239 Best Dishes to Eat in Philly
Dosas at Rajbhog — If you think Indian food is all about tandoori and samosas, proceed directly to this strip-mall haven and try a dosa, a crispy pancake made from rice and lentil flours. Our favorite version is the Mysore masala, stuffed with spicy turmeric-colored potatoes and coated with a fiery red chili powder.
1900 Greentree Road, Cherry Hill, 856-751-0257.
Baked clams at the Clam Tavern — Twelve clams, drizzled with butter, garlic and herbs, baked in an oven, and served on a one-of-a-kind steel platter built for the restaurant in the 1960s.
339 East Broadway Avenue, Clifton Heights, 610-623-9537.
Fish and chips at the Whip Tavern — You’ll have to drive into Chester County horse country to get some of the best fish and chips around. Don’t forget the traditional side of mushy peas (optional; $1.99 extra) and lots of malt vinegar.
1383 North Chatham Road, Coatesville, 610-383-0600.
Robatayaki at Izakaya — Loosely translated, “robatayaki” means “awesomely good skewers of charcoal-grilled stuff,” said stuff being lobster chunks, spicy chicken strips, foie gras balls, Kobe-style beef … it really doesn’t matter.
The Borgata, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, 609-317-1000.
Fried shrimp at Sid Booker’s — Maybe you don’t want to go to Broad and Belfield in North Philly. But you’ll be missing out on the best damn fried shrimp around. Get them tossed with hot sauce, salt and pepper.
4600 North Broad Street, 215-329-4455.
Good Dog burger at Good Dog — A burger worth the fat rolls: fistfuls of Roquefort — soft and stinky, like the Good Lord intended — melted inside a juicy half-pound patty, topped with tangles of caramelized onion and served on a toasted brioche bun.
224 South 15th Street, 215-985-9600.
Royal palm dates at Alma de Cuba — Skip the endive cradling the (almond-stuffed and bacon-wrapped) date, and just pop that fat little guy into your mouth.
1623 Walnut Street, 215-988-1799.
Short-rib flatbread at Amada — The crispy bread layered with nutty cheeses, rich slivers of short ribs and a hint of bacon would have been heavenly on its own. But the added zing of horseradish and a touch of freshness from micro cilantro make this one of the most complex bites in town.
217 Chestnut Street, 215-625-2450.
French onion soup at Parc — A rich, fragrant soup so loaded with browned, bubbling gruyère that you have to eat the cheese with your fingers just to get to it.
227 South 18th Street, 215-545-2262.
Baklava at Divan Turkish Kitchen — For $4.50 you can get a perfect confection and a discussion of the real, Turkish origins of baklava.
918 South 22nd Street, 215-545-5790.
1,000-layer bread at Rangoon — What really makes the gossamer sheets of crisped golden “bread” so strangely addictive is the sweet-sharp curried sauce you’ll keep dipping into.
112 North 9th Street, 215-829-8939.
