After the close of my family’s Christmas celebrations and before the whirlwind of the New Year started, my parents and I went to Wilder to enjoy lunch in the city. They rarely make their way into Center City; however, my mom had been sick for a few days prior and was finally feeling better, so they took a trip to the Mütter Museum and met me for lunch afterwards.

I had heard from a few friends Wilder was tasty and had seen on Instagram the day prior some photos that convinced me to make the reservation (as my family’s Philly resident, I was tasked with choosing the restaurant.) And it’s safe to say it did not disappoint.

Upon arriving, the place was packed with diners enjoying brunch. We waited about five to 10 minutes for our table before being seated in the upstairs section — keep this in mind for accessibility purposes — but the décor on both levels was fabulous. I wish I took more photos, but it was funky while remaining chic and elegant. I loved the moody, jewel-toned décor and lighting throughout.

Once seated with the menus, I opted for a cocktail to ring in the almost-new year: The Matchmaker was a vodka, yuzu and cranberry concoction. I also convinced the table to order half a dozen oysters; we went with the Pink Moon PEI and Kusshi Vancouver Island.

For lunch my mom and I shared the Hanger Steak Salad and Pizza alla Ruben. Although I didn’t try it, my dad got the Chicken and Biscuit, which he enjoyed. While everything was delicious, the Pizza alla Ruben was a standout. I haven’t tried anything like it, and I definitely recommend it.

I will be back to visit Wilder as the brunch menu was a tad different than the lunch and dinner menus, and some things on both looked great that I had to skip this time. If you do try it, expect it to be busy but to still have great service and delicious food and drinks.

— Aly Evans, business development and events coordinator