24 Best Restaurants in Manayunk, Germantown, and Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia

The area's one true destination restaurant has perfectly prepared plates that make you close your eyes in appreciation after every bite, all within a gorgeous setting on the seventh floor of a Residence Inn. Seafood offerings are where the delicacy of its flavors excel the most—the sumac octopus, the dorade with a hint of chili, but the \"simple\" small plates like the grilled artichoke are worth investigating. In fact, like many such restaurants, you can do well by ordering lots of small plates and a pasta dish or two (also on the smaller side) to experience as many flavors as possible and forgo the mains. The restaurant is part of the Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing complex, and across the river in Bala Cynwyd, but a (mostly) pedestrian bridge connects it to Manayunk from a free parking lot.

This charming French (Alsatian-inspired, more specifically) bistro pub satisfies both the escargot, moules frites, cassoulet, and duck-loving crowd as well as the mahi mahi and hamburger types. There's just enough atmosphere that you'll want to dress up a little and look good, but it's casual enough to always be inviting.

A relatively new addition to the Manayunk dining scene offers what may be best described as American pleasure food—shrimp and grits, short ribs, fried chicken and biscuits, and bar/bistro food standards—all prepared with inventive flourishes. Rare for the area, big windows and high ceilings provide an expansiveness and style that is both throwback and modern. The atmosphere is more party than intimate, so it's best for when you're in the mood for a lively night out, not a marriage proposal. Their brunch is also recommended.

It's all about the ice cream, hot fudge, and homemade whipped cream at this charming ice cream parlor. They scoop Philly's own Bassetts Ice Cream (the country's oldest ice cream brand), make fabulous sundaes, and stay open late in the summer. The bakery is pretty standard.

Housed inside a former greenhouse, Cake is a refined setting for breakfast and lunch, where light streams in through the greenhouse glass and a fountain occupies the center of the room. The menu offers a number of tasty, fresh salads to complement the atmosphere, yet also serves a Philly cheesesteak marsala and a croque monsieur brushed with apricot mustard for those who want heartier fare. The sweets and pastries are still a highlight at this former bakery. 

This local favorite, known for its varieties of pad Thai—from crispy duck to peanut-crusted scallop—and delicious soups, is a calming, flavorful escape from the noisy restaurant scene of Main Street. Enjoy seasonal specialties and lime-infused Thai sausage, po tek (a spicy seafood hot pot with basil and lemongrass) portioned for two, or the various face-flushing curries.

A surprisingly hip spot for quaint Chestnut Hill, Char and Stave serves excellent coffee and coffee drinks, while doubling as a spirits bar that's open late. Some of their drinks feature both coffee and alcohol, and they sell the coffee beans and their own spirits to go as well.

This very popular and celebrated spot for big, juicy cheesesteaks also makes quality hoagies. Call ahead to place your order and avoid lines.

The focus at this bakery is bread, and they bake the area's best—it comes out at 9 am, 11 am, and 1 pm—but there are also tasty breakfast items and sandwiches. There is some indoor seating, and it's a lively scene.

Authentic Mexican flavors are generally well prepared here, especially the tacos—the Brussels sprouts tacos are an inspired take on the usually ho-hum vegetable. But the real draw here is the outdoor seating, which makes this lively and festive spot perfect for gatherings with friends and families, especially with some excellent margaritas.

Coffee shop, creperie, purveyor of baked goods, and local gathering spot—at the High Point, you can become part of the convivial picture of Mount Airy life. Daily pastry offerings are posted on their Facebook page. During the summer, every other Sunday at the Allens Lane train station location there's a small craft fair with music in the parking lot.

This reliable sushi joint has friendly service and particularly good rolls, including fun ones like the Hollywood—a massive creation with tempura shrimp, avocado, salmon, and eel sauce. Near the bottom of Chestnut Hill, Hokka Hokka also serves a variety of tempura and other Japanese dishes for the non–sushi eater.

In a city whose restaurants often feature heavy foods, In Riva offers a light touch on a variety of simple, tasty Italian dishes. That's not to say the menu shies away from hearty fare (try the agrodolce short ribs), but there's often a lighter counterpoint. It's highly recommend to get dishes to share such as the whipped ricotta or burrata plate, the garlic shrimp, and one of their crispy little pizzas. The insalatas are more inventive than the pastas. It's a good choice for lunch if you're tired of the burger and fries options.

This is a great, casual spot for families and bicyclists with outdoor seating and a play area, where you'll find a good assortment of quality sandwiches and breakfast items brought to you by the owner of Lark. The Landing is part of the Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing in Bala Cynwyd, and you can access it via a pedestrian bridge on the Manayunk side.

A mix of farmers' market, specialty-goods stands, and eateries with indoor and outdoor seating, this is an excellent lunch or late-afternoon meal destination. The best options include Chestnut Hill Brewing Company (beer and pizza), Chicko Tako (Korean tacos), and the Saigon Noodle Bar. Plus, you can grab giant hoagies from Liberty Kitchen, Persian dishes from Shundeez Market, and steamed dumplings from Momos of Tibet. Permanently housed behind the Chestnut Hill Hotel, the bulk of the market is only open Thursday through Saturday, but most of the take-out vendors are also open on Wednesday and Sunday and in the evenings you can enjoy a lively outdoor area with occasional live music. For more traditional fruits and vegetables, the Chestnut Hill Farmers' Market sets up shop outdoors on Winston Road between Germantown Avenue and Mermaid Lane on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 1.

This classic French café, run by a (real) French couple, has excellent pastries, baguette sandwiches, and soups. But, some might say most importantly, they know how to make a great cup of coffee. Pleasant indoor seating as well as patio tables are available.

People come to McNally's more for the food than the beer (families are welcome) and generally order one of the six featured sandwiches. The Schmitter, a cheesesteak on a kaiser roll with fried salami, fried onions, and a special sauce, is insanely delicious. Rivaling the Schmitter is the vegetarian sandwich option, the G.B.S. (George Bernard Shaw), which has mushrooms, peppers, tomato, and lettuce draped in cheese and special sauce. For an even more heavenly taste, ask for fried veggies on the G.B.S. 

This is the place to get the best coffee in Manayunk, and the inside is a chill spot to read and take a breather while nibbling on a pastry. The location, right at the edge of the action, makes it a favorite stop for bicyclists.

This jumping joint satisfies the margarita-and-nachos crowd as well as those seeking more authentic Mexican flavors. A lively spot with colorfully painted walls as well as sidewalk seating, it's most fun to share the smaller bites—braised brisket tacos, mushroom quesadilla, tortilla soup—but the enchiladas are also excellent.

Stop here for delicious ice cream served in small, pricey scoops—including many nondairy options—and some indulgent sundae concoctions. The fun part is playing video games displayed on two screens mounted on a wall across a narrow alley, while inside, four joysticks allow up to four players to go head-to-head. In wintertime, you can enjoy homemade hot chocolate with a scoop of ice cream in it.

Uncle Bobbie's is the most literary-salonlike coffee shop in the city, with numerous author and reading events. Focused squarely on African American literature and history, intellectual studies, as well as mainstream biographies and such, the books, all new, are both for sale and displayed in a way that makes you wish you had a library of shiny books.

If you're new to TIbetan food, go for the momos, Tibetan dumplings that hold a hearty dollop of minced goodness within and come with a dipping broth. While there are good vegetarian options, the emphasis—as befits a high altitude cuisine—is generally on the meat dishes, whether curries, savory pastries, or the hearty beef-broth-based soups. Run by a Tibetan couple, and no longer a secret, this popular spot is up the hill from Manayunk in the Roxborough neighborhood. If you like heat, make sure to request it.

Lively and upbeat, Winnie's has long been a solid choice for quality basics like a fried chicken sandwich, steak frites, and shrimp tacos. They also serves breakfast and baked goods.

While the menu is limited to homemade hand pies, soups, pulled pork, and the like, the tasty results have made the Young American a popular dining spot. There are many good vegan and gluten-free options, but the main draw is their hard cider, which they make on site (from local apples) within a handsomely restored turn-of-the-19th-century building. There's a lively back patio that has occasional live music.