We’re heading right next door this week! The last restaurant review I did was at Mi Vida on 11th and Ludlow, which had just opened up. But for this week, I thought I would officially review its long standing neighbor, The Wayward. A brunch place from 6:30 am to 1 pm and a sleek bar and lounge from 11am to 10pm. The Wayward had originally opened in 2020 and is actually named after Stephen Girard, a French sailor who became an infamous businessman in banking, construction, politics, coal mining, and transportation. Starting in Bordeaux, France, conquering New York, then making his last stop in Philadelphia.

Vibe

I’ve been to The Wayward before, just for a quick drink and one thing that always stuck with me was the vibe. It’s bright, clean, flows really nicely, and has a retro modern vibe to it. The eating area is an upscale diner look that flows into a sleek lounge and bar area. The patterns and colors are bold but not in a flashy way. The kitchen is exposed in the dining section which isn’t too loud or out of place, it blends in with the area that feels natural. Then the dining area also has an entry point into the patio area – which I believe you actually can’t eat out here but can enjoy a cocktail in the sun. Out here, the floral doesn’t look too good currently, but I’m not picky considering the whiplash of temperature we’re getting, but I know it can get quite beautiful and give a lot of privacy from passing parties.

Service

Not much to say about their service, which can be a good thing! I’m one person who doesn’t make a whole lot of conversation so sometimes the simplicity of it can be a major highlight for me. My server, who I believe was named Jeremy, was friendly, attentive, and quick. I did not feel like I was being rushed and was able to take my time to enjoy my meal and just take in the adored environment.

Food/Drink

Now for my favorite part, the food and drinks! The Wayward has your beloved breakfast/brunch items – oats, bacon, eggs, avocado, salmon, and a plethora of other options. I opted for the Brioche French Toast with a side of Applewood-Smoked Bacon. I also got an orange juice and a latte, which didn’t really become highlights of my visit. So I’ll start there so we end on a high note. The restaurant never claims that the orange juice is freshly squeezed, however when portraying this upscale and high price eatery, it would be nice to be paying for something that has a little more love in preparing it. Also the latte wasn’t anything to write home about. I added a flavor shot of caramel which was priced at an extra dollar (this is genuinely the first time I think I’ve ever paid for a flavor shot) and it ended up not tasting anything like caramel. It tasted like a regular latte, which is a good taste if you enjoy that. However, I would skip the latte here and go to a local coffee shop to get a real caramel or whatever flavored latte. If you did want to order a drink here, I would try a tea or any other cocktails.

Flavor wise, the food was a bit of a better experience. The bacon was not too bad. It’s actually cooked exactly how I like bacon, which is that diner style not super crunchy and packed with flavor. However, how it was served was not ideal. I’ve actually never seen bacon served in a bowl like this and I understand why. All the fat and grease piled at the bottom so the bacon is sitting in it and when I would go to pick it up it would drip everywhere. For the main dish, I absolutely loved the Brioche French Toast – nice and fluffy, came out warm, and was a melt in your mouth delicious goodness. The french toast wasn’t a big plate, I ate just about all of it by myself. So if you intend to share, definitely get another main or side of something else. The compote was luscious and tart which was balanced out with the sweet locally made maple syrup. This dish absolutely needed the maple syrup and not in a bad way! When I took a bite without the syrup it actually tasted like something was missing, so when everything was put together I was super happy that every aspect of the dish was included to create a heavenly taste.

Reservations

I ended up not making reservations for The Wayward since I pass it a lot and rarely see this place filled to the brim with a line out the door. I was able to get a seat as soon as I arrived, not super busy so it was quiet as well. However, around 9:15ish it started to get super busy between hotel guests and Philly regulars. Even then, the restaurant didn’t get completely packed so even if you show up around this time you’re still guaranteed a quick sitting time.

In Conclusion…

So the restaurant is connected to a hotel, The Canopy, so pricing wasn’t much of a shock. However, I would probably pick somewhere else to eat if you’re looking for that greasy cheap post night out brunch food. If you’re looking for a dress nice and splurge a bit, then I would recommend this. I’ve eaten at a lot of restaurants throughout my life thus far, my parents always knew what places were worth the price. Not just from the food but also the service and experience. With that being said, I personally wouldn’t do breakfast/brunch here again. I would love to try a cocktail hour with friends for some light bites that looked appetizing and fun, but breakfast wasn’t really anything special for the high price it’s set at. Especially since there are so many other places with creative and filling brunch dishes that make more sense at the price it is set at.