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Best of Philly Spotlight: Where to Find Indulgent Bites in the Burbs

Listen up, suburbanites! You don’t have to navigate SEPTA’s Regional Rail or the PATCO to come all the way to the city for exceptional food (though you’re always welcome to visit). This year’s Best of Philly list proves that the burbs have a burgeoning culinary scene with everything from a Japanese-inspired izakaya with hand rolls and birria bao buns to a zero-proof bar with inventive THC drinks to cheesesteaks that rival anything you’ll find in the city proper. So if you’re looking for your next date-night restaurant, a spot to grab cocktails, or somewhere with a more comfortable, casual atmosphere, here’s where to go without trudging all the way into Philly.

BEST PLACE TO PREGAME
Izzy’s Cocktail Bar

It’s easy to find Izzy’s. All you have to do is look for the crowd of people milling around on the sidewalk next to Ardmore Music Hall, waiting to get a seat at this small, dimly lit, and tightly packed izakaya. This is a place for grazing — for crowding up at the loud bar, knocking down plates of excellent hand rolls and birria bao, washing them down with custom cocktails from the Japanese-influenced list, and then moving on. If you need a place to rally the troops for a night out or to grab a bite before a show, Izzy’s is exactly what you’re looking for. 35 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003

BEST SUBURBAN SUSHI (AND RAMEN)
Soho Sushi & Ramen

Sure, Philly now has multiple options for hours-long, multi­course, brilliantly assembled (and wickedly expensive) omakase­ “experiences.” But sometimes what you really need is just a plastic­ takeout container of spicy tuna maki and some hot, greasy gyoza to make everything in the world seem a little bit better. The best place to score exactly that (plus some excellent shoyu ramen, chirashi, harumaki, and crab and avocado salad) is this small sushi spot tucked in the back of a strip mall in Royersford. 33 West Ridge Pike, Suite 345, Royersford, PA 19468

BEST NEW RESTAURANT, BURBS
La Baja

Dionicio Jiménez made a name for himself at Cantina La Martina, doing a recognizable, fairly traditional Mexican cafe menu touched here and there with bursts of international fusion. But at La Baja — his new restaurant in Ambler — he has found the freedom to cook a menu built entirely around his varied history. From burratina cheese with black mole and kampachi tostadas with uni and Persian cucumbers to risotto with short rib braised in Mexican chocolate, it is a one-man canon, a purely biographical cuisine. 9 North Main Street, Ambler, PA 19002

BEST PREMADE DINNERS
Cacia’s Bakery

For those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking, it’s worth spelunking into Cacia’s freezers to stock up on their premade dinners. While there are multiple locations, the spot in Haddonfield is our favorite for stuffed shells filled with zesty ricotta; massive meatballs made with beef, veal, and pork; and escarole soup with pungent greens and smaller meatballs bobbing in a garlicky broth. Sure, they’re frozen, but when reheated, they’re still in the same league as your nonna’s home cooking. 26 South Haddon Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ 08033

BEST BARBECUE
South Jersey Smoke House’s Pastrami Burnt Ends

The sweet and peppery aroma of pastrami. The drool-inducing smoky flavor of burnt ends. The moment one of these morsels hits your palate, all your senses will ignite. This small-batch purveyor pops up at farmers markets, local grocers, and other small businesses across South Jersey. So track them down and grab an order or two, because once you start eating, it’s hard to stop.

BEST CHEESESTEAK
Nicky’s and Ant’s

For a while, the best cheesesteak in the region was being served out of a truck at a small brewpub in Gilbertsville. But when Nick Moccia and Anthony Billetta packed up and left Sunset Hill Brewing for a brick-and-mortar location inside the High Street Terminal in Pottstown, their new place, Nicky’s and Ant’s, became the spot. The sandwiches are massive — the kind where the meat that falls out of the side is enough to fill a second sandwich. The steak is rough-chopped, gooey with melted Cooper Sharp; the bread is ridiculously good; and together it’s worthy of this cheesesteak-obsessed city. 300 East High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

BEST TAKE ON A CHEESESTEAK
Omega’s Ms. O’s Famous Jerk Salmon Cheesesteak

Don’t get caught up in the semantics of whatever you think a cheesesteak is supposed to be. Chef Omega Ellis, a Corinne’s Place alum, is showing us what a cheesesteak can be. Her secret blend of fiery jerk spices adds a smoky kick to this seafood variation. Made with chopped jerk salmon and sautéed peppers and onions, all pulled together with a gooey slice of American cheese to cool down the heat, it works in an unexpected and surprising way. 27 South Center Street, Merchantville, NJ 08109

BEST SPECIALTY GROCERY STORE
Euro Market

As the name might suggest, this small grocer focuses on items from Europe, whether you’re looking for jars of Balkan-style grilled eggplant, an unbelievable variety of cheeses (including more brands of feta than we knew existed), the Romanian vegetable spread Zacuscă, or a bevy of cured meats. Plus, there’s an extensive olive bar (no sampling!) and freshly made spanakopita and baklava as well as a Canadian bacon breakfast sandwich that’s much better than it needs to be. 26 South Sproul Road, Broomall, PA 19008

BEST CHEESE SHARE PROGRAM
Collective Creamery

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the dizzying array of choices at your local cheese counter, opt for this subscription box. Every month, you get a selection of distinctive, rind-blowing styles from small-batch creameries, curated by cheesemakers from Birchrun Hills and Valley Milkhouse Creamery. Complete with tasting notes and pairing recommendations, it’s a good way for curd nerds to up their cheeseboard game.

BEST THC DRINKS
Mercantile 1888

You’re just a PATCO ride away from relaxing with a THC-infused beverage — and yes, it’s legal. At Collings­wood’s two-year-old N/A bar, add drops of hemp-derived THC to spins on your favorite cocktails, wines, beers, coffee, matcha, or kombucha. All the drinks — whether you sip them in the cozy bar or grab a couple of cans or bottled “spirits” to go — give you all the pleasures of dank without the stank. 765 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108

BEST DIVE BAR
Mickey’s Tavern

At some point, being considered a “dive bar” became a really cool selling point. So you have bars that try to be a dive without actually, you know, being one. But not here. Local rock musicians, Ecuadorean immigrants, Irish contractors, dart-obsessed patrons, and people who’ve probably been hitting the sauce a little earlier than they should be all rub elbows amid the faint haze of cigarette smoke, the smell of whatever someone is eating from the nearby Wawa, and the sound of Jeopardy! or whatever game is on, washed down with $3 Rolling Rock pints and a general spirit of boozy camaraderie. Bonus: Karaoke night is an absolute hoot. 129 South State Road, Upper Darby, PA 19082

BEST SALAD BAR
The Pub

When this iconic South Jersey steakhouse closed in 2024 for massive renovations to the Tudor-style building, we were a little worried that it was going to lose its old-school charm and its vast salad bar, the latter being a rarity in the current restaurant world. We’re happy to say it kept both — and the homemade bread, garlicky Caesar salad, pickled beets, three-bean salad, and all the cheese on the buffet will make their triumphant return this fall, after the Pub’s summer break. 7600 Kaighn Avenue, Pennsauken, NJ 08109

>> Click here to return to Best of Philly 2025

Published in the August 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.