Salam Cafe
Salam Cafe in Germantown / Photograph by Michael Persico You’d never know this tiny, super-casual restaurant in a residential neighborhood was here. But now you do, and it’s worth the trip. If you’re only having one dish, go for the luscious beef or chicken stew, with lots of injera to soak up the spicy juices. Better yet: Assemble a crew of friends and order everything on the menu, which isn’t all that hard to do, since there are usually only a half-dozen or so entrée options. Call ahead and find out when the next buna — an Ethiopian coffee-roasting ceremony — is scheduled. 5532 Greene Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Her Place Supper Club
What began as a temporary deal in a shuttered pizza joint is now a full-blown, deeply personal restaurant. Amanda Shulman has transitioned Her Place Supper Club from a short-term project to a permanent operation while retaining its sublime French and Italian-ish food and a human touch so integral to the original concept. Coming here feels like having dinner at your cool new friend’s house — if your friend made the best steak tartare and fries in the city, always seemed to keep a truffle hidden somewhere in her kitchen, and had a wine and cocktail program crafted by Julianna Bursack. Her Place may have started as a pop-up, but lucky for us, it’s not going anywhere. 1740 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Lark
The seventh-floor sunset views bring drama to Nick Elmi and Fia Berisha’s new spot, but the menu remains the real reason to seek out a meal here. Try uni deviled eggs topped with caviar, and roasted dorade scattered with golden raisins that go off in your mouth like tiny sweet firecrackers. Add a plate of Lark’s gnocco fritto, puffy beignets crowned with prosciutto and served with preserved lemon. Eating Lark’s food will make you feel like you stole a millionaire’s picnic basket. 611 Righters Ferry Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
The Seabrisket at Wilson’s Secret Sauce
Leave it to a big, bearded, tattooed Delco motorcycle enthusiast to concoct this one. Pitmaster Steve Wilson, who went from backyard barbecuer to barbecue restaurant owner after winning the Garry Maddox Barbecue Challenge, takes a toasted roll that’s been rubbed with garlic and butter and piles a bunch of house-smoked brisket and chunks of lobster inside it. And then, because that just isn't decadent enough, he tops it off with Cooper Sharp. We’ve yet to finish one, but that just means leftovers, right? 265 East Township Line Road, Upper Darby, PA 19082
Prunella
Eight-buck wood-fired margherita pizzas, $7 spritzes, $5 arancini plates, a white marble bar, and a room that looks like a mustachioed bartender and a millennial plant collector chic-ified a grandmother’s house: What more could you possibly require from a Tuesday? 112 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Sooo Delicious Soul Food Cafe
After running a popular truck in Southwest Philly, Aminah McDaniel and Angel King debuted their own sit-down spot this spring. It’s the sort of place where sides are the stars, like the soft, onion-y yellow rice packed with shards of red pepper. But no meal would be quite right sans the expertly fried chicken. 1112 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Oat Haus
Not only is Oat Haus’s granola butter free of nuts, gluten, dairy and soy (and made in Warminster!); it’s impressively versatile. Drizzle this local oat spread over yogurt, go wild with smoothies, or, if you’re like us, eat it right off the spoon. Try the birthday-cake flavor, which is made with sprinkles and vanilla. No baking necessary.
Pickle Fried Chicken Sandwich at Tattooed Mom
The pickle fried chicken at Tattooed Mom’s / Photograph by Michael Persico You go to Tattooed Mom for bright, boozy drinks and the come-exactly-as-you-are vibe — not necessarily expecting great food. But that’s where you’re wrong. The pickle fried chicken is brined, double-fried, and stuffed into a sweet potato brioche bun along with house-made fried dill pickles and Crystal hot sauce mayo. There’s an equally standout vegan version, too. Either makes for a surprise when you realize this is one of the best sandwiches in the city. 530 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Fishtown Seafood
At the new Fishtown Seafood, owner Bryan Szeliga only stocks thoughtfully sourced, chemical-free fish and shellfish, including small-batch East Coast oysters dug up from Jersey to Maine. His Monday classes will teach you the fine art of shucking for just $20 — and send you home with 15 oysters so you can hone your skills in your own kitchen. 339 Belgrade Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Appear Cooler Than You Actually Are
Mish Mish
Along with Jeff Goldblum’s filmography and the bathroom jokes in Ulysses, this apricot-adorned spot fits into the highbrow/lowbrow category that makes daily existence more enjoyable. Mish Mish doesn’t take itself too seriously — the wine list has tasting notes like “red silk pajamas” and “gabagoolian” — yet the hospitality is as finely tuned as at any upscale spot. So if you ever need to create the illusion that you’re chill and have great taste, book a table, order some grilled octopus with muhammara, then sit by the Singing Fountain and discuss your hopes and fears and the Jawn Morgan billboards on I-95. 1046 Tasker Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Pita Chip
It’s a random weekday, and an intense falafel mood strikes. Your next move should be Pita Chip, the fast-casual spot inspired by Damascus street snacks. Order a few perfectly crisped falafel over a bed of steamy yellow rice with grilled peppers and salty marinated zucchini. Even if your emergency doesn’t require fries and garlicky white sauce, you might as well indulge that mood, too. Multiple locations,
Dumpster Juice Vermut
During the pandemic, Bloomsday Cafe’s Zach Morris and Tim Kweeder started selling their own small-batch fortified wine through the state’s since-repealed to-go cocktail laws. They flavored their vermouth with seasonally varied botanicals; sold it in bottles, pouches, cans, whatever; and dubbed it “Dumpster Juice,” the most Philly name anything has ever had. The resulting quaff makes a transcendent manhattan, is delightful served neat, and, as of batch No. 7, is now official with the PLCB. 414 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Bake Ability
Leave it to the moms, amirite? Bucks County’s Paula Fasciano, mom to two sons with fragile X syndrome, faced a challenge when the older son, Matthew, aged out of his workplace training program and needed a job. Inspired by fellow moms, Fasciano opened this bright, cheery bakery, staffed by workers ages 19 to 25 (plus volunteers) and crafting everything from savory breakfast pizzettes to scones and lemon bars. Goodies for a cause! 4950 York Road, Holicong, PA 18928
KPOD
Dessert Sweet Potato at KPOD / Photograph by Bre Furlong The roasted sweet potato, at first glance, appears miscategorized on Peter Serpico’s menu. Perhaps you are a side that’s lost its way, you say — to the potato, to yourself. But you order it — you can’t not order the dessert potato — and it arrives, bathed in brown butter, drizzled in honey, topped with gently melting vanilla ice cream. You taste it, all hot and cold and sweet and savory. And then it hits you: The potato was never lost; it was you. 3636 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
El Bar
Are you sick of dating apps? Do you long to meet a man under the train tracks whom you can sporadically smooch for two months before eventually deleting his phone number? Look no further than El Bar in Fishtown, a place where the pool table is always occupied, two Citywides cost $10, and the pinball machine is Shrek-themed. El Bar simultaneously attracts a crowd of people who have probably been divorced twice and swear the place is “the last real bar in the neighborhood, sweetie” and 20-somethings who watch Curb Your Enthusiasm and seem fine. Enjoy. 1356 North Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
La Chalupa
La Chalupa, best gas-station dining / Photograph by Michael Persico The only thing that can make us feel better after paying to fill up our tank at this Phillips 66 station? The divine $2.80 pupusas and $12 (for four!) taco platters the women behind the grill are slinging. Naturally, you’ll want to wash that all down with a glass bottle of Mexican Coke. Next time you’re on your way down the Shore, this is more than worth the quick-ish detour. 12 White Horse Pike, Clementon, NJ 08021
The Lunch Lady Sloppy Joe at Marple Public House
School cafeterias and Manwich gave sloppy joes a bad name. The fact is, a good sloppy joe is pretty close to comfort-food heaven, so we were delighted to find one on the menu at Broomall’s very first bar, which just opened last summer after the township voted to dump its dry status. The house-made pickles and grilled potato bun take this sandwich up a notch. Note: It’s not on the regular menu. You have to ask for it by name. 31 North Sproul Road, Broomall, PA 19008
You To Eat More Meat Pies
True Blue Bakery
The simplest pie at this Australian shop in the western suburbs is treated like the national treasure it is — flaky-crusted and filled with delicious gravy, ground beef and onions — but True Blue only starts there. It would be unforgivable to leave without some pasties for lunch, a vanilla slice or Lamington cake for dessert, and a couple sausage rolls just to keep you going through the day. 324 Main Street, Royersford, PA 19468
Jaxx Steaks
When Delco native and Cheesesteak Adventure purveyor Jim Pappas bit his way through his 1,000th different cheese-steak earlier this year during a live Fox 29 broadcast, he also announced his favorite: the traditional cheesesteak at this 3rd and Wharton spot, known as Charlie’s Roast Pork until a July name change. And we can’t argue with him — seeded Carangi roll, melted provolone throughout, juicy meat that just won’t quit. Open since July 2019, Jaxx tastes like it’s been a part of our lives for decades. 1301 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
The Prime Rib
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Last year, the Prime Rib relocated from Rittenhouse to deep South Philly, inside the Live Casino. You can still feast on seafood towers showcasing shrimp as big as your fist, classic wedge salads, and the platonically perfect signature cut. And you can still pair these things with a double old-fashioned or dirty martini. Only now, the meal happens in a buzzing bastion of glitz. And you know what? It’s so much better this way. 900 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148
White Yak
Start with a round of savory, stiff-skinned chicken momos threaded with greens. Chase those Tibetan dumplings with a version filled with a soft potato mixture. Next: crisp-edged pan-fried khotrak and soupy mothuk swimming in beef broth. While we wouldn’t ever suggest skimping on the curry or shoko khatsa here, you could easily make a meal of nothing but White Yak’s momos and not feel like you missed out on anything. 6118 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Vittles Food Hall
Everybody Eats — started during the pandemic as a nonprofit by Black chefs focusing on local food security — debuted a food hall in 2022 that serves everything from seafood (try the snapper and grits at Perfect Catch) to diner-style comforts and soul food. They’re also using the space as a home base for job training, industry mentorship, and their community fridge project. 801 Sproul Street, Chester, PA 19013
The Pathfinder Hemp & Root
This new Philly-born N/A spirit is made with fermented-then-distilled hemp (sans cannabinoids) and infused with botanicals. On its own, it kind of tastes like a can of root beer picked you a bouquet of flowers — which is to say, a little sweet, floral and surprising. Drink it like an amaro by itself, or mix about two ounces with lemon juice and seltzer for a very good N/A spritz. And if you’d rather have a bartender make a great cocktail for you, the Volstead in Manayunk is this year’s best zero-proof bar.
Fiore Fine Foods
Philly has several contenders for best breakfast sandwich — and they’re all made at Fiore. There’s a mess of scrambled eggs and whipped ricotta on focaccia, a version that stacks fennel sausage, fontina, a fried egg and herb aioli on a wood-fired roll, and a BEC with bacon-studded scrambled eggs, caramelized onions and cheddar on a sweet milk bun. You’ll have a difficult time choosing. Our solution? Get all three. 757 South Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Madison K Cookies
Sure, you can walk into this cute neon-lit NoLibs confectionery for ready-to-go candy, cupcakes and treats of all kinds. But where else can you get cookies featuring your favorite sitcom, your dog’s face or even your own face? Madison K is armed with icing and up to the challenge. 800 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Eli Collins, A.Kitchen
Eli Collins, A.Kitchen’s executive chef / Photograph by Jeff Fusco In a restaurant world roaring with egos (excuse us, personalities), Collins quietly lets his food speak for itself. Since 2017, A.Kitchen’s executive chef has been flexing his talent and imagination sub rosa, evolving new recipes and techniques for his ever-changing menu at this Rittenhouse cafe. You can see it in the smallest details: the dab of made-from-scratch date mustard that comes with the chicken liver terrine, the delicate tortellini hand-filled with chevre from a local farm, the mussels with broth built from ramps and pickled long hots. What’s missing from the menu is any shred of ego. Instead, every dish gets to be the star. 135 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Crisp Chik’n
So you’ve been boycotting Chick-fil-A for God knows how long, but you’re really craving one of those fried chicken sandwiches and some waffle fries. You need to get to know this Delco spot that’s just over a year old. The food is strikingly similar to Chick-fil-A’s, but better. 27 North Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050
Sabor Latino II
Though we still have a special place in our heart for the occasional Sack O’ Subs or White House hoagie on the beach, the flaky, overstuffed empanadas at this brand-new shop two blocks from the water have won our affection. And since they’re so much less messy than the aforementioned sandwiches, there’s more for your mouth and less for those nefarious seagulls. 4227 Ventnor Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Fishtown Pickle Project
Philly Dilly Deli pickles / Photograph by Ian Shiver Whether you want classic sour, Philly dilly deli, zesty sweet garlic or habanero, these handcrafted pickles match any hoagie (and mouth) they meet. Plus, what other crew could conceive of its own pickle-centric remix to the Feast of the Seven Fishes? Pass the brined bounty, please.
Small Oven Pastry Shop
Small Oven’s two flavors of soft-serve per weekend get the same consideration as the dessert menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant. In the height of summer, pastry chef Chad Durkin makes peaches and mascarpone or watermelon and lemon-lime. In the fall, there’s cappuccino and tahini or apple pie and butterscotch. Toppings include homemade sauces and cubes of pound cake that are as thoughtful as the ice cream. 2204 Washington Avenue , Philadelphia, PA 19146
Soft pretzel and crab fondue at Rex at the Royal
If you were born here, you’ve been weaned on soft pretzels since your first tooth. But have you had them as a vehicle for hunks of crabmeat swimming in a gooey cheese dip? Buttery soft pretzels — think less butter than an Auntie Anne’s but more than a Pretzel Factory — are dusted with Old Bay and sesame seeds. Use them to scoop up sauce made with Cooper, gruyère and provolone cheeses. It tastes like Whiz got a job, moved out of mom’s basement, and now vacations exclusively in the Swiss Alps. 1524 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
You Feel Like You're 14 Again
Party Girl Bake Club
Chef-turned-corporate-worker Mallory Valvano started baking her Seussian cakes — unhinged flavor combos cloaked in saturated color palettes of icing — as a creative outlet. She might pair chocolate chip cookies with potato chips or orange creamsicle with dulce de leche, or whip up a Ferrero Rocher carrot cake. While Valvano is the van Gogh of birthday cakes, it’s a hobby she wants to keep a hobby. So continue to order her joyful masterpieces only through Instagram. @partygirlbakeclub.
9th Street Bottle Shop
Buying wine (or any alcohol, really) in Pennsylvania is generally a pain in the butt. The Di Bruno Bros. Bottle Shop in the center of the Italian Market sweetens the deal with a curated selection at a range of price points, all of which can be opened and glugged across the street in DBB’s sunny piazza. Bring takeout from any of the surrounding restaurants, or grab some chips and tinned fish from Di Bruno’s shelves. 920 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Cartesian Brewing
For years, we’d walk by this garage just south of Pat’s, press our faces to the windows, and look for signs of progress. Years of thirsty waiting finally paid off last fall when Cartesian rolled up its doors and started pouring pints of tart saisons and malty ambers. We’re partial to the Concrete Picnic, a spring ale that comes in at a this-beer-still-has-flavor-but-won’t-put-you-on-your-ass 5.8 percent ABV. 1326 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147
White Dotte Dairy Bar
The black cherry milkshake at White Dotte / Photograph by Jeff Fusco Great black cherry milkshakes are as rare as honest politicians. But if you take the long way to the Shore, you’ll stumble upon the White Dotte Dairy Bar. Get yourself a burger topped with ketchup, mustard, onions, pickles and Whiz (the “White Dotter”), plus a thick, dark and silky-sweet black cherry milkshake spun while you wait. You can also score a sweet new CB radio for your ride — all in the same place. 2345 U.S. Route 206, Southampton, NJ 08088
Canelés at Friday Saturday Sunday
After courses of yuzu-aioli-dappled tuna crudo and barbecued veal cheek at Chad and Hanna Williams’s beloved Rittenhouse restaurant, your server will drop the bill and two glistening canelés. These bite-size bombshells take time to make, with the batter resting for three days before they’re double-baked in copper molds. They’re then lacquered with beeswax, a totally unnecessary gesture underscoring the fact that every dish the kitchen puts out is not only near-flawless but has so much heart. 261 South 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Out of Your Way for
Red Top/Green Top Farm Markets
These side-by-side farmers’ markets along Route 70 have been run by two different families for almost a century. Green Top leans more toward the home gardener; Red Top is there for the tourists who want local goat-milk soaps and a couple pints of fresh strawberries. Bop back and forth between them to load up on everything from fresh flowers, blackberry cider and homemade preserves to local honey, herb starts, bags of clams and tiki statues. 1801 and 1811 State Route 70, Vincentown, NJ 08088
Càphê Roasters
Càphê Roasters has everything you’d expect from a great coffee shop: caffeine, sun-soaked couches, strong wi-fi. But they also serve some of the best Vietnamese food in town, like fried chicken bánh mì and roasted tomato egg sandwiches. Not to mention coffee from barista and roaster Thu Pham that ranges from Viet drinks topped with sweet whipped egg custard to lattes inspired by Asian cereals. 3400 J Street, G1, Philadelphia, PA 19134
One More Margarita" Kind Of Night
Cantina Los Caballitos
A good summer evening involves sitting on an outdoor patio and exchanging jaw-dropping gossip over chicken enchiladas and maybe a little tequila. But when we’re at Cantina Los Caballitos and someone passes by with a refreshing passion fruit (or cucumber, or guava, or whatever) margarita in a gorgeous hand-blown glass, how could we possibly say no to another one? Or three? 1651 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Volvér
For the past year, chef Jose Garces has enlisted the likes of Poi Dog’s Kiki Aranita, Little Fish’s Alex Yoon, and Juana Tamale’s Jennifer Zavala to showcase their skills through a series of six-week residencies. The additional perk? The Garces Foundation is matching the first $5,000 raised by diners to support the guest-chefs’ current and future restaurant projects. 300 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Care Package Bakes
Elisa Ludwig is an author and mom who, relatably, had no peace and quiet in which to write during lockdown. The hobby baker started Care Package Bakes to bring a little joy in the form of small-batch goodies like graham mallow blondies and brown-butter-glazed banana pudding bites. Ordering a box is an easy way to send some frazzled friend a little love — and proof that at least one good thing has sprung from the pandemic.
Avalon Bistro
There are lots and lots of bars on the Main Line, but it’s surprising how few serve a proper cocktail. That’s not the case at Avalon. Whether you’re in the mood for a boulevardier, an old-fashioned, or a Hendrick’s three-to-one martini, extra-cold, served up with three olives and made with Dolin vermouth (one of our staffers is very particular), they always seem to come out perfect here, and both the stemware and the vibe are impeccable. 818 Lancaster Avenue , Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Mallu Cafe
In addition to offering one of our favorite biryanis, this strip-mall spot in the Far Northeast has all sorts of South Indian menu items that are hard to find elsewhere in Philly: aromatic rabbit fry, Kerala-style crab roast, and the fiery tamarind and ginger curry. Bonus: You can get your eyebrows threaded next door and pick up Indian groceries two doors down. Win-win. 10181 Verree Road , Philadelphia, PA 19116