PHLReview
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
The Good King Tavern
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There’s just something about your favorite movie. It may not be Oscar-worthy, but you quote it at every party and first date, and it never fails to get a laugh. Bella Vistas’s Good King Tavern is like that. The food isn’t award-worthy, but it’s a universal and dependable crowd-pleaser that works for almost every casual night out.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
This elevated French pub is dark and cozy, but not outright romantic—it almost feels like hanging out in a friend’s living room. There’s a long wood bar up front where couples split everything from a bowl of escargot and a bottle of chenin blanc to a single stool (depending on how much they’ve had to drink). When you sit at a cushiony leather booth or wood table in the back, you’ll see old maps of France, plants near the stained-glass windows, and groups of friends deciding between specials on the chalkboard menu while The Cure and Édith Piaf plays.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
That chalkboard shouldn’t be ignored—the specials are almost always a hit, like the crispy fried oyster on a creamy bed of Pernod aioli. But the main menu, which includes a rotation of seasonal cocktails, is just as satisfying and consistent. That’s not to say that anything here is boring (it’s not). But only a handful of dishes will give you that F*ck Yes Feeling. One is the mussels a la Normandie, bathing in a smoked mushroom cider (it’s one of our favorite seafood dishes in the city). The menu works just as well for sharing crispy duck breast and sides with a large group of friends as a quick meal of Nice street food while making a cactus custody agreement with your ex.
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Maybe the biggest appeal of The Good King—outside of the impressive French bottle list—is that it’s always open, even on Mondays. While a meal here won’t make you feel like the PPA handed you a lifetime parking pass, it’s a spot that’s always both useful and comfortable. It serves enjoyable food and great cocktails in a cozy space that, like your favorite movie quote, always makes you feel cooler than you actually are.
Food Rundown
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Socca
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Escargot
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Mussels A La Normandie
Tavern Burger
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Duck Of The Day
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO
Steak Frites
photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO