Where to Eat Weekday Lunch in Philadelphia
Whether you need a two-martini lunch or a quick and delicious salad, we’ve got the midday break for you.
Dig | Provided
Sure, takeout or delivery is nice dinnertime treat. But you know what’s even more luxurious? Letting someone else take care of your weekday lunch, whether that means taking 20 minutes away from your desk to pick it up or having it straight-up delivered. No forethought, no packing, no mess necessary. Whatever your weekday lunch needs may be, here are our favorite spots to treat ourselves.
High Street, Center City
High Street remains a great lunch option in their new space at 101 South 9th Street. Their salads are a level up from the chains, but you can also sit down for a pizza or pasta dish.
Franny Lou’s Porch, East Kensington
Franny Lou’s is the type of place that offers a perfect mid-day escape from your desk. Their rotating selection of sandwiches are loaded with vegetables (so you won’t fall asleep after lunch), and their coffee and beverage selection (house-made lemonade! fair trade hot chocolate!) has something for everyone.
Liberty Kitchen, Fishtown
Will you be productive after eating a hulking hoagie stuffed with mortadella, burrata and pistachio pesto? Probably not. But maybe it’s Friday and that’s not so important.
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Stargazy, East Passyunk
If you’ve never been to Stargazy, it’s time to go right now. Sam Jacobson makes British-style meat pies out of this small storefront on East Passyunk, and to us sweet-pie-obsessed Americans, everything he makes is a revelation. Get a savory pie with mash and parsley liquor or grab a sausage roll for your walk back home.
Dig, Center City
Dig is our go-to for actually really delicious salads made to order. Even though it’s a chain, they bring in a lot of regional produce, so the options feel seasonal, and the Chestnut Street space is nice enough that we actually enjoy eating our meal there.
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Goldie, Center City
All of Michael Solomonov’s fast-casual spots are hardwired for lunch, and Goldie is perhaps our favorite, if only because of the vegan tahini shakes that make blah Mondays and Tuesdays feel that much more special.
Dizengoff, multiple locations
If your normal lunch consists of sad grocery store hummus with a selection of … whatever you can find in the fridge, plus some pita chips, consider an upgrade. At Diz, you can have a bowl of ethereal hummus topped with a scoop of meat or seasonal vegetables, plus a few rounds of fresh pita.
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Merkaz, Center City
Order one of Merkaz’ pita sandwiches stuffed with sabich or lamb shawarma for lunch, and add on a za’atar rotisserie chicken and consider dinner sorted as well.
Schlesingers, Center City
Sometimes you need a gigantic pastrami on rye or a bowl of matzoh ball soup. For those times, this is your spot.
Lost Bread Cafe, Center City
Melon and prosciutto toast, a bacon egg and cheese, a smoked turkey reuben — the Lost Bread Cafe menu is an elevated list of every thing we’ve ever craved for lunch, all on their freshly baked bread.
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Talula’s Daily, Washington Square West
If you tend to feel like lunch salads aren’t worth it because you could make them at home, go to Talula’s Daily, where even their grab-and-go selection has enough chef-y touches to make the extra effort worth your while.
Hip City Veg, multiple locations
Think of it like your neighborhood, fast-casual, fast food restaurant. But you know, vegan.
Rione, Center City
Roman-style pizza al taglio, affordably priced, and perfectly paired with a small selection of fried items, salads and sandwiches.
Ocean Harbor, Chinatown
Cart-style dim sum every day of the week? Count us in.
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Suya Suya West African Grill, Northern Liberties
Same idea as Chipotle (fast, build-your-own lunch bowls), but with a West African twist and much nicer ingredients. The meat options are marinated in Nigerian yaji, served over jollof rice, and topped off with plantains or cornbread.
The Breakfast Den, South Street
Meet a friend or new Zoom coworker here for a cozy lunch of American-Vietnamese mash-up comfort foods like chao go, a chicken-y rice porridge, or a breakfast bowl with home fries and Vietnamese pulled pork.
El Merkury, Multiple locations
At El Merkury, you can get a pupusa, a tostada, and two sides for less than $15, which means you can break out of your salad grind one day for about the price of Sweetgreen.
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Baology, Center City
Baology specializes in Gwa Baos, a Taiwanese street food with a fluffy bun full of pork belly, fried chicken, and any number of other delicious items. But the menu goes way beyond the gwa bao, with rice bowls, sides, noodles, and tons of handmade potstickers.
Middle Child, Washington Square West
You know it. You love it. That’s all there is to say.
Jezabel’s, West Philly
Working from cafes is slowly making a comeback, and our favorite sun-filled spot to set up is Jezabel’s, with a spread of seasonal soup, Argentinean empanadas, and dulce de leche-filled alfajores.
Alif Brew and Mini Mart, West Philly
Order a platter or an injera wrap from Alif’s menu, then take it outside for a quick lunch in the sun before returning to work.
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Huda, Center City
All of Huda’s sandwiches come on house-baked milk bread buns, so it’s tough to pick a favorite, but we’re particular fans of the fried mushroom sandwich — like a fancy Mexican torta with a huge, crispy hunk of maitake mushroom.
Paprica, Washington Square West
Take the time for a real sit down meal at Paprica, where you can share a spread of lamb chops, octopus salad, grilled halloumi and falafel with whoever was smart enough to play hookie with your for an hour or two.
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DaMo Pasta Lab, Washington Square West
All of DaMo’s pastas are cooked to order, so you can get the experience of a sit-down Italian restaurant without the time commitment. Orders come in whole and half sizes so you have the option to try multiple dishes.
Reap Mini Mart, Fishtown
For those of you who can’t be bothered with meal prep, stop by Reap’s new brick-and-mortar location to stock up on lunch for the whole week. Their plant-based glow bowls (basically not-boring salads) will keep you well-fed all week, and you can grab — and crush — an Orange Creamsicle smoothie (made with orange juice and zest, butternut squash, dates, and vanilla hemp seed milk!) as a treat while you’re there.
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Crunchik’n, South Street
Yes, they specialize in Korean fried chicken, but the menu at Crunchik’n also includes rice bowls, crunch dogs, dumplings, bulgogi, and japchae. (But you should still order the chicken.)
Parc, Rittenhouse
As far as we can tell, Parc basically never closes, so it’s a great option for lunch. All walks of life lunch at Parc. Enjoy the people-watching.
JG Skyhigh, Center City
The most obvious time to enjoy the sexy, stunning lounge at JG Skyhigh on the 60th floor of the Comcast Center is evening, but the all-day menu is perfect for a special occasion lunch, paired with sunlit views of the whole city.
