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We've compiled the best of the best in Pennsylvania - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Smoke, coal, fire, and ash create a through line for the menu at a.kitchen, on the ground floor of the AKA Hotel. Attired in blond wood and Carrara marble, it looks like a spa in the Italian Alps, and its Rittenhouse address guarantees a scene, but chef Eli Collins has transformed it into a serious restaurant with an ace sommelier and a steak tartare that cannot be missed. The cocktail bar next door is also among the best in the city.
At Amada, the first of chef-restaurateur Jose Garces’s restaurants, the Ecuadorian-American chef reinterprets regional cuisine with choice ingredients and a modern touch that feature in more than 50 tapas, from the crab-stuffed peppers with toasted almonds to the flatbread topped with artichoke, black truffle, and manchego. Many ingredients—including even more glorious cheeses—are sourced from northern Spain, the main inspiration for the menu. The large, festive front room can skew loud; for a quieter meal, ask for a table in the second dining room, beyond the open kitchen.
Vietnamese food is very popular in Philadelphia, and many people have a local pho spot that they frequent multiple times a week. Gabriella's, though, showcases regional dishes with light, flavorful, and addictive menu items like steamed water fern dumplings, savory crepes wrapped in herbs and lettuce, and stir-fried soft shell crab.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
At this locally popular spot, some stone and brick walls, barn doors, plenty of dark wood tables, and a bar area establish a comfortable, casual atmosphere for enjoying tasty handmade pastas and other Italian dishes. Wine choices aren't extensive, but the food menus are lengthy, with lunch options including pastas and sandwiches such as a chicken parmigiana sandwich, and dinner choices like veal saltimboca and crab and lobster ravioli. Among the numerous appetizers offered at lunch and dinner are grilled octopus and tuna crudo. Antica is right on Baltimore Pike, next to Brandywine Prime, a steakhouse. It's easy to miss; if you go past Creek Road, you've gone too far.
This buzzing Mediterranean tapas joint has inspired an almost religious devotion among nearly every demographic of Philadelphian. Diners happily stuff themselves into the cramped tables at this long, narrow eatery for a fix of the cheese boards, the egg-and-truffle pizza, and the house-made charcuterie. But above all, the salted caramel budino (a classic Italian pudding)—with so much demand, chef Marcie Turney figured out how to sell it online in a six-pack and turn it into ice-cream pops in the summer—is heavenly. If you don't have a reservation, try and snag the bar and chef's counter, which are first come, first served.
Southern Italian gems like arancini (risotto balls), osso buco (braised lamb shank), and spinach and artichoke canneloni (crepes) are expertly prepared at this spacious, modern trattoria. Relatively new on the scene, Beccafico delivers fine dining without frills or fuss and a reasonably priced wine list with a dozen choices by the glass.
Located along Philly's legendary Headhouse Square, Bloomsday’s modern, eclectic menu features a wide assortment of large and small plates suitable for sharing, as well as hearty, seasonal, and farm-to-table specialties like baba ghanoush, sweet-and-spicy wings, fish-and-chips, and beef stew. Fans keep returning to this friendly, stylish restaurant for the Bloomsday dry-aged burger and an array of tinned fish plates, which include sardines, tuna, mussels, and octopus. The food here is accompanied by a robust wine list, so be sure to wander into the on-site bottle shop for some lesser-known vintages.
Bistro-style C'est la Vie, right in the middle of downtown, serves a mix of traditional and modern French fare in a contemporary but not fancy space. Dishes range from boeuf bourguignon to trout macaroons, and the brick-oven pizzas include a stellar fig and goat cheese pie. To accompany your meal, choose a bottle from the long list of French and other wines. If the weather's nice, get a patio table in the pretty brick alley behind Central Market.
\nThe exterior resembles a diner, but don't be mislead: this BYO restaurant—helmed by former Marsha Brown executive chef Caleb Lentchner—serves not only breakfast and a variety of sandwiches and salads, but also locally-inspired New American fare at dinner in a country-village setting. Ladies who lunch come for the harvest chicken and "big" apple salad, avocado toast, fish tacos, or the signature burger.
The décor in this Shadyside eatery is desert chic. An eclectic menu, influenced by the cuisines of southern France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Tunisia, includes double-cut pork chops, duck breast, and lamb osso bucco. The extensive wine list includes more than 40 labels available by the glass.
In a restored 1869 railroad hotel, this eatery is themed as a speakeasy from the Roaring '20s, with newspapers from the era and gangster portraits adding to the period flavor. Entrées include broiled crab cakes, seafood pasta, and tenderloin tips on toast, a Lancaster County tavern favorite that dates to Prohibition. The menu is huge, offering a variety of plates both big and small.
People who have been to Havana swear this place is a dead ringer; in any event, it's lovely, with balconies and fancy streetlights and even a leaded-glass window on the interior. An entire drinks menu is devoted to rum from everywhere in the Caribbean and Central and South America, including Cuba Libre's own brand, and, of course, the mojitos are excellent. The appetizers, like Cienfuegos-style beef empanadas and malanga fritters, are authentic. Rice and black beans are served with classic entrées like vaca frita and ropa vieja.
Hummus and falafel are the star at this local-to-Philadelphia chain run by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook of the celebrated CookNSolo restaurant group. Modeled after the hummus stalls of Tel Aviv, the menu includes falafel sandwiches and hummus bowls with seasonal toppings, plus refreshing drinks like a lemonana, a kind of Middle Eastern lemonade. The fries are a local favorite, as are the tahini milkshakes, which happen to be completely vegan.
Part of the Hershey Farm hotel complex, this is a huge smorgasbord of Pennsylvania Dutch and American dishes. The bright, airy space underscores the freshness of the buffet, most of it scratch-made on-site. There's also a grill where you can get made-to-order burgers and sandwiches. It's a satisfying stop before or after a show at nearby Sight and Sound Theatre.
This seasonally driven gastropub located in a former inn, stable, and speakeasy makes magic with locally grown produce and meat and Pennsylvania-made beer and spirits. The day's menu, and a list of "Farmers and Friends" who supply the restaurant's ingredients, are posted on chalkboards. The former horse stables have been transformed into booths and there is a bar on each end of the dining room. It's a great place to enjoy live jazz on most Tuesday and Saturday nights.
A casual hangout in the heart of New Hope, Karla's has been open since 1978, offering American food from cheaper salads, burgers, and sandwiches to more expensive fare, with most dishes enlivened with interesting international ingredients. Dine on dishes like panko-crusted mac and cheese, sweet-potato-crusted fish of the day, and stuffed pork chops with prosciutto in cozy, well-worn rooms with an assemblage of mismatched tables and plants. Part indoors and part out, half restaurant and half bar, mostly shabby and somewhat chic, Karla's feels like a comfortable pair of jeans.
Located inside the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing, this nautical-themed restaurant is open all day with a contemporary American menu that features a wide variety of tasty offerings, from cheesesteaks and salads to roasted chicken and grilled seafood specialties. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the light-filled dining room is an ideal spot to refuel for Penn's Landing explorations; during warmer months, sit outside on the patio and enjoy breezy views of the Delaware River.
Sublime charcuterie, ethereal pastas, and interesting wines by the glass are just a few of the details that make Le Virtù one of the best Italian restaurants in town. The sun-washed space began with a fierce dedication to the underappreciated region of Abruzzo and that focus has been sharpened for years. Keep an eye out for Le Virtù’s events, which range from rare wine tastings to performances by visiting Abruzzese musicians. The quaint outdoor patio is one of the neighborhood's most charming alfresco options.
This all-you-can-eat smorgasbord has been a local institution since 1929, offering enough food to satisfy any appetite. The spread here is lavish, with a good selection of Pennsylvania Dutch specialties such as house-made pickles, baked cabbage in cream sauce, and shoofly pie (made with molasses). Unlike at most buffets you can make reservations, which are recommended.
If the rumors are true, and Philadelphians do drink more Belgian beer than Belgians do, then it's because of the owners of Monk's, the seminal café with a pipeline of sours, dubbels, and saisons straight from the motherland. Whether steamed in classic style with white wine and shallots or with cream, mussels are a high point at Monk's, and the fries that accompany them draw raves from the regulars who crowd the place.
The excellent small-plate and other food options at this wine bar and restaurant pair superbly with the wide range of U.S. and international wines, beers, and whiskeys served in a modern-industrial but intimate space with a long bar, wooden tables, and tall windows facing a creek. Dishes like tuna tacos and a mushroom and goat cheese flatbread are perfect for sharing, and seasonal salads and sandwiches make it fun to build a meal for your drink or flight, though the costs can add up. The friendly, knowledgeable servers welcome questions about the drinks and food. All in all, the atmosphere at night can be both romantic and sophisticated, since the setting is slightly apart from New Hope's bustle; Nektar seems to be perched in the trees. There's some outdoor seating in summer.
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.
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.
