Savor the Last Bit of Winter With Philly’s Most Extravagant Soups
Don't let fake spring fool you — it's still soup season, and these Philly restaurants serve up decadent bowls for whatever mood you're in.
Żurek at Little Walter’s / Photograph by Gab Bonghi
Even if it’s starting to feel a little like spring, I regret to inform you there are still a couple weeks of winter left. The good news is that means it’s still technically soup season. And if you’re someone who, like me, can’t eat enough soup, it’s a comforting time.
So far, I’ve spent the season blitzing batches of soup at home and ordering bowls from restaurants all over the city (or getting it for takeout on lazy days). Sure, soup may not be the sexiest item on a menu, but it’s filled my stomach, soothed my soul, and thawed my icy heart on many cold days.
And, as always with the food in Philly, I’ve been spoiled for choice, with chefs serving bowls brimming with flavor that are a far cry from any sad, store-bought blend. I’ve dipped a spoon into classics like French onion and matzo ball soup, fragrant broths teeming with seafood and spice, a hearty gumbo thickened up by a chocolate roux, and a chowder that transported me to a coastal cottage. And after turning to different kinds of soup throughout the season — from a bowl of pho on a dreary day to a show-stopping tom yum at a nice dinner — I’ve learned that whatever type of mood you’re in, there really is a soup for you. (Sorry, I couldn’t write a story about soup and not include a Seinfeld reference.)
Parsnip soup at Fork / Photograph courtesy of High Street Hospitality
When you’re feeling seasonal
Fork, Old City
Fork is known for using seasonal ingredients from local farms, so it’s no surprise that the parsnip soup is packed with fresh flavor. The restaurant’s new executive chef, Sam Henzy, adds dried shiitake mushrooms for a hint of earthiness, plus a sprinkling of Espelette for a touch of spice. The creamy yet light soup is stylishly plated, studded with crunchy croutons and salty, crispy bacon bits, and finished with a swirl of parsley oil. Do yourself a favor and order the High Street sourdough on the side — airy, light, with a seeded crust, it’s ideal for mopping up the bottom of the bowl. 306 Market Street.
When you want a homestyle soup with an elevated twist
Little Walter’s, Kensington
Dining at Michael Brenfleck’s Little Walter’s feels a bit like eating at home — that is, if your roommate is a Polish grandmother and an excellent cook. Everything seems authentic, from the not-to-be-missed pierogi ruskie to the patterned plates handmade in Poland. The same goes for the żurek, a traditional soup with a velvety rye base, kielbasa, potato, and a poached egg. The not-too-thin, not-too-thick broth is poured tableside and has a slightly sour, smoky flavor that you’ll want to savor right down to the bottom of the bowl. Clean up whatever’s left with the complimentary rye bread, baked in-house. 2049 East Hagert Street.
When you want to throw out the rulebook
Mawn, Bella Vista
There’s a playfulness to the menu at Mawn, which — as Jason Sheehan wrote in his review — calls itself “a noodle house with no rules” and often fuses flavors from Cambodian, Thai, American, and Jewish cuisines. That playfulness is on full display in the two soups offered at the restaurant, helmed by chef Phila Lorn. There’s the Mawn noodle soup: poached chicken breast and thigh meat, swimming in stock made even more flavorful with schmaltz and crispy garlic. And there’s the beef noodle soup, which will please any meat lover with slices of wagyu beef and braised oxtail in a bone-marrow broth, and a sprinkling of dill, cilantro, and Thai basil for a herby finish. For extra protein, add a jidori egg to the mix. 764 South 9th Street.
Matzo ball soup at Famous 4th Street Delicatessen / Photograph by Gab Bonghi
When you’re under the weather
Famous 4th Street Delicatessen, Queen Village
The matzo ball soup at Famous 4th Street Delicatessen is beautifully simple — so much so that when I was pregnant and had morning sickness, it was one of the few dishes I craved. (Of course, you don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy it.) Made with silky chicken broth, a giant matzo ball, thick coins of carrot, and bow-tie pasta, it’s a classic that you’ll want to order time and time again, and it somehow just makes you feel better. If you’re ever feeling spectacularly lazy (or you’re sick and symptomatic), I recommend ordering it for takeout and eating it at home in your pajamas. 700 South 4th Street.
When you want a crowd-pleaser
Gabriella’s Vietnam, East Passyunk
If you only order one thing at Gabriella’s Vietnam, make it the catfish hot pot. I always get it when it’s available in the winter, and it’s perfect for sharing (solo diners, order it anyway and treat yourself to the leftovers). The dish from executive chef Thanh Nguyen is made up of catfish (of course), napa cabbage, mushrooms, okra, tomatoes, and river creeper leaves in a hot and sour broth, with vermicelli and fish sauce on the side. The delightfully tangy broth doesn’t need much, with a balanced taste that’s both complex and comforting and only gets better with each serving; the longer the pot is simmering at the table, the richer and deeper the flavor becomes. It’ll have you going back for seconds and thirds. 1837 Passyunk Avenue.
When you’re in it for the pasta
Paffuto, Bella Vista
Earlier this year, Paffuto was serving dangerously good soup panzerotti. Although that’s no longer on the menu, the next soup from chef-owners Jake Loeffler, Daniel Griffiths, and Sam Kalkut is all about pasta. In March, the cafe will be serving brodo made with clarified chicken broth and mortadella and ricotta-stuffed tortellini for lunch. As a big fan of Paffuto’s pasta — I still think about the dreamy, house-made cavatelli carbonara I had there over a year ago — I’ll be running, not walking, to get my hands on it. 1009 South 9th Street.
Gumbo at Little Water / Photograph by Mike Prince
When you want a hearty, meaty soup
Little Water, Rittenhouse
Whether you consider gumbo to be a soup, stew, or something in-between, chef Randy Rucker’s version of the dish has everything you could want or need on a cold day. Available on Little Water’s lunch menu, the gumbo is made with a pork-bouillon base and chocolate roux that provides a glorious, thick texture (and just a touch of sweetness), braised pig’s head that’s cooked so tenderly it almost melts in the mouth, and a mix of field peas and Carolina gold rice. It’s topped with pork crackling for a slightly salty finish and served with a dropper of hot sauce that’s made in-house with fermented peppers. 261 South 20th Street.
When you’re looking to impress
Kalaya, Fishtown
If you’re feeling fancy, you can find the most glamorous soup in the city at Kalaya: the tom yum. Spicy in both senses of the word, the soup — which was featured on the latest season of Chef’s Table — turns heads when it’s carried out of the kitchen, looking like a crustacean lover’s dream with jumbo river prawns stretching extravagantly out of the dish. There’s also barramundi, mushroom, and shallot in the soup, bringing even more depth to the flavorful, slightly sour broth that’s infused with lemongrass, spiced with chili jam, and evened out with evaporated milk. Ideal for sharing, the dish comes with jasmine rice on the side. And if you can’t make it to the restaurant, James Beard-winning chef Nok Suntaranon’s cookbook, Kalaya’s Southern Thai Kitchen, has a recipe for a version that you can make at home. 4 West Palmer Street.
When you crave a classic French onion
Parc, Rittenhouse
There are so many hits on the menu at Parc, and its onion soup gratinée is undoubtedly one of them. Some diners have crowned it Philly’s best French onion soup or say it’s better than any they’ve had outside Paris — and when you dip a spoon into the dish, you might feel like you’ve been transported. There’s the perfectly broiled Gruyère top that spills over the sides (and has a cheese pull that seemingly goes on for days), and underneath slivers of onion and chunks of Parc’s house-made rye wheat sourdough in a satiny beef broth. 227 South 18th Street.
Bloomsday, Queen Village
If you gravitate towards French onion soup for the gooey cheese top, Bloomsday’s version — made with provolone and Gruyère — won’t disappoint. Under that decadent, cheesy goodness, you’ll find caramelized onion cooked in dry sherry and white vermouth, and hunks of Merzbacher’s bread soaking up a flavor-packed broth. Bloomsday chef and co-owner Kelsey Bush says it gets its rich flavor from beef and chicken bones, plus a healthy amount of rosemary and thyme. 414 South 2nd Street.
French onion soup at Darling Jack’s / Photograph by Neal Santos
When you want a French onion, but crispy
Darling Jack’s Tavern, Center City
A classic French onion soup is all about soft, melty onions. But for crispy onion fans who want to buck tradition, Darling Jack’s Tavern lets you have it both ways. The restaurant’s soup comes piled high with a heap of fried onion strings atop a cheesy lid (made up of its funky, three-cheese blend), and underneath, there’s the soft, caramelized onion that the dish is known for, alongside bits of Mighty Bread sourdough. 104 South 13th Street.
When you’re in it for the noodles
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House, Chinatown
Eating a bowl of Nan Zhou’s braised sliced beef noodle soup feels like a luxury experience, without fuss. Ribbons of fat cling to tender trimmings of beef, adding richness to the meaty, slightly spicy broth, and a smattering of greens brings a pop of herby flavor to the mix. But it’s Nan Zhou’s signature hand-pulled noodles (you can opt for shaved noodles if you prefer a thicker texture) that make this soup taste so fresh. 1022 Race Street.
When you want a hug
Pho 75, East Passyunk
Whenever I want a really big bowl of comforting soup, I go to Pho 75. My usual order is the chicken pho, made with slurpable rice noodles, tender meat (my preference is dark meat, but white is also good), and a fragrant, herbaceous broth that I’m convinced is a cure for everything, especially when topped with the basil leaves and lime that come on the side. You can’t go wrong with anything else on the menu, but if you want to eat like a chef, Jesse Ito gets the pho with fatty brisket and tendon, plus flank steak and vinegar onions on the side. 1122 Washington Avenue.
Clam chowder at Oyster House / Photograph courtesy of Oyster House
When all you want is chowder
Oyster House, Rittenhouse
On a below-freezing day, few things are as comforting as a bowl of New England clam chowder. It is, arguably, the weighted blanket of soups. But Oyster House’s take on the classic is proof that chowder doesn’t have to be heavy. Chefs Joe Campoli and James Waters’ version is filling and smooth — not bulky or gloopy, as chowder can so often be. The broth has a delicate, balanced clam flavor, and the pieces of celery, potato, and onion in the soup are the perfect size: small enough to allow for easy eating and large enough that they don’t go unnoticed. Throw in a handful of the oyster crackers that come on the side for some crunch and a little saltiness, close your eyes, and you’ll feel like you’re in a Cape Cod cottage by the sea. 1516 Sansom Street.
When you want a grown-up take on a childhood classic
a.kitchen, Rittenhouse
If you think a bowl of soup isn’t quite complete without a sandwich on the side, a.kitchen’s elevated version of a grilled cheese and tomato soup might just speak to you. And as with anything from executive chef Eli Collins, the classic combination is far from basic. Available for brunch and lunch, the grilled cheese incorporates three kinds — Gruyere, Vermont cheddar, and Cooper sharp — on country bread, with crispy edges begging to be dunked into a perfect, creamy tomato soup. 135 South 18th Street.
French onion soup at Mighty Bread / Photograph courtesy of Mighty Bread
When you’re in it for the bread
Mighty Bread Company, East Passyunk
Mighty Bread makes some fantastic loaves to go with your homemade soup (I always get their semolina loaf to go with my favorite butternut-squash recipe), but the bakery and cafe also makes a mean bowl of soup. This winter, you’ll find a couple on the menu: a traditional French onion served with double the bread (hunks of baguette under a blanket of Gruyère, and on the side), and a white bean soup (available through this month) served with either semolina lungo or sesame ciabatta. All are worth dipping a spoon into, and they’re a welcome excuse to eat Mighty’s endlessly dunkable bread. 1211 Gerritt Street.
When you want an empanada on the side
Jezabel’s, University City
I love the empanadas at Jezabel’s so much that I can’t leave lunch there without a bag to take home. And after trying an empanada dunked into a bowl of soup, I’d highly recommend the combination. On weekends into April, Jezabel’s has a couple of stews and a soup on rotation on the menu. There’s sopa de mani, a chicken-peanut soup served with chili oil; and two stews: locro, a warming, Andean stew made with corn, beans, squash, beef, pork, and chorizo; and guiso de chorizo y lentejas, a sausage-and-lentil stew with garlic rice on the side. 206-208 South 45th Street
