This week was my (25th!) birthday, and to celebrate, my parents took Brena and me to Cry Baby Pasta in Queen Village. I’ve been there once before, and their homemade pasta is divine, so I knew it was where I wanted to have my birthday meal.

Inside, the décor is cozy and eclectic with intentionally mismatched plates and a candle-lit atmosphere. It’s the perfect venue for an intimate wine night with friends or family while enjoying some delicious pasta.

I’m not much of an alcohol person, so I just got a lemonade, but Brena ordered their Prosecco and enjoyed it.

ID 170357036 | 25 Birthday © Stasonachinsk | Dreamstime.com

To start, we got the crispy potatoes and garlic butter bruschetta. We quickly polished off both. The bruschetta is a particular favorite, with crispy bread and just the right amount of garlic. The next time we go we’ll definitely be ordering two, because one order was not enough for four people.

For dinner I got their spaghetti cacio e pepe, while Brena and my mom opted for their linguine with crab, and my dad chose the rigatoni. We all enjoyed our meals immensely, and it was a great way to celebrate my birthday. Between the kind servers and the delicious food, Cry Baby has quickly become one of my absolute favorite restaurants in the city.

To finish the night, of course we needed to get ice cream, so I made my parents drive us to D’Emilio’s Old World Ice Treats, my favorite soft-serve ice cream spot in South Philly. The line can sometimes be long, but the ice cream is on another level. Luckily, it was chilly enough that we were the only people in line. I always get a chocolate/vanilla twist with rainbow sprinkles in a cone, and it hit the spot as always, the perfect conclusion to the night.

— Hannah Gruen, advertising & events coordinator