BEST OF THE MAIN LINE:More Winners

Forget about Making Dinner
The area’s best takout and delivery options.

Gourmet Meals to Go: Thomas’ Kitchen 

, (610) 225-0480
Thomas Von Muenster (pictured), owner of Thomas’ Kitchen, is a guy you want to keep on speed dial. He specializes in customized meals-for-two right on up to fully catered dinner parties. Whether it’s a matter of taste or dietary need, Von Muenster
accommodates any request.

Healthy Meals to Your Doorstep: Good to Go Delivery

Italian to Go: Carlino’s

; (610) 649-4046, carlinoscatering.com

So Philly has the Italian Market and Di Bruno Bros. Big deal. The Main Line has Carlino’s. We especially love the selection of homemade to-go dishes. Daily specialties include chicken piccata, veal scallopini, stuffed flounder with vegetables, and more. And don’t forget to pick up one of their amazing desserts—like the chocolate flour-less cake or orange mascarpone cheesecake—all of them baked in-house. Opening this month: a new Carlino’s on

New Meal Trend: Home Cooked

1 Paoli Plaza, Paoli; (610) 647-1002, homecooked.net

Pick from Home Cooked’s online list of scrumptious entrées—tasty, original stuff like margarita pork medallions and pineapple and black bean enchiladas. Then schedule a convenient time to visit their Paoli kitchen to prepare your own meals. They supply all the ingredients, utensils and step-by-step instructions. Better yet, they do all the cleaning up afterwards.

Tame Your Kids
The best places to go to keep young minds and bodies occupied.

Batting Cages: Grand Slam USA

, Malvern, (610) 647-6622, grandslammalvern.com

Grand Slam USA offers young athletes the chance to hone their skills in baseball and softball. Balls can be purchased by the round, and each cage is fully adjustable in terms of height and speed to suit every slugger’s ability. And when the kids run out of pitches, they can explore the tennis courts, skatepark and laser tag facility.

Indoor Playground: Bounce U

, Oaks; (610) 650-4500, bounceu.com
Bounce U’s Exton location is ideal for active kids who need a safe, clean indoor space in which to romp. Their giant inflatable jungle is available for birthday party rentals; food, supervision and cleanup service are all included. Or bring the kids for an “open bounce” on designated afternoons. Just don’t forget their socks.

Laser Tag: Arnold’s GoKart and Family Fun Center

2200 W. Drive, 422 Business Center, Oaks; (610) 666-0600, arnoldsgokarts.com

Arnold’s is the perfect place for laser-taggers to suit up. Their Phaser Force arena features striking fluorescent scenery and reasonable game prices. Participants must navigate a glowing maze while avoiding intruders as they try to capture their home base and win the game. A thrilling role-play environment all around.

Mini Golf: Tee’s Golf Center

, Conshohocken; (610) 834-0845, teesgolfcenter.com

Those looking for a more challenging and scenic miniature golf experience should head to Tee’s Golf Center in Conshohocken. The site boasts two new “championship” courses, where the putting greens are accented by rolling waterfalls, winding streams and colorful patches of flowers. Perfect for a family outing on a warm summer evening.

Skateboard Park: Radnor Skatepark

, (610) 688-5600

Radnor Skatepark offers outdoor skateboarding, in-line skating and BMX freestyle biking. Spanning 120 by 80 feet and featuring a 6-foot mini-ramp, spine, quarter pipes, a pyramid, grind boxes and even a grindable picnic table, the state-of-the-art facility has plenty to satisfy young daredevils of all skill levels.

Skating Rink: Ice Line

; (610) 436-9670, iceline.info

If the kids are into ice hockey, Ice Line is their frosty paradise, offering open hockey and instruction almost every day. Even if they’re not diehards, they’ll delight in the year-round free skating sessions. And it’s a great place to escape the summer heat.

Zoo: Elmwood Park Zoo

, Norristown; (610) 277-3825, elmwoodparkzoo.org

Elmwood Park Zoo is a smaller suburban alternative to the busier, more expensive Philadelphia Zoo. It focuses mostly on North American animals, grouping them by their native habitats so children can see how they coexist. Elmwood places a heavy emphasis on education, so kids can learn about creatures living in their own backyards. Pony rides are a favorite among young visitors, and hands-on exhibits are featured daily.

Perfect Pie

The best pizza around.

Brick Oven Pizza: Ristorante La Locanda

4989 West Chester Pike, Edgemont, (610) 353-7033

With all the mouth-watering Italian dishes on the menu at La Locanda, why opt for the pizza? Taste and see. Build your own from the crispy, thin crust on up, or choose from the menu of six gourmet pies. Our favorites include the flavorful Gamberi e Pomodoro Secco, topped with shrimp, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, and the Portobello, with portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions and Gorgonzola cheese.

Specialty Pizza: Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza

4007 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square; (610) 356-4099, momsbakeathome.com

Mom’s crusts are handmade and hand-pressed—with no preservatives or additives—and come in diet-friendly alternatives like multi-grain, whole wheat, whole grain, oat, spelt and pumpernickel. With cheeses that include low fat, no fat and soy, and a long list of veggie toppings, there’s no reason to think twice before grabbing a second slice.  

Tomato Pie: Marchiano’s

; (215) 483-8585, marchianosbakery.com

It’s pie, not pizza, at Marchiano’s Bakery. For over 30 years, Frank Marchiano has been selling his mother Nunziata’s version of tomato pie based on her special recipe, its large rectangular crust covered with thick, chunky tomato sauce, olive oil and a mix of Italian spices and finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Another way it’s different from pizza? Tomato pie is always served cold or at room temperature.

White Pizza: Dimeo Pizza

; (610) 993-0885, dimeopizza.com

Sometimes less is more—and that’s certainly the case with the white pizza at Dimeo’s. The traditional red sauce is traded for olive oil
and roasted garlic and topped with just the right amount of mozzarella cheese. Dimeo’s white varieties include the Popeyes, with spinach (of course), ricotta cheese, sliced tomatoes and mozzarella; and the Formaggio, covered in a blend of mozzarella, ricotta, provolone and Parmigiano reggiano.

Worth the Drive 
The best food farther afield.

Historical Dining: Twin Bays Café

Housed in an 18th-century farmhouse located on the original four corners of Phoenixville, Twin Bays Café is notable both for its superb nouveau American cuisine and its quirky, cozy ambiance. Twin Bays has six dining rooms, each with its unique flair. The menu features lots of seafood and wild game—ostrich, wild boar, elk, red deer venison—plus hearty dishes such as veal osso buco, sesame ginger pork tenderloin with a mango bourbon barbecue sauce and chicken gorgonzola with wilted spinach and orzo.

Kennett Square Restaurant: Sovana Bistro

Husband-and-wife team Linda and Nick Farrell have been serving up their eclectic mix of farm-fresh, seasonal dishes to local and not-so-local patrons for the past nine years—many of whom stop in three to four times a week. Casually elegant with an urban bistro flair, this gastronomically rich mecca boasts a Mediterranean repertoire with Italian, French and Spanish influences. All the pastas are made in-house, and the brick oven puts out some of the tastiest and crispiest pizza around.

Global Cuisine: Alison at Blue Bell
721 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell; (215) 641-2660, alisonatbluebell.com

Chef Alison Barshak is a well-traveled woman, and her menu is rich with intercontinental delights such as congee with lobster, ginger and edamame; lemongrass-dusted monkfish with laksa broth, rice noodles and bean sprouts; chile-marinated grilled Berkshire pork al postor-style, served with a corn tortilla, salad and pineapple cilantro salsa; dry-aged New York strip steak au poivre with frites; and sautéed shrimp with chipotle and orange, a black bean cake and avocado salad. Desserts also have global flair, and all are made fresh daily.

Multi-sensory Dining Experience: Gracie’s 21st Century Café and Catering
Manatawny Road, Pine Forge; (610) 323-4004, gracies21stcentury.com

Culinary adventurers who appreciate the joy of veering off the beaten path have long savored the eclectic, globally inspired cuisine at Gracie’s 21st Century Café. The dynamic menu offers seafood, prime Angus beef and game, plus an extensive vegetarian menu and nightly specials. Chef/owner Gracie Skiadas’ creations always have Mother Nature’s best interests in mind. She uses only wild, seasonal fish that’s “consciously monitored,” along with organic vegetables and meats.

Tasting Menu: Majolica

Scoring a weekend table at Majolica isn’t always easy, but if school nights suit you, then you’re in for a treat. Tuesday-Thursday, you can sample in six or eight courses—chef/owner Andrew Deery’s classic yet contemporary cuisine made with an eclectic mix of locally grown ingredients. You don’t even have to call ahead. Just let the staff know when you arrive, and the chef will handpick dishes from the evening’s menu. Portions are sized appropriately, so there’s plenty of room for dessert.

Contributors: Melissa Auman, Tara Behan, Benjamin Berliner, Kelly Farber, Scott E. Pruden, Catherine Quillman, Katherine Savo and Dawn E. Warden.