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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
Smoke, coal, fire, and ash create a through line for the menu at a.kitchen, on the ground floor of the AKA Hotel. Attired in blond wood and Carrara marble, it looks like a spa in the Italian Alps, and its Rittenhouse address guarantees a scene, but the recent involvement of High Street Hospitality (Fork, High Street on Market) has transformed it into a "serious restaurant" with an ace sommelier and a steak tartare that cannot be missed.
135 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Known For
- Seasonal small plates
- Fresh oysters
- Sleek interior
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$$$ | Old City |
At Amada, the first of chef-restaurateur Jose Garces’s restaurants, the Ecuadorian-American chef reinterprets regional cuisine with choice ingredients and a modern touch that feature in more than 50 tapas, from the crab-stuffed peppers with toasted almonds to the flatbread topped with artichoke, black truffle, and manchego. Ingredients—including even more glorious cheeses—are sourced from northern Spain, the main inspiration for the menu. The large, festive front room can skew loud; for a quieter meal, ask for a table in the second dining room, beyond the open kitchen.
217–19 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Known For
- Andalusian cuisine
- Spanish meats and cheeses
- Lively scene
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Old City |
Happy sounds are always emanating from eaters at this comfortable, elegant eatery, one of Old City’s most respected and longest-running dinner destinations. The kitchen is known for its innovative pastas and breads, in-house fermentation, and the celebration of local meats and produce.
306 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Known For
- Creative new American food
- Excellent service
- Elegant dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Old City |
This sunny younger sibling of perennial favorite Fork is half clubhouse for Old City neighbors, half food-tourist magnet. Grain-brained High Street will take you from cortados (an espresso drink) and kouign-amann (a French pastry) in the morning to beet-cured salmon sandwiches in the afternoon to creative alt-flour pastas—spelt pappardelle, anyone?—at night.
308 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Known For
- All-day service
- Creative breads
- Innovative pastas
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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
Jonathan Cichon has proven himself to be a worthy successor to this luxe establishment and one who forges his own way with graceful dishes using seasonal, prestige ingredients. He is bigger on elegance and shorter on whimsy than his predecessors, with dishes like lobster crepes, and chicken liver and foie gras mousse with watermelon glaze. Combined with a 500-plus-label cellar of high-end bottles and a gorgeous dining room overlooking Rittenhouse Square, a meal here is guaranteed to be one of your most memorable. There's also the $75 blowout Sunday brunch—a tremendous value, believe it or not.
210 W. Rittenhouse Sq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Known For
- All-day dining options
- Sunday brunch
- Expansive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | East Passyunk |
Reservations at Laurel are typically a tough get, given its cozy 22-seat dining room and chef-owner’s Nicholas Elmi’s sterling reputation. But dinner at this intimate, candlelit hideaway is worth the effort for fans of the Top Chef season 11 winner’s elegant, intelligent French-American food, presented in six- or nine-course tasting formats five nights a week. In the Valley, Elmi’s attached wine bar and cocktail lounge, offers small plates and a place to hang before or after a Laurel reservation.
1617 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148, USA
Known For
- Elegant French-American cuisine
- Tasting menus
- Romantic atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$ | University City |
A Spruce Hill staple, Manakeesh specializes in the Lebanese flatbreads of the same name. Served warm from the oven, the puffy, round loaves come with both traditional toppings (za’atar, kafta) and unorthodox ones (turkey bacon-egg-cheese, cheesesteak), which speak to the diverse crowd that fills the comfortable café-style space. Encased behind glass along the front counter, fresh-baked Lebanese pastries cut in a dozen different shapes glitter like jewelry. A box makes an excellent take-home treat.
4420 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
Known For
- Lebanese/Middle Eastern cuisine
- House-baked Middle Eastern pastries
- Coffee and fruit smoothies
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed 1–2 pm Fri. for prayer
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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
Brass rails, silvered mirrors, claret-hued banquettes, and oak wainscoting reclaimed from now-shuttered Parisian restaurants, imbue patina—while small touches like newspapers on wooden poles, create extra realism—in the meticulous stage set placed on Philadelphia's most desirable corner by restaurateur Stephen Starr. Similarly, standard menu items (roasted chicken, trout amandine) hold their own, but the little things—desserts and salads, fresh-baked goods (including house-made macaroons), and excellent onion soup—stand out. Ask for an indoor-outdoor table overlooking the park: you'll get generous views and the pleasant din of the 150 diners behind you without the deafening buzz that is the restaurant's one true downside.
227 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Known For
- Onion soup
- Seafood tower
- Outdoor dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | Chinatown |
The juxtaposition of bamboo and exposed pipes is indicative of the surprising mix of flavors in this perennially busy Malaysian restaurant. A taste of India creeps into a scintillating appetizer of roti canai, handkerchief-thin crepes served with a small dipping dish of spicy chicken curry, and the wide variety of soups are tasty and filling; satay, Singapore rice noodles, and chow kueh teow (Malaysian stir-fried flat rice noodles) are among the other popular dishes.
117 N. 10th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA
Known For
- Malaysian cuisine
- Roti canai
- Southeast Asian noodles
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards
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$$$ | Fishtown |
The most talked-about restaurant in Philadelphia is Pizzeria Beddia—Bon Appétit named it the best pizza place in America. This second iteration, just blocks away from Beddia's first spot, is a different world, with more than 100 seats, the ability to make reservations, and a larger menu that goes beyond pizza—think natural wines, flavorful salads, and creamier-than-you-can-ever-imagine soft serve. The pizza is the focal point, though, with options like a classic red pie with pepperoni, a red-sauce-based anchovy pizza, and the white pie, made with local cream and topped with garlic and greens. A wait is to be expected, but a number of tables are held for walk-ins every night. For dining enthusiasts, the tucked-away hoagie room is the table to snag. The private dining space is meant for a minimum of six people and features a handcrafted menu of cocktails, apps, off-the-menu hoagies, pizza, and ice cream.
1313 N. Lee St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19122, USA
Known For
- Red-sauce pizzas
- Natural wines
- Private hoagie room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
Pub & Kitchen has been a favorite since it opened in 2009 with a daily selection of oysters and a menu that includes everything from a sweet-and-savory fried-chicken sandwich to a kick-ass cheeseburger. But even if the food menu wasn't a star, locals would flock to this energetic saloon to unwind with friends or catch the game. In what used to be a dive bar, P&K is an unpretentious, attractive hangout with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, tables fashioned from reclaimed floor joists, and familiar rock music playing from the speakers.
1946 Lombard St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146, USA
Known For
- Draft old-fashioned
- Weekend brunch
- Solid beer list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays, Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
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$$ | South Philadelphia |
Championing craft beer well before it was cool, this laid-back Newbold tavern set the bar for Philly’s gastropub boom way back in 2003. SPTR’s ever-rotating 14 tap selections, plus cask ales and a nice bottle selection, hit local, national, and international notes that nicely accompany a menu that reaches well beyond the expected pub grub with creative snacks, sandwiches, and seasonal specials conceived to celebrate local and organic products and produce. The kitchen pays ample mind to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free guests, too; it’s this accommodating spirit that makes a neighborhood bar.
1509 Mifflin St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145, USA
Known For
- Smart craft-beer program
- Local and seasonal menu items
- Relaxed atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$$$$ | Center City East |
Aimee Olexy's Talula's Table in Kennett Square was an unlikely phenomenon; the little country market had a months-long backlog of reservations for its lone farmhouse table. Olexy's urban extension of that runaway success is a sprawling, high-ceilinged space decorated with Alice Waters quotations printed on the walls, a charming outdoor courtyard with a garden that glows under twinkly lights, and an elegant seasonal menu. The knowledgeable servers do a great job explaining interesting cheese boards with names like "Not Your Granny's" and "Seasonal Stash."
210 W. Washington Sq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Known For
- Farm-to-table cuisine
- Charming courtyard
- Cheese boards
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.-Sat.
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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
South Jersey native, and James Beard-award winning chef, Greg Vernick spent the bulk of his career opening restaurants around the world for Jean-Georges Vongerichten. When he and his wife, Julie, wanted to do their own place, they came back to the Delaware Valley and made waves with their bustling (but intimate) modern American restaurant whose ever-changing menu features delicious things on toast (avocado, foie gras, Maryland crab), Asian influences, and large-format proteins (whole chicken or rack of lamb) cooked in a wood-burning oven. Expect it all rendered in thoughtful, joyful expressions, and served by a vivacious staff.
2031 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Known For
- Thoughtful toasts like pumpkin, apple and brown butter or sea scallop and black truffle butter
- Roasted meats
- Raw bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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$ | Chinatown |
Owner Benny Lai took this humble noodle shop founded by his immigrant parents and built it into a chic restaurant with an upstairs lounge serving small plates and wacky cocktails like the Bachelor’s Downfall and the Flaming Volcano (two straws included). In the dining room the best bets are the crispy spring rolls, salted squid, barbecue platter, and soups with rice noodles. Don't get this restaurant confused with the competing Vietnam Palace across the street.
221 N. 11th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA
Known For
- Strong cocktails
- Spring rolls
- Noodle soups
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards
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$ | Society Hill |
Chef Michael Solomonov’s Zahav is steeped in the milk and honey and hummus and lamb of his native Israel, as well as the cultures that have left a mark on that Promised Land. Taking advantage of its dramatic perch above one of the city's oldest streets, the restaurant relies on picture windows and soaring ceilings to create spectacle, but the open kitchen is the true stage. There, a small staff mixes and matches a melting pot of flavors for a modern menu whose highlights include colorful salatim and fluffy house-baked laffa (flatbread); kebabs of impossibly tender chicken or lamb merguez cooked over hot coals; and addictive florets of fried cauliflower served with a lemon-and-dill-spiked lebneh (yogurt cheese). The legendary smoked and pomegranate-juice-braised lamb shoulder should be reserved in advance.
237 St. James Pl., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Known For
- Israeli cuisine
- Creative cocktails
- Hopping dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
Having successfully turned the country into Israeli-food addicts, Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook have now turned their attention to the cuisines of the Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe. Chef Yehuda Sichel is at the helm, creating incognito thrillers like matzo ball tamale, smoked salmon tartare, and veal schnitzel tacos. Reserve ahead for the beloved Montreal-style short rib dinner or opt for the prix-fixe tasting menu.
1623 Sansom St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Known For
- Montreal-style smoked short ribs
- Happy hour
- Retro-inspired digs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$$ | Rittenhouse Square |
A bit of scrolled ironwork greets diners, followed by a swank bar pulsating with Cuban music that lets everyone know this is a happening place; find a seat here because you may wait awhile, even with a reservation. The service is a bit chaotic, but the mojitos are refreshing and the menu contains a few genuine dishes, such as lechon asado (crispy roasted pork) and a wide selection of ceviche, all prepared by star chef Douglas Rodriguez. The decor is evocative of pre-Castro Havana, with dim lighting, mod seating, and larger-than-life images of tobacco fields projected onto the walls.
1623 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Known For
- Pre-Castro Havana decor
- Lechon asado (crispy roasted pork)
- Refreshing mojitos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Center City East |
The opening of this hip, industrial-chic trattoria by chef Marc Vetri rendered his talents more accessible to those who don't have the foresight to make reservations months in advance at his celebrated eponymous restaurant nearby. The small plates of Roman comfort food by longtime chef Brad Spence feature interesting elevated takes on Roman classics like tonarelli cacio e pepe, trippa alla Romana, and rigatoni all'amatriciana. Try to grab one of the six first-come, first-served stools at the chef's counter to watch the James Beard–award-winning action.
412 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19147, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$ | Center City East |
This buzzing Mediterranean tapas joint has inspired an almost religious devotion among nearly every demographic of Philadelphian. Diners happily stuff themselves into the cramped tables at this long, narrow eatery for a fix of the cheese boards, the egg-and-truffle pizza, and the house-made charcuterie. But above all, the salted caramel budino (a classic Italian pudding)—with so much demand, chef Marcie Turney figured out how to sell it online in a six-pack and turn it into ice-cream pops in the summer—is heavenly. If you don't have a reservation, try and snag the bar and chef's counter, which are first come, first served.
110 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Known For
- Creative pizzas
- Caramel budino
- Lively crowd
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.