Where to Eat in Old City, From Must-Try Restaurants to Everyday Eateries
From sushi to ice cream to French pastries to Peruvian, Philadelphia’s first neighborhood has it all.
Forsythia / Photograph by Lexy Pierce
Old City Philadelphia contains multitudes. It’s the public face of our city, a central downtown neighborhood, a tourist destination, a Friday night horror show of drunken partygoers, a historic call-back to our roots. It’s a place where some of the best and worst ideas Philly ever had are continuously smashed together, where the modern and the Ye Olde exist side by side in a display of pride that’s sometimes shameless and sometimes brilliant.
It also happens to be one of the most dismissed restaurant neighborhoods in the city, despite being the home of some of our absolute best. Old City is where Philly began. It’s also a peek into its future. And if you’re looking for somewhere to eat, you’ve come to the right place.
The Places You Must Try First
Forsythia
Christopher Kearse’s restaurant serves ambitious, surprising French food that is as exciting as it is comforting. Forsythia excels at creating a fine dining experience, but it’s also a great spot for happy hour, which is a bit more casual and affordable. 233 Chestnut Street.
Fork
Old City dining is what it is today because of Fork. They’ve been driving farm-to-table dining in Philadelphia since 1997 with contemporary American fare that gets more and more ambitious with every passing year. We’re talking Perrystead Dairy cheese topped with candied walnuts, honey, preserved orange, whole Pennsylvanian trout with pickled ramps, and dry-aged steaks from Happy Valley Meat. This is where you go when you want to see our region’s highest quality ingredients truly shine. 306 Market Street.
Khyber Pass Pub
The Khyber has become such a part of the Old City scene that if it didn’t already exist, someone would have to go back in time and invent it. Back in the day, before Old City got (marginally) respectable, it was the place you went when you wanted to pretend you were somewhere cooler than Old City. And these days (after a remodel a decade ago that turned it into the Khyber Pass Pub it is now), it is a place to go for craft beer, good eats with a distinctly Southern accent, and bowls of bacon grease popcorn. 56 South 2nd Street.
Han Dynasty
Even though they recently changed locations — moving only 200 feet away on Chestnut Street — the menu and quality remain the same. And yes, Han Chiang’s Sichuan menu is just as fiery as you’ve heard. Big groups will have fun here. 110 Chestnut Street.
Franklin Fountain
Franklin Fountain exists like a museum-grade reproduction of a turn-of-the-last-century soda fountain, complete with ice cream sundaes, floats, phosphates, milkshakes, and more. The Cherry Bomb (bittersweet chocolate ice cream dropped into a cherry soda) is amazing, and the cult favorite honeycomb ice cream might be even better. 116 Market Street.
Olea
Olea was pretty much an instant classic as soon as it opened. Owner Luis Pedrogo is a veteran Philly server, and he knows how to treat guests. His welcoming, cash-only BYO features a menu of pasta dishes, a couple of nice entrees under $30, and vegetable-forward small plates. 232 Arch Street.
Café Tolia
The owners of this charming new cafe came to Philadelphia after living in Düsseldorf and Istanbul, where they got really good at baking and learned to make perfect coffee drinks. Chocolate croissants, egg sandwiches on fresh bread, bomboloni, and savory buns. It’s a treat. 26 North 3rd Street.
If You’re Looking for Something Casual
Ramen from Tomo Sushi and Ramen. / Photograph by Kae Lani Palmisano
Tomo Sushi and Ramen
We love the ramen and sushi at this Old City BYO, but what really makes this place special is their menu of vegan sushi rolls. Even if you’re not a vegan, the contrasting textures and flavors of these innovative rolls are exciting. The vegan red dragon roll made with the eggplant “eel” is a must 228 Arch Street.
Oui
Owner and baker Christy-Jae Cheyne turns out seasonal, beautiful French pastries in this airy spot, but the thing that sets it apart is its menu of bake-at-home offerings, which always, always includes croissants. Clearly, Cheyne understands the magic of waking up to a hot, buttery roll, and for that, we thank her. 160 North 3rd Street.
Independence Beer Garden
Independence Beer Garden has become a standby for many, given its excellent outdoor location overlooking Independence Hall and spacious beer garden seating. It’s perfect for a group meet-up or casual date. There’s an appealing menu of snacky things (sliders, wings, pretzel bites and the like) and many, many beers. 100 South Independence Mall West.
Cafe Ole
Waffles and shakshuka at breakfast; Israeli salad and a grilled cheese sandwich with olives at lunch; coffee and pastries all day long. What more do you need to know? 147 North 3rd Street.
Glory Beer Bar
Lunch and late-night menus, weekend brunches, a chicken parm hoagie and charred octopus with potatoes on the bar menu (along with a surprising amount of salads, vegetables and soup on the dinner menu, plus blueberry pierogies for dessert). This is the modern, post-gastropub spot that Old City always falls in love with. 126 Chestnut Street.
Cafe Square One
If you don’t already have a regular breakfast spot in Old City, you should check out Square One. Seriously, for the breakfast burrito alone (which neighbors call the best in town), it’s worth a stop. The whole menu is full of creative takes on brunch classics with cute names like Eggspanola and Swedish Fish. 50 South 3rd Street.
Frieda
This is a coffee shop with a mission. They do breakfast and lunch, salads and wraps, fresh French pastries, and quiche Lorraine. But they’re also there to connect the community with game nights, art classes, and all manner of events and workshops designed to bring together people of all generations. The food has a French bent (that’s where the chef trained), and the culture is very inclusive. 320 Walnut Street.
Sonny’s Famous Steaks
Looking for a cheesesteak in Old City? This is it. 228 Market Street.
Liberty Beer Garden
If you, like us, have always thought that Philly’s historical sites would be more fun, just a little boozier, restaurateur Avram Hornik’s newest offering is here to help. The sister bar to Liberty Point at Penn’s Landing, Liberty Beer Garden is situated across from the Independence Visitor Center and specializes in summery snacks like prosciutto and melon with hot honey, cocktails made with Pennsylvania spirits, and plenty of cold beer. 50 North Independence Mall East.
If You’re Looking for a Proper Dinner
Amada / Photograph by C. Smyth for Visit Philadelphia
Amada
Celebrated chef Jose Garces’s original Spanish tapas restaurant remains one of the best places to go in Philadelphia, proven by how busy it has remained for all these years. Go for the classics: Gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas, croquettes with serrano ham, and anything with manchego cheese. 219 Chestnut Street.
Tuna Bar
We gave it a Best of Philly award for being the prettiest restaurant in town. But you know what? The sushi is solid, too. 205 Race Street.
Buk Chon
Chef-driven Korean food with modern international influences? Yeah, that’s what owners Chris and Alicia Chung brought to Old City when they opened their restaurant. The KFC is awesome, and the galbi bourguignon packs a lot of flavor. 132 Chestnut Street.
Vista Peru
This city needs more upscale Peruvian food. Casual, too. Just more Peruvian food in general. But until Philly gets more maduros, ceviche, and lomo saltado on the scene, the people of Old City will be well served by Vista Peru, which does a fantastic job flying the flag of Peruvian cuisine in this town. 20 South 2nd Street.
Fringe Bar
This gigantic warehouse space attached to the FringeArts theater also houses a friendly pub with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating right across from the Delaware River. 140 North Columbus Boulevard.
Sassafras
It’s gorgeous the way a 1940s movie star is gorgeous — timeless but just a little bit faded. For drinking, it’s one of the best bars in Old City, staffed by a crew who know how to shake a proper cocktail. And the kitchen backing them up doesn’t try anything weird or fancy but provides ample support in the form of classic bar food and a few larger plates for those who want to stay and hang out a while. Bonus: Head upstairs for 48 Record Bar, a listening room that’s been hosting a ton of fun music-themed events. 48 South 2nd Street.
Buddakan
Asian fusion is still alive and well in 2024, and Buddakan is the place where it thrives. Seriously, we’re talking wasabi mashed potatoes, tuna pizza, lobster fried rice and all the greatest hits, all served in a room that could’ve doubled as a set for Big Trouble in Little China. And believe it or not, we mean all this as a huge compliment — mostly because we love a place that does one thing, does it well, and won’t stop for anything short of the end of the world. 325 Chestnut Street.
Cuba Libre
Philly’s center for Cuban art, culture and food, all in a space that looks like a Cuban street scene. For decades, Cuba Libre has been one of the most fun dining experiences in Philly. The empanadas are classics (pulled pork, picadillo, and others), the tapas have a distinctive Latin flavor, and the Ybor City-style Cuban sandwich is a fine example of the form. Get a mojito and thank us later. 10 South 2nd Street.
Revolution House
Revolution House is a two-story bar and restaurant offering a menu of tater tots and pizzas, burgers, and marinated beet salads. There’s also a popular brunch and a kid’s menu, making it one of the rare upscale restaurants in the neighborhood that’s family-friendly. 200 Market Street.
Royal Boucherie
Royal Boucherie’s menu hits all of the classic French dishes: steak frites, trout almondine, duck confit and mussels with duck fat potatoes. You get the idea. Consider it for date night. Everything in this dimly lit den looks extra pretty. 52 South 2nd Street.
The Olde Bar
Opened by Jose Garces in the old Bookbinder’s building, this location is Philly restaurant royalty. The raw bar offers classics with oysters, shrimp cocktail and the like. Happy hour brings sweet deals like $8 fish house punch and buffalo cauliflower for $6.50. 125 Walnut Street.
Panorama
Fresh pasta and 150 wines by the glass. Need to know more? This long-running restaurant nails Italian classics like branzino, eggplant parm, and bruschetta with whipped burrata. At happy hour, you can get two plates of pasta and two glasses of wine for under $25. Yes, you read that right, and it might be the best-kept secret in town. 14 North Front Street at the Penn’s View Hotel.
Race Street Cafe
Exposed bricks and a long bar, craft beers on tap and wings on the menu. Race Street Cafe is a polished version of the neighborhood bar that every neighborhood needs, with a few surprises (like a soba salmon salad) hiding on a tight, uncluttered menu. 208 Race Street.
Spasso
Yes, it’s unlikely that you’ll find yourself anywhere in this city wanting Italian food and not being able to find it. But discovering a good, inexpensive, slightly off-the-radar place where you can always get a table, a drink, and a plate of veal in a porcini and gorgonzola cream sauce is like finding buried treasure. And Spasso can be that place for you. Bonus: They’ve got daily specials that are really impressive. 34 South Front Street.
Amina
At Amina, Felicia Wilson and Darryl Harmon serve classic southern food with African influences. Think: Nigerian hot chicken with peanut butter and slaw. Come hungry. There’s also a bar here with creative and pretty cocktails. 104 Chestnut Street.
