278 Best Restaurants in Pennsylvania, USA

North Third was one of the first restaurants to settle in Northern Liberties at the infancy of the neighborhood's transformation. The menu hasn't changed much, mostly because locals love hits like the thick burger, crisp fried chicken, and house-made pierogies. Weekend brunch here—breakfast burrito, berry-topped French toast—is one of the best in the area.

It's largely locals eating at this smallish banquet space on the edge of Chinatown, and things can get a bit hectic, with big-screen TVs hanging from every corner, gaudy chandeliers overhead, and dim sum carts racing through the aisles. Snag a seat next to the kitchen to flag down the carts as they emerge—the dim sum is excellent and well priced.

What looks rather ramshackle from the nondescript street outside is the only place in Ephrata for oysters and prime rib, but along with the dinner plates it also serves burgers, sandwiches, and salads. The tablecloth-dressed dining room is spacious, and the tin-ceilinged tavern has an 1800s bar. 

Serving Stumptown coffee in a bi-level space, One Shot Coffee is a hidden spot for solid beverages and snacks, set a few blocks back from the hustle and bustle of the Piazza. The menu features café staples like cold brew, drip coffee, flavored lattes, hot tea, and more, in addition to brunch-focused fare like breakfast burritos, egg sandwiches, and croissants. Plus, with an upstairs library, the café is the perfect spot for lounging with a hot beverage.

Under the careful direction of acclaimed chef-owner Jeff Michaud, Osteria has flourished, with a seasonally changing menu that offers everything from amazing brick-oven pizzas to delicate house-made pastas to a strip steak. With its rustic wooden tables, soaring ceilings, and decor that blends loft and countryside, industry and art, this place helped establish the restaurant scene in 2007 in the redeveloping North Broad neighborhood.

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.

The name refers to a lovely mural rather than a window view from this lively spot inside the Penn's View Hotel. The restaurant has the largest wine cruvinet (storage system) in the country. Besides more than 120 wines by the glass, there's a huge selection of well-chosen bottles. You can sip them in Il Bar or in the main dining room. The food is authentic Italian—simple and hearty. The ambience is either noisy or animated, depending on your tolerance level.

A step up from an ordinary diner, this spot along the main antiques drag serves breakfast all day as well as a wide array of sandwiches, salads, and burgers. Dinner plates are especially well-priced.

New cheesesteak restaurants come and go, but two of the oldest—Pat's and Geno's, at 9th and Passyunk—have a long-standing feud worth weighing in on. It comes down to a matter of taste, as both serve equally generous portions of rib-eye steak, grilled onions, and melted provolone, American, or Cheez Whiz on freshly baked Italian rolls. The main differences, as far as we can tell: Pat's meat is chopped, and its shop’s exterior is a bit more understated than Geno's neon extravaganza.

It's rare for Philadelphians to take to outsiders, but Paulie Gee's, an import from New York, has been happily embraced. That's partly because it's one of the very few great pizza shops that offer slices, and partly because it stays open until 2 am on the weekends. There's a full bar, a pool table, and a playlist of '60s and '70s rock, which contributes to the nostalgic, social vibe. 

The raw bar is the star of the show at Pearl & Mary, where platters of oysters, clusters of crab claws, and bright lobster tails are tough to resist. Build your perfect seafood order, paired with a sparkling wine cocktail, and then round out the meal with a crudo (raw fish or seafood with citrus juice), a platter of fish-and-chips, or a whole grilled snapper. Happy hour is popular here, as are the late-night hours when the dining room starts to feel more like a bar.

Chef-owner Lou Boquila brings his modern interpretations of Philippine cuisine to South Philly with this romantic BYOB. Wednesday to Sunday, Boquila creates the popular kamayan dinner (a Filipino style of communal eating without plates or utensils), which features loads of delicious food presented to the table on banana-leaf placemats. You’re not only allowed, but encouraged, to eat with your hands.

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.

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.

Charming and light-filled, the menu at PJ Clarke's—yes, of the New York PJ Clarke's—showcases American cuisine, from salads and sandwiches to an assortment of hearty entrées. The sprawling space inside the historic Curtis building features a large bar overlooking Independence Mall; be sure to have a glimpse of the famous Tiffany glass mosaic The Dream Garden before or after you dine. 

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.

This friendly Belgian-style bistro is tucked in cozy Point Breeze. The menu features mussels with white wine or curry, steak frites, seafood waterzooi (a Belgian bouillabaisse), and carbonnade flamande (a beef stew made with Belgian brown ale). Grab a cheese plate and some Belgian beer at the bar while you're waiting for your table. Point Brugge doesn't accept reservations and diners there know to expect a wait, especially on the weekends.

This second-floor, Amalfi coast–inspired restaurant is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that offer guests a great view of Old City; the decor is inspired by the owner's seaside home in Italy. The menu includes something for everyone—there's an array of zesty homemade Italian specialties, including pastas; grilled octopus and shrimp scampi appetizers; a selection of fresh salads; and entrée favorites like zucchini crab cakes and a pan-seared pork chop. It's a fun, lively spot that transforms into an alfresco experience during the warmer months. Happy hour specials during the week are ideal for sipping some vino at the bar while nibbling on light bites. Weekend brunch features live DJ music.

What started out in 1933 as a working-class bar is now a Pittsburgh favorite with eight locations. The cheese steak comes with fries, coleslaw, and tomato—all in the sandwich.

Owned by a team of young Venezuelans, the vibrant Puyero offers a fun fast-casual take on their country’s cuisine. The main focus is crispy cornmeal arepas filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, and veggies; they also offer patacones (fried plantain sandwiches), cachacas (thinner cornmeal pancakes), and rotating specials.

Tucked away on a quiet corner, Rachel's offers perfectly light crepes—many can be made gluten-free or vegan—stuffed with a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dessert combinations. Whether you sit in the cozy dining room or on the covered deck, you can build your own crepe from the long list of fillings, from feta to bacon to Nutella, or enjoy a latte with a chef's crepe such as The Blackbird (chicken, roasted corn, and black beans).

This homey café is a popular spot for locals to start their day with a cup of joe from locally roasted beans. The menu offers egg sandwiches and wraps for breakfast and a changing lineup of soups, sandwiches, and salads that are served all day.

The restaurant in this elegantly revamped 1823 building serves classic and creative American dishes such as saffron-pea risotto and pan-seared salmon. Evoking the age of luxury rail travel, the main dining room is furnished with intimate booths and tables, while the rear room has a fine-dining feel. Downstairs, brick-floored, wood-beamed Perry Street Cellar vibes rustic tavern (good burgers); upstairs are 10 bright guest rooms.

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.

Pouring specialty coffee decades before it was cool, Ray’s is renowned for its special syphon brewing system, a complex (and photogenic) technique that relies on the vacuum pressure to produce transcendent java. But this charming family-run café serves simple plates, too, like steamed or pan-fried dumplings, noodle soups, and rotating specials.

ReAnimator stands out in the Philadelphia coffee scene thanks to its sourcing of single-origin beans, dynamic roasting techniques, and smartly designed cafés. Tucked away in the tiny Garden Court area, this West Philadelphia outpost is a calming caffeinated oasis, a clean minimalist shop with a laid-back vibe. This is a great residential area to walk around and admire the houses, and hit ReAnimator to, um, reanimate and keep going. Open until 3 pm, the food selection is locally made breads, pastries, and snacks.

When the cheesesteaks and hoagies start to weigh you down, head to Reap Wellness for creative—and genuinely delicious—smoothies and salads. Former health journalist Adjua Fisher and her husband and chef Zach Rice started REAP as a meal delivery service, but its popularity quickly turned into a storefront that's brought nutritious, creative meals to Fishtown. Favorites include the Sneaky Greens smoothie made with spinach, purslane, mango, ginger, and hemp, or the savory Seaweed Caesar.