Saami Somi
Photograph by Michael Persico Siblings Donna and Michael Kolodesh are baking Georgian breads that compete with what’s happening on Bustleton Avenue. On your first visit, try the khachapuri adjaruli, with crusty sourdough edges and a center of salty, gooey suluguni and imeruli cheeses. And make sure to check out the marketplace of spices, cookbooks, and Instagram-famous glassware on your way out. 51 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Kalaya
With palm trees sprouting from the center of a perpetually busy dining room and a bar slinging lemongrass-infused cocktails, the new Kalaya — a partnership between Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon and Defined Hospitality — certainly looks different than it did in its Bella Vista days. But in the face of the inherent Philadelphia skepticism that greets any beloved space’s evolution, Kalaya’s southern Thai dishes still pack the same delightful punch. And Suntaranon still floats around the dining room, sometimes holding someone’s baby, always representing a menu that pays exquisite homage to her heritage. 4 West Palmer Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Asad’s
We’re trained from a tender age to understand that if there’s a line of Philadelphians willing to wait for something, what’s at the end of that line is probably pretty good. The hot chicken at Asad’s is absolute proof of this — fried crisp, spicy enough to make your hair sweat, served with pickles, coleslaw and fries. It’s on offer in an orange hut at a gas station, it’s $10, and if it weren’t as good as we’re saying it is, why would all those people stand around waiting for it? 7300 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19149
Decades That More People Should Talk About
Plaza Garibaldi
All restaurant-inclined Philadelphians have an arsenal of Mexican spots they talk about with regularity. But, surprisingly, Plaza Garibaldi doesn’t come up in conversation that often. Since 2002, it’s been serving excellent cabeza and al pastor tacos in fresh corn tortillas, tomahawk steaks with grilled scallions and nopales, and house horchata. You’ll find yourself wondering how you’ve never been here before. 935 Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Pietramala
Go to Pietramala because the salad is dressed and seasoned perfectly in elderflower vinaigrette, making market lettuces a revelation. Go because the cacio e pepe, made in part with fermented white sweet potato, is intensely creamy and savory. Go because the dining room is lined with twinkling lights and smiling, patient servers. Or you could go because it’s vegan. But you might not even notice that. 614 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Solar Myth
It’s worth celebrating any experimental jazz club that manages to feel accessible rather than insufferable. It’s especially worth celebrating one that serves a dynamic and considered wine list sans pretension. With concrete floors, an expansive, trippy vinyl collection, and metal folding chairs, Fountain Porter’s Evan Clancy and Ars Nova Workshop’s Mark Christman have transformed the Boot & Saddle space into a place that’s quintessentially Philly-cool. 1131 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Next of Kin
Photograph by Michael Persico Need a reliable bar where you can stare at a Bumble date while making erotic-yet-skeptical eyes? Want to drink a well-made cocktail with ingredients you can actually identify? This new Fishtown spot is designed to serve the neighborhood straightforward classics, and that’s what makes it wonderful. If the date’s a dud, just sit at the bar and hang out with co-owners Kyle Darrow, John Grubb and Devan Roberts instead. 1414 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125
You Don't Need (But Want Badly)
Salt & Vinegar
The next time you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves food, beeline to Salt and Vinegar for small-batch coconut jam, local cheese CSA pickups, locally made masala spice packets, gluten-free pop-tarts and more. Jen Honovic Herczeg’s newly opened provisions shop has a mission to stock its shelves with products from women- and minority-owned businesses. This is exactly the kind of happy place where you can spend $50 without even realizing it. 905 Christian Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Arepa Grub Spot
This is exactly the place you want to keep in your back pocket for lunch or a late-night snack. If you can’t find something to love among its 20 different kinds of Venezuelan arepas, you got problems no restaurant is gonna fix. It’s fast, delicious and, most of all, generous. Everyone comes here hungry. But no one leaves that way. 1112 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Mawn
This self-described noodle house with “no rules” twists and merges Southeast Asian classics — banh chow chopped up and bathing in fish sauce, khao soi silky with Neighborhood Ramen’s homemade noodles, galangal-marinated rib-eye skewers marked by chef Phila Lorn’s own Cambodian roots. Mawn knows exactly who and what it is without anything to prove. The sour-sweet-savory dishes will zap you out of your bullshit day and into the moment, psychedelic Cambodian rock will make the small space come alive, and you won’t be able to remember what 9th Street was like without this BYOB. 764 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Lemonana at Bishos
Photograph by Michael Persico A sip of Bishos’s lemonana is a shock to the system in the best possible way. At this Palestinian restaurant in Northeast Philly, the classic Middle Eastern beverage is mixed daily, tart from fresh lemon juice and packed with mint. It’s spun in a slushy machine and doled out like soft-serve ice cream in to-go cups that you’ll clutch and sip to the very last drop. 7950 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111
Grandma’s Philly
There was no shortage of meatballs in Philly before Grandma’s opened. Now, every other meatball in the city has to be judged against these tender, gently herb-y Thai beef meatballs, with their slivered scallions, flakes of fried onion, and thin, sweet gravy that chef Donrutai Jainon based on memories of her grandmother’s meatballs in Chiang Mai. 1304 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
De La Terre BYOB
Downingtown may seem like a long way to go for dinner, but chef Andrew Hufnagel (ex of Zola, Dandelion and Jean-Georges) makes the trip worth it with this French BYOB that can do hyper-classic onion soup spiked with sherry, a charcoal-roasted squab with strawberry rhubarb and spring onion soubise, or kombu-poached shrimp with yuzu mayonnaise, all without breaking a sweat. The kitchen trades classical stuffiness for a bright, restrained experimentalism (and occasionally serves a really good cheeseburger, too), making De La Terre the best restaurant you’re going to find in the last place you’d ever look. 47 West Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335
Pastéis de Nata at Gilda
Photograph by Michael Persico It’s not your imagination; a quarter of the people on your timeline are traipsing around Lisbon right now. Whether you can join them doesn’t matter — get a taste of Portugal’s de facto national sweet right here in Fishtown. Gilda’s pastéis de nata are platonically perfect, with lush, cinnamon-infused egg custard brimming from a crust so crisp and delicate, it’ll shatter at first bite. And you know what you (probably) can’t get in Lisbon? Specials from owners Brian Oliveira and Brian Mattera in flavors like coconut almond and lemon raspberry. 300 East Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Heavy Metal Sausage Co.
At this South Philly specialty deli, you can stock up on homemade pork sausages or stop by for lunch and listen to owners Patrick Alfiero and Melissa Pellegrino talk about local sourcing while you eat zungenblutwurst sausage and pickled vegetables stacked on rye. Or you can snag a ticket to the weekly family-style dinners, where you’ll be treated to pork liver pâté and veal-stuffed pasta made from local grains. No matter how you Heavy Metal, Alfiero and Pellegrino’s approach to whole-animal butchery will keep you coming back again and again. 1527 West Porter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145
Richman’s
You want artisanal ice cream hand-churned with organic milk? You want twee, made-from-scratch mix-ins? Keep walking. At Richman’s, you’ll find sky-high swirls of old-fashioned soft-serve that transport you straight to steamy summer days and simpler times. If you really want to elevate it, get the cherry dip. Various locations,
BOTLD
In our weird state, with its even weirder liquor laws, BOTLD found a work-around. This Rittenhouse liquor store is licensed as a distillery, allowing owner Andrew Auwerda — co-founder of Philadelphia Distilling — to sell spirits distilled anywhere but bottled in Pennsylvania. Auwerda partners with craft distillers around the world, shipping barrels to his KOP bottling facility and packaging them to look like the company’s regular branding, but with one tiny difference: the words “bottled in Pennsylvania” on the label. 119 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mural City Garden
Streetery permits in the City of Philadelphia might be as convoluted as the plot of a Russian novel, but Mural City Cellars’ outdoor space is going strong. With Adirondack chairs and pop-ups from some of our favorite local chefs, this is a shady and spacious neighborhood spot worth crossing town for. Mural City’s locally made wines are available by the glass and by the bottle, produced with lots of care and no pretension. 2211 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Saloon
From the BMWs in the valet lot to the icy martinis poured from the wood-lined bar to the dessert platter adorned with Isgro pastries that wanders tantalizingly through the dining room, this is a restaurant functioning in another era. But don’t be put off: The steaks are rare, the lobster pasta is spicy and saucy, and the Caesar salad is rich with egg yolks and anchovies. Saloon is ready for its third marriage, and we’re all vying for its hand. 750 South 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Cafe Nhan
This small Vietnamese restaurant just off West Passyunk reminds us that hospitality isn’t corporate jargon or a marketing gimmick, but the backbone of the restaurants that transform a city into a place that feels like home. Whether it’s the savory, steaming pho broth paraded around the dining room, the smile from the server who quickly takes your order, the crackling-crisp chicken wings, or co-owner Nhan Vo saying hello, Cafe Nhan always has what you need. 606 West Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145
Patti Brett at Doobies Bar
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Bartenders like Brett are a dying breed. She’s run Doobies since inheriting the business from her mom in 2003, and she holds court each night, serving craft beer, chatting with regulars, and curating an ever-changing jukebox full of Maggie Rogers, Sly & the Family Stone, and Brett’s beloved David Bowie. Her openness and easy conversation are reminders that connection, however casual, is as sustaining as a Citywide at the end of a long day. 2201 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tabachoy
The best BYOBs take advantage of the comparatively affordable start-up costs to do something exciting. Tabachoy is a model example, offering an experience that feels fresh and personal, with a menu ranging from classic Filipino dishes, like the lumpia Shanghai stuffed with pork, to an only-at-Tabachoy Caesar salad so crunchy with napa cabbage and mustard greens and savory with fried scallions and cured duck yolk that it gives the ukoy, a gigantic fritter of shrimp, sweet potato and carrot, a run for its money. 932 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Tony Burritos California
Know what goes great with beer? Tacos. Know what should be in every beer store in the city? A taqueria. As proof-of-concept, see Tony Burritos — a stand-up Mexican operation run from behind an old deli counter inside the Foodery in Roxborough. It’s doing simple, stripped-down double-tortilla street tacos filled with pork carnitas and chopped onions, brightened up with a squeeze of lime, and soft birria tacos dripping with consommé. 6148 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Brood Coffee Truck
Let’s just state the facts: Brood Coffee Truck is the best mobile coffee-slinging, fresh-pastry-making business around town. The usual coffee suspects are all done well here, using Càphê Roasters beans. Similarly, the mochi doughnuts and sweet cronuts will have you wondering which neighborhood you can find the traveling truck in next. 2201 Brown Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Honeysuckle Provisions
Honeysuckle Provisions is the cafe that’ll have you searching for a reason to stop by four times a week. It could be for sandwiches like the Haitian, with tasso ham, fried Haitian pork, a layer of brie and Creole mustard, topped with vinegary pikliz. Maybe it’s for the house-made guava croissants, or the hand-size pop-tarts and some fresh sorrel juice or Kreyol limeade. No matter the reason, their commitment to supporting local farmers and staying true to the shop’s Afro-centric roots makes this one of the best new openings West Philly has seen in a long time. 310 South 48th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Bar 1010
Mike Fitzick tinkered with his pizza techniques and dough particularities for years at Bakeria 1010 in Linwood, New Jersey. Then he moved along to this Northern Liberties spot with a wood-fired oven and an arsenal of thin, bubbly-crusted pies that show restraint and know-how. The margherita — sweet from San Marzano tomatoes; structured and sturdy enough that your slice sticks out straight when you pick it up — can hold its own against the city’s best versions. 701 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Boricua #2
The original shop in Northern Liberties is more of a takeout place, but with his new spot in Port Richmond, owner Hector Serrano encourages customers to sit in the dining room. Order the Boricua platter, with arroz con gandules (yellow rice and beans), pollo guisado with potato salad, and some pastelillos and relleno de papas, too. Before you leave, get some kola champagne from the fridge. It’s the soda you find around the way at the papi store. 3843 Aramingo Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19137
El Provocon
A family-owned Dominican restaurant with a couple of different locations — and very good arroz blanco with steak and sweet platano maduros. 2843 Tyson Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19149
Pupuseria Sabor Latino #2
This Salvadoran spot serves five varieties of pupusas — firm, cheesy, warm and always fresh. Order pollo con queso or frijoles con queso, or “the fajita mix,” a combination of chicken, shrimp and steak over rice and herbs and beans. And the homemade horchata is probably the best in Philly. They pour it out of two-gallon jugs. 1446 East Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124
Cantina La Martina
This Mexican restaurant in Kensington serves $1 tacos and $2 wings during happy hour — you can spend $20 and eat like a king. And the outdoor backyard is fantastic. 2800 D Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134
Brazas BBQ Chicken
Who would have thought the search for the city’s best Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken would end at a former Primo Hoagies on South Street? But that’s exactly where you gotta go — to chef-owner Juan Placencia’s celebration of Peruvian party food in general and pollo a la brasa in particular. Brined for 48 hours, marinated in chili, garlic and vinegar, then spit-roasted until they’re tender and juicy all the way to the bone, his birds are a marvel. 326 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Caribbean Style Cuisine
Walk into this one-table takeout spot in Delco, and behind a steam table of various Caribbean and soul-food delights, you’ll see an artist at work. A woman simply known as Nandi rolls out and makes every flaky roti to order, using flour, water, salt, a little sugar, a lot of love and kneading, and, she says, the perfect-temperature griddle — “hot, but not too hot!” Rotis have been in her family for generations, both from her native Guyana and also from her ancestors in India; “My roti have a little of all of that,” she says. They’re perfect for scooping up mounds of rich and spicy goat curry and snapper stew. 200 Long Lane, Upper Darby, PA 19082
SU20
Finding great sushi in a strip mall in Blue Bell is like finding a good plate of spaghetti and clams in Indianapolis — unlikely. But then there’s SU20, a sushi bar and Japanese bakery behind an acre of parking lots. It’s all smooth jazz on the radio and matcha mille crepe cakes until the fish starts coming to your table, and suddenly you’re kicked awake by some of the most stunning sashimi and hand rolls in the suburbs — or in the city, for that matter. 736 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422
Carter’s Watermelons
Photograph by Jeff Fusco In the 1940s, Georgia civil rights activist Dover Carter and his wife moved with their 10 kids to Philadelphia amid rising racial tensions down South and opened a watermelon stand in West Philly, where he continued to sell the sweetest watermelons around for more than 40 years. Nowadays, his descendants carry on the tradition of excellence seven days of the week, in season, in Southwest Philly, on the side of the road. There’s no stand — just watermelons sitting on a patch of grass along the road. Be sure to let one of the Carters pick out the watermelon you take home; they’re the experts. 84th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19153
Farina Di Vita
Since evolving from an online operation to a brick-and-mortar, Farina Di Vita — which translates to “flour of life,” and rightfully so — has quickly earned a rep as the new Italian-grocery darling. The shop sells everything from a very good tuna hoagie to olives and peppers to portioned entrées like handmade stuffed shells and what are easily some of the best chicken cutlets around. 250 Catharine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Lobongo Kabab
What was once a long-standing Irish bar and, more recently, Delco’s umpteenth Italian restaurant is now an event hall with an attached all-day kebab cafe, owned by the same Bangladeshi couple behind Rittenhouse’s new Royal Indian Cuisine. This is one of the few places where you can find whole fish cooked in a tandoor and chili-covered (and we do mean covered) bullet naan. As for the kebabs, don’t leave without the ground lamb and ground chicken. And some goat biryani, of course. 8925 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA 19082
El Chapulin
In case you’re wondering how many times we visit a restaurant before bestowing such an honor, in the instance of this bright and cheery Delco taqueria, we probably went 10 times — not just for due diligence, but also because we love it so much. From the birria to the tamales to the taco platters to the shrimp cocktail to the occasional appearance of menudo, we can’t wait to eat it all again. 8901 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA 19082
Bolo
Photograph by Michael Persico No, a medical professional wouldn’t advise a daiquiri diet. But we will. On a hot day, sitting in front of Bolo’s open window with a goblet of rum and a trio of zippy ceviche is just what the doctor ordered. The downstairs bar area of Yun Fuentes’s new Latin restaurant channels his grandparents’ marquesina in Puerto Rico, where women and their husbands used to hang out and drink Cuba Libres before appointments at his abuela’s salon. You won’t want to leave. 2025 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Blue Elephant
Who says a happy hour has to start at 5 p.m.? Leave work early — hell, you’re probably WFH anyway — and head to this new Main Line spot that offers discount drinks and snacks from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Your best bet is the $16 temaki trio — three hand rolls of shrimp, salmon and yellowtail — washed down with a glass of French rosé ($9) or a 3 Floyds Zombie Dust pale ale ($6). On Wednesday afternoons: $20 Japanese whiskey flights. 110 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087
El Chingon
Juan Carlos Aparicio spent nearly three decades honing his baking skills in professional kitchens, including creating the bread program at Parc. This will be no surprise when you taste his sourdough tortillas or homemade cemitas layered with adobo-marinated pork or herby mushrooms. Or, for dessert, get the soft concha rellena piped with fluffy Nutella-infused pastry cream and fresh strawberries — and, on special, churros that he proofs overnight to ensure the soft, sugary disks have just the right texture. 1524 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Doro Bet
We’re not sure what we did to deserve such amazing chicken, but our stomachs thank Doro Bet on a regular basis. Two-day-marinated. Buttermilk-dipped. Teff-battered. Gluten-free, and exceptionally crunchy. Need we say more? Ever since this Ethiopian spot opened its doors in late 2022, its turmeric-lemon and berbere-spiced birds have made run-of-the-mill fried chicken seem like something is missing. 4533 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe
Since opening in the late ’90s, Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe has been an if-you-know-you-know sort of establishment. From its busy corner on South 52nd Street, the counter-service spot offers comforting Caribbean classics like warm, flaky beef patties and smothered oxtail as well as incredible Trinidadian specialties, like weekend-only doubles, that consistently sell out. So get there early. 219 South 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139
Amina Philly
Amina Philly is the go-to spot when we need a place in Old City to catch up with friends. For Sunday-morning brunch or a midweek dinner, the Southern style and Nigerian influences run deep, with dishes like the braised oxtails and fried catfish hush puppies. If you’re in the neighborhood but already full, step in for a nightcap at the bar — the seasonal cocktails are just as thoughtful as the food. 104 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Thank You Thank You
At this Washington Square West coffee shop, a mundane morning ritual is exalted to a serene experience. Owner Cody McGregor will ask about your taste — you want classic, or something a little weird? — before digging into a treasure chest of cool beans he sources from places that include Copenhagen and Duluth, Minnesota. It feels more like an omakase dinner than a coffee run but is about $140 less expensive — deluxe but understated, the accessible luxury we all deserve. 700 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Superfolie
Superfolie is Center City’s new ultimate utility bar. It works just as well for a solo glass of French wine as it would for a date upstairs in the quasi-private mezzanine or a networking meetup you aren’t totally looking forward to. No matter the situation, the wine list is dreamy (they often crack open special bottles from their cellar), the snacks easily shift into dinner, and there’s an excellent freezer martini at the ready. 1602 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Nourish
Steak and eggs, tacos, fried chicken sandwiches — vegans, too, can enjoy these nap-inducing dishes at this Fishtown plant-based cafe and juice bar. Having lived and owned restaurants in both Belize and Jamaica, co-owner and chef Sarah Scandone has acquired Caribbean influences that carry over into the extensive menu, with items like curried plantains, jerk veggie steak and black rice. 177 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123