Where To Get the Best Soup for Lunch in Philadelphia


Soup Kitchen - Photo by Courtney Apple

Soup Kitchen – Photo by Courtney Apple

A couple of weeks ago we crowd-sourced where to get the best soup around Center City Philadelphia and beyond. We received suggestions in the comments, on Facecbook, via Twitter and email as well.

Here is our list of the places and soups that came up the most. For what restaurants serve a can’t miss soup as part of their meal, check out our best soups in Philadelphia restaurants list.

Best Asian Soups

It’s long been known that Philadelphia is a Pho town. Here are the best dishes of pho as mentioned by you the Foobooz reader.

Pho 75
1122 Washington Avenue
823 Adams Avenue

Pho 75 comes with the seal of approval of just about every chef in town who makes the Washington Avenue location’s hearty soup their breakfast/hangover cure

Pho Ha
610 Washington Avenue

Almost as popular as Pho 75 is Pho Ha. The broth is what gets people clamoring for this chill fixer-upper.

Nam Phuong
1100-1120 Washington Avenue

Although Nam Phuong might be known more for their other Vietnamese specials, there’s no denying the pho here is a winner as well.

Nom Nom Ramen
20 S 18th Street

Philadelphia’s ramen itch was first scratched at Nom Nom. It’s still getting satiated there with the spicy Karai Miso. It’ll warm you up, inside and out.

Terakawa Ramen
204 N 9th Street

The rich signature Terakawa ramen is the obvious choice, but the Tan Tan Ramen with chicken broth as a change-up.

Best Other Soups

Café Lutecia
2301 Lombard Street

At this cozy French cafe it is the tomato bisque that gets heaped with praise.

Famous 4th Street
700 S 4th Street
38 S 19th Street

The only debate about the soup at Famous 4th is matzoh ball or chicken noodle. But that’s why there’s more than one day in a week.

Good Karma Cafe
331 S 22nd Street
928 Pine Street

The soups rotate but there’s no doubting that the African Peanut Chicken gets the most praise.

Good Spoon
Various locations

You can find these hot soups at farmers’ markets and retail spots around Philadelphia. The soups are seasonal and right now there is a roster of warming fall soups.

Grocery
101 S 13th Street

The soups change daily but you can follow the menu on Twitter at @groceryphilly.

High Street on Market
308 Market Street

Butternut Squash, and Sweet Potato and Candied Walnut soups were the ones our readers singled out. But the options change frequently, so check them out.

Jose’s Mexican Foods
469 N 10th Street  

The pollo con jengibre or chicken and ginger soup at Jose’s runs out fast and Foobooz readers didn’t really want to spill where Jose’s is, lest there be less for them. But we couldn’t help but share.

Le Bus Bakery
135 S 18th Street

Pumpkin soup has been a favorite recently. Beef Barley is another solid choice.

Luke’s Lobster
130 S 17th Street

The New England clam chowder is the number one seller but we’re big fans of getting the lobster bisque and a grilled cheese. It’s a perfect combo.

Pure Fare
119 S 21st Street

Get your soup and calorie count. The vegan pumpkin coconut soup is only 141 calories.

Schlesingers
1521 Locust Street

It’s the cabbage soup that has people buzzing. Schlesingers themselves describes it as “famous.”

Soup Kitchen
2146 E. Susquehanna Avenue

As the name suggests, soup is king at Soup Kitchen. And of the soups, we highly recommend the Shakshuka.