The Best Philadelphia Restaurants and Bars

Move over cheesesteak – the Philly food scene is more than the ubiquitous sandwich. Check out our Philadelphia food guide to discover the best Philadelphia restaurants, cafes, markets and bars.

Why Visit Philadelphia?

When we go home, the question isn’t what to do but rather how to fit everything into our busy schedules. The struggle of balancing time with friends and family together with all the places we want to visit and revisit is real. Seriously, there is no lack of things to do in Philadelphia.

Though often overshadowed by nearby cities like New York and Washington DC, Philadelphia is an ideal spot for an American city break. America’s founding city is a veritable treasure trove for history buffs with sites like the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the Betsy Ross House.

Art lovers will go crazy at the amazing Barnes Foundation with an Impressionist collection that rivals, if not beats, the best museums in Paris. We recently revisited the Barnes and were impressed by the hodgepodge of world-class art accessibly displayed in its controversial Benjamin Franklin Parkway location adjacent to Center City.

Most Impressionist art lovers rate Paris’ Musée D’Orsay as the greatest museum to view Impressionist and post-Impressionist art. While we don’t like to argue too strongly about the ‘best’ of anything, we are compelled to make a strong case for Albert Barnes’ diverse billion-dollar collection.

While there may be better individual works hanging in museums throughout the world such as the Orsay and NYC’s MoMA, the Barnes collection, with its stacked Cezannes, Renoirs and Matisses like gold over platinum, is a daunting display. We struggle to understand why the museum wasn’t more crowded during our visit on a holiday weekend.

Another art museum not to miss is the Philadelphia Museum of Art with its world-class collection ranging from the antiquities to modern day works, not to mention the famous Rocky steps. Quirkier in a folk-art kind of way, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens gallery draws crowds to South Street with its crazy mosaics and numerous photo ops.

Visiting the Barnes and these other great attractions, not to mention Philadelphia’s rich history as the USA’s founding city, would be more than reason enough to make Philadelphia an ideal spot for a city break for travelers from all corners of the world. But Philly’s food scene completes the puzzle.

Philly Food Scene

With a thriving food scene that ranges from humble food trucks to nationally acclaimed restaurants, Philadelphia is a great destination for food travelers at every budget.

However, when you think about it, the quality of Philly’s food scene should come as no surprise. Philadelphia is the most centrally located city on America’s eastern seaboard. Plus, living in Philadelphia is far more affordable than nearby cities like New York and Washington, D.C., which has provided a draw to some of the nation’s best young and experienced chefs.

Quietly over years and then suddenly with a bang, Philadelphia has elevated itself to become one of America’s premier food cities recognized by the likes of James Beard, Travel & Leisure and the Washington Post. These days, it’s hard to find a periodical that hasn’t recently discovered Philly’s sophisticated restaurants.

This acclaim isn’t limited to restaurants in Center City Philadelphia. Some of the top restaurants in Philadelphia are in neighborhoods like Fishtown, Bella Vista and South Philly.

The beginnings of Philadelphia’s restaurant gold rush go back to the 1970s with chefs like George Perrier and continued with Stephen Starr and his Philly-based restaurant group.

Beyond Perrier and Starr, much of the credit goes to New York-trained chefs like Eli Kulp and Peter Serpico who relocated to the city to take advantage of business opportunities, not to mention the city’s relatively low cost of living.

Philadelphia Food Guide | Where to Eat in Philadelphia

After much internal debate and a recent food-focused visit in partnership with Visit Philadelphia, we are finally ready to present a Philadelphia food guide with our favorite restaurants, cafes and markets. As always, we have included a variety of fine dining, cheap eats and coffee options because that’s how we roll in real life.

Top Philadelphia Restaurants

Philadelphia has more than its fair share of solid restaurants, even for a city with over 1.5 million residents. Despite the city’s international reputation as the world’s cheesesteak capital, the best restaurants in Philadelphia PA run the gamut of global cuisine options from French to Israeli. The city also houses one of the country’s most innovative Vegan restaurants.

Over the years we’ve dined at most of the best Philadelphia restaurants. We celebrated anniversaries and birthdays at hot spots including Bibou, Morimoto, Serpico, Vetri and Volver. As happens, we’ve seen some of our favorite restaurants come and go but most of the best continue to serve great food over the years.

If you’re researching where to celebrate a special occasion in Philadelphia, the choices can be overwhelming. Critics have their favorites and so do we. Based on our own personal dining experiences, we recommend the following top restaurants in Philly:

Zahav

Once upon a time, not so many years ago, the only Israeli food available in Philadelphia was of the hummus and falafel variety. Then, after Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook opened Zahav in 2008, everything changed. Since that time, Israel-born and Pittsburgh-raised has Solomonov earned multiple James Beard awards and now co-runs a thriving restaurant empire.

Zahav, Hebrew for gold, is a modern Israeli restaurant that takes diners on a culinary journey starting with wood-fire baked laffa bread served with three varieties of hummus and continuing with vegetarian salads and meatier mezze. Diners can order additional plates on an a la carte basis or sample a variety including the restaurant tasting menu and signature lamb shoulder.

Eating at Zahav requires planning and advance reservations a good two months before the dinner date. Otherwise, plan to arrive by 4:30 to secure a first come, first serve seat at the bar.

Sure, you’ll be eating early but at least you’ll get discounted lemonannas to start your meal. You can put the savings toward a Zahav cookbook, an ideal souvenir of your meal.

Kalaya

Helmed by Southern Thai native Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Kalaya isn’t just the best Thai restaurant in Philadelphia. It’s one of the city’s best restaurants period.

Our meal at Kalaya was a revelation that started with bright blue shaw muang dumplings colored with special Thai pea flowers and filled with ground chicken and peanuts. However, Suntaranon’s special Phuket crabmeat curry is the dish that blew our minds and made our taste buds tingle.

Friday Saturday Sunday

Proving that everything old can become new again, a crackerjack team of Philadelphia restaurant pros have transformed formerly stodgy Friday Saturday Sunday into an exciting culinary destination. Despite its age on paper, Friday Saturday Sunday is one of the best new restaurants in Philadelphia.

Chad and Hanna Williams seamlessly run the back and front of the Rittenhouse Square restaurant, but they don’t do it alone. Locals will recognize familiar faces like bartender Paul MacDonald and pastry chef Tish Smith as well as servers from some of the best restaurants in Philly.

Start your meal at the restaurant’s beautifully restored bar replete with ornate marble and a dizzying selection of liquors and cocktail ingredients. You could request a standard drink, but we recommend choosing one of the restaurant’s signature concoctions like Sob Story. We almost cried from happiness as we chilled with this not-so-sad cocktail made with Haitian rum, Torino vermouth, Nardini, Batavia arrack and coconut rum.

The one-page menu includes an enticing variety of dishes starting with a raw bar and continuing with beef tartare, octopus and sweetbread katsu. Don’t worry if you don’t eat meat, vegetable options like charred cauliflower and confit carrots (pictured above) are the opposite of a sacrifice. Plus, the restaurant’s desserts are splurge-worthy.

Vernick Food & Drink

Jean-George Vongerichten disciple Greg Vernick serves an amazing assortment of food at his restaurant, appropriately named Vernick, starting with a varied and changing selection of ‘toasts’ to expertly crafted starters and entrees. Not flying under the radar, Vernick is fully booked every night it’s open, making advance reservations a necessity except at the bar.

Despite the restaurant’s popularity and prime Rittenhouse Square location, Vernick’s staff maintains a non-pretentious vibe. We especially like the convivial atmosphere at the sleek bar with its mix of locals and expense account travelers who often bond over a shared love for food. Plus, sitting at the bar provides a front-row view to a nightly mixology show performed by Vernick’s expert barkeeps.

But at the end of the day, the best part of dining at Vernick is the food. Vernick offers toasted bread with toppings that go beyond avocado, offering sophisticated seasonal pairings like Fromage & Pickled Cherries and Beef Tartare & Fresh Horseradish.

Laser Wolf

Imagine Zahav (see above) simplified and you have Laser Wolf, Chef Michael Solomonov’s super popular restaurant in Kensington South. All the Israeli inspired elements are here in a bare bones casual space along with salatim starters, hummus, fresh pita and a variety of grilled meats and veggies.

Then the meat arrives. Cooked over a humble, charcoal grill, flavorful skewers of meat and fish are fully satisfying. The same goes for veggie options.

Solomov’s newest venture has plenty for herbivores, carnivores and general fans of Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s a fun spot to dine, with or without friends, in the Olde Kensington neighborhood right next to Fishtown.

Fork

If you’re looking for a New York City dining experience in Philadelphia, head to Old City and eat dinner at Fork. This restaurant has been a sophisticated Philadelphia dining destination since Ellen Yin opened the doors in 1997.

Back in the day, now trendy Old City didn’t offer diners much beyond Stephen Starr’s martini bar, The Continental. A young pup named Daryl lived around the corner in a walk-up apartment decorated with pink carpet and sparkly ceilings, allegedly not his design choices.

Amada

Iron Chef Jose Garces’ original restaurant remains his crowning jewel. Named after Garces’ grandmother, Amada introduced many Philadelphians to the tapas style of eating when it opened in 2005. Popular from the get-go, Amada is still one of the hottest restaurant tickets in town for Madrid style tapas and a popular spot for celebratory dinners.

Amada’s menu has dozens of small plate options. You can’t go wrong with Spanish favorites like Serrano ham (jamón Serrano) or bacon-wrapped Medjool Dates (dátiles con almendras). In addition to its outstanding wine list, Amada also serves tasty red and white sangria by the pitcher or glass.

When you dine at Amada, you can go whole hog and order the roasted suckling pig (conchillo asado) meal which is both sized and priced for a large group. Suckling pigs must be ordered in advance. We recommend checking with the restaurant a week before your reservation.

Suraya

Suraya opened in Fishtown after we left Philadelphia. We’d heard positive reports about the Lebanese restaurant but we had to see and taste it to believe it. After doing just that, we’re now fans of the exciting Frankford Avenue restaurant.

The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in Suraya is the massive gorgeous, sunlit converted machine shop space. The owners spared no expense with the design including a sleek bar and inviting market. This is the kind of restaurant where you can start your day with a Levantine pastry and a cup of Stumptown coffee and come back later to end it with artistically prepared small plates and a crafted cocktail.

We sat at the bar during our impromptu visit which gave us a prime people-watching vista. Dishes like the Samke Nayyeh (pictured above) and Labne with Za’atar satisfied us and left us excited to return and eat more of Suraya’s exotic yet accessible food.

Vedge

Located on Locust Street, Vedge’s modern Vegan menu is so good that it will make you think twice about ever eating meat again. Our meal didn’t turn us into Vegans or even Vegetarians, but we did consider the option for a few minutes.

Operated by power couple Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby and housed in a stately building formerly occupied by old-school restaurant Deux Cheminees, Vedge is a beautiful restaurant that serves beautiful food. The only thing missing from the equation is meat – but there’s no reason to miss it.

Opting to celebrate plants rather than fake meat, Vedge’s seasonal menu is separated into three sections – Vedge Bar, Dirt List and The Grill. Standout dishes during our meal were the wood-roasted carrots and luscious eggplant braciole. We also enjoyed a fruit-topped cheesecake dessert and crafted cocktails. In case we weren’t clear, we didn’t miss meat at all.

Vetri Cucina

We celebrated our fifth anniversary at Vetri Cucina back in 2012, just a few months before we launched the 2foodtrippers site and 14 years after the top-rated restaurant opened. A lot has changed for us since then, but Vetri has continued its status as one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia.

Situated in an impressive rowhouse just a block off of busy Broad Street, Vetri Cucina only serves prix fix meals fit (and priced) for special occasions and romantic dates. During our anniversary dinner, we enjoyed diving deep into Chef Mac Vetri’s take on northern Italian cuisine. Vetri trained in Bergamo, Italy and later trained a young crop of chefs including Zahav’s Michael Solmonov (see above).

Michelin has no inspectors in Philadelphia but, in our opinion, a restaurant like Vetri would merit at least two Michelin stars. Does our meal at Vetri rank at the top of meals we’ve eaten at similarly priced restaurants like French Laundry, Maison Lameloise and Maison Bras? We can’t say it that it did. But we still recommend a meal here if you have the time and budget.

Additional Top Philly Restaurants

Casual Philadelphia Restaurants

The only problem with choosing a casual restaurant in Philadelphia is that there are too many options. Throughout the city, each neighborhood has its own dining scene with new restaurants popping up all the time. We recommend you try the following casual restaurants when you eat out in Philly:

Mike’s BBQ

Despite its location in South Philly, Mike’s BBQ is a serious player on the national smoked barbecue stage. It’s also a true Philly restaurant.

When you eat at Mike’s BBQ, there’s no mistake that you’re in Philadelphia eating barbecue that’s crafted with care. Owner Mike Strauss understands that while execution is a paramount consideration for great smoked meat, qualities like locality and soul make the ‘cue – not to mention the cheesesteaks.

We visited Mike’s BBQ during the 2021 pandemic year on a rainy Philly day in June. While indoor dining was closed (that has since changed), there were a couple outdoor tables where we could enjoy our smoked meat feast. 

As the raindrops began to slowly hit our heads and, more importantly, our food, we packed up lunch and finished eating in our car. Dining on car seats detracted nothing from the experience. Just like the rest of our meal, Banana Q pudding, a creamy dessert filled with banana slices and topped with rich caramel sauce, tasted heavenly under the glow of the sunroof.

Standard Tap

Located in Northern Liberties, the tragically hip Philadelphia neighborhood that’s now overshadowed by even hipper Fishtown just a few blocks away, Standard Tap was a gastropub before the word was a common vocabulary term. Despite its longevity, Standard Tap has stayed fresh with one of the city’s best beer selections and a top-notch food menu.

During our most recent visit, we enjoyed dishes featuring ingredients like Persian cucumbers, smoked ricotta, duck liver mousse and baked feta. And the beer? Our pints were outstanding. Standard Tap has one of Philly’s deepest brew selections including two beers tapped from hand-pumped (British style) beer engines.

If we were to name a local restaurant that epitomizes American food in Philadelphia, Standard Tap would have to be in the conversation. If you’re a tourist who’s new to the USA, this is a spot that more than typifies what New American dining is all about.

Oyster House

Previously known as the Sansom Street Oyster House, Oyster House lives up to its name by serving the best oysters in town. Its name may have been shortened, but the oyster selection remains strong with mollusks hailing from as close as the Mid Atlantic shores and as far away as Prince Edward’s Island and British Columbia.

Beyond oysters, the Center City restaurant serves a variety of seafood including shrimp, octopus and lobster. Meat lovers can opt for burgers. Choices are more limited for Vegetarians as is the case at most seafood restaurants in Philadelphia.

If you’re a non-vegetarian and want to eat seafood like a native Philadelphian, order the Snapper Turtle Soup (or as locals call it – ‘Snapper Soup’). Made with real snapping turtles, this thick, meaty soup will warm your bones on a cold winter night.

Village Whiskey

More than just whiskey, Jose Garces’ Village Whiskey serves a full range of tasty beverages as well as some of the best burgers in town. Ironically, Shake Shack is right across the street, but that’s a fast food chain restaurant based in NYC. Sure, you can order other items like cobb salad and jarred pickled vegetables at Village Whiskey, but the restaurant’s burgers, specially butchered in-house, are the star attractions.

Parc

Directly across the street from leafy Rittenhouse Square, Parc Restaurant is Philadelphia’s gentrified version of a Parisian brasserie. Stephen Starr and his team left no stone or tile unturned when they decorated this corner restaurant with both style and panache.

When you dine at Parc, you can order solid versions of Parisian food classics like onion soup gratinée or steak tartare. However, we love eating at Parc for the prime people-watching opportunities both inside the restaurant’s beaux-arts dining room as well as outside on the bistro’s expansive sidewalk. The sidewalk seating is a key reason why Parc is one of the most popular Rittenhouse Square restaurants.

Khyber Pass Pub

Don’t go to the Khyber Pass Pub if you’re looking for good Pakistani food. Despite the name, this pub doesn’t serve any Pakistani food at all. But do go if you’re looking for a classic bar with a standout Philadelphia beer selection and some of the city’s best New Orleans cuisine.

The Khyber is by many estimates the oldest operating bar in Philly. Its ornately sculpted wood bar dates back to the 1876 Centennial Exposition, and legend says that troughs below the bar were previously used for a very special purpose by its rough-hewn dock and seafaring clientele.

The Khyber used to be the kind of bar locals would go to for good beer and live music. Some of the legendary music acts that performed at the Khyber include Morphine, Smashing Pumpkins, Liz Phair, Pavement, Kings of Leon and Future Tips. However, the 150-year-old bar was generally not the kind of place where you’d find a clean bathroom or good food. The pub always had great beer, but that’s another story.

The Love / Talula’s Garden / Talula’s Daily

Aimee Olexy became an institution after she opened the wildly successful Talula’s Table in nearby Kennett Square. With a one-year waiting list, not many people can actually eat at the tiny BYO restaurant. Who plans that far ahead???

We originally met Olexy at Talula’s Table and later bonded with her at Headhouse Square Market (see below), but we never ate dinner at the exclusive suburban restaurant. Luckily for us and people who don’t want to schlep to the suburbs, Steven Starr has partnered with Olexy to open three restaurants in the city.

If you’re looking for a romantic dinner, go to Talula’s Garden on the edge of Washington Square. Diners looking for a more casual dining experience can opt to try Talula’s Daily, also on Washington Square. For a more trendy experience, try newly opened The Love by Rittenhouse Square.

Additional Casual Philly Restaurants

Philadelphia Pizza

For years, South Philly’s Marra’s and Kensington’s Taconelli’s Pizza were the best places to eat pizza. Marra’s has been open since 1927 on Passyunk Avenue, while Taconelli’s has been open since 1918 in Port Richmond. Both remain favorites for locals who have fond memories of eating pies with their parents or grandparents

When choosing pizza in Philadelphia, we generally prefer more modern Campania-style pizza like the pies we’ve eaten in Naples and at Pepe in Grani, which many, including us, consider to be the best pizzeria in the world. When we’re in Philadelphia, these are our favorite spots for pizza:

Pizzeria Beddia

Pizzeria Beddia achieved national fame when Bon Appetit dubbed the best pizza in America in 2015. It’s debatable whether that accolade is valid but it’s not a stretch to call Pizzeria Beddia the best pizzeria in Philadelphia.

We joined the crowds and ordered two pies – one with tomato, whole milk mozzarella cheese, Galen’s Good Old cheese and pepperoni and one with spicy arrabbiata cheese, hot peppers and Royer Mountain cheese. The pizza’s thin crust reminded us of pies we’ve eaten at NYC pizzerias like Di Fara in Brooklyn, but the combination of toppings was their own beautiful thing.

Angelo’s Pizzeria

Ever since, and maybe a bit before online impresario and pizza critic David Portnoy stepped out of the 9th street entryway of Angelo’s Pizzeria, the takeout only operation had become a Philly pizza phenomenon. So, before we talk about the food at Angelo’s, which is amazing, let’s talk about the best way to enjoy it.

You could call the pizzeria during business hours but a busy signal will probably greet you. Even if you get through, you’ll likely be encouraged to order in person since Angelo’s is generally backed up with large orders throughout the day.

When you show up in person, don’t expect tables since there’s no dining room. This means you need to be creative. We found outdoor seating at 9th and Montrose St, just north of Italian market specialty shops Claudio and DiBruno Bros., in front of the former Frank Rizzo mural. In other words, if you’re visiting Philly and it’s not raining, you’re good.

So what do you eat at Angelo’s Pizzeria? Not surprisingly based on the name, you should probably order one of the best pizzas in Philly. These pies rival Pizzeria Beddia for the title of best pizza in Philadelphia with their substantial yet airy crust, top notch ingredients and consistent crunch. It’s all right there in a feast for the eyes. Look at that pie! (Above) We dare you not to eat it!

Pizzeria Vetri

Beyond pizza, Pizzeria Vetri has a menu filled with Italian treats, both savory and sweet. We recommend you start your meal with a rotolo. Made with pizza dough, mortadella, ricotta and pistachio pesto, the rotolo may be our favorite item on Pizzeria Vetri’s menu.

Santucci’s

As much as we love a properly baked Neapolitan pizza, sometimes we are happy to eat a pie smothered with sauce, coated with melted cheese and topped with Italian sausage. When that’s our mood, Santucci’s in the Italian Market is our go-to spot in Philadelphia.

Beyond its consistently crunchy crust and tasty sausage, Santucci’s pulls away from the pizza pack for two reasons. Not only does Santucci’s make rectangular pies instead of the standard round shape, but they also add a slightly sweet tomato sauce on top of the cheese. The results may look strange but the taste gets our thumbs up.

Bagels + Brunch

Like many cities, Philadelphia has a thriving brunch scene with bustling weekend crowds that willingly wait hours for a table. When we lived in Philly, our favorite brunch go-to was Morning Glory Diner for its breakfast fare and a chill vibe as well as the short two-block walk from our house. When we weren’t in our neighborhood, we liked to eat lemon ricotta pancakes at Cafe Lift and traditional New Orleans fare at the Khyber.

Until recently, bagels were good but not great in Philly. That all changed with several bagel shops opening in town, with our favorites being Knead Bagels and Philly Style Bagel. Both of these bagel shops serve top quality bagels with a twist – think togarashi bagels at Knead Bagels and bagels made with beer at Philly Style Bagels.

Philly Style Bagels

The debate between New York and Montreal as to which city makes the better bagel now has a third rival for the claim. Young guns Collin Shapiro and Jonathon Zilber have joined the competition with their locally loved and nationally lauded bagels.

For the past few years, the team at Philly Style Bagels has been hand rolling bagels and boiling them in IPA beer from nearby Yards Brewing Company (see below). While bagels in Montreal are boiled in honey water and New York bagels are boiled in malt syrup, Philadelphians Shapiro and Zilber ramp up their bagels with beer.

Knead Bagels

At first glance, Knead Bagels looks like a typical bagel shop. But when you look closer for the full picture, you will see that Knead doesn’t stop at plain, poppy seed and sesame bagels.

Instead, the Washington Square West bagel shop offers provocative bagel flavors like togarashi, black sesame and lavender. And salt bagel lovers get an option that adds fennel seed to the mix.

Sure, you could slather plain cream cheese on a Knead bagel, but that’s kind of boring. We suggest trying a specialty cream cheese spread like scallion lime or roasted tomato. Then again, you could go for whitefish salad. We rarely say no to the fishy yet legendary bagel topping.

Sam’s Morning Glory Diner

Open since 1997 before brunch was a ‘thing’ in Philadelphia and around the world, Morning Glory Diner set the standard for daytime dining in the city. All these years later, crowds still line up at this brunch spot in the Bella Vista neighborhood, especially on weekends.

Though Morning Glory serves comfort food like frittatas, breakfast burritos, pancakes and monte cristo sandwiches, we recommend the diner’s breakfast platter. In addition to two eggs cooked to order, the value-priced platter comes with a jumbo buttermilk biscuit, potatoes or grits and a fruit. Meat is an optional add-on for those feeling particularly carnivorous.

One of the most unique diners in Philadelphia, Morning Glory has its quirks. In addition to serving food with a side of attitude, the diner makes its own jams and ketchup. If you like Heinz ketchup, you won’t find it here.

Additional Brunch Spots

Philly Cheap Eats

Despite all the fun restaurants in Philly slinging cheesesteaks and hoagies, iconic sandwiches are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cheap eats in the City of Brotherly Love. Seriously, the options are wide if you’re looking for a quick meal on the go.

When you visit Philadelphia, you’ll find all kinds of food values including fried chicken, hummus, tacos and matzoh ball soup. There’s no need to drop a bundle every time you eat out in Philly unless that’s your thing. These are our favorite spots when we want to save money and/or eat our guilty pleasures in Philadelphia:

Federal Donuts

Federal Donuts serves only three things. But these three are enough to satisfy crowds of hungry Philadelphians who affectionately call the spot Fed Nuts. In Philadelphia, this is THE place to go for cake-style donuts and Korean-style fried chicken. Great coffee is a bonus.

Flavors at Fed Nuts skew toward the exotic. Customers can choose between fresh hot (which are our favorite) and fancy donuts (also excellent). Hot donut flavors are basic with flavors like cinnamon, brown sugar and strawberry lavender while fancy flavors are more unusual with varieties including vanilla rhubarb, blueberry lemonade and maple bacon.

Fried chicken is offered in dry style flavors like za’atar, coconut curry, buttermilk ranch and wet style flavors like chili garlic, honey ginger and sweet soy. You may need to visit twice if you can’t pick just one style.

John’s Roast Pork

Recognized by James Beard and loved by locals, John’s Roast Pork serves some of the best sandwiches in a sandwich city. In fact, many Philadelphians (including us) consider John’s Roast Pork as THE best spot in the city for roast pork sandwiches and cheesesteaks.

The Bucci family opened John’s Roast Pork back in 1930. In many ways, the sandwich shop hasn’t changed a lot over the years. It’s still located at the industrial corner of Weccacoe and Snyder Avenue near shop docks, warehouses and I-95. The service is surly as ever but in a friendly way – just know what you want to order when you enter.

The line is long but John’s wants to serve customers quickly. The experience is chaotic but orderly and you will rarely have to wait more than 15 minutes for your sandwiches. On the upside, the eatery is now open six days a week and until 7:00 pm.

By all means, order a roast pork sandwich here – it’s the best in town. Be prepared to share it or take part home to eat later. It’s that big! Our best recommendation is to order your pork with greens (spinach – they don’t use broccoli rabe at John’s) and sharp. Sharp provolone is one of Philly’s great sandwich secrets. The aged cheese adds a funky edge of flavor that makes this sandwich special.

Cosmi’s Deli

Owner Mike Seccia continues his family’s culinary traditions at a tiny corner stand in South Philly. He and his team serve a full menu of hoagies featuring Italian cured meats, meatballs, tuna, turkey, roast beef and more. Cosmi’s also has hoagie options for Vegetarians.

Dizengoff / Goldie

After Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook became kings of Israeli food in Philadelphia with Zahav (see above), they cemented this status with Dizengoff and Goldie. Located a block from each other, these two casual eateries strike a chord with local hummus lovers and falafel fans.

Dizengoff will remind you of a Tel Aviv hummusiya with its hip design and bold flavors. Not surprisingly, hummus is the star here and it’s just as creamy as at Zahav. However, unlike Zahav, you can order toppings like lamb and veggies depending on the current seasonal menu.

DiNic’s

As the nation’s fifth biggest city, Philadelphia is big enough to support multiple restaurants that specialize in roast pork sandwiches. In addition to John’s Roast Pork (see above), we recommend award-winning DiNic’s for visitors who want to experience this quintessential Philadelphia sandwich without leaving the center of town.

Cheese Steaks – Pat’s/Geno’s/Jim’s/Tony Luke’s

We get that tourists have a mission to eat a cheesesteak when they visit Philadelphia. After all, it’s one of the best sandwiches in the world. We do the same with signature foods when we visit cities like New Orleans, Cincinnati and New York.

We even have an answer to the inevitable question as to whether we prefer Pat’s or Geno’s for cheesesteaks. Drum roll – our answer to the Philly cheesesteak debate is John’s Roast Pork (see above) in deep South Philly.

We’ll eat at Pat’s and Geno’s when it’s convenient (like at 4 am on a weeknight), but we’ll travel to John’s when we crave a juicy cheesesteak. We must also mention Jim’s, a local cheesesteak favorite since 1939, both for its sandwiches and South Street location.

For lifelong Philadelphians, there’s a certain degree of nostalgia associated with eating a steak from Jim’s, Geno’s or Pats. As we said above, there’s magic in the way the cheese whiz combines with the fat from the thinly sliced, flat-top grilled steak. It’s special. While we do love John’s best, we still think that eating a steak at Jim’s, Pat’s or Geno’s is worth a trip.

South Philly Barbacoa

Recognized by the likes of Bon Appetit and James Beard, Chef Cristina Martínez specializes in cooking Mexican food like lamb consommé and tacos. Not your standard tacos, Martínez makes hers with freshly pressed tortilla shells and tops them with slow-cooked lamb and pork barbacoa.

Does this story sound familiar? If so, you may have seen Martínez and her cooking on David Chang’s Netflix show Ugly Delicious. Either way, you’re going to want to arrive early when the restaurant is open on weekend days to try the famous barbacoa before it sells out.

Famous 4th Street Delicatessen

Don’t freak out when you see the prices at Famous 4th Street Deli. Their monstrous sandwiches are actually a good value at this traditional New York deli-style eatery. At Famous Fourth, a classic pastrami on rye sandwich is big enough to share, though you may need to ask for extra rye bread.

As for the Famous chicken soup with a huge matzo ball, kreplach, noodles, rice and kasha – you can share that too and take the rest home or to your hotel room or apartment to enjoy later. You’ll want to order your own can of Dr. Brown’s soda, at least that’s what we do.

Asian Food

We love Asian food so much that we celebrated our rehearsal dinner in Chinatown back in 2007 when Philly’s best Asian food was in the one center city neighborhood. We still have our roster of favorites in Chinatown, but we’re pleased to report that many of the city’s best Asian restaurants have spread to different neighborhoods throughout the city.

Pick an Asian country and you will likely find a restaurant serving its cuisine in Philadelphia. We recommend that you start exploring Philly’s Asian restaurants with a hungry stomach and a plan. Since each restaurant has its own specialty, start with our favorites until you have your own.

Dim Sum Garden

Originally located in a dank space on 11th Street next to an infamous Chinatown bus depot, Dim Sum Garden moved to the big time when it relocated to Race Street in 2013. Since the move, the Shanghainese Chinatown restaurant has achieved local cult status due to the rabid popularity of its main dish – Xia Long Bao, otherwise known as soup dumplings.

Mother/daughter team of Chef ShiZhou Da and Sally Song showed foresight when they moved to the larger space, evidenced by the line of regulars who queue up daily to eat soup dumplings filled with a choice of either pork or crabmeat and pork.

Sure, the restaurant offers other dumpling choices like excellent Shao Mai, but the soup dumplings are the star of the show. They also serve a pan-fried soup dumpling (Shengjian Bao) for those who are so inclined.

Sang Kee Noodle House

Sang Kee is not a hidden gem that we discovered together. Instead, the Hong Kong style Chinatown restaurant was a personal favorite of ours before we met. So it should be no surprise that this is the restaurant where we kicked off our wedding weekend with a food-focused rehearsal dinner.

In our opinion, Sang Kee is the closest thing Philly has to a Hong Kong style roast duck house. Like in Hong Kong, an array of hanging roast ducks, char siu pork and soy sauce chickens greet diners at the restaurant’s foyer. There are a number of other items on Sang Kee’s menu but make no mistake – roast Southern Chinese meats are the big draw here. Order simple and you can’t go wrong.

We both have our favorite dishes at Sang Kee. Mindi always orders a big bowl of noodle soup loaded with wontons, char siu pork and wide noodles. Daryl prefers to order a plate generously topped with roast pork, duck, chicken and green vegetable over rice.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya

We discovered the izakaya concept in Las Vegas and got the full experience in Tokyo, but Philly didn’t have a decent izakaya when we lived there. We heard rumors of the Khyber team opening one in the Queen Village neighborhood, but it never happened. That is, it never happened until after we hit the road and left town.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya is the izakaya that we had wished for when we lived in Philadelphia. The cool factor is high with an anonymous sign pulled straight from a Tokyo back alley (blink and you’ll miss it) and Japanese animé projected on the restaurant’s interior brick wall. But it’s the food that makes this izakaya truly special.

In addition to traditional izakaya fare like yakitori and chasu buns, Royal excels with a sushi program led by Jesse and Massaharu Ito, both formerly at the beloved Fuji in nearby Haddonfield, New Jersey. Guests can order sushi and sashimi at the izakaya, but the better option is to reserve a spot at the intimate sushi bar in the backroom for a special omakase meal.

Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

Before Nan Zhou moved into its current location in 2012, the unique noodle shop was a hole-in-the-wall secret shared among friends. Fast forward to the present and the secret is out of the bag.

Philadelphia’s original hand-drawn noodle house offers an extensive menu in its expanded Chinatown location. Some people prefer their shaved noodles. As for us, we agree to disagree on this important topic.

Daryl orders pulled noodles with various proteins depending on his mood. However, Mindi always orders shaved noodles with house special meatballs. If we’re extra hungry, we go crazy and share a scallion pancake.

Han Dynasty

Historically, the Han Dynasty was a golden age in China many moons ago. Today, Han Dynasty is a gem of a restaurant group for lovers of spicy food in Philadelphia and beyond. The cuisine is Sichuan, and the spice level is as hot as you want it to be.

Han Chiang opened the original Han Dynasty in Philly exurb Exton and soon expanded into Philly proper. He now has nine locations including the original location and three in the city. With additional locations in New Jersey and New York City, Chiang’s dynasty is for real.

We usually start our Han Dynasty meals with dan dan noodles and spicy, crispy cucumbers. Main dishes run the gamut much like a who’s who of Sichuan favorites.

CheU

When Ben Puchowitz and Shawn Darragh opened CHeU Noodle Bar in the Washington Square neighborhood in 2013, it was a cool joint serving creative Asian food in a funky bar setting. We often went at off hours to avoid crowds in the tiny space and ordered dishes like Brisket Ramen, a unique, spicy take on the Japanese classic with a matzoh ball and kimchee.

For a while, the spot felt like a hidden gem with its graffitied walls, paper lanterns and space for just a couple dozen or so guests. Puchowitz and Darragh quickly expanded their horizons with bigger, bolder spaces in South Philly and Fishtown, two of Philly’s hottest neighborhoods.

The original CHeU is now permanently closed. Expect fun designs and non-traditional Asian food at the newer locations which are similar yet different to the original CHeU. Without a doubt, these are some of the most trendy Asian restaurants in Philly.

Stock

Open since 2014, Stock has become a fixture in Fishtown despite its tiny space and a limited menu with just a handful of Vietnamese food favorites including pho, salads and banh mi sandwiches. Locals often queue up for a spot so that they can eat a satisfying bowl of pho before hitting the many bars that have sprouted in Fishtown over the past decade.

Chef Tyler Akin quietly made a name for himself at Stock before achieving dubious acclaim in 2016 due to a poorly-received Bon Appetit video that featured the chef explaining how to eat a bowl of pho. He weathered the PR storm and has since co-opened Res Ipsa Cafe (see below) in Rittenhouse Square and a second Stock in that same tony neighborhood.

Additional Asian Restaurants

Philadelphia Coffee Shops

Ten years ago, coffee in Philadelphia was nothing to write home about with a plethora of chain cafes serving burnt coffee and frozen coffee drinks to the masses. What a difference a decade can make! Philadelphia now has excellent coffee shops and roasters all over the city.

Discover more than a dozen excellent coffee shops in our Philadelphia Coffee Guide.

Philadelphia Desserts

Franklin Fountain

Open since 2004, Franklin Fountain has embraced its Old City neighborhood and could pass for an ice cream counter from a century ago. Beyond classic scoops, uniformed servers and a restored soda counter complete the retro picture.

Crowds form day and night to eat handmade ice cream made with local dairy and seasonal fruit. Flavors include chocolate and vanilla standards as well as more unique offerings like Teaberry Gum, a minty gum popular in the early 20th century. Vegans will even find options to wet their whistles.

Beyond ice cream, Franklin Fountain has a menu filled with tempting treats including egg creams, milkshakes and sundaes. The sundaes are quite elaborate and easily shareable with a friend or two.

Isgro Pastries

Termini Bros. Bakery

Just like Philadelphia has dueling cheesesteak shops, local Italian bakeries vie for top cannoli honors. Usually, the contenders are Isgro Pastries (see above) and Termini Bros., a third generation Italian bakery based in South Philly.

Opened by Giuseppe and Gaetano Termini in the early 1920s, aptly named Termini Bros. specializes in Italian pastries of all sorts including the aforementioned cannolis. Though customers can choose their cannoli fillings, we prefer the just-sweet-enough ricotta filling with tiny bits of chocolate.

Beiler’s Doughnuts

With a population exceeding 1.5 million, Philadelphia is a city that can support more than one donut store. In fact, it’s a city that loves donuts – and a lot of them.

Based in nearby Reading and owned by the Beilers, an Amish family, Beiler’s Doughnuts is up to the challenge. The Pennsylvania Dutch operation has commanded a corner of the Reading Terminal (see below) since 1985 and sells thousands of donuts every day of the week except Sunday.

Popular choices include apple fritters, banana cream and salted caramel, though the shop also sells fancy donuts with toppings like fruity pebbles and m&m’s. We shared a caramel apple donut during our last visit and found it to be finger-licking good.

Essen Bakery

Chef Tova du Plessis’ tiny Essen Bakery packs a big wallop with its traditional baked Jewish delicacies. The pedigreed chef, with an impressive resume that includes a stint at Zahav (see above), hails from Johannesburg, South Africa but her babka takes us straight to New York’s lower east side. It’s that good!

Though we’re partial to Essen’s babka, we understand if you want to try other treats like apple cake, rugelach and black & white cookies. The bakery also sells sandwiches and loaves of bread.

Philadelphia Markets

Philadelphia’s MidAtlantic location positions the city as a hub for a myriad of fresh seasonal produce including our favorites – tomatoes from New Jersey and apples from Adams County, PA near Gettysburg. To try the best produce, we recommend shopping at local markets whenever possible.

Ironically, prices are often higher at Philadelphia’s markets when compared to chain grocery stores. However, in this case, sometimes you have to pay more for quality.

Headhouse Farmers Market

Operated by the Food Trust since 2007, Headhouse Farmers Market sells some of the area’s best local produce for just four hours a week. The popular market is open from 10 am to 2 pm on Sundays only.

Locals fill historic Headhouse Square shambles every week to buy the area’s best produce from dozens of vendors who regularly convene in Society Hill to sell their wares. Popular items include fruits, vegetables, meat, baked goods and local cheese.

Reading Terminal Market

Open since 1893, Reading Terminal Market functions both as a local institution and a major tourist attraction. Most visitors don’t know or care about the market’s history. They come to Reading Terminal for the food.

75 food vendors sell a melting pot of food from Chinese to Mexican, but the most popular spots sell local favorites like roast pork sandwiches and chocolate covered pretzels. The market even has an entire section dedicated to Pennsylvania Dutch merchants who commute from nearby Lancaster County.

With so many vendors, the choices can be overwhelming. We recommend you stop and eat at locations previously highlighted in this article including Beiler’s Doughnuts, DiNic’s, Dutch Eating Place, Sang Kee and Termini Bros. Bakery.

Italian Market

Visitors to Philadelphia’s Italian Market will likely be surprised for two reasons. First, the market spans several blocks on South 9th Street and is not enclosed. Second, many of the shops are not actually Italian.

Despite the surprises, the Italian Market is in a wonderful place to visit in Philadelphia. The ‘market’ has numerous locally-owned, non-chain shops, markets, bakeries, butchers, cheese shops, not to mention taquerias, bodegas and Asian eateries.

We recommend starting your Italian Market stroll at 9th and Christian, perhaps after you have brunch at either Morning Gory or Sabrina’s (see both above). Wander south toward Washington Avenue making stops at Claudio’s and Di Bruno where you can indulge in Italian cheese and cured meats.

Philadelphia Bars

Visitors to the City of Brotherly Love will have no problem finding good spots to drink. On the contrary, the true challenge will be narrowing down the many options.

For decades, Philadelphia’s drinking scene was hampered by Pennsylvania’s archaic liquor laws. With the state finally loosening its noose, the city is seeing a renaissance of new bars, breweries and distilleries popping up all over the city.

Beer lovers will feel right at home in Philly where craft beer is both popular and plentiful. This situation is nothing new. Prior to Prohibition, the city had almost 100 breweries within its borders, many located in a neighborhood now known as Brewerytown.

Beer connoisseurs consider Philadelphia to be one of the best beer cities in the country. The city has its own craft beer trail with multiple breweries and an entire week dedicated to drinking beer every year. Whether or not you follow the trail or visit the city during Philly Beer Week, you’ll easily find a spot where you can belly up to the bar and enjoy a pint or two.

Traveling within Philadelphia

Plan Your Philadelphia Trip

Original Publication Date: August 26, 2018
Republish Date: December 10, 2019