278 Best Restaurants in Pennsylvania, USA

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.

Like many of CookNSolo’s places, Laser Wolf focuses on an aspect of Israeli cuisine, this time the grill or skewer house. Meals are prix-fixe, so diners pick their protein to grill (beef, lamb, chicken) and the rest is taken care of. First comes the salatim (salads) and then the freshly baked pita and hummus followed by your grill choice. The icing on the cake? A homemade ice cream sundae is included.

Philadelphia native Alex Yoon is the chef and owner of the tiny but beloved BYOB where creativity and inspiration run the show. The menu changes all the time, but the scallop toast, where raw scallops are shingled across a thick slice of sesame sourdough and topped with chopped herbs, is a favorite that diners return for over and over.

A self-described "wood-burning Italian kitchen," LUCA serves up handmade pasta and mains, plus a large menu of hot and cold starters. Reservations are hard to get, and for good reason—the food is consistently delicious and the vibe is upbeat. The ever-changing menu might include wood-grilled strip loin or gnocchi with sweet corn and pancetta, while the carefully curated wine list includes natural, low-intervention wines. The arbor-covered patio overlooking the tree-lined residential street is open when weather permits. 

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 nontraditional ones (turkey bacon–egg–cheese, cheesesteak), which speak to the diverse crowd that fills the café-style space. Encased behind glass along the front counter, fresh-baked Lebanese pastries are some of your best bets. Stop in for a snack or a full sit-down, share-many-dishes-style meal.

Within the highbrow Rittenhouse neighborhood, Mission Taqueria is the cool kid in town. Its neon signs, colorful digs, and collaborative games draw the crowds, while the fresh tacos, delectable dips, and margaritas in a multitude of flavors keep them full and happy. The weekday happy hour, with $6 margaritas and $3 tacos, makes it a go-to spot for post-work hangouts.

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 (roast chicken, trout amandine) hold their own, but the little things—desserts and salads, fresh-baked goods (including house-made macarons), 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.

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.

NoLibs' dining scene is usually known for gastropubs, but Pietramala has brought an edge of elegance and creativity to the neighborhood. While the restaurant is vegan, Chef Ian Graye isn't—a key factor because his threshold for deliciousness is that of a meat-eater—but he works hard, sourcing excellent ingredients and fermenting ingredients to build dishes that are at once comforting and unexpected. It's a small plates restaurant, with lots of Italian influence, but it's hard to put such an exceptional restaurant in a box.

If good roots can make a pizza place, then Pizza Shackamaxon has it made. Housed in the original location of the much-loved Pizzeria Beddia, Shackamaxon slings pizza by the slice and by the pie. They pride themselves on being a slice-first pizza shop in order to serve the most people possible. You can order whole pies to go, but in-person only (no online orders, and there's no phone for orders). Their staples are plain pizza, pepperoni, and the doughy tomato pie on focaccia.

The second iteration of Pizzeria, just blocks away from the original location, 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. Pizza is still 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. When it first opened, it was tough to even get a reservation at Pizzeria Beddia, but these days things have calmed down significantly. For dining enthusiasts, the tucked-away private hoagie room is a fun group option that features off-the-menu hoagies.

Farm-to-table dining is the focus of this restaurant in Hawley. Seasonal breakfast (brunch on weekends) and dinner menus focus on locally sourced produce, some of which is pulled from the inn’s own on-site herb garden. The dinner menu is divided into elements—earth, wind, water, and fire—designating vegetarian, poultry, fish, or red meat dishes. It includes a locally raised buffalo bolognese served with handcut tagliatelli, and grilled quail with cranberry walnut compote. The restaurant takes the farm-to-table concept seriously, and is fully transparent with where it gets its ingredients; it even goes so far as to list the produce farms, cheese makers, and butchers it uses right on the menu.

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.

Chef Cristina Martinez specializes in barbacoa, the succulent, slow-cooked lamb of Martinez’s Mexican homeland. The staff chop the meat with cleavers and pile it on fluffy corn tortillas, which you top at the salsa station with strips of fried cactus paddle, onion-laced pickled jalapeño escabeche, chopped cilantro, and fresh lime; go early, as they usually sell out of barbacoa. A flavorful consommé soup made from the lamb’s drippings is a must-order, too. 

Fishtown’s official transformation into a foodie haven came in the form of Suraya, a Levant all-day café with an interior that sends design buffs spinning. The 12,000-square-foot expanse is composed of a coffee shop slinging Lebanese chai tea topped with crushed pistachios and rose petals, drip coffee, pastries, and more; a sit-down area for lunch, dinner, and brunch; a bar overlooking the buzzing kitchen; and a picturesque outdoor garden. By night, the chefs and bartenders show off their chops with grilled meats and fish slathered in hard-to-ever-forget sauces and rubs, cold and hot meze options, and a drinks list featuring Levantine spirits, as well as wine and beer from around the world. Those who want to try a little of everything should opt for the four-course dinner tasting menu or the meze plate during lunch and brunch.

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 quotes by Alice Waters printed on the walls, a 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 "The Master Class."

The pricey, farm-to-table eight-course prix-fixe dinner at this cozy, cult-favorite market and eat-in spot in the heart of Kennett Square requires advance planning, but fortunately Talula's offers its own artisanal cheeses, house-cured meats, and handmade breads and pastas throughout the day, along with a coffee bar and prepared meals for takeout. Breakfast and lunch at the communal table feature seasonal soups, salads, and sandwiches using local ingredients, or you can just pick up the makings for a picnic. The four-hour-long dinner—about 20 people maximum at two tables—is a special treat that is so popular you have to book a year in advance, making it one of the Northeast's top restaurant reservations since 2007.

The formidable chef Greg Vernick used his Jersey Shore vacations as inspiration for Vernick Fish, an oyster bar reminiscent of the restaurants that dot the Jersey Shore—albeit with an elevated vibe. Located on the first floor of the soaring Comcast Technology Center, the seafood-focused restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily with a special focus on raw fish and fish-forward tartares. The floor-to-ceiling windows along the Arch Street side of the restaurant allow for prime people-watching, and sun-soaked tables evoke the feeling of the Jersey Shore. For the non–fish eater, a selection of curated chicken, steak, and crispy veggies is available.

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.

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.

The bright and cheerful one-room ice cream shop matches the happy feelings that accompany a cup, cone, or ice cream sandwich from Weckerly's. Local dairy, fruit, herbs, and eggs are the base for the shop's creamy and decadent flavors, which change to match the season (with the exception of a few staples).

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, this James Beard award–winning 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 (salad) 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, along with your dinner reservation, should be reserved in advance. The dining room features a prix fixe menu only; the bar and patio are à la carte.

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).

A photo-ready interior invites guests to La Colombe's world headquarters, a sprawling space covered in artsy graffiti and crusty brick walls, that offers food, drinks, and ample space for hanging out. Communal tables stream down the center of the space, so grab your spot before you order at the counter: savory scones, sandwiches on excellent baguettes, sweet pastries, 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.

Garden admission is required to eat at this elegant fine-dining restaurant below the Main Conservatory and overlooking the Main Fountain Garden, where the fare is as elevated as the 240-seat space with its vaulted ceiling, lounge and bar backed by bottles in gleaming glass cases, and dining areas with sleek wood tables, comfy seating, and greenery. The seasonally changing menu is split into sections called Flora (bread, salads, and vegetables), Funga (dishes from soups to mains using the area's famous mushrooms), and Fauna (good-size starters and mains featuring fish and meat); dining is à la carte or a chef's-choice tasting menu, and helpful servers explain the different-size dishes so guests can put together a satisfying, always artfully presented meal. During Longwood's Christmas season, a fixed-price menu of three or four courses is the only option. Desserts aren't neglected, from house-made gelato to a sticky toffee pudding with pumpkin. Typical of the thoughtful touches here, leftovers can be refrigerated (a claim check is provided) and picked up later if people are continuing their garden explorations. There's even a fixed-price children's menu. As for the name, 1906 comes from the year Pierre du Pont purchased the first part of the land that would become Longwood Gardens. 

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.

The menu at this popular Center City location includes a huge selection of crisp dosas as well as other regional specialties like mutton (prepared several different ways), chicken kurma (a curried chicken dish), biryani (rice dish), and plenty of vegetarian options. Tiffin specials, which include a couple of dishes, plus a drink and dessert, make for a good lunch, and the chai and filter coffee are both excellent pick-me-ups.

Within Stoltzfus Meats, a meat-centric supermarket selling all things sausage, cold cuts, and cheese, is Amos' Place, a popular deli serving breakfast and lunch. A surprisingly lengthy menu includes cheesesteaks, subs, and broasted chicken (similar to fried chicken), and there are salads for the cholesterol-challenged. Order at the counter and snag a table, or grab something to go.

Only its name in fairly small lettering on the door announces Andiario, a 24-seat restaurant that has attracted national attention for its brilliant use of seasonal regional ingredients in weekly-changing four-course prix-fixe menus featuring fish and seafood, poultry, and meat. The setting for each night's sophisticated feast is simple: a gleaming open kitchen faces the small dining room with its clean lines and well-spaced tables with white tablecloths, and large windows overlook the street. It's a chic backdrop for chef Anthony Andiario's creativity and the bounty of the state, from mushrooms to trout, served by knowledgeable staff.