Day by Day

The restaurant at the corner of 21st at Sanson was one of the mysteries of our neighborhood for a very long time. People wondered how a place that was never open stayed around for so long. Sometime last year, I came across this curious spot on a Sunday afternoon to find it packed with people. I decided to try it, and the brunch in short kept me coming back for about a year now with a delicious menu that is constantly being updated; some of the staples like the potato pancakes benedict are unmatched, and I'm somewhat addicted. However, myreason for writing this is because of their new venture; after decades of being open solely for lunch and brunch and remaining and enigma to those coming home from work every night, they have finally decided to apply their amazing quality and creativity to an evening venture, not dinner, but DESSERT. I found out about this new treat during brunch, as practically every employee and frequent guest was raving about the desserts from the menu being passed around. I have had a few chances to try out this new venture, which has included an upgrade to the decor which was in dire need. I could rave all day, but I'll only leave one here. With cute new lighting, a huge improvement on the color scheme, and outdoor seating which is perfect in Philly during these hot summer nights, Day by Day has finally taken a step towards bringing the feel of the place up to the level of the food. The desserts, however, are the main attraction, and I would advise anyone with a sweet tooth to try this taste of heaven. Though the menu changes dramatically every week, I had one of their popular baked alaskas, a huge portion of cake, ice cream and meringue for a surprisingly low price. Though it was definitely enough for me and my friend to share, the presentation was creative and fun, with perfectly torched meringue and ice cream on vanilla cake that was full of flavor and perfect texture, leaving a lasting memory of one of the best desserts ever. Pros: Great food, fun environment (try to get there when there's live music) Cons: It's only open 3 nights a week more

We've been living in the area for years but never seem to catch this place when it's open...until recently. We decided to try their Sunday brunch and now have a favorite new spot. The host (and the staff in general) were super friendly when we walked in and we were seated near a large window, perfect for people watching on a lazy Sunday morning. We were a bit unsure what to expect. The menu looked great and had lots of options, but from the decor you wouldn't know the food was so good. And it was! I tried their potato pancakes benedict which was served with smoked salmon. Delicious. My better half tried the challah french toast stuffed with strawberries which (though i only had a bite) looked amazing and was truly an indulgence. Since then we've been back almost every weekend and have tried the huevos rancheros, the florentine, and salmon in phyllo...always fresh and wonderful. We've chatted with the host a few times and he tells us Day By Day has been open for 20 years?!? Not many people seem to know about this place when we mention it, but I imagine it's only a matter of time. Highly recommended. Pros: Fresh food, great friendly staffy, feels like home. Cons: Wish they did dinner. more

(Note: this place is only open for weekend brunch and weekday lunch, mostly it seems to do catering) We went during a snow storm. Our waitressed apologized that the place was understaffed because of the storm, but the service was not particularly slow. And the whole staff was friendly and down to earth. The food was very good (I got the roasted pear waffles, which were fluffy, chewy, and delicious! With homemade whipped cream and everything). The coffee was a bit weak for my taste, but they have a decent tea selection. Eggs also looked like a good option, and the fruit salad at the table next to me looked truely lovely. Pros: Good Food, Friendly Staff, Casual Atmosphere more