Philadelphia is a city that loves its cuisine and beverages, with fine wine lists, sleek and contemporary design, and outdoor sitting. New restaurants spring up like mushrooms every time you turn around, heralding a revival in every cuisine under the sun.
It makes it difficult to pick between the many eating alternatives and to predict what to anticipate from the dining scene here. Yet it won’t be difficult for you. Thus, if you’ve arrived to this website, be assured that I’ve acquired valuable, first-hand knowledge on the greatest restaurants in Philadelphia!
Food is the most delightful aspect of existence. Restaurants are one of the nicest elements of visiting a new location, and Philadelphia has no lack of treasured dining establishments.
Philadelphia’s Top 10 Restaurants
The White Yak
118 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, +121548307646
One of Philadelphia’s newest eateries seems to have come directly from Tibet. A pagoda-like structure rises from White Yak’s outside patio, giving the restaurant the appearance of being in Nepal.
Nevertheless, the walls are covered with prayer flags rather than Buddhist artwork, and the building is an extension to St. Stephens Green, Philadelphia’s first Tibetan restaurant. And the cuisine is traditional and delicious.
My Nepali cuisine feast began with the makayak, a very sour and salty fish soup, followed by my favorite meal, cold mung bean noodles.
Try the ruby red curry (served with a whole cooked egg!) or any meal with chewy momos (Tibetan dumplings). Steamed meats, potatoes, veggies, and sautéed meats are also offered, as is butter tea.
Cauliflower and beans are loaded into these vegetarian momos. With a lemon-coriander chutney, the veggies are cooked to exquisite softness and soupiness.
The chef brought over a platter of Indian flatbreads to go with the dumplings, explaining that they were popular in Nepal and Tibet, both of which he had visited. The restaurant is great for anybody wishing to try something new and unusual in terms of tastes and combinations.
Small Fish
Philadelphia, +12674550172746 S. 6th St.
I had the pleasure of visiting Little Fish, one of Philadelphia’s up-and-coming eateries, located in the center of Old City. You may be sure to find precisely what you’re looking for with terrific meals, a mouth-watering drink selection, and lots of fresh seafood choices that vary often.
Little Fish is famed for its fresh seafood, but it is also one of the few restaurants in Philadelphia that allows you to bring your own bottle for a corkage charge. It provides a comfortable atmosphere that allows you to have discussion with your guests while listening to modern music in the background.
The art on the wall entices you to look at it; if you’re in Philadelphia during the winter, there are some magnificent city views of the neighborhood.
Seasonal menu dishes include variations on classic favorites, such as Monkfish with maitake, Yukon, fermented pepper, roasted corn, and farro, or King Salmon with barbeque mustard, corn, pork belly, and farro.
As soon as you go into Little Fish, you are overcome by the aura, which transports you away from Philadelphia and into another exotic locale.
Suddenly, an explosion of tastes that you haven’t tasted before awakens your taste senses. This is one of the top seafood restaurants in Philadelphia.
Fork
Philadelphia, +12156259425306 Market St.
Fork, an Old City jewel, serves outstanding seasonal eating in a stylish and modern setting. It is particularly popular among millennials, who are searching for new and creative ingredient combinations.
You may have supper seven evenings a week, and on Sunday, you can indulge in a delectable brunch. There are several local farms in the vicinity that provide the menu’s components.
The crew at Eli Kulps restaurant continues to create unique meals using uncommon tastes and ingredients. Menu items include rosemary and thyme focaccia, grilled octopus, dry-aged bone-in rib eye, and a variety of other delectable meals.
A typical evening meal may frequently be designed imaginatively around a certain food or item. Visit this chic restaurant to observe how it delights the palette in novel and imaginative ways.
Hiroki
+12154223222 Philadelphia, Lee and Master Streets
I got the chance to visit Hiroki, the newest location of the Sushisamba franchise in Philadelphia. The restaurant immerses you in a contemporary rendition of a typical sushi house.
Meanwhile, the cuisine is a very inventive rendition of a two-part Omakase menu.
The menu is entirely Japanese, featuring some typical auxiliary dishes such as agedashi tofu and nabeyaki udon. Each dish on their Omakase menu is presented in the same manner. Select the Sake pairing and you will have an amazing dinner experience for the rest of your life!
Hiroki’s sushi is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. Its outside of the box, but it also showcases local foods, something you dont frequently see. And it throws everything you think you know about sushi to the side, making it a lot more exciting to experience.
It is a tiny facility, thus bookings are strongly advised. You may visit Hiroki every day except Tuesdays and expect a one-of-a-kind art exhibition while watching the chefs create your cuisine. Hiroki is neither cheap or economical, but that is part of its allure. It is one of the greatest restaurants in Philadelphia that must be experienced.
The Noord Eetcafe
Philadelphia, +126790997041046 Tasker St.
You can’t speak about the Philly eating scene without mentioning Noord Eetcafe. It’s no wonder that this BYOB eatery is the talk of the town.
On any given night, there will be a line out the door of people eager to enjoy the ambiance and cuisine that Chef Joncarl Lachman offers to this quiet neighborhood in South Philadelphia.
Smoked fish, chowders, and house-cured salmon can be on the special menu. Noord Eetcafe’s speciality is smoked fish, thus there are eight types to select from. The anchovy, chives, and lemon zest sour cream-covered house fish spread was wonderful.
I also tasted smoked trout, herring, and cod, which were all delicious with just the perfect amount of smokiness. That was a very unique Dutch experience from beginning to end.
Zahav
Philadelphia, +12156258800237 St. James Pl.
Zahav is a delightful restaurant that serves fresh and imaginative dishes from a little nation that has a prominent position in many cookbooks. It’s a contemporary experience with a classic twist. It’s also in one of Philadelphia’s most affluent neighborhoods.
I’m not sure what I anticipated when I initially arrived to Zahav, but it was certainly not the CSA-like experience I had when entering this house-turned-restaurant.
I was placed in a corner amid even more people after being welcomed by Zahav co-owner Michael Solomonov, a contender for Chef of the Year at this year’s James Beard Awards.
The area was alive with light banter, which was augmented by the chattering wait staff on the opposite side of the glass wall leading to their office.
After roughly five minutes of perusing the menu, one thing became clear: this lunch would be entirely Israeli.
Chicken Shishlik, Swordfish, and Pomegranate Lamb Shoulder are among the menu options.
Moreover, Zahav has a large wine list, inventive beverages, and a small-plates approach to cooking, making it a great venue to try something new or revisit an old favorite.
Laurel
Philadelphia, +121527182991617 E. Passyunk Ave.
Chef Nicholas Elmi is connected with Laurel restaurant. The restaurant, which began as a food truck before establishing its gourmet store, has become a success in South Philadelphia.
By its minimalist style menu, oriented at the younger age, it provides guests an alternative to fine dining experiences, allowing them to enjoy a delicious meal without car-side service or lengthy waits.
Getting into my lunch at Laurel felt like I was being offered something I’d never eaten before yet really craved. Elmis’s experiences living in Italy and France influenced the restaurant’s culinary methods, which combine classic French techniques with fresh Philadelphia products.
Cured Big Eye Fish, Sauce Choron, Eggplant Miso, Crusted veal, and a Strawberry and Vanilla Bavarois for dessert are among the seasonal sampling choices.
You should also try the melon and yuzu potage and the arctic char, which are also delicious. The dinner is completed with chef-selected cheeses and local honey. While the restaurant only seats around twenty people, the environment and experience are private and personal.
Vedge
Philadelphia, +121532075001221 Locust St.
Vedge delivers vegan meals that even discriminating and longtime carnivores would like since it tastes incredible. You may also order something basic, like a salad, without feeling cheated out on taste.
The service is excellent, and unlike many other vegan restaurants, Vedge is welcoming and accessible, rather than stuffy or frightening.
Vegetarian foods are also quite welcoming, with open tables and a lovely vegan chocolate cake on the menu. The salads are large enough for two people to share, and they come with roasted pieces of Brussels sprouts as an appetizer. It’s a tiny and private hideaway with a bright and friendly ambiance, as well as the greatest vegan food in the world.
As a dessert, I definitely suggest the pear tartlet. As they say in French, a trio of goat cheeses is virtually liquid. The main meal opens with a cheese plate accompanied by chutneys and quince paste.
A fresh coconut milk terrine topped with a poached egg and served over a crispy cornmeal mush was a delightan great vegan destination among Philly eateries.
Vernick Food & Beverage
Philadelphia, +126763966442031 Walnut St.
Vernick Food & Drink, located in the center of Philadelphia, serves a variety of delectable cuisine. This Rittenhouse Square fine-dining establishment offers an unassuming but sophisticated ambience that many residents respect and enjoy.
Vernick Food & Drink serves artisanal fare. Apart from small meals and raw alternatives, the restaurant serves a variety of veggies cooked to your desire.
Vernick’s broad plate menu includes grilled black sea bass, pork blade steak with pea leaves, and steamed halibut.
The on-site wood-fired oven also roasts delectable meat pieces. You may keep amused throughout your visit by seeing the meal preparation via the open layout of the kitchen.
The Vetri Cucina
Spruce St., Philadelphia, +121573234781312
Marc Vetri, an Italian chef, has garnered national acclaim. He has garnered accolades for Outstanding Restaurant for Alla Spina and Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in addition to his James Beard medals for culinary excellence.
This Vetri restaurant is one of three that he has launched in Philadelphia, where he also works as a television broadcaster, hosting Getting to 100 on PBS.
Apart from seasonal menu items, the restaurant serves exotic dishes like hog and chestnut fettucini, stone-milled polenta, and Texan antelope with squash and Amarone sauce.
One of the restaurant’s famous desserts is the chocolate polenta souffle. Hence, if you want to eat here in January or August, make a reservation. Vetri takes a week off in January and two weeks off in August.
A List of the Top Ten Restaurants in Philadelphia
Philadelphia has long been a fantastic area for local eateries, but it is also becoming an exciting destination for new restaurants to open and wow both residents and tourists.
Although some of the city’s greatest new restaurants are run by long-time Philadelphia chefs, the city is also home to a few new faces who have made a reputation for themselves elsewhere in the nation, from New York City to Los Angeles and before that, Brooklyn.
If you reside in the city, you are probably closer to a lot more amazing cuisine than ever before, since a new restaurant is opening its doors for the first time at virtually every turn these days. Therefore, if you’re going out to eat, make sure you’re hungry; the top restaurants in Philadelphia will take care of the rest.