What to Eat at the 2026 Best of Philly Party Presented by Penn Medicine

A featured bite from the 2025 Best of Philly Party / Photograph by Philip Gabriel

The countdown is officially on! Philadelphia magazine’s Best of Philly Party Presented by Penn Medicine is just around the corner, and it’s shaping up to be the absolute must-attend event of the season.

On Tuesday, August 4th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. we are taking over the National Constitution Center, a fitting venue to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

If you’ve attended before, you know how extravagant of an evening this is. Since we first started crowning Philly’s finest, our annual Best of Philly guide has celebrated the region’s top local chefs, trendsetters, businesses, and icons. And this party brings them together under one roof for the ultimate night of food, drinks, and general revelry.

Prepare your taste buds because we’ll have over 50 of the city’s top restaurants — featuring current Best of Philly winners alongside past favorites — serving up sensational bites.

Expect an incredible lineup of dishes, including:

• Bluefin tuna with red pepper labneh and heirloom tomato from Emmett
• Chilled corn soup courtesy of Fork
• Stina’s famous slow-cooked octopus
• Hiramasa crudo and Sungold tomatoes from Wilder
• Picnic’s mussel escabeche
• Chicken liver sausage with tomato, green papaya, and tofu from a.kitchen

And for dessert, Cloud Cups will be serving scoops of their Best of Philly-winning gelato and sorbet, Darnel’s Cakes will have a raspberry tart, and El Merkury will be handing out cinnamon churros from their cart. (Pro tip: The churros go fast!)

The biggest question attendees ask is, “What should we eat?” The answer is simple: As much as you can. Seriously. You can’t go wrong. While it may not be physically feasible to sample something from over 50 restaurants, no matter what you try, it’s going to be outstanding.

If there are any particular hot spots you’re eager to check out, grab a VIP ticket. While General Admission gets you entrance to the event at 6:30 p.m. with access to Philly’s best dishes, cocktails, wine, and more, a VIP ticket gets you into the event a full hour earlier at 5:30 p.m. That means an extra hour to try as much food as you can and grab a drink before the lines get long (and they do get long). Plus, VIP ticket holders enjoy access to a private rooftop lounge, a full bar, exclusive tasting dishes, and complimentary valet parking.

It’s not often you get this much culinary talent in one place, so if you want to experience the best of the best in Philly, get your tickets today and join us for an unforgettable night.

Still need convincing? Here’s the full list of every restaurant that will be serving up delicious bites throughout the night.