of liberties walk but still back door parking is Available, not going to expand on that though. Just looking for a little more every time. But will still continue to visit whenever in the area.
BBQ sauce must be made there cause it could be the best I've had in Philly so maybe another str for that alone.
Our server was a little shy/unfriendly but the menu looked great, with lots and lots of interesting vegetarian and vegan options. We didn't realize we'd have to pick from the brunch menu, which was a little smaller, but my husband and I both really enjoyed what we ordered. I had the tofu scramble breakfast pizza which came with tons of delicious veggies. Our food didn't take very long, but I think the other tables near us had a bit of a wait. Either way, it was a perfect day to sit outside, and I'd definitely like to try a lot more things on the menu, especially the non-brunch menu. Very home-style cooking, but in a good way. And I definitely prefer a shy server to one with a too-good-for-you attitude.
Full Plate? Not just a clever name, then.
An amazing combo of southern comfort, Norlibs brunch specials, and delicious vegan options has kept me coming back to this homey little corner more times than i can count.
Foodage: The food is always simple, clean, and almost always perfectly prepped. Toads in the Hole? Veggie friendly or not, are amazing. Chicken and Waffle? Check. BBQ maple syrup I would get in a fistfight for. As far as Im concerned the best Mac and Chee the city of Philadelphia has to offer. All the other dishes I have sampled from (at the expense of and thanks to friends) have been amazing. Lunch and dinner menu items can be a bit varied on portions, but the quality is always high. Plus, mason jars of water and iced tea! Feels like a better version of home. The banana and chocolate 'Elvis' cake is fun and gigantic.
Service: I have never had bad service! Not even remotely. The waitstaff are friendly and competent, without being intrusive. That's really all I have ever asked.
Cost: Moderate. Some sides are a bit pricey for their size, the brunch is a fucking steal. Unlimited lemonade and iced tea for cheap are great!
Downsides: OK. So, despite me loving this place, i have on a couple of occasions had a biiiiit of a struggling time with some dishes. Food (only lunches and dinner) has been a bit overcooked, or underwhelming, but nothing worth sending back, and I'm usually a jerk bout my dining out. Everybody has an off day, eventually.
All in all, basically this place has won a place in my heart as my 'local' for brunch. Never a wait, excellent food, awesome staff, etc.
I had a really good brunch here a few weeks ago, and I'm going to go back.
Service: I see reviews here that service is spotty, so I suppose I might've just lucked out. I did, however, have a great server. She refilled my coffee every time I was *about* to ask her to. She brought HUGE water mugs (great!), and was pleasant enough without being phony.
Food: Came fast, was a "full plate" and was delicious. The "Toads in a Hole" ...freaking tasty. My friend ordered the Green Tomato Eggs Benedict, which was tasty and weird and great. The sweet potato/reg. potato/veggie/herb home fries were DELISH. I plan on trying different stuff next time, as it was hard to choose from a good menu.
Decor: Cozy and inviting and small. It slowly filled up as we went, but we were there on a rainy Sunday at around 11:30a, and there were only two tables full when we arrived. No wait. Sweet.
They'll get more of my money and recommendations to friends.
Worth checking out.
Although, bad news first.
Figured I'd be playing it safe with the turkey club. It was served on a Kaiser roll which I thought was a bit odd instead of sliced bread. The turkey was cubed and tough and was sliding out and taking the bacon with it. The whole thing was kinda bland and I ended up eating it with my fork. I could have made something better at home.
My boyfriend had a chicken quesadilla that was made with stewed tomatoes and some kind of cheese. It was soggy and tasted like something you make when you are hung over. He figured out it was the tortilla that was throwing it off. He salvaged the meal by removing said tortilla and doused the rest with hot sauce.
Here's the good news: I'd gladly go back to A Full Plate again. It is in a great location, has very friendly servers, very comfortable inside -- you could sit there all day and people/baby/dog watch... and the best part is the large menu.
Next time I'll scope out what others are eating or ask the server what's the best or their personal favorite. I'll definitely be prepared to ask many questions before ordering.
People definitely give this place more credit than it deserves. I've only ever gone to full plate when I didn't want to wait in line at Honey's for brunch (about 3 times). Good location, bad service & worse food. My last experience there was the deal-breaker. The place only seats about 20 people, but it still took half an hour to get a glass of water. I ordered the mini sandwiches - what sounded great on the menu and what I was served were worlds apart - an uninspired dish that I ended up picking off half of the mismatched ingredients from.
I will not go here again, but if for some reason you are going to go here (maybe you are hungover, not thinking straight, and Honey's is full) , skip breakfast and order something from the lunch menu.
I went there for lunch, sat outside and this place was great! I think I sent back the waiter twice because I couldn't decide what I wanted. I wanted to order everything off that friggin' menu! When I finally did get my food it was much more than I expected. Why don't we have places like this in center city... sigh..
I love this place. I wish they would rotate their brunch menu sometimes, only because I go there so much.
The fried green tomato benedict is my favorite and their ice tea is gooood too.
This is a cute little place on the corner of Liberty Walk.
They are BYO and I have gone for brunch and lunch on several occasions. They have inside and outside dinning, and when we sit outside they always bring my sweet Nyla dog a bowl of ice water!
Their menu is limited - which makes it easier to pick what you want to eat anyway!
I just had the breakfast burrito last weekend with eggs, portabella mushrooms and Gruyere cheese...It was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!
The wait for food was a little long and, the service was fine, but not overly friendly.
Still, a great place when you are not up for the wait outside Honey's!
Upsides: Food is fantastic, space is very cool, never a wait, BYOB.
Downsides: Service is spotty, Liberties Walk can be sketchy, BYOB.
I prefer it over Honey's because there's no line and because I think the food is slightly better.
Whoever cooks for this place knows what they are doing! All of the food is so good. The mac and cheese is out of this world. A very underrated brunch.
So this place's schtick is they are real-down-home cookin'. And they pull it off pretty well. During brunch with mum, I had something that resembled eggs in a basket (or toad in the hole) and it was pretty good. The potatoes were a cut above and everything was done pretty well.
The interior had that generic style of bold colors followed by knick-knacks on the wall. It's funny how these types of places are the anti-applebees but then sort of emulate them.
I say that you use this place as some sort of secret backup in case the line for Honey's is wrapped around the block.
Went there with my friend for brunch because we were a bit late and did not feel like fighting the Sabrina's crowd or the Honey's crowd. I forgot how much I like this place. We had the Mexican pizza and the Toad in the Hole. I really wanted to try the Veggie Sausage Biscuit and Gravy. Next time! My coffee cup was never empty. The price was inexpensive. I was full and happy.
I have been enjoying checking out the new stores & restaurants popping up in N-ern Liberties. That location has changed sooo much in the past years and it is exciting to try all the new spots. Anyway, we went there last night. We sat outside on a gorgeous night with a bottle of wine. It was quiet there... not too many customers... but sooo relaxing. The food was delicious and they really had a great menu. I had a white bean salad with fried tomatoes & carrots. Who knew, I love fried carrots! Their blueberry pie was fresh, warm and mmmmmmmmhh... you just have to try it yourself. I definitely recommend this place. You can feel that a lot of passion was put into the menu and you get the feeling that the owner(s) really cares about quality. I recommend more people go to check it out.
update: went here again recently, wasn't nearly as impressed. maybe now that the area hs been filling up with people they can't keep up. we went with a large group. everyone seemed mixed with their reactions to the dishes. mine was ok... i had the veggie wrap. no complaints but nothing to rave about. my husband ordered the open faced turkey. it looked terrible and he hardly ate it. he said it just was not good. a friend ordered the kale. it was waaay overdone and very salty unfortunately. i love kale.
2 friends ordered the mac and cheese and they absolutely loved it. they were raving about it all night.
anyway, i don't think i will be going back anytime too soon, unfortunately. i do think this is a better place for an intimate evening rather than a large group....
still love those mason jars!! :)
Quesadillas named after me? (Peter's Quesdillas) were yum, spinach/cheese was in good balance and seared torillas had nice spicy crispness - decent & proper
Sadness was Disaster of vegan jambalaya - am unsure if they forgot to spice it at all but a blander bunch of overcooked rice and small bit of vege would be hard to find - at $11 entree price, this was poor thru & thru (and now a couple hours later my stomach hurts..)
Fried pickles are fun, and tasty mustard helps.
Service is friendly amateurish, water/iced drinks served in cool mason jars, coffee was burnt and bitter.
Never crowded, so I wonder how much of food is prepped days/weeks? ahead of time and thawed to order - but no matter, if I survive the night, I'll be happy to walk on by with the bacteria in my gut rightfully kept in check -
perhaps it was the dog... he was missing tonite... where was he?
Fried green tomatoes and ice water in mason jars!
I'd say A Full Plate is up there as a top 10 Philly restaurant. To me, it represents everything I love about this community. It's unique, creative, comfortable, super vegetarian-friendly, and delicious. I wish there were more innovative and independent places like this.
Sadly it's a bit far away from my apartment, but I almost appreciate that it serves as a guaranteed good meal when I'm around the NoLibs area. I've been here twice - once for dinner and once for brunch. For brunch we sat outside, and I had my incredible fried green tomato experience. Everyone else seemed to like the big portions and yummy eggy/beany/cheesy combinations. It was sorta nice to avoid the Honey's crowd but get the NoLibs vibe. For my dinner date, we came a bit on the early evening side and there was hardly anyone there yet. We ended up having a great convo with the guy in the back playing awesome tunes (if I recall correctly, there was some Hot Chip & New Porn...) and we got talking about local Philly bands and other indie shows coming up. We ordered the monster wrap & crab cake sandwich, both incredible, and I left super satisfied and excited to have met a fun hipster unafraid to engage in friendly conversation (sadly, a combination occasionally difficult to encounter around Philly).
I would highly recommend A Full Plate to complement a nice day in Northern Liberties. If you explore the shops on 2nd and even grab a smoothie at Soy Cafe, then you're guaranteed to have an awesome visit.
I had lunch here on a recent sunny day with a friend - we sat outside, drank beer we brought from the Foodery (A Full Plate is BYO) and enjoyed the great service from a sweet waiter with black framed glasses (thank you!). The menu choices were extensive and really well-priced, but my attempt to go healthy kinda backfired on me. I got the Monster Wrap, which was, indeed monster sized, but also monster spicy for me. Yes, yes, it did say spicy sauce on the menu. Guess I was too engrossed in my conversation to pay attention. Life lesson #162 brought to you by your pal Carrie.
This is one of my favorite spots for lunch in Philly.. and great Sunday brunch as well. The brussel sprout salad is by far my favorite dish.. brussel sprouts, capers, apples, sharp prove, and walnuts... sounds a little strange, but it really works! Also not to be missed, the fried chicken and waffles (for those not so healthy moments!)
Hungry and not wanting to pose at any of the plentious pretentious places pocketed throughout the popping parking challenged "Two-Street" district, I found a cute virtually empty place to dine. Dubious about the menu since there seemed to be only one other table on this Tuesday night, I viewed with some hesitation the scope of offerings which seemed to be laced with traces of southern hospitality all through it. The fact is...if you can put Mississippi style fried pickles on your menu all the way up north here...you best be the genuine article. To then dare at having chicken and waffles...your way... is again bold and dodgy unless you are pretty certain that you can pull it off without folks being irreverent and those who don't know better being hugely misled. A FULL PLATE worked it out!!!!! I found that my new favorite chicken and waffles are right there!!!!! I honestly have to say that all the items I tried were yummy! And the portions were generous.
Ok...I then had to go to the bathroom, as one does when one has dined appropriately, and was surprised to see that the chalkboard wall theme that was columned in the restaurant was carried on in the loo. Someone began a story and I added a few lines. I am hoping that more Yelpers go and add something to this posting. Of course, choose your time...there is only one bathroom and it would be easy to be locked away in there writing if you wax literate late nights!
hey. so i stopped by this place again the other day and i felt like these guys earned another star. i mean the soup was good. i forgot to tell my waitress that i am vegan (gasp) but the chef in the back recognized me and veganized everything without me even having to ask. so, that is nifty, unexpected, and exceptional personal service. We also enjoyed our dinner, by the way. :-)
usually I leave this place wishing I had stayed home and cooked my own dinner. it's weird because… Read more »
Went there a few months ago and will probably never go back. I noticed a dog in the corner of the restaurant. Because dogs are ubiquitous in NoLibs, I didn't give it much thought. Until I saw the dog go back in the kitchen. My partner reassured me that it wasn't a big deal but my fears were realized when i looked down at my toads in a hole (name of the egg dish) and saw what else? A black dog hair staring back at me.
i had brunch here recently with a group of friends. it was a little difficult to find, but on street parking was easy. portions are generous and tasty, so bring your appetite! fair prices, bright fun decor, friendly staff and plenty of open tables make this a good choice, especially if you're very hungry and don't want to wait!
Ummm, I went here last fall and haven't been back. There wasn't anything particularly memorable about the place, except there weren't many customers, and still service was very slow. Maybe they've gotten their act together since then. I don't know if I'll go back to find out unless there's a really stellar review of it on here.
i will come back soon to give a more compelling review but my asparagus and swiss omelette was too airy. everyone else had a great meal so maybe i need the chicken and waffles. 4 stars if you guys come through next time, until then 3.
I traveled from DC to Philly this weekend to hang out with some friends and we came across A FULL PLATE, in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. This up and coming area definitely has potential for some great lil' places, and A FULL PLATE is one to try. We ventured into this quaint and cozy spot for a Sunday Brunch. Great selections on the menu from: fried green tomatoes Benedict to fried chicken and waffles to biscuits and gravy. As the neighborhood becomes more developed this place will definitely be one that people will wait to eat at. Good wholesome southern food....with a city twist. Give it a whirl.
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
Category: Southern
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
