15 Places to Get Great Chicken Parm in Philadelphia
Whether served over spaghetti or sandwiched in a crusty hoagie roll, this crispy, saucy Italian delicacy is one of our favorites. Here’s where to find it in Philly.
Chicken parm at Trattoria Carina | Photo by Michael Persico
It’s no secret that Philly knows how to do Italian, whether it’s a contemporary preparation featuring handmade pasta or old-school, red-gravy comfort fare. But there’s one dish in the latter category that we find ourselves daydreaming about: a tender chicken cutlet, pounded thin, breaded and fried until golden and crisp, then smothered in sauce and mozzarella and baked till bubbly. Yep, it’s all about chicken parmesan. Get it sandwiched in a crusty, fresh-baked roll when you’re running around or served over your favorite pasta when you have time to sit and savor. Here are our favorite places to eat chicken parm in Philadelphia.
Trattoria Carina, Fitler Square
While you can always count on Trattoria Carina’s kitchen to show off their contemporary Italian skills, they can throw down on classic dishes, too. Their chicken parm comes covered in brown-blistered buffalo mozzarella — complete with some saucy, cheesy ziti on the side.
Cosmi’s Deli, South Philly
This spot on South 8th Street might be best known for its cheesesteaks (and hoagies), but there are no less than six cutlet-based sandwiches on the menu, including a crispy, saucy, just-right classic chicken parm.
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Mangia Macaroni, Spring Garden
Mangia Macaroni serves up all kinds of parmesan: chicken parm, eggplant parm and veal parm. They all come in huge servings over pasta.
L’Angolo Ristorante, South Philly
Sometimes you just need an old-school South Philly spot to fry you up a gigantic cutlet, smother it in cheese and sauce, and serve it to you with that delightful Italian-American service. L’Angolo is the spot for that.
Mi Pal’s Deli, South Philly
The cutlets at Mi Pal’s are always cooked to order, which means when you get your chicken-parm hoagie, it’s crispy, juicy, hot and melty — just as it should be.
Little Nonna’s, Midtown Village
Little Nonna’s serves a crispy cutlet with burrata — why not? It also comes with the housemade pasta of the evening, dressed in tomato sauce and ready to catch all that extra cheese.
Giuseppe & Sons, Center City
Michael Schulson’s red-sauce joint has a whole section of the menu dedicated to the chicken cutlet. All the greats are represented: marsala, Milanese, scarpariella and, of course, parmigiana, which is huge, cheesy and crispy.
Villa di Roma, Bella Vista
Get a traditional take on chicken parmigiana from this Italian Market stalwart, which serves its saucy, cheesy cutlets over spaghetti.
Ralph’s, Bella Vista
Of course the longest continually operating Italian restaurant in America serves a solid chicken parm — cheese first, then smothered with red gravy on top.
Cotoletta, Fitler Square
You know a restaurant named after cutlets has to make a fantastic chicken parm — so good, in fact, that we gave them a Best of Philly for it in 2018.
Angelo’s Pizzeria, Bella Vista
The pizza spot gets a lot of love for its crisp-yet-pillowy pizzas, but don’t sleep on its chicken-cutlet sandwiches, including a classic chicken parm. If you’re looking for an over-the-top version, ask if they’ve got the Drunken Cutlet special, which includes greens, fresh mozz, ricotta and vodka sauce. The menu is currently limited, but they sometimes offering cutlet sandwiches as specials, so keep an eye out.
Marra’s, East Passyunk
The Avenue’s destination for red-gravy Italian serves a classic take on chicken parm, with the option to get it alongside spaghetti, veggies or even ravioli — if you’re extra-hungry.
Bomb Bomb, South Philly
Want your chicken parm with pasta and some neighborhood history? Order it at Bomb Bomb. Be sure to ask your server where the name comes from.
Triangle Tavern, East Passyunk
Want something a little more interesting than house red with your chicken parm? Hit up this resurrected throwback bar just off the Passyunk strip to sip something craftier and more exciting with your crispy, saucy, cheesy chicken.
Pizza Plus, East Passyunk
Order the chicken-parm sandwich made with chicken tenders — do it for the teenage stoner in all of us.
