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Welcome to the third wave of Philadelphia dining, an era in which locals are more likely to chat you up about their favorite chorizo tacos, wild-yeasted ales, or tasting menu than anything cheesesteak. Yes, the famous sandwich is still around (eat one if you must) but is slowly losing traction to its distant cousin, the roast po
Welcome to the third wave of Philadelphia dining, an era in which locals are more likely to chat you up about their favorite chorizo tacos, wild-yeasted ales, or tasting menu than anything cheesesteak. Yes, the famous sandwich is still around (eat one if you must) but i
Welcome to the third wave of Philadelphia dining, an era in which locals are more likely to chat you up about their favo
Welcome to the third wave of Philadelphia dining, an era in which locals are more likely to chat you up about their favorite chorizo tacos, wild-yeasted ales, or tasting menu than anything cheesesteak. Yes, the famous sandwich is still around (eat one if you must) but is slowly losing traction to its distant cousin, the roast pork. This is the Philly sandwich to try, be it a traditional rendition at John’s or DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market or a new-school take, like the one topped with lacto-fermented broccoli rabe at High Street on Market.
Speaking of Old City’s High Street, its chef/partner, Eli Kulp, represents a group of Philadelphia chefs that has had a massive impact on the dining scene in the last few years: the ex–New Yorkers. Like Kulp, Peter Serpico of Serpico, Eli Collins of Pub and Kitchen, Greg Vernick of Vernick Food & Drink and other talented former 212-ers have shifted their careers here from some of NYC’s finest kitchens and restaurant groups. Even in East Passyunk and Fishtown, white-hot neighborhoods that are dethroning Center City as Philly’s dining nucleus, inflated rents are bargains compared to those in the Big Apple.
The recent influx of out-of-town chefs complements Philly’s homegrown talent. This has always been a scene that has fostered and supported its own, and the last several years have seen young chefs rising through the kitchens of Stephen Starr, Marc Vetri, and Georges Perrier and going on to debut compelling, idiosyncratic, solo projects. Like Pierre Calmels, who left the storied (now closed) Le Bec-Fin to open tiny Bibou in Bella Vista, and his LBF successor, Nicholas Elmi, who won Top Chef after opening Laurel on East Passyunk. (To give you an idea of the depth of talent in the 215, Elmi is the second Philly chef to win Top Chef.) And then there’s Michael Solomonov, a former Vetri capo who went on to found Zahav, the restaurant that ignited America’s passion for Israeli cuisine, and win a James Beard Award. Solo (as he’s affectionately known here) is in conscientious empire-building mode with longtime business partner, Steve Cook, and mentoring a new generation of young chefs. You can still catch him working the bread station at Zahav most nights, between annual research trips to Israel and surfing breaks at the Jersey Shore.
The Israeli, Iraqi, Turkish, and Yemenite recipes on the menu at Zahav are just a handful of the cuisines represented in this multiethnic town. Philadelphia has a long history as a city of immigrants, from Western Europeans in the early 20th century to the Vietnamese, Mexicans, and Africans of today. Chinatown reigns as the city’s hub of hand-pulled noodles, breakneck dim sum, and siphon coffee before it was cool, while Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, and Senegalese hideaways occupy tree-lined storefronts and old banks in West Philly. Vietnamese pho halls and bakeries congregate along Washington Avenue in South Philly, also home to the city’s vibrant Mexican population. In the Italian Market, many of the old businesses have given way to industrious taquerias. You can follow the trail of fresh-pressed tortilla crumbs from Bella Vista down into East Passyunk, a hood where it’s not uncommon to hear Spanish, Vietnamese, and five different dialects of Italian just walking down the street.
Smoke, coal, fire, and ash create a through-line for the menu at a.kitchen in the ground floor of the AKA Hotel. Attired in blonde wood and...
Smoke, coal, fire, and ash create a through-line for the menu at a.kitchen in the ground floor of the AKA Hotel. Attired in blonde wood and Carrera 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) and chef Jon Nodler have transformed it into a "Serious Restaurant" with an ace sommelier and a coals-seared beef tartare that cannot be missed.
135 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Happy sounds have always emanated from diners in this comfortable, elegant eatery, but the menu of modern American fare went from tasty to...
Happy sounds have always emanated from diners in this comfortable, elegant eatery, but the menu of modern American fare went from tasty to transcendental when Eli Kulp took over the kitchen in early 2012. The chef is known for his innovative pastas, love of local meats, and mastery of fermentation. Sit as far back in the restaurant as possible to watch Kulp and his colleagues at work in the open kitchen.
306 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
You can’t throw a wet walnut in Philly without hitting an artisanal ice cream maker these days, but brothers Ryan and Eric Berley and their...
You can’t throw a wet walnut in Philly without hitting an artisanal ice cream maker these days, but brothers Ryan and Eric Berley and their charming Colonial-inspired scoop shop have newcomers beat by 11 years. On summer nights, long lines ripple out the door into the warm Old City night, but the wait (half an hour isn’t uncommon in summer) is worth it for the house-made seasonal flavors like fresh peach, brooding black raspberry, and honeycomb made with booty from the Fountain’s rooftop hives.
116 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
This sunny, clean-cut younger sibling of perennial favorite, Fork, is half clubhouse for its Old City neighbors, half food tourist magnet (thanks...
This sunny, clean-cut younger sibling of perennial favorite, Fork, is half clubhouse for its Old City neighbors, half food tourist magnet (thanks to a flood of national press). Open all day, grain-brained High Street will take you from cortados and kougin-amans in the morning to duck liver meatball sandwiches in the afternoon to creative alt-flour pastas—matcha lasagna anyone?—at night. Eli Kulp is the acclaimed chef and partner, but the secret weapon is bread prodigy Alex Bois, a veteran of Sullivan Street bakery in New York. The James Beard Award Rising Star nominee just got a brand-new, double-deck MIWE oven, and his loaves have never been better.
308 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
Housed in a cinder-block bunker along a derelict railroad crossing, John’s is the quintessential purveyor of roast pork sandwiches. Newbies...
Housed in a cinder-block bunker along a derelict railroad crossing, John’s is the quintessential purveyor of roast pork sandwiches. Newbies and lifers line up in a zigzag along the counter and grab seats at the picnic tables outside. The signature pork is juicy, garlicky, and herbaceous; sharp provolone and sautéed spinach (no broccoli rabe here) are de rigueur. John’s incidentally makes the city’s best cheesesteak, too, and if you’re up and exploring early, fantastic breakfast sandwiches lined with fluffy eggs and deep-fried pucks of scrapple.
14 E. Snyder Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148, USA
When real estate agents want to sell house-hunters on Fishtown, they take them to the new world headquarters of La Colombe, a combination café...
When real estate agents want to sell house-hunters on Fishtown, they take them to the new world headquarters of La Colombe, a combination café, bakery, roaster, distillery, and neighborhood clubhouse that would make Noah’s Ark look like a canoe. Artsy graffiti covers the crusty brick walls, and communal tables stream down the center of the space. You order at the counter: savory scones, sandwiches on excellent baguettes, kale salad, and coffee, of course. Ask for a Black & Tan (half Pure Black cold-brew, half nitro-draught latte) and no one will know you’re not a local.
1335 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19125, USA
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...
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 foie gras with mango, scallop terrine, and veal cheeks with coconut, carrot, and plum. 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
Reservations were tough to procure at Laurel before Nicholas Elmi won Top Chef’s 11th season. Since then, the 26 seats at the intimate, candlelit...
Reservations were tough to procure at Laurel before Nicholas Elmi won Top Chef’s 11th season. Since then, the 26 seats at the intimate, candlelit hideaway book months in advance—but are worth the effort for Elmi’s brand of elegant, intelligent American food, presented in a seven-course tasting menu format only five nights a week. Plans are in the works to annex the empty space next door, which will add seating and a liquor license.
1617 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148, USA
Housed into a former bank building in the Spruce Hill area of West Philly, Manakeesh specializes in the Lebanese flatbread of the same name...
Housed into a former bank building in the Spruce Hill area of West Philly, Manakeesh specializes in the Lebanese flatbread of the same name. Served warm from the oven, the puffy, round loaves come with both traditional toppings (za’atar, kafta) and unorthodox ones (B.E.C., cheesesteak), which speak to the diverse crowd of university types and transplants from the Middle East that fill the lounge-y, tapestry-lined space. Encased behind glass along the front counter, pistachio baklava cut in a dozen different shapes glitter like jewelry. A box makes an excellent take-home treat. Note that the bakery closes briefly on Friday afternoons.
4420 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
One of the longest-tenured restaurants on East Passyunk, this wood-paneled red-gravy hall dates back to the 1920s and oozes South Philly charm...
One of the longest-tenured restaurants on East Passyunk, this wood-paneled red-gravy hall dates back to the 1920s and oozes South Philly charm. Listen carefully, and you can hear the thwack of the chefs pounding veal cutlets for gigantic Parmigianas over the chatter of the been-there-forever waitresses. The cocktail list has changed so little, it doesn’t even realize its Rob Roys and Rusty Nails are back in style.
1734 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148, USA
The juxtaposition of bamboo and exposed pipes is indicative of the surprising mix of flavors in this perennially busy restaurant. A taste of...
The juxtaposition of bamboo and exposed pipes is indicative of the surprising mix of flavors in this perennially busy restaurant. A taste of India creeps into a scintillating appetizer of handkerchief-thin crepes served with a small dipping dish of spicy chicken curry. Other preparations are redolent of flavors from several other Asian countries. Soups with various types of noodles are unusual, tasty, and filling.
117 N. 10th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA
When Bon Appétit calls your pizza the best in America, you ramp up production, prepare for the onslaught, and plan an expansion. Right? Not...
When Bon Appétit calls your pizza the best in America, you ramp up production, prepare for the onslaught, and plan an expansion. Right? Not for Joe Beddia, the lanky pizzaiolo stationed behind the counter at his eponymous Fishtown shop every night. He’s doing the same thing he’s done since opening in 2013: craft about 40 pizzas a night from his long-fermented dough and local ingredients like Hidden Hills Dairy’s Old Gold aged Gouda and Green Meadow Farm bacon. There’s no seating, no phone number, no credit cards, and the line starts forming at 4 pm. Yes, they’re worth it.
115 E. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19125, USA
Pub & Kitchen has been a favorite since it opened in 2009, but the food has never been better since chef Eli Collins relocated here from...
Pub & Kitchen has been a favorite since it opened in 2009, but the food has never been better since chef Eli Collins relocated here from Daniel Boulud's empire a couple years ago. From house-baked whisky-sage bread to gnudi crafted with local ricotta to a kick-ass cheeseburger, Collins can really cook. But even if he couldn't, 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
When the Reading Company opened its train shed in 1892, it was the only one in the country with a market tucked away in its cellar. The trains...
When the Reading Company opened its train shed in 1892, it was the only one in the country with a market tucked away in its cellar. The trains are long gone, but the food remains. And while disagreeing over the best cheesesteak is a popular pastime in Philly, pretty much everyone can agree on pancakes at the Dutch Eating Place, the roast pork sandwich at DiNic's, whoopie pies at the Flying Monkey, and double chocolate-chip cookies at Famous 4th Street. Recent years have seen worthy newcomers to the entrenched mix: German deli Wursthaus Schmitz, Valley Shepherd Creamery's grilled cheese counter, and La Divisa Meats, for example. Get here early to beat the lunch rush. Seventy-five-minute tours every Wednesday and Saturday highlight the market's history and offerings (call 215/545–8007 to make a reservation).
12th and Arch Sts., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA
Once upon a time, before South Philly was home to the city’s hottest zip codes, a little wood-clad tavern named South Philadelphia Tap Room...
Once upon a time, before South Philly was home to the city’s hottest zip codes, a little wood-clad tavern named South Philadelphia Tap Room opened with a roster of local, craft beers in the largely Miller-Coors enclave. Twelve years later, the Newbold neighborhood has grown up around this catalyst (SPTR’s owner actually coined the name), and the bar has established a reputation for sourcing some of the best and most exclusive beers around the country. Longtime chef Scott Schroeder is one of the city’s most underappreciated; on his menu you can count on grilled halloumi snacks, assertively seasoned salads, and bluefish that will make you love bluefish. Local, organic produce and meats are the focus, served with none of the associated boasting.
1509 Mifflin St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145, USA
Benjamin Miller and Cristina Martinez have moved their popular weekend taco cart into a permanent no-frills space populated with an industry...
Benjamin Miller and Cristina Martinez have moved their popular weekend taco cart into a permanent no-frills space populated with an industry crowd, Mexican families, food bloggers, and local artists like Isaiah Zagar, whose signature mosaics encrust the restaurant’s facade. The weekend-only hours have are now supplemented by weekday lunch hours, too. The couple’s namesake specialty remains the same: barbacoa, the succulent, slow-cooked lamb of Martinez’s homeland. Miller and Martinez chop the meat with a cleaver and pile it on fluffy corn tortillas, which you top at the salsa station with cactus paddle rajas, onion-laced jalapeno escabeche, chopped cilantro, and fresh lime. Wash 'em down with pastel, tropical fruit aguas frescas in summer and warm, thick, animal-cracker atoles in the winter. Go early; though open until 5 on weekends, they often sell out by 3 pm.
1702 S. 11th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148, USA
Aimee Olexy's Talula's Table in Kennett Square was an unlikely phenomenon—the little country market had a months-long backlog of reservations...
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 has no market and plenty of tables inside a sprawling, high-ceilinged space decorated with Alice Waters quotations printed on the walls. A charming outdoor courtyard with a garden glows under twinkly lights. A game of musical chefs has not diminished the seasonal menu (dandelion greens Caesar, smoked summer corn ravioli), and the knowledgeable servers do a great job explaining interesting cheese boards with names like "Not Your Granny's" and "Secret Stash."
210 W. Washington Sq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106, USA
South Jersey native Greg Vernick spent the bulk of his career opening restaurants around the world for Jean-Georges Vongerichten. When he and...
South Jersey native 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) bi-level debut a couple of blocks off Rittenhouse. Vernick checks all the boxes of what it means to be a modern American restaurant in 2016: delicious things on toast, Asian influences, large-format proteins cooked in a wood-burning oven, rosés a-go-go, uni. Expect it all rendered in thoughtful, joyful expressions, and served by a vivacious staff.
2031 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, USA
Owner Benny Lai took what started as a noodle shop founded by his immigrant parents, bought up the building and the surrounding property, and...
Owner Benny Lai took what started as a noodle shop founded by his immigrant parents, bought up the building and the surrounding property, and turned it into a chic restaurant with an upstairs lounge serving small plates and wacky cocktails like 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 excellent restaurant confused with the not-excellent Vietnam Palace across the street.
221 N. 11th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, USA
Chef Michael Solomonov has brought great buzz to several restaurant locations in Philadelphia. With his latest entry, steeped in the milk and...
Chef Michael Solomonov has brought great buzz to several restaurant locations in Philadelphia. With his latest entry, 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—he's done it again. Taking advantage of its dramatic perch above one of the city's oldest streets, the stripped-down Zahav relies on architectural features such as picture windows and soaring ceilings to create spectacle. The open kitchen, on view behind leaded glass, is the true stage. There, a small staff mixes and matches a melting pot of flavors for a modern Israeli menu whose highlights include house-baked laffa (flatbread), kebabs of impossibly tender chicken cooked over hot coals and served with sumac onions and Israeli couscous, 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
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