Where to Find Philly’s Most Elaborate Charcuterie Boards
You can graze for days on these meaty tablescapes.
Charcuterie board at Andra Hem / Photograph by Kae Lani Palmisano
I think it’s fair to say that a great charcuterie board is a true indulgence. Whether it’s a French-leaning board with duck rillettes and butter, or an Italian antipasto selection of prosciutto and parmesan, the experience of lingering for hours over a generous spread, chatting with friends, and building individual bites is a lovely way to pass the time.
This city happens to be full of great charcuterie experiences, both in restaurants and for enjoying at home. These are the best charcuterie boards in Philadelphia.
Andra Hem, Rittenhouse
Come for the cocktails; stay for the outrageously elaborate charcuterie boards. If you’re a couple cocktails deep and feeling peckish, this Scandinavian-inspired bar serves up a tasty assortment of cheeses, seasonal produce, spreads, fresh bread, and pickles, as well as cured meats and house-made jerky. The small board can easily feed up to four people, but if you’re going to make a feast out of it, upgrade to the large one and throw in a couple of smörgås for good measure. 218 South 16th Street.
Barcelona Wine Bar, East Passyunk
Most of the time you order a charcuterie board, all of the accoutrements are predetermined. You order a board and accept your fate. But at Barcelona Wine Bar, you can choose from an assortment of cured meats and cheeses, most of which come from Spain. If you’ve never tried jamón before you should absolutely try the Jamón Serrano, which is ham that’s been cured for 15 to 20 months. And for cheese, you can never go wrong with Drunken Goat. If you’re feeling a little extra, add house-marinated olives and Marcona almonds from the tapas menu. 1709 East Passyunk Avenue.
Heavy Metal Sausage Co., South Philly
We love to sing the praises of Heavy Metal’s trattoria dinners, but if you can’t get tickets (or, actually, even if you can), their lunch menu features what I believe to be the single best charcuterie board in the city. It’s $35 and includes three meats, two cheeses, and a hefty portion of condiments and bread, all of which are made in house. It’s an excellent way to explore their ever-evolving selection of house-made cured meats, including zungenblutwurst, prosciutto cotto, duck ham, and more. Bring a bottle of wine and a friend for sharing. 1527 West Porter Street.
Fishtown Social, Fishtown
There’s an argument to be made that the most important element of a charcuterie board is the wine you’re drinking alongside it. If this rings true to you, head to Fishtown Social for their rotating selection of charcuterie and have it with whatever the bartender recommends from their extensive by-the-glass list. 1525 Frankford Avenue.
Talula’s Daily, Washington Square West
Clearly, I’m partial to charcuterie when shared, but sometimes you don’t want to share — or you really need to get away from your whiny roommate. When that happens, Talula’s Daily personal picnic is the move. Think of it as an elevated snack box — just the right amounts of cheese, meat, and accoutrements to serve as an afternoon snack for one person. Extra points if you eat it on a beautiful day in Washington Square park. 208 West Washington Square.
The Good King Tavern, Bella Vista
Charcuterie is technically a French word, so perhaps the Good King Tavern’s offering is the most traditional of all. Their meat board changes seasonally but normally includes a very nice, rustic house-made terrine served with toast points and perfect for nibbling with a glass of red wine or a Maille martini. 614 South 7th Street.
The antipasto misto della casa at Cicala / Photograph by Robyn Muse
Cicala at the Divine Lorraine, Poplar
Cicala’s incredible antipasto misto della casa is less a charcuterie board and more a tablescape. Chef Joe Cicala definitely takes a more is more approach, covering absolutely every available inch of your table in his house-made stuffed olives, salami, prosciutto that he likely brought back from Italy in his suitcase, and more. It is, allegedly, a starter, but could definitely count as dinner, especially if you add a bottle of wine and dessert. 699 North Broad Street.
Di Bruno Bros., multiple locations
When it comes to at-home charcuterie board-making, there’s no better one-stop shop than Di Bruno Bros. You can have the cheesemongers guide you through ingredient selection, but DB also offers pre-built cheese and meat boards through their catering menu, which are perfect for when you don’t want to spend 35 minutes discussing styles of cheddar cheese. For smaller-scale grazing, look for their basket of cheese misfits, which are the randomly sized, too-small last bits of many of their cheeses, and a great way to try something new.
From Marjorie, delivery only
Another ready-made, at-home option is From Marjorie, a company that specializes in bespoke charcuterie boards (ok, technically they’re made in boxes) in the Philly area. Offerings range from $18 five-by-seven-inch boxes built for two people, to custom number boards for birthdays, huge tablescapes for weddings, and everything in between. And they’re available for delivery or pickup at a handful of Philadelphia locations.
Liberty Kitchen and University City, Fishtown
You might associate Liberty Kitchen with sandwiches, but you know what goes into sandwiches? Meats and cheeses. Their charcuterie board is constantly changing but usually features cheeses from Pennsylvania’s Birchrun Hills Farm and paper-thin mortadella, a perennial favorite of the team. 1400 North Front Street and 3675 Market Street, Suite 100.
