63 Best Restaurants in Pennsylvania, USA

Rebuilt and reopened on its original site in 2025 after flood damage in 2021, this casual comfort-food icon, in business since 1950, has embraced a more modern, airy look with a soaring, light wood-lined ceiling with a chandelier made by a local artist, light wood floors and tables, and a long wraparound counter. The welcoming vibe remains strong as locals and visitors rub shoulders all day in the expanded space, ordering favorites like an omelet stuffed with roasted Kennett Square mushrooms and cheese, corned beef hash and eggs, French dip, mac and cheese, and shrimp and grits. Photos and art still recall the days when Andrew Wyeth popped over from his nearby studio; he might be surprised by the modern space but likely happy to see this incarnation raised up for better protection from more Brandywine flooding.     

Dimly lit, with exceptionally designed interiors, this Sansom Street haunt is a frequent stop for those looking for a cool space to enjoy new American–style bites. In this case, that means doughy pizzas, inspired veggie dishes, hearty meat-based meals, artisanal toasts, and a selection of raw dishes, in addition to a hefty drink list. The coolest part of this space is perhaps the downstairs bar and bowling alley.

This family-owned Nepalese and Indian restaurant is a longtime favorite in downtown Lancaster, serving up popular Indian specialties like tandoori and chana masala (a chickpea-based curry), as well as Nepalese dry curries and steamed dumplings. The cozy dining room quickly gets packed on weekend nights and weekday lunch hours (there's an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet Monday through Saturday in addition to the regular menu), but the staff gracefully handles the constant flow. There's also an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet on Monday night, and although there is no alcohol on the menu, the restaurant has a BYOB policy.

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.

The West and North African food scene in West Philadelphia is thriving, and this brightly colored, family restaurant is celebrated for Senegalese flavors. Enjoy marinated chicken and fish, couscous, and vegetarian dishes—there's not a long menu, but there's always plenty of flavorful food. The restaurant is also something of a magnet for local politicians and "Philly" celebrities (newscasters, pro athletes) and the occasional international ones, like Angélique Kidjo.

This former home in Kitchen Kettle Village is a couple of notches above the other options in Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand. Lunch off the seasonal menu might include a chicken salad sandwich or boeuf bourguignon; the complimentary appetizer of crackers with cream cheese and red-pepper jam is tasty. Shoofly pie is a treat for dessert, but don't miss the brown butter cookies. Try to get one of the tables on the sunny enclosed porch.

A lively pub up front and a dining room and enclosed patio in back, McCleary's serves up satisfying dishes such as crab cakes and pub steaks. There's a long list of Irish and American brews, and live music Wednesday through Saturday.

This BYOB in a former corner market is noisy and cramped, but they have started taking reservations and keep packing them in. You may ask why, and it's because of the Italian–new American bistro's attention to detail, visible in the exquisite artisanal cheese plate, the perfectly seared scallops, whole grilled artichoke, and the homemade triangle-shaped pasta.

Part café, part restaurant, part bar, Middle Child Clubhouse opened and immediately became part of the essential fabric of Fishtown. Come by midday to sample one of the sandwiches that made the brand Philly-famous, make a reservation for dinner to sample modern American comfort food like a Caesar salad topped with Old Bay fried shrimp, okonomiyaki-style latkes, and a juicy burger, and stay for the restaurant's bar program, which leans heavily on lower-ABV ingredients like vermouth and sherry, as well as savory ingredients like kombu.

Just steps from the heart of the historic Italian Market, Paffuto is a new-school Italian-American bakery and sandwich shop. Go for their maritozzo, a whipped cream-filled bun that's perfect for dipping in coffee. They also serve dinner Thursday, Friday, and Saturday—reservations are a must.

Restaurateur Stephen Starr logged countless hours researching how to make the very best pizza, laboring over the dough, oven type, ideal temperature, and every other conceivable variable. The resulting artisanal 12-inch rounds, with ingredients like black truffle, fresh prosciutto, and earthy chanterelles, keep this snug 80-seater overflowing with neighborhood duos and families; the no-reservations policy necessitates getting here early or late if you don’t want to wait. All tables are good tables—each has a view of the red-and-white-tiled Neapolitan pizza oven and Headhouse Square through plenty of tall café windows.

The warm and cheery first floor of this renovated bank feels like a genuine Irish pub. The eatery's long bar features over a dozen taps—invariably spouting several imported and a few local brews—and the menu includes good Irish smoked salmon on grainy bread as well as a panoply of worldly appetizers, salads, and main courses. In winter, patrons crowd around a blazing fireplace on stools set around small tables.

For a pan-Asian fix, grab a stool at the sushi bar at the futuristic Pod, where you can select your favorite raw fish from a conveyor belt.

Owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generation of the Dispigno/Rubino family, Ralph's is in the running for one of the country's oldest Italian restaurants. You can expect Italian-American favorites like sausage and peppers, osso buco, and braciole, as well as house specialties like lasagna and fettuccini Alfredo; just don't forget to bring cash.

Naturally leavened sourdough pizza is the star of the show at Sally, where crisp crusts carry an ever-changing selection of toppings, from classic cheese to bacon and sunchoke. Start your meal with a couple of vegetable-forward starters, a platter of oysters, and a glass of natural wine; if you find a wine you like, visit the wine store to take a bottle home with you.

One of the city's busiest happy hour spots, Sampan serves up delicious small plates like cheesesteak bao buns and crispy tuna rice crackers, Asian-inspired cocktails, and a clubby environment. Dinner service also sees a lot of action, so book ahead, especially on the weekend.

The menu at this Mt. Washington eatery includes chicken and lobster tart, lump crab cakes, apple butter–glazed pork chop, and steaks. There is a deck for outdoor seating (but unfortunately, no citywide view). Valet parking is available on the weekends.

This chic restaurant has three dining levels. The main bar is on the first floor, there's a small dining area on the mezzanine, and glass sculptures adorn the two dining rooms on level three. The top floor also has a small bar and an enclosed deck. The pan-Asian menu includes sushi, tuna tartare, and seaweed salad appetizers. Entrees include seared rare tuna with ginger fried rice and kimchi, and filet mignon with chili-garlic mashed potatoes.

Italian music greets diners at chef-owners Joe and Angela Cicala's palate-enticing pizzeria in the Divine Lorraine building (their high-end Italian restaurant, Cicala, is also in the building), where exposed brick walls, colorful art, big windows, and white metal chairs and wood tables provide a relaxed setting for aperitivi and pizza master Joe's creative, fun, Neapolitan-style pies. Even a straightforward Margherita pizza, with its puffy-edged, char-spotted crust and San Marzano tomatoes, may inspire, and the seasonal menu offers inventions like the Bronte, with pistachio pesto, mortadella, and burrata, and the Porchetta e patate, with long hots and rosemary-roasted potatoes. Desserts like sorbet and gelato (with changing options like as lemon cannoli gelato) are worth saving room for—if you can.           

A few blocks from Central Market, this one-time farmers' market built in 1888 has been repurposed as a food hall. Whether you're in the mood for sushi or bratwurst or just a cup of coffee, you'll find a wide variety of global cuisines at the 12 stands. Order at the stations of your choice and bring your food out to one of the tables or the central bar. A pizza place operates off one end of the hall.

Situated on the ground floor of the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center across from Mellon Arena, this restaurant's menu has entrées such as lump crab cake with roasted corn hash and lime aioli; cedar-plank king salmon with sweet potatoes, asparagus, and ancho beurre blanc; and grilled swordfish with roasted eggplant, capers, olives and tomatoes. Also available are the Brasserie "Mac 'N' Cheese," with prosciutto and white truffle essence, as well as salads, wraps, and sandwiches. If you score a table by the window, you'll have a clear view of the skyline. Brunch is served on weekends.

A newer addition to East Passyunk's array of restaurants, this hybrid French wine bar and bottle shop has a food menu that's perfect for nearly any time of day, and a small market selection for takeaway. Sip a glass of biodynamic French wine while you nibble a jambon beurre sandwich, or snag an outdoor table and a martini for some people-watching along the Avenue. The space has lots of seating and though it does get busy in the evenings, if you loiter a little with your glass of wine, a table is sure to open up.

David and Annette Suro opened Tequila's way back in 1986, when the local culinary consciousness wasn't quite as familiar with mole poblano and chiles rellenos as it is now. Fortunately, the space was evocative enough (painted Day of the Dead figures, a long hardwood bar, Mexican glassware, colorful ceramics) to get the curious and unfamiliar in the door. The restaurant recently underwent a full renovation, and the menu and space have been updated to stay at the forefront of the city's restaurant scene. In the back, find La Jefa, an all-day café and bar with an excellent cocktail program. 

Shiny vats are the tip-off to what's happening at this large, convivial, bi-level brewpub with industrial-looking beams and ductwork, which is a bit off the main drag by the New Hope Railroad station. The varied menu lists hearty small plates, salads, mains, and sandwiches, and the food skews a bit more sophisticated than at most such places, with vegetarian options and global touches like bao buns and a mushroom shawarma sandwich. Typically seven craft beers are on tap, with seasonal specials. There's often live music on weekend nights.

It's possible you might need a break from chocolate, and if you do, you can rest assured that the Tröegs brewery will be the perfect antidote, with its creative menus and multiple draft beers (some you can only get here) available in 4oz., 10oz., and 16oz. sizes. Menu options, which sell out fast, include starters like the pickle plate and tabbouleh salad and mains like fluke crudo, crab lasagna rotolo, red lentil daal, and the meatloaf sandwich---yes, at a brewery. 

Specializing in Southern specialties cooked on a charcoal grill, this Headhouse Square restaurant's extensive menu offerings include fried chicken, barbecue smoked ribs, shrimp and grits, and grilled swordfish. This fun, lively hot spot also has a busy bar, including a robust wine list and American whiskey selection, with mixologists pouring craft cocktails. Live blues and jazz music is performed on most nights, so check the website for upcoming bands and musical artists. 

A rotating selection of more than 20 beers—ranging from lagers and ales to sours, Belgians, and stouts—is available in the two-story taproom and patio space. The pub menu has pub-fare apps like house-made pretzels, cheesesteak eggrolls, and fried pickles, as well as sandwiches (yes, burgers, roast pork, and cheesesteaks) and salads. There are weekly specials like Wednesday $1 wings and Sunday Funday ($2 off drafts and $3 off apps) and events like quiz nights and roof-top parties. 

This Pakistani eatery specializes in lahore chargha, a fiery fried chicken dish, for which it is very popular because people in Philly seek out the fried and delicious. But that's not the only dish worth having—enjoy a tasty variety of flavorful halal meat skewers in the tandoor, curries, homemade and hot-from-the-oven naan and roti breads, and vegetarian offerings.

Taking up the ground floor of the FMC Tower, home to the AKA University City, Walnut Street Café serves a mix of new American cuisine, crispy pizzas, and specialty sandwiches in a light-flooded, art deco--inspired space. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus weekend brunch, the restaurant’s edible highlights include house-baked bread and pastries, raw seafood platters, and rotating handmade pasta. There's really nothing else around, except for World Cafe Live—which if you're seeing a show there (where the food is subpar), getting dinner at Walnut Street Café is a smart choice.