I Tried 250 Philly Restaurants for America’s Birthday. Here’s What I Learned

Jean Chatzky and Eliot Kaplan dining at Rittenhouse Grill/ Photograph courtesy of Eliot Kaplan

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In the ‘90s, when I was the editor of this magazine, I had a seemingly unlimited expense account. Every month it would be filled with receipts from Striped Bass, Le Bec- Fin, and Susanna Foo. Back then, they were easy choices since the city only had maybe a half-dozen great restaurants. Which was likely twice as many as 10 years before that.

I wasn’t here to witness Philly’s restaurant boom over the last couple of decades. I was busy living in the New York City suburbs for the past 25 years. But after moving back to Philly five years ago, I’ve been astonished with the plethora of excellent choices the city now has. A good restaurant on every block, plus five on every block in some hot place called Fishtown where my then-11-year-old suburban daughter once played soccer on a field made of cinder.

So, my wife and I started going out. Not all that much. My wife is a wonderful cook and enjoys it. So maybe once, twice a week. A lot in our Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, but also Fishtown, South Philly, East Passyunk, West Philly, the suburbs.

I started keeping count. Partly because I am a compulsive list maker and partly to annoy my wife, who doesn’t always appreciate my, uh, quirks. Without paying all that much attention, after four years back in town we had been to almost 200 different restaurants. Sure, some were of the John Dough Pizza variety, and some were on the level of Vernick Fish. (Did I mention I miss my expense account?) So I found my mission: To honor America on its upcoming semiquincentennial I would try 250 restaurants by July 4, 2026!

First, some background and rules: My wife and I enjoy eating, but we’re not foodies. We’re neither critics nor influencers. We don’t follow Michelin or Eater lists maniacally, although we do try to stay up on the latest happenings (via Philly Mag, of course). We don’t get on Resy 30 days in advance at exactly 11 a.m. to try to get a reservation at Zahav. We still have plenty of Philly landmarks yet to try. (Who knew John’s Roast Pork was closed Sundays?) We don’t like fancy. You’ll never see us at Provenance for 20 courses. We appreciate a perfect roast chicken, penne alla vodka, crisp Caesar salad, and, sure, a cheesesteak.

As to what counts on my list: It must be a meal — a breakfast, lunch, or dinner at or from an establishment in the eight-county metro area separately or as a couple. Catered parties from Middle Child or Cosmi’s, yes. Hot dog at Citizens Bank Park, no.

Number 100 on my journey was a birthday dinner at Friday Saturday Sunday (before the Michelin star but after the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant). Excellent but too much food. I’d like to return and sit at the Lover’s Bar. Number 200 was a birthday dinner at Vetri. Worth every penny.

Photograph courtesy of Tesiny

But a typical Wednesday night is likely Marathon on the Square or JJ Thai nearby, while a Saturday with friends might be Bastia, High Street, Lark, Tesiny, Le Virtù, or Banshee. And then there is Parc, our neighborhood canteen that remains our favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. It serves roughly 9,000 meals a week and I’ve never had a bad one.

I’m not qualified to professionally judge restaurants, but as an average diner with five pounds to lose, I have opinions. An exceptional dining experience for me has to be about the food, of course, but also the vibe, the value, a sense of surprise, and sometimes a meal stands out cause of the people I was with that night.

In no particular order here are my most memorable experiences (aside from Parc) that checked all those boxes: Laser Wolf, Pizzeria Beddia, Butcher and Singer, Dante and Luigi’s, Vetri, Angelo’s, Radin’s, Kiddo, Vernick, Her Place, Morning Glory, Illata, Talula’s Garden.

Something else I find exciting are all of the changes the city’s dining scene has undergone in the last 25 years. For starters, there have always been great international restaurants here, but the proliferation of higher-end multicultural spots like Emmett (Levantine/Italian), Château Rouge (African/French), and Rougarou Baking (Creole/Jewish) is a revelation.

It was a huge deal when the city allowed the first sidewalk tables in the mid-‘90s. Rouge with its upscale chicken pot pie and roast pork sandwich was one of those few. We simply take for granted how prevalent al fresco is now.

The growth of happy hours as dinner is a great way to try spots at lower price point. We often stop in at Via Locusta, Bolo, Prunella, Village Whiskey, and Rittenhouse Grill.

Though I miss hard shell crab stalwarts Walt’s and DiNardo’s, great oyster bars like Pearl & Mary and Little Water have replaced them.

The cheesesteak sure has come a long way but I’m still not sure how I feel about the Cooper Sharp rage. Though I liked the steaks at Angelo’s, Del Rossi’s, and Shay’s, the Cooper Sharp made them a little too rich. (I can still taste it the next day.)

Angelo’s cheesesteak fresh off the griddle / Photograph by Gene Smirnov

We have yet to find two staples I thought would be easy. A neighborhood go-to Italian. (We’ve tried a dozen and all are just meh or tough to get into.) And our spot to sit at the bar, have a burger, salad, and glass of wine with a TV on that we don’t have to watch but can if we want. I’ll take crowdsource advice on that.

As spring arrived, I picked up the pace on my journey to 250. For #245 I stopped by Dear Daphni for happy hour; #246 I ordered a Del Rossi cheesesteak via DoorDash; #247 stopped by Meetinghouse; and #248 was lunch with a friend at Sweet Bean Cafe in East Oak Lane.

I figured my final two should be something new, something old. For #249, I chose to get a roasted half chicken at SideEye, an upscale pub where the long-time Bistrot La Minette had been.

It was time for the big finish: McGillin’s. Opened in 1860, it is Philly’s oldest tavern and one of the oldest continuously operated taverns in the U.S. As I drank the house IPA and attacked a hot roast beef sandwich — au jus and horseradish on the side — Japan was playing the Netherlands in the World Cup on TV screens all around me. Inside and out, new fans and old, from here and around the world were bedecked in colors and wildly cheering every corner kick and cross. It was a moment when I could appreciate just how beautiful this 250-year-old miraculous, maddening experiment of a country can still sometimes be.

Eliot Kaplan was Philadelphia magazine’s editor from 1991 through 1999 before going to Hearst Magazines where he served as the vice president of talent acquisition for 19 years. Kaplan is back in Philly and plans to continue his dining odyssey.