From the upstairs bar at Devil's Alley, on Chestnut near 19th Streets, there's a view of the defunct Little Pete's across the way, its old-school sign no longer glowing with the promise of late-night tuna melts and spinach omelets. For some of us, the closing of the diner/cocktail lounge raised important questions: Was it the end of cheap comfort food in this corridor of affluence?

Before we could conduct further research, however, Devil's Alley announced its opening this past July. Owned and operated by Sue Schlisman of the Sam's Grills in Wynnewood and Jenkintown, the popular restaurant is a two-tiered bastion of culinary normalcy. Somehow, the graffiti-tagged bathrooms suggest that Devil's Alley is a bit self-conscious about its urban identity, as though it needs to prove that a place like Sam's Grill can exist in Center City.

And it can. Sure, Little Pete's never had cocktails like a ginger-infused vodka with pomegranate juice or an appletini spiked with tequila, but Devil's Alley shows its comfort food roots in the nonalcoholic beverage list, where chocolate milk is prominently displayed as an offering.

Appetizers are foods that generally stand alone as meals, like wings, chili and quesadillas. A classic spinach salad with mushrooms is updated with wispy fried onion rings, a fringe of grated cheese and a sassy-sharp bacon vinaigrette. On the server's list of specials there are more exotic concoctions, like the daily changing grilled thin-crust pizza — one evening it was smoked chicken, cheddar, artichokes and tomatoes.

The family-friendly menu is heavy on burgers, which range from an unchallenging and slightly dry turkey with a simple lettuce, tomato and onion garnish to the more offbeat — salmon with tomato jam on black bread, or buffalo. The devil apparently prefers his dinner with charcoal markings: There's tuna steak, ribs and even a hot dog platter with fries and baked beans. The disproportionately starchy options include stuffing molded into "muffins," mac and cheese, creamed spinach, classic sweet coleslaw and giant sweet potato "fries," which are closer in size to potato quarters.

Chestnut Street is changing, but Devil's Alley fits into the landscape without shutting out the past. When there's a turkey platter on the menu, everybody wins.

Hours: Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-midnight; Sun., 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Appetizers, $4.50-$10; entrees, $10-$21

Wheelchair accessible. Smoking is permitted in the bar area. Reservations recommended for large parties. Credit cards accepted.