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Rosenlina's on Passyunk Avenue

Next foodie neighborhood: East Passyunk.

For lovers of food (obsessed, some might call us), life is best on the Avenue. At one time East Passyunk flowed red with Sunday gravy, but in recent years the old Italian guard has made way for Asians and Latinos, hipsters and yuppies, and their respective culinary traditions. This steady truce means you can still get Termini's heavenly ricotta cannoli and Marra's bubbling pizza fired in 80-year-old brick ovens, but also succulent carnitas tacos from El Jarocho and local microbrews from the Pope. "Ironically, it's these outsiders that have given the Avenue a jolt," says Nicholas Miglino, who will open Sticks & Stones, a contempo American gastropub with Mexican and Asian touches, in April at 1909 E. Passyunk. "As a lifer, it's such a pleasant surprise." Radiating from the narrow Passyunk hypotenuse, you'll find the salty Sicilian butcher, the French-Cambodian baker and the Vietnamese pho-maker. There's a farmers market, still-warm Federal pretzels from the source and three cheese shops in three blocks, including Vince Mancuso's eponymous provolone-perfumed shop, which incidentally sells the best rind-studded lemon water ice come summertime.

Next word to banish from your vocabulary: Locavore.

Can you hear that? It's the locavore bandwagon ... hop on! Though it's just super that the New Oxford American Dictionary decided to honor "locavore" as its Word of the Year for 2007, the announcement has us counting down the days until Hammonton blueberry McFlurries debut on the Dollar Menu. Some might argue that would be a good thing--except we don't see big agribusiness doing local the same way the likes of James and White Dog do local. Plus, Philly was eating locally long before any dictionary defined the term. Raise hand. Pat back. Bask in progressive eating habits.

Black and Brew

Next winter comfort: Pot pies.

Nothing warms up body and soul like a piping hot golden-brown chicken pot pie. Princeton's Griggstown Quail Farms gives its pies a sustainable makeover with local peas, turnips, carrots, celery, onions, parsnips, mushrooms, fennel and free-range, antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken. Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal sells them frozen in 5 or 10 inches. An hour in the oven, and dinner's on the table. But all this responsible eating doesn't come cheap--small pies are $9.50 a pop. Fortunately, even the smaller 5-inch pie is big enough to share--though that doesn't mean you'll want to.

Next kitchen movement: Feminism.

Let's talk about chicks, man. Traditionally, the home kitchen was a female domain, while the restaurant kitchen belonged to the Y chromosome. "The restaurant industry is definitely a male-dominated workplace," says Marcie Turney, executive chef and co-owner of Lolita, Grocery and newcomer Bindi, a modern Indian BYOB. But sex in the kitchen is changing. Some of Philly's most noteworthy openings have had women at the helm: Turney at Bindi, Erin O'Shea taking over for Michael Solomonov at Marigold Kitchen, Luciana Spurio at Le Virt�, Alison Barshak at her follow-up Alison Two. Most significant, perhaps, was Eric Ripert announcing 33-year-old Somerton-native Jennifer Carroll as the exec chef for his upcoming 10 Arts in the Ritz-Carlton. Turney, who works with two female sous chefs at each of her restaurants, isn't surprised. "When I opened Lolita, I had an all- female staff and only one guy. With women in the kitchen, there's no ego." Ouch.

Next reason to go to Penn: Chilango.

When I went to Penn, it was all Hemo's bacon-egg-and-cheese and sweet potato burritos from the MexiCali food truck. And that was, like, just a few years ago. Not only have the Quakers seriously upgraded their eating options with guest chefs like Michael Solomonov (Zahav), Greg Russell (Zocalo) and Michael Chow (Sang Kee) cooking in the dining halls, but this spring Jose Garces unveils his third Philly restaurant in the Hub on 40th and Chestnut. "West Philadelphia is really developing, and I wanted to be a part of what was happening in the area," says the chef. The menu is inspired by the food of Mexico City, and the decor by Mexico's lucha libre ("free fight") wrestling matches. "It's going to be really funky and fun." Think a VW beetle you can eat in, a wall mural of 500-plus wrestling masks and a hidden karaoke lounge accessed through a secret door. No word on whether Penn prez/MILF Amy Gutmann is getting her freakum dress on. One can only hope.

Next Silk City chef: Who knows?

Mark Bee's neo-diner is like a revolving door of kitchen talent: Peter Dunmire, David Katz, Peter Dunmire, Matt Ball, Joe Hunt. Kudos to Bee for keeping the food so consistently awesome through all the drama, but really, some stability would be nice. We respectfully nominate the Swedish chef from the Muppets for the position. Dude does one hell of a cereal. Yeah, yeah, he's technically a puppet, but at least you know he'll stay put.