Reader Max, who left Philly for the greener, flatter pastures of Chicago, is coming back for a visit with some friends in tow; he wrote to us asking for recommendations on where to get some authentic snapper soup served with sherry, with bonus points going to establishments where it is served in a traditional tavern-style setting. Sadly, when Old Original Bookbinder’s closed a few months ago, it left a void in the snapper soup arena that is difficult to fill, but fret not, there are other options available…

To keep it uber-local, try DiNardo’s Famous Crabs. This Philly legend might be a bit tourist-y — although we kinda like it for its high camp, and they do serve up a wide selection of fresh seafood dishes, including its renowned snapper soup.

On the other side of the Delaware is The Pub in Pennsauken. This could be just the dimly-lit ambience that Max is looking for, right down to the olde English font on the menu. And that yen for snapper soup could quickly turn into a giant steak throwdown.

A bit further afield, in Feasterville to be exact, is the Kopper Kettle Tavern, which might rank low for ambience, but whose snapper soup is well-known.

For another fine snapper soup experience, it might be necessary to take a bit of a drive out into Pennsylvania Dutch country. Cab Frye’s Tavern, located due west of Quakertown in the town of Palm, is admittedly out of the way, but serves a snapper soup that’s worth the drive.

Readers, what have we missed? Whose snapper soup is helping you get through your Bookbinder’s withdrawal? Let us know in the comments.