Where to Eat and Drink in Chestnut Hill: The Ultimate Guide
From an upscale Italian restaurant to an 18th-century watering hole, here’s where to dine in one of Philadelphia’s most charming neighborhoods.
Parisian brunch at Matine’s Cafe / Photograph by Philippe LeSaux
Despite its affluent zip code, Chestnut Hill has an old-fashioned village charm anchored by established local bars and restaurants. Family-run bakeries like Bredenbeck’s Bakery and Night Kitchen, hole-in-the-wall gems like Evergreen Cheese Company, and globally-inspired modern fare at El Poquito and CinCin are located along a mile-long stretch of Germantown Avenue. With recent additions like Adelina’s (located in the former Paris Bistro), cafe-by-day-cocktail-bar-by-night Char & Stave, monthly pop-ups from North by Texas BBQ, plus year-round outdoor dining, there’s a new energy on the Hill these days.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry. That’s why we’re here. Let’s take a look at the best places to eat and drink in Chestnut Hill.
Breakfast & Brunch
Matine’s Café
89 Bethlehem Pike
Parisian-born Amanda and Arthur de Bruc fell in love with Chestnut Hill’s European charm and walkability, which made Matine’s Café the perfect addition to Philly’s already strong Francophile scene. Come to Matine’s for baked goods, gourmet breakfasts and brunch options served in a leisurely cafe. Expect light and airy croissants (see their stellar breakfast sandwiches), herbes de Provence quiches and warm baguette sandwiches like the Normandie, filled with brie, pear, Black Forest ham, walnuts, fig jam and mixed greens. Perk up over their Tea Forté bar selection and IG-worthy espresso drinks. If there’s a line, explore their sizable retail selection of imported French pantry items, gifts and home goods while you wait.
Cake
8501 Germantown Avenue
Cake is a Sunday brunch destination for family-friendly service and breakfast classics. And where else can you dine under a greenhouse roof that brings botanical garden vibes indoors? Quiche of the day, frittatas, French toast and crab-cake benedicts fit right in with adorned cakes and tarts to satisfy sweet and savory cravings. Plan ahead: Reservations are not allowed and it’s BYOB so drop by The Foodery Tap Room (7829 Germantown Ave) for a bottle of bubbly before you go.
Goat cheese and beet salad from Chestnut Grill & Sidewalk Cafe / Photograph by Philippe LeSaux
Lunch
McNally’s Tavern
8634 Germantown Avenue
Chestnut Hill excels at simple tavern fare and McNally’s is one of its shining stars. It’s been around since 1921 and has barely changed. Today, it’s a small, sister-run spot serving soups, sandwiches, salads, and homemade desserts to the same kind of clientele that showed up on opening day. People come here for the famous Schmitter: a meat lover’s answer to the classic cheesesteak with grilled salami, sliced steak, extra cheese, and fried onions, invented by proprietor Hugh James McNally in the ’60s. For a lighter option, there’s always the chicken Caesar salad but you have to end your meal with the homemade chocolate cake.
Chestnut Grill & Sidewalk Cafe
8229 Germantown Avenue
For over 25 years, executive chef and owner John Arena has helmed Chestnut Grill and Sidewalk Cafe, quietly cooking up some of the most popular continental food in town. The menu is large which means there’s something for everyone — from beet and fried-goat-cheese salads, petite lamb chops, grilled catfish bites, and coconut shrimp, to homemade chocolate-banana brioche bread pudding. Consistency and neighborly hospitality are their specialties, which is evident in the family and friend get-togethers that fill the wrap-around patio all year round.
Campbell’s Place
8337 Germantown Avenue
Campbell’s Place is a lively pub that’s been a neighborhood fixture for four decades. The food is a cut above thanks to executive chef Rob Mullen (who also spent time as the touring chef for Phish) who uses fresh, local ingredients to take shareable starters like wedge salads or brussels sprouts to the next level. That wedge salad carries an extra tang from a balsamic vinegar drizzle finish. The brussels sprouts are super crispy on the outside and tender on the inside — flash-fried then tossed in a blue cheese and apple-cider vinaigrette. The fried-chicken sandwich is made from a buttermilk batter and served on a brioche bun with perfectly salty, crispy fries on the side. In other words, you can’t go wrong with anything you eat here.
Adelinas pasta specials include this mushroom and filet fusilloni pasta with porcini cream sauce, shaved black truffle, and Pecorino Romano. / Photograph by Philippe LeSaux
Dinner
Adelinas Restaurant & Bar
8235 Germantown Avenue
Adelinas not only stands out as the only upscale Italian restaurant on the Avenue, but also for filling the big shoes Paris Bistro left when it shut down during the pandemic. Inspired by family vacations in Italy, brothers and owners Antonio and Giuliano Presta showcase housemade pasta and family recipes (ask about their mom’s triple-layer chocolate cake) in this 5,000-square-foot space. Dinner starts as a festive affair with burrata, focaccia, and clams casino. Heartier dishes include mussels cooked in a garlic and long-hots broth with prosciutto and Calabrian chiles, crispy eggplant parm or fusilloni pasta with porcini cream sauce and shaved black truffle. Swing by on Wednesdays when Adelinas offers a three-course prix-fixe dinner for $49 (except during Stag & Doe holiday nights), which you should pair with whatever cocktails head bartender Brody Smythe suggests.
CinCin
7838 Germantown Avenue
With its straightforward but solid Chinese dishes and surprising French touches, CinCin is where you’re bound to run into Chestnut Hill chefs and restaurant owners out with their families on a day off. Fan favorites include tarragon chicken with shiitake mushrooms, shallots and snowpeas, Peking duck, seafood soups for two, pork spare ribs and Sichuan-style julienned beef with shredded celery and carrots in a brandy-hoisin sauce. It’s always busy but if you’re dining solo, squeeze into a spot at the bar to grab a quick bite and lychee martini.
Jansen
7402 Germantown Avenue
Jansen’s French-influenced new American fine dining has made it a must-visit dining destination in recent years, bringing in crowds from all over the region. Known for their expert sauce work like lemon-scallop cream and tableside entrees like the order-ahead Beef Wellington for two, any meal here is a luxurious occasion. The menu changes seasonally, but recent examples include pan-seared foie gras and fig jam on toasted brioche with wine-poached quince and rosemary honey or a horseradish-crusted steelhead trout with olive oil potato purée and garlic fumé. Pastry chef Patrick Conroy creates all the desserts from scratch, but if you’re looking for something a little more savory, there’s a plated cheese course that’s an ideal way to end your meal.
Flights of beer at Chestnut Hill Brewing Company / Photograph by Philippe LeSaux
Bars and Cocktails
El Poquito
8201 Germantown Avenue
El Poquito is where Chestnut Hill goes to kick off happy hour. Monday through Friday, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., choose from three margaritas — house, skinny or top-shelf — plus sangria, wine, and cervezas which range from $5 to $13. Visit during playoff season for drink specials like the “Phanatic” margarita with blood orange and cranberry and the “Fly Eagles Fly” margarita. In warm-weather months, drinking outside is extra fun with group picnic tables and lounge chairs.
Cider Belly Hard Cider
8005 Germantown Avenue
Walking into Cider Belly feels like a page from the deVOL Kitchens catalog brought to life: A chic taproom with natural light, moody brown and midnight blue tones, bespoke barware and homey, antique artwork on the walls. Bonus: You get to sample European-style dry hard cider here, too. Owners Matthew and Kimberly Vendeville have been making minimal-intervention small-batch cider using dessert apples from Berks County farmers in recent years, opening their taproom and cidery earlier this year. They’ve already found a large community of cider lovers who are always coming back for more. Don’t expect a boring charcuterie or flight here — their menu is small but refined, upscale, and hyper-curated from sustainable, organic and regional vendors. Try all their seasonal pours and split open-faced steelhead trout sandwiches from Hudson Valley Fisheries.
Char & Stave
8441 Germantown Avenue
While Chestnut Hill has a ton of casual eateries, there’s been a need for a specialized cocktail venue. Enter Char & Stave by Bluebird Distilling, the newest daytime cafe and nighttime neighborhood cocktail bar. You’ll find locals posted up at high-top bar seats or co-working throughout the beautiful, plant-filled, airy space. Start with a signature “Whiskey Smash Latte” with barrel-aged espresso and bourbon caramel in the morning, then return for an evening nightcap with a “Rising Sun” made of Bluebird Sugarcane Rum, mint, lime, honey and chamomile tea. On your way out, grab a bag of specialty beans or a bottle of Bluebird Distilling spirits. Pro-tip: Char & Stave coffee drinks can be upgraded with barrel-aged espresso.
The Mermaid Inn
7673 Germantown Avenue
Every neighborhood has its institutional bar. For Chestnut Hill, it’s the Mermaid Inn. Opened originally as an inn and tavern back in 1734, it remains the go-to watering hole for good beer and live music. Open-mic performers, blues, jam, cover bands and folk singers are all welcome here and it’s not rare to see the bar turn into a dance floor. Second-generation owner Joanne Mekis is a steward of “the good old days” and so are her devoted patrons who’ve been frequenting the Inn for decades. If you’re new around here, grab a slice of tomato pie with your beer and soak in the night.
Dessert at Hosers featuring chocolate, coconut ice cream, and whiskey tule. Photograph by Philippe LeSaux
Market at the Fareway
More than just a modern farmer’s market, Market at the Fareway is a community hub where multi-generational families congregate to sip and sample from 15 vendors catering to global palettes. From regional Indian cuisine at Smell the Curry, fresh fish and noodles at Tokyo Sushi, to Black-owned southern comfort food at Southern Flames BBQ, each aisle in this year-round food hall manages to remain historic while catering to the needs of present-day diners. Whether you’re an early riser or in search of an after-work meal, there are plenty of dining choices here. Below are a few standouts to consider. 8221 Germantown Avenue (Behind the Chestnut Hill Hotel)
Poppy’s Café
Founded in 2008, the family-run coffee stand doesn’t just boast creative and seasonal roasts but also aims to reduce its carbon footprint with Smithsonian-approved environmental and sustainable coffee production. Make this your morning brew stop to try one of their newest flavors and teas like lavender lemonade, honey-rose latte, hibiscus iced tea, or pumpkin spice latte.
Barry’s Buns
Gourmet sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, and other nostalgic sweet treats are what keep people flocking to this bakery. Everything here is decadent but the traditional hits include apple-crumb and walnut sticky buns, chocolate chip cookies, holiday-themed pop tarts and excellent liege waffles. Order one of everything and take the leftovers home for dessert later.
Chestnut Hill Brewing Company & Taproom
If you love dogs, beer, pizza and vegan-friendly pub fare, head to Chestnut Hill Brewery. Owners Nick Gunderson and Lindsey Pete have been part of this tight-knit community since 2017, expanding from an on-site brewery to an outdoor beer garden and a full-service indoor taproom next door offering beer, cider, cocktails, and wine. Come for happy hour Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. to try their excellent wood-fired pizzas, buffalo cauliflower, beer battered onion rings or shareable, kid-friendly snacks. But leave room for dessert — specifically, the homemade peanut butter, chocolate, and marshmallow Rice Krispie treat perfected by executive chef Daniel Berret.
Ranck’s Lunchmeats
For over 40 years, Ranck’s has been the quintessential family-owned deli serving soups, sandwiches, and deli items. Regulars swing by daily for breakfast sandwiches and hashbrown combos, prime rib cheesesteaks, or to pick up game day platters loaded with roast beef, turkey and tuna salad. Ask about ongoing specials from James Ranck, the second-generation owner.
Hosers Central Kitchen
This place might be Chestnut Hill’s best-kept secret. It’s led by tenured chef Max Hosey, whose multi-course tasting menus introduce people to the bounties of local, vegetarian and vegan foods. Each dish is rich in flavor, ambitious in technique, and everything — from the amuse-bouche starter to an intermezzo palate cleanser — is thoughtfully curated from his home garden. Recent menu highlights include skillet cornbread with black-garlic butter; tempura sweet-potato sushi rolls with housemade ponzu sauce, a wild mushroom and lentil ragù with pomme purée à la shepherd’s pie, and a chocolate dessert plate with coconut-vanilla ice cream and whiskey tuille. Currently, seatings are available for up to six guests, Thursday through Sunday, at 7:30 p.m. and are priced at $105 per person (plus tax and tip). Note: Hosers is BYOB and charges a corkage fee, so fill a growler from CH Brewing Co. or Cider Belly first.
North by Texas BBQ
Chestnut Hill is lucky to have a former Austin resident and proud local resident slinging Tex-Mex barbecue in the neighborhood. Outside the Mermaid Inn during the farmers market on Saturday mornings once a month (except January and February) is where you’ll find Scott Hanson and his North by Texas BBQ stand. Get there starting at 9 a.m. for breakfast tacos (the brisket burnt-end version is a best seller and also available at Taco Heart in South Philly on Fridays) and 10 a.m. through noon for barbecue platters, à la carte items and sides featuring ethically raised, sustainably sourced meat from local farms. Regulars love his brisket, smoked chicken, and carnitas with ranch-style pinto beans and all the fixings. Ask about seasonal specials, too.
Chestnut Hill Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Winston Lane opens its cobblestone street to produce vendors, performing musicians, flower merchants and local breweries, cideries or distilleries. Locals come here to pick up their CSA boxes, catch up with neighbors, buy groceries for the week or just relax on the grass nearby. Vendors rotate weekly and special guest vendors pop in too, so there’s always something new to look forward to whether it’s Market Day Canelés’ cakes and pastries, Neil’s Sharpening Service or sample pours from Dressler Estate.
