19 Essential Philly Eats — from Appetizers to Desserts

Zahav — Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov’s modern Israeli establishment — does everything well. After all, they were named the best restaurant in the country by the James Beard Foundation in 2019 (and have only gotten better since). But the lamb shoulder, glazed with pomegranate molasses and topped with chickpeas, has earned a cult following. It takes some planning to score a reservation, or you can show up just before 5 p.m. in hopes of getting a seat at the bar to taste this masterful dish for yourself. (Another option is to order a meal kit online to try your hand at culinary perfection at home.)

These tacos are worth waiting in line for. On select days, chef Cristina Martínez — famous not only for her delicious food (which nabbed her a James Beard Award win for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2022), but also for her advocacy for undocumented workers’ rights — sells her juicy lamb barbacoa tacos on fresh homemade tortillas in the heart of the Italian Market. The tacos can be found on select days at a South Philly Barbacoa pop-up food cart inside Martínez’s newest restaurant, Casa México. Fair warning: You’re gonna need more than just one.

It takes some planning to score a reservation at James Beard Award-winning chef Greg Vernick’s American restaurant, but all the hype is worth it once you sink your teeth into the wood-fired roasted chicken. You’re probably thinking: Chicken? Really? At a top restaurant? Yes, really. The skin is crispy, and the meat is juicy, thanks to lemon jus.

We’re not weighing in on the (whispers)  “cheesesteak conversation” here. Pat’s or Geno’s? Wit or witout? It’s passionate. It’s controversial. (It’s a bit exhausting.) What we can tell you is that Angelo’s Pizzeria in South Philly makes a damn good steak. With perfectly shredded meat, four choices of cheese and rolls baked fresh in-house (fitting given that owner Danny DiGiampietro married into Philadelphia’s legendary Sarcone bread dynasty), the cash-only takeout spot elevates the standard steak — bread, meat, onions, cheese, datsit — to an art form. Insider tip: Don’t stop at the cheesesteaks. From pizzas to hoagies, Angelo’s has made almost every best-of list.

Located in the iconic Reading Terminal Market, where you’re certain to find other culinary delights, is Tommy DiNic’s, the sandwich shop famous for its roast pork. For this must-have sammie, thin-sliced pork is piled high on a long roll, topped with your choice of broccoli rabe, roasted reds and/or sharp provolone. It’s rich, it’s pungent, it’s incredibly delicious.

No one would blame you if you skipped straight to dessert at Marcy Turney and Valerie Safran’s Barbuzzo (though we wouldn’t recommend it: their caciocavallo-stuffed meatballs are pretty awesome). The salted caramel budino has taken on a life of its own with its creamy, caramel-y pudding, dark chocolate crust and sea salt. Order one as the finale of your Barbuzzo meal, or pick up a mason jar … or two … or three at Turney’s and Safran’s neighboring gift shop Verde during select times of the year.

Maybe you’ve seen the adorable blue-purple dumplings from Kalaya all over your Instagram feed. Guess what? They’re as delicious as they are beautiful. Among James Beard Award-nominated chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon’s stellar menu is shaw muang — flower-shaped dumplings filled with ground chicken atop a slice of cucumber. Pretty and pretty delicious all at once.

Much like its cousin the cheesesteak, quality hoagies — long rolls stacked high with deli meats, cheeses, your choice of accoutrements, and drizzled with oil and/or vinegar —  can be found at a bevy of corner stores, mom-and-pop shops, and lunch counters around the city. But how many come with the history that a sandwich from Cosmi’s Deli does? First opened as a grocery store in 1932 by Italian immigrant Cosimo Quattrone, the family-run shop has since gotten out of the grocery business and cemented itself as a key stop on any Philly hoagie tour, offering 25-plus different sandwiches (including veggie options), generous portions and only the freshest ingredients.

Star chef Marc Vetri — and his super-intimate restaurant, located in a historic townhome — have racked up tons of recognition from the James Beard Foundation and many others, and with good reason. At special-occasion super spot Vetri Cucina, the menu is constantly changing to spotlight local seasonal ingredients, but the spinach gnocchi has been a menu staple for the last 25 years. Made without potatoes, the dish became such a crowd favorite that diners can’t get enough of it.

For a culinary experience that’s a bit more accessible, try one of Vetri’s other restaurants, Fiorella, where there’s plenty of pasta to go around, including sumptuous spins on gnocchi, like the ricotta gnocchi.

For a seasonal Philadelphia treat that’s perfect for summa-summa-summatime, John’s Water Ice is a crave-able concoction of fruit and sugar mixed into a frozen treat. Using natural flavors from actual fruit, the water ice (don’t you dare say shaved ice) comes in an iconic Dixie cup in a variety of flavors: lemon, cherry, chocolate and pineapple. Open spring through fall, get it while the weather’s hot.

How many ways can one serve roast duck? You’d be surprised. And over the last 40 years, Philadelphia-by-way-of-China restaurateur Michael Chow has mastered every single one of them. From whole bird dinners to shredded duck stir-fry, Chow’s Chinatown and Reading Terminal locations offer a variety of ways to dig into authentic Hong Kong-style roasted poultry and barbecue, but the wonton noodle soup with roast duck and pork is a favorite among Center City workers and convention-goers. Warm and flavorful, pork-stuffed wontons swim alongside the restaurant’s signature tender duck meat in a perfectly slurpable broth. So slurp away, friend, slurp away.

In 1904, Italian immigrants Mario and Crocifissa Isgro started selling rum cake, cannoli and other baked goods out of the shop in front of their Italian Market rowhome. More than 120 years, four generations and a James Beard nomination later, the bakery is still at it. Handmade in small batches using real butter, high-quality vanilla and chocolate, and a splash of homemade red wine, the exact recipe for the Sicilian delicacy is a family secret only three people are privy to. What we do know: (1) the crispy, golden brown pastry shells are still cut on Mario’s original Carrara marble table; (2) the vanilla, chocolate, and traditional whipped ricotta fillings are borderline addictive, and (3) one cannoli is never enough

In the scientific world of baking, the pound cake is relatively simple with only four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs and sugar. But with the right amount of know-how, the simple pound cake becomes … magical. Celebrating a century in business, this Port Richmond bakery didn’t introduce its famous pound cake — two-and-a-half pounds of dense, buttery, moist goodness — until the mid-1940s. But since then, the cake (available by the loaf or by the cake) has become an essential part of many a Philly family’s holiday and special occasion traditions.

Muhammad Abdul-Hadi and Michael Carter’s mission-led takeout pizzeria takes Detroit-style pizza and puts a Philly spin on it. Chewy, rectangular pies cut into thick slices, the nine specialty pizzas at Down North are all named after hip-hop classics by Philly artists. Roc the Mic, named for North Philly natives Beanie Sigel and Freeway’s 2002 hit, is a doughy delight topped with mozzarella,  handfuls of mini beef pepperoni and drizzled with the shop’s signature sweet and smokey norf sauce.

Fun fact: did you know Pennsylvania produces (and consumes) more pretzels than any other place in the nation? The snacks arrived here with the Pennsylvania Dutch (who are actually German), and today about 80% of American pretzels come from the state. All about the softer, salty-with-the-slightest-hint-of-sweetness variety, Philly has a ton of places to grab a pretzel, but one of the best is Center City Pretzel Company.  After closing for more than a year due to a 2022 fire, the family-owned bakery (actually located just off the Italian Market) is back to pumping out thousands of their all-natural, nut-free, dairy-free, kosher treats.

Opened by restaurant veterans chef Phila Lorn and his wife Rachel, Mawn (“chicken” in Khmer, the native tongue of Phila’s Cambodian immigrant parents), has taken Philly by storm with delicious plates from across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. The latter is where this very special dish hails from. Despite literally meaning “sliced rice” in Lao, you won’t find a single grain in your bowl. The rich soup is made with a Northern Thai curry broth, ramen noodles, braised chicken, and a flavor bomb of chili jam, red onion and pickled greens. Bring a bottle and enjoy.

Forget the colonel; these sisters have a secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices (give or take) of their own. With their restaurant Doro Bet, Mebruka Kane and Hayat Ali introduced Philadelphia to their life-changing (per USA Today) Ethiopian-style fried chicken. The West Philly spot serves two varieties of fried chicken dinners and sandwiches: the Hot-Hot Awaze (a traditional berbere blend using chili, cumin and coriander) for spice lovers and the lemon turmeric Alicha for more sensitive palettes. Whatever you choose, both are packed with a ton of flavor inspired by the duo’s East African roots and fried to crispy perfection using a gluten-free mixture of teff and tapioca flours.

Jezabel Careaga brings traditional Argentine cuisine to West Philly, but she does it her way. Immensely creative (Jezebel is also a talented designer handcrafting most of the furniture in her cafe), the restaurateur adds modern twists and her signature flare to each pastry, sandwich and empanada on the menu. Baked (not fried), the delicate, wheat-based empanadas come in a variety of meat, vegetarian and vegan options from beef to chicken to leek. Pro-tip: Add a seasonal soup or an alfajor to make it a meal.

If you’re going to indulge in the very Philly tradition of Pabst Blue Ribbon with a side of Jim Beam, why not go to the originators? According to city lore, Jack Prince, the owner of Bob & Barbara’s, started the drink special back in the mid-90s at the behest of Rick Dobrowolski, the Philly music scene vet responsible for booking the pub’s live acts. Before Prince knew it, “the special” caught on citywide (get it), and now you can get the wallet-friendly duo almost everywhere, from dive bars to Mexican taquerias. Just a heads up: At the beloved, cash-only neighborhood spot, the $5 pick-me-up is just called “The Special” (no citywide).