25 Restaurants Perfectly Capturing Tomato Season in Philly
While everyone’s favorite summer produce is in season, here’s where to get your hands on Philly’s finest tomato-centric dishes.
A tomato tartlet and tomato galette from Bloomsday. / Photograph by Emilie Krause Glass Canary Photography
Even with the heat, it doesn’t truly feel like summer until tomato season rolls around. And in this part of the country, it’s an exciting time to be a diner. In and around Philly, we’re blessed to have farm-fresh tomatoes from both Jersey and Pennsylvania within reach, and talented chefs who make delicious, inventive dishes with them — or just know how to do the classics right.
If you know where to look, you’ll find tomatoes tossed into zippy salads, blitzed into chilled soups, tucked into caviar-topped sandwiches or riffs on the humble BLT, and prepared three ways in elevated dishes that take the better part of a day to make. And if you truly can’t get enough tomato this summer, there’s a restaurant offering an entire menu of tomato-centric dishes and a bar serving an heirloom-tomato gazpacho cocktail (no basic Bloody Marys here). Here’s where to get in on the action this tomato season.
Bloomsday, Society Hill
With the arrival of tomato season, Bloomsday’s tomato galette is back on the dinner menu. The dish consists of rosemary and sesame-seed-enriched pastry, béchamel sauce made with Red Cat cheese from Birchrun Hills Farm, and tomatoes from Lancaster County’s Green Meadow Farm. It’s finished with a dollop of in-house ricotta, sherry reduction, and a dusting of herbs. There’s also a tomato danish available for brunch, made with croissant dough spread with brown mustard, topped with a tomato slice, and seasoned with thyme, olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. And for a non-pastry option, there’s a tomato and burrata dish made with more farm-fresh heirlooms, smashed cucumbers, chili crisp for a dose of heat, and a refreshing herb salad. 414 South 2nd Street.
Paffuto, Bella Vista
It should come as no surprise that Paffuto loves tomatoes — after all, there’s a tomato decal on the front door. This summer, there are two tomato dishes available for lunch: the Paffuto caprese, a sandwich made with thick-cut tomato, mozzarella, and basil aioli tucked into focaccia, with the option to add bacon; and the burst tomato, sautéed cherry tomatoes served atop ricotta and topped with butter and basil. Paffuto also has plans to add a tomato dinner set when it opens for evening service. 1009 South 8th Street.
Maria’s Bread Sandwiches, Collingswood
The New Jersey tomato is celebrated in two dishes at Maria’s Bread Sandwiches. Its New Jersey tomato soup is a favorite with customers, made with heavy cream from Maplehofe Dairy and crushed Jersey tomatoes. Maria’s even sells the stuff by the quart at the Collingswood Farmers Market on Saturdays. And soon the sandwicherie’s popular BLT will be back on the menu, made with (you guessed it) Jersey tomatoes, New Jersey iceberg lettuce, herbs, and, according to the restaurant, “a little too much mayonnaise.” If, when you go, you don’t see the BLT on the menu just yet, it’s worth returning another time. Maria’s says they won’t “rush nature” and will wait until the fresh tomatoes are “perfect” before putting them in their dishes. You can rest assured that when the time is right, there’ll be more tomato dishes — including salads and a tomato-mayo sandwich — on the menu. 685 Haddon Avenue.
LaCroix’s beefsteak tomato dish topped with nasturtium leaves and flowers. / Photograph by Mike Prince
Lacroix, Rittenhouse
Like anything that comes out of the kitchen at Lacroix, Eric Leveillee’s tomato dish looks like a work of art — and it’s put together with the mastery required to create one. The menu item is made up of beefsteak tomatoes cured in salt and herbs de Provence, dehydrated for 12 hours, and then cooked in Wagyu fat. But that’s not all. On top, there are more tomatoes that have been tirelessly prepared — marinated in shio kohi, white soy, and chili oil, then dehydrated, re-marinated, and dehydrated another three times to achieve a chewy texture. Steamed and raw nasturtium leaves and nasturtium flowers are then sprinkled over the dish, which is finished with clarified tomato water, a trio of oils (chive, chili, and sea buckthorn), and a nasturtium-flower mostarda. 210 West Rittenhouse Square.
Ember and Ash, East Passyunk
Ember and Ash is featuring three dishes with tomato this summer — and one even does tomato three ways. The menu item in question is comprised of raw sliced heirloom tomatoes, a charred tomato vinaigrette, and tomato gelée. (All their tomatoes come from Lancaster County’s Green Meadow Farm.) Chef Scott Calhoun says to “think of it like a carpaccio” and describes how the three types of tomatoes are prepared: simply sliced; charred and macerated in sugar, salt, red wine vinegar, and olive oil; and, for the gelée, fermented tomato water is set and topped with diced agar. On top, thin-sliced shallot rings and basil flowers serve as a garnish. Ember and Ash is also serving a stracciatella cheese dish, made with cherry tomato, charred fava beans and a hoagie vinaigrette, served alongside grilled sourdough; and a grilled ribeye, served with marble potatoes, tomato, green beans, and Sichuan sauce. 1520 East Passyunk Avenue.
River Twice’s tomato sandwich topped with golden osetra caviar. / Photograph by Mike Prince
River Twice, East Passyunk
Randy Rucker’s tomato sandwich is back this summer, available as an addition to the tasting menu. Served between toasted slices of brioche from Mighty Bread, the sandwich has a thick slab of heirloom tomato, smoked mayo and gamtae seaweed inside. And on top? A generous dollop of golden Osetra caviar. 1601 East Passyunk Avenue.
Café le Jardin, Audubon
Tomatoes are easy to throw into any salad, but the summer fruit is no afterthought in chef Rich Cusack’s heirloom tomato and chanterais salad. The heirloom tomatoes are the star of the show, combined with chanterais cantaloupe, prosciutto, and basil for a refreshing finish. 34 West Merchant Street.
June BYOB, Collingswood
Meanwhile, Café le Jardin’s sister restaurant is putting a French spin on the humble Jersey tomato with a Jersey tomato tartlet. The dish, created by chef Cusack, is made with roasted tomato, chèvre cheese, and lardons on top of a flaky brisée dough. 690 Haddon Avenue.
Tomato confit toast from Wim Cafe. / Photograph by Mike Prince
Wim Cafe, Queen Village
Yowie Hotel’s hip cafe is celebrating the season with tomato confit toast. The simple dish is big on flavor, with a toasted brioche base topped with ricotta, black pepper, a bright cherry-tomato confit, pancetta, a drizzle of basil oil and a smattering of fresh herbs. 226 South Street.
The Sidecar Bar and Grille, Graduate Hospital
The BLT at Sidecar comes with a generous serving of fresh tomato — from Pottstown’s Hill Creek Farm. Size depending, you could find one-and-a-half tomatoes tucked inside your BLT, along with eight thick-cut strips of bacon, shredded iceberg lettuce and Duke’s mayo. It’s all held together between slices of toasted, buttered sourdough from Baker Street Bread Co. The restaurant expects it to be on the menu by mid-July. There’ll also be a smaller portion available for lunch, and there’s the option to have it in a wrap. 2201 Christian Street.
Middle Child and Middle Child Clubhouse, Center City and Fishtown
Middle Child’s heirloom tomato BLT will be back on the menu this summer, stuffed with three slices of heirloom tomatoes, bacon and greens. The BBLT, a loaded BLT with added burrata on ciabatta, will also make a comeback. And at the Clubhouse, the BLT caviar service will make a grand return. As yet, the details of the BLT caviar service are scant; it’s being reimagined for this year. But based on last year’s offering — which came with a tomato-water granita cocktail — it’ll be sure to impress. There’ll also be some other tomato-based specials on offer when the season is in full swing. 248 South 11th Street and 1232 North Front Street.
Jersey tomato salad from Local 44 / Photograph by Adam Carrigan
Local 44, University City
If you’re looking for a refreshing summer dish to go with your beer at Local 44, try chef Frank Chin’s Jersey tomato salad. The salad combines fresh tomato wedges with baby watercress and pickled red onion, dressed in a red-wine vinaigrette and served atop a bed of cashew-herb ricotta. They also toss in some cured jalapeños for a kick of spice. Keep an eye out for the gazpacho special during tomato season as well; there’s a chance Chin will be serving up the dish throughout the summer. The chilled soup combines Jersey tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic, cucumber and white bread (blended in for a thicker texture), and it’s finished with pickled red onion and gochugaru flakes. 4333 Spruce Street.
Mighty Bread Company, East Passyunk
Mighty Bread will serve a rotation of tomato-centric specials until late August, in addition to its popular BLT — made with its namesake ingredients, plus avocado dressing on country sourdough — which remains on the bakery’s regular menu. Specials include a tomato pie panzanella, featuring Mighty Bread’s tomato pie, remixed (diced up and toasted), then tossed with more tomato, onion, vinaigrette and herbs; and pan con tomate with anchovy, comprised of toasted, garlic-rubbed sourdough topped with grated tomato, Cantabrian anchovies and olive oil. There’s also the bakery’s Sungold focaccia, a semolina dough studded with Sungold tomatoes and served with ricotta, and a tomato tart bursting with whipped goat cheese and cherry tomatoes, finished with herbs. 1211 Gerritt Street.
Dizengoff, Rittenhouse
The buzzy CookNSolo restaurant has two new tomato dishes on the menu featuring produce from Green Meadow Farm. There’s the hummus resek, made with grated tomato, schug, and haminado (slow-cooked) egg; and an heirloom tomato salad, made with chunky tomato wedges, a generous serving of crumbly Bulgarian feta, za’atar, and thinly cut rings of shipka peppers for some added spice. 1625 Sansom Street.
Bridget Foy’s heirloom tomato salad. / Photograph by Alex Cowen
Bridget Foy’s, Queen Village
This summer, Bridget Foy’s is giving the heirloom tomato salad a glow-up. Its version of the classic dish combines two kinds of tomatoes — raw heirlooms and roasted cherries — with crumbly chunks of Oregon Smokey blue cheese and crunchy strips of prosciutto, dressed in a red wine vinaigrette and served with grilled house-made focaccia. 200 South Street.
Two Fourteen, Media
Restaurant and bar Two Fourteen has earned recognition for its inventive, beautiful-looking cocktails. Last year, the bar — led by beverage director (and self-proclaimed “liquid chef”) Jeremy Winkler — offered a cocktail called You Drivin’ Me Caprese, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this summer there’s another drink dedicated to the tomato on offer. Heir of the Dog, a local heirloom tomato gazpacho cocktail, mixes a flavorful house-made heirloom tomato water made with white wine and sofrito with pisco noble and grappa. 214 West State Street.
Le Cavalier, Wilmington
The Hotel du Pont’s modern French restaurant has three tomato-centric dishes on the menu this summer. There’s the summer salad made with watermelon, heirloom tomato, feta, and baby butter lettuce, tossed in a tarragon vinaigrette; the BLT, with slab bacon, heirloom tomato, mayo, and butter lettuce; and mafaldine with tomato, corn, basil and mascarpone. 42 West 11th Street.
A fried green tomato topped with burrata at Jansen. / Photograph by Gab Bonghi
Jansen, Mount Airy
Looking for an upscale spin on an heirloom tomato salad? At Jansen, the heirloom tomato panzanella salad features its star ingredient in three different ways: with a fried green tomato perched atop a bed of multicolored tomatoes and crowned with a ball of burrata — with a sprinkling of oven-dried grape tomatoes. The dish also incorporates baby gem lettuce and focaccia croutons and is finished with a green goddess dressing and basil purée. Look out for other tomato dishes on the menu, including a tomato risotto made with English peas, pine nuts, roasted garlic and arugula pesto. 7402 Germantown Avenue.
The Blue Pig Tavern, Cape May
If you really want to celebrate tomato season, there’s a whole menu at the Blue Pig Tavern dedicated to the Jersey tomato. This year’s menu — available from August 1st through Labor Day for breakfast and lunch — is the same as the one the Congress Hall eatery offered last year, with 10 updated tomato varieties from nearby Beach Plum Farm. Dishes include a tomato and lox bagel sandwich with a scallion cream cheese, cucumbers and arugula; cooling gazpacho made with cucumber and pepper (with an option to add crab salad); and a tomato grilled cheese with herb aioli and pea shoots served on sourdough. You can also find Beach Plum’s tomatoes on the farm’s kitchen menu while the tomatoes are ripe. 200 Congress Place.
Kiddo’s tomato salad. / Photograph courtesy of Kiddo
Kiddo, Washington Square West
New to the menu, Kiddo’s tomato salad is bursting with summer flavors. The dish combines Early Girl tomatoes, arugula, charred corn, peaches, feta and chunky sourdough croutons, dressed in a strawberry vinaigrette. The item is expected to stick around on the menu until sometime in August. 1138 Pine Street.
Oyster House, Rittenhouse
Yes, Oyster House is known for its seafood, but tomatoes make an excellent side dish, especially in the summer when all you might want to eat is a refreshing salad. Their chilled tomato salad meets exactly that criteria: a combination of heirloom tomatoes and red watercress, dressed with a red-wine black-peppercorn vinaigrette and herb oil, and topped with toasted sunflower seeds, shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, and fresh basil. 1516 Sansom Street.
Bud & Marilyn’s, Midtown Village
One of the simplest and most delicious combinations is cheese and tomato. The tomato and burrata at Bud & Marilyn’s is a beautiful marriage of the two, made with heirloom tomatoes from Green Meadow Farm, creamy burrata, basil, parsley, and rye bread crumbs to add a crisp texture. To finish, the dish is drizzled with a pickled tomato vinaigrette and green goddess dressing. It was recently added to the menu and is expected to be available until the end of July or August. 1234 Locust Street.
Focaccia topped with cherry heirloom tomatoes, pickled tomatoes, and a tomato vinaigrette at Darling Jack’s Tavern. / Photograph by Jason Varney
Darling Jack’s Tavern, Center City
For tomato lovers who think a meal isn’t complete without bread, Darling Jack’s Today’s focaccia starter will hit the spot. The dough is dented with thyme-blistered cherry heirloom tomatoes and served with burrata, pickled tomatoes and a tomato vinaigrette. The restaurant’s menu says it’s available “until we run out,” so don’t wait if you have your heart set on trying it. 104 South 13th Street.
Enswell, Center City
One of the simple pleasures of summer is cutting a fresh tomato and placing it on top of a slice of toast as a light and refreshing snack. Enswell is taking that summer comfort and elevating it in two ways. On the midday menu, they’ve got a burrata toast with spicy tomato on grilled sourdough bread, and on the evening menu, a tomato toast with confit tomato, Calabrian chili and anchovy. 1528 Spruce Street.
Rex at the Royal, Graduate Hospital
A mainstay on the menu at the Southern-inspired Rex at the Royal, the fried green tomatoes and okra come with shishito peppers and an herbs de Provence-infused tartar sauce. It’s a perfect small plate to add to the table. 1524 South Street.
