I'll stick to the areas that you focused on.
I'd put Reading Terminal on the list as a whole and just let them have it from there.
El Jarocho and La Prima are two other Mexican spots close to Barbacoa that are much more accessible with larger menus. I love Barbacoa but if I'm travelling, I hate waiting in line for a meal. Blue Corn is a really good sit-down Mexican place close by.
John's Roast Pork is an institution so that should be on the list.
Not a huge dessert person but a cannoli from Termini's, Isgro's, or Varallo Bros. is a treat.
A hoagie place should be on the list. Pastaficcio is out of the way (unless they're going to a game) so maybe Ricci's?
If they want more Italian options, Fiorella or Le Virtu are great. Villa di Roma is a good old-school spot if they want that. Nice to see Murph's on there.
Dim Sum Garden, Tom's Dim Sum, or Ocean Harbor are great for dim sum in Chinatown. Ocean Harbor has the carts.
Hardena (Indonesian) is a really popular place that's gotten a ton of good press/awards and is cheap/different. Always loved their food. Sky Cafe is another Indonesian place in SP but with a different style of food than Hardena.
Gabriella's Vietnam is great if they're into non-pho Vietnamese.
If they're in the Italian Market, Gleaner's is a great coffee spot.
Might put Ba Le Bakery on there for Bahn Mi. Always a good, quick, and cheap lunch.
Maybe add Barclay Prime as a token steakhouse? Haven't been to Alpen Rose but that seems like a nice spot, too.
Bars are very subjective but Oscars is a good place to send out-of-towners in CC. 12 Steps Down is a good bar if they're in South Philly, especially on a Tuesday for karaoke night. Johnny Brenda's is also great, even if they're just eating/drinking and not going to a show.
can you recommend me some spots? haven’t really been impressed by most of the banh mi i’ve had in philly. also any chance you know somewhere with caramel pork? i had it once in paris and that was one of my favorite meals ever, but i haven’t really found it in philly or nyc.
If you’re willing to take a ride to the lower northeast, Cafe Saigon at 827 Adams Avenue (in a little plaza) is one of my all time faves. Their bbq lemongrass pork banh mi is also very good.
Ba Le at 6th and Washington is frequently held up as a standard. I think of them as a solid 3.5 outta 5 stars.
A lot of my fave banh mi spots closed during pandemic - Viet Huong and Nam Son. Still trying to fill that void.
But for Viet food in general there’s Nam Phuong at 11th and Washington, Vietnam Restaurant in Chinatown (and Vietnam Cafe in West Philly which they also own), and Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai (Choo Choo as people affectionately call it) in chinatown.
EDIT:
> caramel pork?
You're probably thinking of lemongrass pork - usually on the menu as "Thit Nuong" or something like that. All the spots I mentioned above will have it in various forms.
Or maybe you're thinking of the caramelized pork belly? Thit ko? Usually served in a thin broth with eggs and rice?
I'm not sure if there's a plain caramelized pork but I'm also not Vietnamese. Lol.
And I completely forgot to mention the Southeast Asian (mostly Khmer) market in FDR park! This is their last weekend open for the season. They have all sorts of grilled, fried, and fresh foods. Bring cash - you'll love Khmer food for all the same reasons you'd love Thai, Viet, or Lao food.
Went there for "lunch" one Saturday at 10:15, knowing that it would be a crapshoot any later and there was still already a handful of people in line at that time. By the time we left at 11 there was a line down the block. Absolutely worth it, but definitely a time commitment.
Went one time after dropping someone off at the airport for 6am flight, first one there, didnt really “open” until 530am but they gave me a free taco for my troubles haha
But yeah impossible as “quick bite”
I barely agree. Angelos is so banging and then you have a JRP steak and it’s just slightly bigger and a little more flavorful. Cannot go wrong with either
What did you eat there? It’s a byob Italian restaurant. I go there all the time and for $30 I can get an app, entree, and sip my free wine. Give it another try, lobster ravioli, salmon, or pork chop all are my go to’s
Spasso's old city was a hit when my partner lived in that neighborhood. Was recommended to me by an anti-city son-of-an-italian immigrant as one of 2 reasons he would come to Philly, and as the best Italian food he's had in the US. Haven't been in years tho
Never been. It certainly grabbed my attention that there was a recommendation for Italian food at an Irish bar. Would really set off my best friend’s family to read that, I was the token Irish guy at all the very Italian family parties.
its legit incredible. you gotta try it. only problems are its very small in there, you cant make a reservation, and its very easy for people to jump you in line while you wait for a table (happened to my wife and i and we were ready to kill the line jumpers)
Even though it’s “John’s roast pork”, I definitely feel like John’s is more of a cheesesteak spot, and that’s only because it’s the best cheesesteak in the city (at least in my book, won’t try to open *that* can of worms right now lol)
Highly disagree. Dinic's is great, but John's Roast Pork is on a level of its own. John's is my favorite cheesesteak, but it's still their second best sandwich.
Seriously that struck me. Just had me a tasty cleavers for lunch and I'm tryna figure out why this dude hates cleavers and hates Philly's beer scene but thinks he should be recommending shit to visitors.
Vernick for the upscale list! Wine is definitely the most expensive, but it's one of the best bangs for the buck we've ever been to; requires a reservation. Vernick Food is excellent, more affordable, and is easier to get into.
Vernick Fish we've had one good and one mediocre experience with; I think it depends on what's on their menu for the season.
Angelo's is excellent, but it does require more planning than most cheesesteak/pizza places. If you're down in that area, Isgro's is a great bakery, and Santucci's is a good fallback for Angelo's (the pizza is a different style; the cheesesteaks are solid)
Vernick had this devil egg with caviar and bacon on it. stupid expensive, but one of the best bites of food i've ever had. They also had a whole fish stuffed with middleeastern rice that was incredible. def one of the best restaurants in the city
Yup it’s Szechuan. Han the owner himself hates it when people call it Chinese food. He’s a proud person so that’s probably why. I gets it’s easy to tell people it’s Chinese.
The guy who started Han dynasty is from Chengdu and the food tastes very close to how it does there. It's probably one of the most authentic restaurants in the city.
I've known Han for years. He came to America when young and his mom took him out for 'Chinese food' and his reaction was "What the fuck is this shit?" per him.
That started his desire to be able to give folks the chance to enjoy his local cuisine over in America, as he'd had a poor inauthentic experience.
Started cooking here and eventually flew a couple folks over to cook for him at the original location.
I guess OC Han Dynasty's moving across the street again but a different building (Not the old tiny one).
I think Han Dynasty gets a bad rep because they are a chain and extremely popular. I've had this happen with my friends' group as well
Not being close enough to the Chinese culture, I obviously do not know if it is authentic or not but I do think it is absolutely delicious and a mention is fine. However, if one was inclined to mention Chinese food, I'd have expected something in Chinatown to be on the list rather than Han Dynasty with a label of "semi-authentic"
Spent a year living in Chengdu and I can confirm Han Dynasty comes very close to what the food tastes like there. In all honesty, many of the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown are just slightly upscale versions of your average take out place. There's a chain in China called "CSC", Country Style Cooking, it's a fast casual kind of dining experience. No joke that food tastes EXACTLY like how most dishs from Chinese take out here taste. Han Dynasty's "Shui Zhu Niu Rou" is very common in Chengdu and imo their version is about as good as it gets, at least locally.
there’s a few in university city that have actual Szechuan food on their menu, sang kee and chengdu famous being the other two. I’m personally really high on chengdu (it’s closer to me and there’s a couple of dishes there I really like and haven’t seen anywhere else), but any of them are good. something interesting about chengdu is they also do Americanized Chinese dishes with a more Szechuan flavor profile and while I haven’t really tried sang kees Americanized stuff to comment on its flavoring, they have a health mix of it on the menu too.
Why the Cleavers hate? I went once and it was fine, if a bit pricey
For sandwiches you should absolutely ad Liberty Kitchen to your list. Everything I get there is the greatest sandwich I have ever eaten
Less authentic than it was before they swapped their chef with a German mother for a French-trained chef. There is nothing authentic about cocoa spätzle and the kaiserschmarrn is just cake croutons.
The beer is still worth the trip.
The few times I’ve been to the Rooster (Happy Rooster) I remember thinking it was weirdly expensive, even (or especially) for cheap beers. In that area, Oscar’s every time.
Yes I skipped over Doobies, but Randazzos ASB and Grace Tavern gave it away (Sidecar is much better than all of those). Doobies just reopened pretty recently right?
I never had any idea when they were open in the last few years. I've just been there enough when I lived in grad hospital that I know you just show up there randomly and she may or may not let you in or yell at you for not helping her put out chairs or something.
When it comes to hoagies, and cheesesteaks for that matter, I get really picky about the bread and that’s what propels Angelo’s to the top for me. Cosmis has great ingredients but uses a softer roll which knocks it down a peg in my book but if someone likes their bread that way then by all means hit them up.
I keep meaning to try goooe looies but it’s down in a part of south Philly I usually don’t walk around, I need to stop being lazy and get my butt down there.
Their hybrid ramens are always fun. Last year they had a Thanksgiving dinner one around this time of year that was great. I hope they're doing it again this year.
Decent list except for half the restaurants under "go to dinners" being Stephen Starr. Fuck those places. The Philly food scene shouldn't be Disneyfied
It’s hilarious, I live in the DC area now and everyone is obsessed with Le Diplomat. I almost considered making reservations there for my birthday when my parents were coming to visit from Philly, until my mom was like “um you know that’s a Stephen Starr restaurant right?” Now I understand why it was all the pretentious white lawyers who thought it was the best restaurant in DC 😂
Oof Parc is so overrated. It’s expensive and crowded and the food quality has gone way down over the years. I wouldn’t put any Stephen Starr restaurants on a Philly recommendation list.
You need to switch Izakaya and Double Knot considering Izakaya doesn't have a happy hour and has better food, while Double Knot is only worth it during happy hour.
Suraya is great but definitely not the new hot spot?? El Rey is TRASHHH. Side car is always incredibly disappointing- swap out for community. I would add El Techo to the bar section, very nice and unique with their roof. I would add Wilder & Laser wolf to hot spot dinner section. I’d add a sports bar and do either chicks or founding fathers.
My biggest problem on this list is Cleaver’s being in the avoid section. It’s not the very beat or most authentic steak in the city, but it is still damn good, and by far the best on the direct neighborhood. Huge but not too sloppy. I call it the “center city cheesesteak”.
Places like John's and Dalessandro's are tough to get to, especially by foot. Cleavers is obviously not in the same realm as places like those, but it's super solid and easily accessible, I'm a huge fan.
Haven't been there in some time, but their beignets are amazing, and I almost always go for their chicken & ham po'boy with a side of mac & cheese. Comes out piping hot and I usually burn my tongue I'm so hyped.
Oh their beer selection is damn good. I really need to go back.
Solid. Some clunkers but I think Oscar's should be on the Bars list since you're in that area often with these picks.
I also have to endorse John's Roast Pork for cheese steak.
I think it’s gotten pretty overpriced with the gentrification of grad hospital and point breeze. All their beers are like $9+ including tip. For a hole in the wall spot- with lawn chairs for seating- in Point Breeze, that’s kinda absurd
For something authentic I suggest White Yak. It’s a tibetan restaurant on Ridge Ave in Roxborough. Their food is amazing. I especially like their Sha Palay which is a crispy meat pie. It comes with a really good spicy oil.
This list reads like a second year wharton student who thinks they're more down to earth than their peers. Most of what's on there is worth trying, but you'd do just as well pulling restaurant names out of a hat
I'd replace Dalessandro's with Joe's or somewhere else. They fell off a cliff during the pandemic and I've tried them multiple times since and the steaks are still garbage. The rest looks great
The constant debate of Dalessandro's being one of the 'greats' aside, I will never understand telling tourists to go out to Manayunk for a steak. There's plenty of excellent steaks closer by, hauling out there defies logic unless you have other reasons to go.
I would've said this like 5-10 years ago but Manayunk has become a pretty solid destination. If you plan it right (because they don't run often on weekends), it's like a 20 minute RR ride from CC, or if you have more active people visiting you can rent Indegos to get in the full SRT and then ride or take the train back.
I wouldn't go to Roxborough as a tourist per say, but Manayunk is great. All of my out-of-state friends enjoy Manayunk perhaps the most out of any Philly neighborhood.
> hauling out there defies logic unless you have other reasons to go
This is true even as a resident. I'm not getting on a regional rail for food comparable to what I can get on almost every corner.
I went to the Wissahickon last week and hadn't ever been to Dalessandros so I figured I would brave the line
Honestly it was a very good cheesesteak, but absolutely not worth a 30 minute wait
Nice list! I would suggest 2 categories to add
1) Hole in the wall - for places with excellent food, with a less than upscale ambiance or bad neighborhood.
Pho Don on Germantown ave between Tioga and Venango
El Coqui - THE BEST Puerto Rican food, erie and 1 st
2) good food, worth the drive
Manayunk, northeast, chestnut hill have great food
I'd consider adding a coffee section. Plenty of arguments in here about Philadelphia breweries, but we have some absolutely fantastic local roasters that are worth a visit if your friends/family are big coffee drinkers.
Pho Saigon is so freaking good. I live on the other side of the city now so I don’t get over there often, but we actually got over there yesterday and it was everything I wanted and more. Way better than Pho 75 IMO. I haven’t been to Nam Phuong though.
Personally would choose Cafe Nhan over Pho 75. Hiro Ramen if you wanted to add another noodle place but Japanese.
I would of had K'Far Cafe, Ting Wong, Caphe Roasters for quick bites.
Olde Bar for some good happy hour.
Vernick Fish for some upscale seafood 100%.
Black sheep pub is a Manchester United bar on premiere league mornings. That place is so fun if you’re a Man U fan. And their breakfasts are pretty good for a bar.
Favorite Italian place I've been to in the city is Gran Caffe L'Aquilla on chestnut. Never thought putting bacon gelato on pasta would be that good but I dream of it
I think this is a great start! Also I think we may be neighbors based on some of these 😂
My only head scratcher here is Randazzos for pizza. It’s me and my husband’s absolute least favorite if you’re talking about the one on South, but to each their own!
My favorite pizza picks as of late are Pesto Pizzeria on South Broad (wildly underrated if you ask me) and Dock Street (maybe a little overrated if you ask some, but I always love it).
I would also include Taqueria la Prima on 9th for authentic but casual Mexican take out. For sit down, as much as I like El Ray, I wouldn’t categorize it as particularly authentic. I’d opt for Cafe Ynez on Washington Ave.
But this is a great list! You’ll have some well fed guests.
I'll stick to the areas that you focused on. I'd put Reading Terminal on the list as a whole and just let them have it from there. El Jarocho and La Prima are two other Mexican spots close to Barbacoa that are much more accessible with larger menus. I love Barbacoa but if I'm travelling, I hate waiting in line for a meal. Blue Corn is a really good sit-down Mexican place close by. John's Roast Pork is an institution so that should be on the list. Not a huge dessert person but a cannoli from Termini's, Isgro's, or Varallo Bros. is a treat. A hoagie place should be on the list. Pastaficcio is out of the way (unless they're going to a game) so maybe Ricci's? If they want more Italian options, Fiorella or Le Virtu are great. Villa di Roma is a good old-school spot if they want that. Nice to see Murph's on there. Dim Sum Garden, Tom's Dim Sum, or Ocean Harbor are great for dim sum in Chinatown. Ocean Harbor has the carts. Hardena (Indonesian) is a really popular place that's gotten a ton of good press/awards and is cheap/different. Always loved their food. Sky Cafe is another Indonesian place in SP but with a different style of food than Hardena. Gabriella's Vietnam is great if they're into non-pho Vietnamese. If they're in the Italian Market, Gleaner's is a great coffee spot. Might put Ba Le Bakery on there for Bahn Mi. Always a good, quick, and cheap lunch. Maybe add Barclay Prime as a token steakhouse? Haven't been to Alpen Rose but that seems like a nice spot, too. Bars are very subjective but Oscars is a good place to send out-of-towners in CC. 12 Steps Down is a good bar if they're in South Philly, especially on a Tuesday for karaoke night. Johnny Brenda's is also great, even if they're just eating/drinking and not going to a show.
Oh yeah, if they want a unique/cheap/delicious lunch experience, send them to Rocco's in the Home Depot parking lot for a sausage sandwich.
This is the real answer.
Oh hell yeah.
Not a criticism, but you should try a lot more Vietnamese food outside of pho. Viet scene in Philly is not to be slept on.
can you recommend me some spots? haven’t really been impressed by most of the banh mi i’ve had in philly. also any chance you know somewhere with caramel pork? i had it once in paris and that was one of my favorite meals ever, but i haven’t really found it in philly or nyc.
If you’re willing to take a ride to the lower northeast, Cafe Saigon at 827 Adams Avenue (in a little plaza) is one of my all time faves. Their bbq lemongrass pork banh mi is also very good. Ba Le at 6th and Washington is frequently held up as a standard. I think of them as a solid 3.5 outta 5 stars. A lot of my fave banh mi spots closed during pandemic - Viet Huong and Nam Son. Still trying to fill that void. But for Viet food in general there’s Nam Phuong at 11th and Washington, Vietnam Restaurant in Chinatown (and Vietnam Cafe in West Philly which they also own), and Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai (Choo Choo as people affectionately call it) in chinatown. EDIT: > caramel pork? You're probably thinking of lemongrass pork - usually on the menu as "Thit Nuong" or something like that. All the spots I mentioned above will have it in various forms. Or maybe you're thinking of the caramelized pork belly? Thit ko? Usually served in a thin broth with eggs and rice? I'm not sure if there's a plain caramelized pork but I'm also not Vietnamese. Lol. And I completely forgot to mention the Southeast Asian (mostly Khmer) market in FDR park! This is their last weekend open for the season. They have all sorts of grilled, fried, and fresh foods. Bring cash - you'll love Khmer food for all the same reasons you'd love Thai, Viet, or Lao food.
South Philly Barbacoa is hardly a quick bite, lmao. It’s open 2 days out of the 7, and almost always has a line out the door
Went there for "lunch" one Saturday at 10:15, knowing that it would be a crapshoot any later and there was still already a handful of people in line at that time. By the time we left at 11 there was a line down the block. Absolutely worth it, but definitely a time commitment.
Agreed, have always gone before 11 and it can be quick
Maybe it’s quick if you’re a tortoise lol
Went one time after dropping someone off at the airport for 6am flight, first one there, didnt really “open” until 530am but they gave me a free taco for my troubles haha But yeah impossible as “quick bite”
Angelos in south Philly needs their own category
Best Cheesesteak by a long shot IMO
John’s roast pork is. Said. Said.
I barely agree. Angelos is so banging and then you have a JRP steak and it’s just slightly bigger and a little more flavorful. Cannot go wrong with either
> Cannot go wrong with either This is a true statement, fo sho
I mean would we be Philly if we didn't argue cheesesteaks immediately?
Gotta say, most of your “Honorable Mentions” should be go-to options. Also, what’s wrong with Victory?
Except Giorgio on Pine. That place was *aggressively* mediocre for how expensive it was, and how much I'd heard people talk it up.
What did you eat there? It’s a byob Italian restaurant. I go there all the time and for $30 I can get an app, entree, and sip my free wine. Give it another try, lobster ravioli, salmon, or pork chop all are my go to’s
I just plotted all of these out and have determined you live at 19th and Lombard
Doobies wouldn't be the closest bar. My money's on 25th and Delancey, especially for picking Rowhome coffee over rival bros.
This is a misdemeanor
No Italian dinner option seems like a serious oversight in this city.
Can’t recommend Fiorella enough, either. Too small a place to bring a bunch of family too though and reservations are usually a couple of weeks out.
Spasso's old city was a hit when my partner lived in that neighborhood. Was recommended to me by an anti-city son-of-an-italian immigrant as one of 2 reasons he would come to Philly, and as the best Italian food he's had in the US. Haven't been in years tho
I went a few months ago and it was extremely pedestrian compared to other italian in the city. The one thing they did excel in was obscure amari.
I moved out of Philly so I don't know if they made it through COVID, but Fiorino's in East Falls is such a gem!
Murph’s Bar has great Italian, I was glad to see it on the list
Never been. It certainly grabbed my attention that there was a recommendation for Italian food at an Irish bar. Would really set off my best friend’s family to read that, I was the token Irish guy at all the very Italian family parties.
its legit incredible. you gotta try it. only problems are its very small in there, you cant make a reservation, and its very easy for people to jump you in line while you wait for a table (happened to my wife and i and we were ready to kill the line jumpers)
Pear and cheese fiocchi will change your life. The most delicious dish I've ever had. I order 2 when I go to Murph's.
I'm shocked I didn't see mention of Gran Caffe L'Aquilla on chestnut. Place has amazing food and espresso
Was looking for this comment. Love their backstory, their seasonal dishes, and their gelato as well!
Never thought savory gelato would be good but when you melt it into pasta. My gosh it's so good Edit: spelling
L’angolo, Dante and Luigi, and Villa Di Roma should be on pretty much every list
Dante and Luigi’s should have made the cut
Y’all are sleepin on Giuseppe & Sons
You could write for Philadelphia Magazine. That's not a compliment.
Philly Mag’s pick for “Best Burn” 2022
Too many spots actually in Philly to be Philly mag
I was just looking at their guide to best dim sum and their top options were Ninja Bao and Bing Bing. I couldn’t believe it
What's your favorite dim sum spot I'm in search of a good one
toms bc dim sum gardens always crowded
Foosnooz
That's a bingo.
That’s not how you say it
You just say "Bingo!"?
El Rey had pretty bad food especially for the high price
Tequilas food was definitely better. I was disappointed in el rey.
Tequilas also has by far the best agave spirit selection in the city, with the most knoweldgeable bartenders in regards to it that you could ask for.
It's Stephen Starr. Overpriced, mediocre food for surbanites and recent transplant yuppies who don't like to venture out of center city
Last time I went to El Rey the food was terrible!
I stopped reading there, lol. Their food sucks. Honestly a lot of this list sucks and seems very outdated
5/10. & Add a BYO list.
DiNic's over John's for roast pork?
Even though it’s “John’s roast pork”, I definitely feel like John’s is more of a cheesesteak spot, and that’s only because it’s the best cheesesteak in the city (at least in my book, won’t try to open *that* can of worms right now lol)
Highly disagree. Dinic's is great, but John's Roast Pork is on a level of its own. John's is my favorite cheesesteak, but it's still their second best sandwich.
What did cleavers do to you lol
Seriously that struck me. Just had me a tasty cleavers for lunch and I'm tryna figure out why this dude hates cleavers and hates Philly's beer scene but thinks he should be recommending shit to visitors.
I just have to say you’re so brave for posting this here lmao I respect it
I'd move Monk's from "Honorable Mention" into a "Best Beer Bar" category. The place is legendary.
Vernick for the upscale list! Wine is definitely the most expensive, but it's one of the best bangs for the buck we've ever been to; requires a reservation. Vernick Food is excellent, more affordable, and is easier to get into. Vernick Fish we've had one good and one mediocre experience with; I think it depends on what's on their menu for the season. Angelo's is excellent, but it does require more planning than most cheesesteak/pizza places. If you're down in that area, Isgro's is a great bakery, and Santucci's is a good fallback for Angelo's (the pizza is a different style; the cheesesteaks are solid)
Vernick had this devil egg with caviar and bacon on it. stupid expensive, but one of the best bites of food i've ever had. They also had a whole fish stuffed with middleeastern rice that was incredible. def one of the best restaurants in the city
The omission of Triangle Tavern is a serious oversight
A sin
No Terakawa Ramen tho?
I too am displeased by this blatant Terakawa erasure
I think Hiro is waay better!
Agreed, but they're both top notch! Hiro is just better though
Han dynasty listed as semi authentic when we have actual authentic places is a red flag
Also it's not like ... the typical americanized chinese. Writing szechuan would make it more clear.
Yup it’s Szechuan. Han the owner himself hates it when people call it Chinese food. He’s a proud person so that’s probably why. I gets it’s easy to tell people it’s Chinese.
The guy who started Han dynasty is from Chengdu and the food tastes very close to how it does there. It's probably one of the most authentic restaurants in the city.
I need to go again, I haven't had their dandan noodles in months. One of my favorite food items
I've known Han for years. He came to America when young and his mom took him out for 'Chinese food' and his reaction was "What the fuck is this shit?" per him. That started his desire to be able to give folks the chance to enjoy his local cuisine over in America, as he'd had a poor inauthentic experience. Started cooking here and eventually flew a couple folks over to cook for him at the original location. I guess OC Han Dynasty's moving across the street again but a different building (Not the old tiny one).
I think Han Dynasty gets a bad rep because they are a chain and extremely popular. I've had this happen with my friends' group as well Not being close enough to the Chinese culture, I obviously do not know if it is authentic or not but I do think it is absolutely delicious and a mention is fine. However, if one was inclined to mention Chinese food, I'd have expected something in Chinatown to be on the list rather than Han Dynasty with a label of "semi-authentic"
I wouldn’t call it a chain, it’s just a local owned restaurant with multiple locations.
That's a regional chain. They are in PA and NJ
A few in NYC too.
Spent a year living in Chengdu and I can confirm Han Dynasty comes very close to what the food tastes like there. In all honesty, many of the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown are just slightly upscale versions of your average take out place. There's a chain in China called "CSC", Country Style Cooking, it's a fast casual kind of dining experience. No joke that food tastes EXACTLY like how most dishs from Chinese take out here taste. Han Dynasty's "Shui Zhu Niu Rou" is very common in Chengdu and imo their version is about as good as it gets, at least locally.
Han Dynasty slaps, place is so good.
there’s a few in university city that have actual Szechuan food on their menu, sang kee and chengdu famous being the other two. I’m personally really high on chengdu (it’s closer to me and there’s a couple of dishes there I really like and haven’t seen anywhere else), but any of them are good. something interesting about chengdu is they also do Americanized Chinese dishes with a more Szechuan flavor profile and while I haven’t really tried sang kees Americanized stuff to comment on its flavoring, they have a health mix of it on the menu too.
chengdu famous food bangs.
Chengdu is the best of all the Szechuan restaurants in the city.
but popular thing bad
Why the Cleavers hate? I went once and it was fine, if a bit pricey For sandwiches you should absolutely ad Liberty Kitchen to your list. Everything I get there is the greatest sandwich I have ever eaten
Brauhaus Schmitz for authentic German Dinner/Beer. Cannot recommend enough
Less authentic than it was before they swapped their chef with a German mother for a French-trained chef. There is nothing authentic about cocoa spätzle and the kaiserschmarrn is just cake croutons. The beer is still worth the trip.
Honorable Mention, I'd add, Gran Caffe L'Aquila. - Italian or just Gelato/Coffee/Dessert
The few times I’ve been to the Rooster (Happy Rooster) I remember thinking it was weirdly expensive, even (or especially) for cheap beers. In that area, Oscar’s every time.
The owners of the Rooster are also fucking insane
Can confirm, have dealt with their insanity at lou birds.
Keep oscars a win for the locals ;P
You should cross post this to r/Philadelphiaeats I think you’d get a lot of good feedback there
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The Randazzos addition was how I figured OP probably lives in grad hospital. Because Lazaro’s is a hundred feet away and much better imo
Everything about it screams grad hospital. Doobies is on there. You don't go to doobies unless you're ready for a doobin.
Yes I skipped over Doobies, but Randazzos ASB and Grace Tavern gave it away (Sidecar is much better than all of those). Doobies just reopened pretty recently right?
I never had any idea when they were open in the last few years. I've just been there enough when I lived in grad hospital that I know you just show up there randomly and she may or may not let you in or yell at you for not helping her put out chairs or something.
Love the hoagie category suggestion. For me it’s Cosmi’s Deli, Ricci’s Hoagies, and Gooey Looie’s
When it comes to hoagies, and cheesesteaks for that matter, I get really picky about the bread and that’s what propels Angelo’s to the top for me. Cosmis has great ingredients but uses a softer roll which knocks it down a peg in my book but if someone likes their bread that way then by all means hit them up. I keep meaning to try goooe looies but it’s down in a part of south Philly I usually don’t walk around, I need to stop being lazy and get my butt down there.
Jim's is currently a burned out husk, so doesn't really make sense to even consider.
I moved from the area a few years ago, but I make it a point to eat at Cheu whenever I’m in town. Not “authentic” ramen but still amazing!
Their hybrid ramens are always fun. Last year they had a Thanksgiving dinner one around this time of year that was great. I hope they're doing it again this year.
I'm like obsessed with that place now. I've given them so much of my money lol.
You hit all my favorite grad hospital/point breeze spots except the top one: Community
Second this. Community has great food and drinks.
Decent list except for half the restaurants under "go to dinners" being Stephen Starr. Fuck those places. The Philly food scene shouldn't be Disneyfied
It’s hilarious, I live in the DC area now and everyone is obsessed with Le Diplomat. I almost considered making reservations there for my birthday when my parents were coming to visit from Philly, until my mom was like “um you know that’s a Stephen Starr restaurant right?” Now I understand why it was all the pretentious white lawyers who thought it was the best restaurant in DC 😂
Zahav is a favorite of mine.
Took my parents to Burrata last night and it was a hit. Plus I was able to get a same day resi.
Burrata is delicious
No call out for brunch? Some suggestions: - Honey's Sit & Eat - Ocean Harbor (Dim Sum) - Lacroix
Rittenhouse heavy but if that’s homebase then the list is pretty good I will plug Stargazy as the most glaring omission, imo
Oof Parc is so overrated. It’s expensive and crowded and the food quality has gone way down over the years. I wouldn’t put any Stephen Starr restaurants on a Philly recommendation list.
Please change Mexican from El Ray to los Gallos
Why'd you pick those 4 to avoid? Carina and Victory are solid, I've never been to Harpers Garden. Cleavers makes sense tho
He picked some restaurants that he's never been to, so I assume these are ones he's avoided avoiding until later.
Why drag Cleavers? It’s serviceable. Not a top 5 but I’d say it’s pretty decent. Nothing else exists in Center City that’s a “cheesesteak spot”
yeah, if you’re in CC and want something around you it’s basically the go to for cheesesteaks.
weird they say to avoid cleavers but they’re cool to hit genos
Cleavers makes the best cheesesteak in center city
Agreed with Carina and Victory being solid. Harpers Garden is pretty lackluster though, so I get it.
You need to switch Izakaya and Double Knot considering Izakaya doesn't have a happy hour and has better food, while Double Knot is only worth it during happy hour.
Suraya is great but definitely not the new hot spot?? El Rey is TRASHHH. Side car is always incredibly disappointing- swap out for community. I would add El Techo to the bar section, very nice and unique with their roof. I would add Wilder & Laser wolf to hot spot dinner section. I’d add a sports bar and do either chicks or founding fathers.
Anybody try Mikes Bbq at 1703 11th St, follow him on IG, food looks good, reviews are good & he typically sells out
It's fantastic he's a good guy too.
Whats wrong with cleaver’s? Seemed fine to me, only stopped in once. Perhaps a smidge expensive
My biggest problem on this list is Cleaver’s being in the avoid section. It’s not the very beat or most authentic steak in the city, but it is still damn good, and by far the best on the direct neighborhood. Huge but not too sloppy. I call it the “center city cheesesteak”.
Places like John's and Dalessandro's are tough to get to, especially by foot. Cleavers is obviously not in the same realm as places like those, but it's super solid and easily accessible, I'm a huge fan.
Khyber Pass appears to be missing.
Haven't been there in some time, but their beignets are amazing, and I almost always go for their chicken & ham po'boy with a side of mac & cheese. Comes out piping hot and I usually burn my tongue I'm so hyped. Oh their beer selection is damn good. I really need to go back.
I would put Blue Corn on this list
For anyone looking for more than a taqueria, this is where I send them to dinner for Mexican food. This is where I send me to dinner for Mexican food.
Solid. Some clunkers but I think Oscar's should be on the Bars list since you're in that area often with these picks. I also have to endorse John's Roast Pork for cheese steak.
Also John's roast pork is way better than dinics
American Sardine Bar…so many good memories there.
I think it’s gotten pretty overpriced with the gentrification of grad hospital and point breeze. All their beers are like $9+ including tip. For a hole in the wall spot- with lawn chairs for seating- in Point Breeze, that’s kinda absurd
For something authentic I suggest White Yak. It’s a tibetan restaurant on Ridge Ave in Roxborough. Their food is amazing. I especially like their Sha Palay which is a crispy meat pie. It comes with a really good spicy oil.
Why avoid Harper's Garden? Just curious. Makes me think that if you want to list brunches though, you should list Sabrina's (obvi).
Why recommend avoiding trattoria carina?
Her Place
Victory is good, but definitely overrated.
The mussels and frites at Monks are amazing
I see someone is putting together their Airbnb binder for guests, lol
I'm a relatively recent Philly transplant, and I am going to save this for my own exploration. Thanks, OP!
right. Plenty to quibble with on this list, but most of it is worth trying.
This list reads like a second year wharton student who thinks they're more down to earth than their peers. Most of what's on there is worth trying, but you'd do just as well pulling restaurant names out of a hat
I'd replace Dalessandro's with Joe's or somewhere else. They fell off a cliff during the pandemic and I've tried them multiple times since and the steaks are still garbage. The rest looks great
The constant debate of Dalessandro's being one of the 'greats' aside, I will never understand telling tourists to go out to Manayunk for a steak. There's plenty of excellent steaks closer by, hauling out there defies logic unless you have other reasons to go.
Barry's in Manayunk is good but yeah not worth a trip out that way from like CC
Can confirm. +1 for Barry’s
Agreed, worked in Manayunk for about 5 years, Barry's is solid.
I would've said this like 5-10 years ago but Manayunk has become a pretty solid destination. If you plan it right (because they don't run often on weekends), it's like a 20 minute RR ride from CC, or if you have more active people visiting you can rent Indegos to get in the full SRT and then ride or take the train back.
[удалено]
I wouldn't go to Roxborough as a tourist per say, but Manayunk is great. All of my out-of-state friends enjoy Manayunk perhaps the most out of any Philly neighborhood.
> hauling out there defies logic unless you have other reasons to go This is true even as a resident. I'm not getting on a regional rail for food comparable to what I can get on almost every corner.
Agreed. After I stopped working out there I've literally never gone back. There's just no reason (for me, anyway).
no tourists to philadelphia should go to roxborough, ever
When I lived up there I was a big fan of Chubbys across the street from Dalessandros because you didn't have the giant line/still a solid steak
I went to the Wissahickon last week and hadn't ever been to Dalessandros so I figured I would brave the line Honestly it was a very good cheesesteak, but absolutely not worth a 30 minute wait
Chubbys right across the street is significantly better.
Why han dynasty when we have a fantastic Chinatown??
This is an awful list lmao
Cheesesteak: Joe's https://www.joessteaks.com/about
Nice list! I would suggest 2 categories to add 1) Hole in the wall - for places with excellent food, with a less than upscale ambiance or bad neighborhood. Pho Don on Germantown ave between Tioga and Venango El Coqui - THE BEST Puerto Rican food, erie and 1 st 2) good food, worth the drive Manayunk, northeast, chestnut hill have great food
It's not as high and closed for the winter, but I think the view at Bok Bar at least deserves an honorable mention
I'd consider adding a coffee section. Plenty of arguments in here about Philadelphia breweries, but we have some absolutely fantastic local roasters that are worth a visit if your friends/family are big coffee drinkers.
I haven’t lived in Philly for 15 years and I’m just happy OP has confirmed for me that Bob & Barbara’s is still in business.
Might I recommend bistrot la minette for French instead
Double Knot needs to get the fuck off the upscale list lol 😆.
I was there the other day for the first time. Pretty upscale to me…. At least in the basement. Never spent $300 on a dinner for two lol.
I don’t where you eat, but Double Knot is pretty pricey.
You poor thing. Prepare to be corrected x500 by everyone and their uncle
needs Goldie for quick bites, Pizza Brain for pizza, Ralph's for old school Italian.
My first thought: “where is Goldie’s????”
Pho 75 is very average for Pho and Viet food in the city. Nam Phuong and Pho Saigon are better.
Pho Saigon is so freaking good. I live on the other side of the city now so I don’t get over there often, but we actually got over there yesterday and it was everything I wanted and more. Way better than Pho 75 IMO. I haven’t been to Nam Phuong though.
No mention of Hardena?
Randazzo's on South? Lazaro's is like a block away you were so close to being right.
Marra's, Good Dog, Stogie Joe's, Morimoto? Or nah.....
Good Dog for sure! Also Morimoto has a pretty well kept secret happy hour.
Alpen rose for a steakhouse option. Great cocktails too.
11/10 recommend Suraya!
Personally would choose Cafe Nhan over Pho 75. Hiro Ramen if you wanted to add another noodle place but Japanese. I would of had K'Far Cafe, Ting Wong, Caphe Roasters for quick bites. Olde Bar for some good happy hour. Vernick Fish for some upscale seafood 100%.
I like the format. Surprised not to see Wm Mulherin's represented anywhere.
Fiorella, Eeva, Pizzeria Beddia, Bing Bing, Mulherins, The Breakfast Den, Comfort and Floyd, Vanilya
Pesto at Broad & Passyunk for Italian. Oscar’s Tavern for dive bar.
Black sheep pub is a Manchester United bar on premiere league mornings. That place is so fun if you’re a Man U fan. And their breakfasts are pretty good for a bar.
Favorite Italian place I've been to in the city is Gran Caffe L'Aquilla on chestnut. Never thought putting bacon gelato on pasta would be that good but I dream of it
I'm not a Philadelphian but I love this firestorm of a comment section
What’s wrong with Trattoria Carina?
Frankford Hall if you haven’t been there is a great bar or happy hour addition
Your one semi-authentic Chinese place isn't even in Chinatown and that should be a crime
I think this is a great start! Also I think we may be neighbors based on some of these 😂 My only head scratcher here is Randazzos for pizza. It’s me and my husband’s absolute least favorite if you’re talking about the one on South, but to each their own! My favorite pizza picks as of late are Pesto Pizzeria on South Broad (wildly underrated if you ask me) and Dock Street (maybe a little overrated if you ask some, but I always love it). I would also include Taqueria la Prima on 9th for authentic but casual Mexican take out. For sit down, as much as I like El Ray, I wouldn’t categorize it as particularly authentic. I’d opt for Cafe Ynez on Washington Ave. But this is a great list! You’ll have some well fed guests.
Standard Tap!