Philadelphia’s Best Italian Restaurants

It was a months-long quest, and it took us through mountains of pasta, gallons of gravy, and more limoncello­ than can possibly be healthy. but here, now, are the 30 greatest spots to eat Italian food in this city.

Philadelphia practically bleeds red, white and green. Here, Italian culture and Italian food are woven inextricably into the fabric of our lives—from the little street-corner trattoria where you drank chianti with your first love, to the neighborhood market where you buy your olives and parm and sfogliatelle, to the rollicking, endless Sunday dinners full of more characters than any Martin Scorsese film.

And that’s what we’re celebrating this month: this city’s edible Italian soul. We point you to the best places to eat, where to shop for the most authentic ingredients, what to buy and what we love. We sit down for a family dinner in South Philly, honor the institutions (and the paesanos) that have kept Old Country traditions alive across a century or more, and tell you where to find the best spaghetti and meatballs in town. So what are you waiting for? Dig in.

Best Italian Restaurants in Philadelphia

Photo by Jason Varney