9 Philly BYOBs Worth That Special Bottle You’ve Been Saving
Philly has no shortage of BYOBs, but these are the ones you don't want to sleep on.
A spread of vegan options at Pietramala / Photograph by Casey Robinson
Philadelphia’s restaurant scene is unique for several reasons, our BYOB culture being a major factor among them. While comparatively low real estate prices make Philly a relatively affordable place to open a restaurant (at least in comparison to D.C. and New York), Pennsylvania’s alcohol laws mean that it can cost a restaurant north of $150,000 to get a liquor license. Hence, going BYOB is a smart move for spots that don’t have alcohol licenses.
Make no mistake about it, though: BYOBs are some of the very best in the city, a place for young chefs to show off their skills and innovate. These are some of the best BYOBs in Philly (also known as some of the best restaurants, full stop).
Pietramala, Northern Liberties
Pietramala is a vegan restaurant that will make you forget it’s a vegan restaurant. The cozy dining room in the Northern Liberties is filled with servers ferrying sourdough focaccia with tomato XO sauce and roasted peppers with cashew labneh to couples sipping natural wine. If you’re starting to feel like every restaurant is the same, go to Pietramala and let their food surprise you, whether you’re vegan or not. 614 North 2nd Street.
Little Fish, Queen Village
Little Fish has gone through many iterations over the years, but it remains fundamentally loyal to its core concept: a seafood-heavy, chef-driven menu that leans on lots of Asian influence. In 2020, chef-owner Alex Yoon introduced a scallop toast — a thick piece of toasted sesame sourdough toast, spread with butter and topped with a shingle of shaved scallops, a drizzle of chili oil, and plenty of chives. It’s become a bit of a cult-favorite dish, and it’s a perfect example of Little Fish’s food: fresh, deliciously ambitious, and just a little bit surprising. 746 South 6th Street.
L’Angolo Ristorante, South Philly
Having dinner at L’Angolo on a Sunday night feels a little like stepping back in time. The small dining room is packed with families sharing dinner, catching up over chicken parm, lobster ravioli, and Caesar salad. There are lots of regulars here, some toting very expensive bottles of wine from their own collections. They’ll try to share with the server, whom they greet like their own son, but he’ll quickly return to shaving parmesan tableside and bringing you a giant slab of tiramisu. 1415 West Porter Street.
Tabachoy, Italian Market
Tabachoy’s menu is a wonder of not traditional but very delicious Filipino dishes, including a cabbage-based Caesar salad that is one of the best salads in the city; plus crispy chicken wings, South Philly-inspired broccoli rabe stewed in coconut milk, sweet-sour pork adobo, and an ube soft-serve ice cream sundae. It’s fun food that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the menu is perfect for sharing with three or four friends who also don’t take themselves too seriously. 932 South 10th Street.
Mawn, Italian Market
Chef Phila Lorn is South Philly through and through, with Cambodian parents and the ability to make a bowl of chicken noodle soup feel at home on a Southeast Asian menu. Phila and his wife, Rachel Lorn, call it a noodle house with no rules, serving up a platter of fried rice packed with crab, whole deep-fried shrimp sticky with fish sauce caramel, a sweet-salty melon salad, and so much more. Dinner reservations are hard to come by. Lunch is walk-in only; get there early or be prepared to wait a while. 764 South 9th Street.
A cemita with chicken Milanese, quesillo cheese, avocado and chipotle peppers at El Chingon. / Photograph by Casey Robinson
El Chingon, East Passyunk
The story of El Chingon has been told many times, but it’s true and incredible: Chef Carlos Aparicio worked for many years as a baker in Philadelphia, developing the recipe for Parc’s baguette, which is possibly the single most famous loaf in the city. At El Chingon, he applies those experiences to house-made sourdough tortillas, rolls for cemitas, and conchas, which he splits open and fills with chocolate mousse and strawberries at dessert. Lots of people bring wine or beer, but they also serve pitchers of freshly made margarita base. All you have to do is bring the tequila. 1524 South 10th Street.
Sakana, Queen Village
Omakase-style dining is pricey, but at Sakana you get a great value. The set menu is $178, which includes 21 courses of fresh and precisely aged fish. But where you might spend another $100 on drinks at other omakase experiences in the city, Sakana’s BYOB status means you can bring a really good bottle of wine (or sake) without breaking the bank. 616 South 2nd Street.
Stina Pizzeria, South Philly
To call Stina a pizzeria is a bit of a misnomer. While, yes, they serve very good pizzas out of their wood-fired oven, the full menu is worth exploration. Stina is among the best Greek and Mediterranean restaurants in the city. You can have an equally delicious meal eating through dips, salads, grilled octopus, and house-made pastas alongside a bottle of chilled white wine as you can with a couple of beers and a pizza. 1705 Snyder Avenue.
Illata, Graduate Hospital
Chef Aaron Randi has a classic BYOB story: He was a chef in New York for a long time before moving to Philadelphia to pursue his dream of opening his own spot in a city where his money would go much further. Now, he runs one of the most inventive, ever-changing restaurants in the city, a place where your bowl of tortellini will shock you with the intensity of the tomato broth, and the service is generous with a personal touch. 2241 Grays Ferry Avenue.
