Where to Eat on Your First Trip to Philadelphia, According to a Local Chef

After spending several years working as a chef and baker in various Philadelphia restaurants, I discovered many of the city’s best spots.

I learned so much about the city’s food scene that I became my friends’ unofficial restaurant finder. So I put together a list of places that I recommend over and over again.

There are too many restaurants in Philadelphia that are worth listing all here. (I didn’t include any cheesesteaks on this list because I’m not a huge fan of them, a fact that seems sacrilegious to admit as a Philadelphia native.)

However, these restaurants are my tried and true favorites that any first-time visitor should try during a trip to Philadelphia.

South Philly Barbacoa lives up to its reputation as the Mexican restaurant with the best tacos in Philadelphia

If you can only eat one meal in Philadelphia, it should be at South Philly Barbacoa.

Located in the Italian Market, it’s not exactly a secret place. Chef and owner Cristina Martínez was featured on the fifth season of Netflix’s “Chef’s Table” and won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic Region in 2022.

South Philly Barbacoa is one of the few places where the hype is very, very real, and I consider the tacos to be the best in town. The cash-only restaurant has limited hours, but it’s worth going.

Order the barbacoa tacos. The chickpea and rice parfait is also not to be missed.

After your meal, explore the Italian Market, browse the shelves at Molly’s Books and Records, or grab a beer at DiBruno Bros. Bottle Shop, up the street.

Blue Corn, another Mexican restaurant in the Italian Market, is perfect for a casual group outing

Another pillar of the Italian market, Blue Corn is a Mexican restaurant ideal for a group outing, especially in summer.

Sit on the sidewalk, order a margarita the size of your head, and share the entire plate of grilled fish with your crew.

When you’re done, head down to the Rim Cafe for an ice cream to top off a perfect summer evening.

Middle Child is known for its hoagies, and no trip to Philadelphia is complete without one

The Philadelphia hoagie – a sandwich on a long Italian roll usually filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables and sauces – is a staple in this city. We know it, we love it and we are all very proud of it.

You can’t come to Philly without getting a hoagie, and Middle child has long been one of the best.

The restaurant’s Phoagie, a bahn mi-style vegetarian sandwich, is one of my favorites, but its turkey club with house-made pickles and cranberry-miso mayonnaise is also pretty unbeatable.

Middle Child also serves breakfast sandwiches until 11 a.m., although I’ve never gotten downtown early enough to grab one.

When you’re done, head to Dirty Franks, a cash-only bar with a rotation of longtime regulars that always makes for a fun evening. One of them might even ask you to play a game of Scrabble.

You can’t go wrong ordering from the menu at Gabriella’s Vietnam

I sent so many friends Gabriella’s Vietnam that I’m starting to feel like his unofficial publicist. Simply start the meal on an empty stomach.

If you’re not sure what to buy, order some of the larger ones like water fern balls, savory pancakes, shaken beef and catfish fondue.

Gabriella’s Vietnam is another BYOB joint, so bring something light, crisp and refreshing.

Terakawa Ramen is my favorite stop during cold Philadelphia winters

If you come to Philadelphia in the winter, head to Terakawa Ramen in Chinatown. In my opinion, it’s the best ramen in town, and it always helps thaw my cold fingers.

I have a weakness for tan tan ramen and order it whenever I’m sick, but pretty much everything I’ve ordered here has been good. The pork onigiri is also a must-order, and it only costs a few dollars.

Be warned that there may be long waits on weekend evenings. If the line is too long, there are plenty of options in the surrounding Chinatown areas.

Walk around the corner for dim sum at Tom’s, Szechuan at EMei, or hot pot at Nine Ting. Or head to Terakawa’s other location in University City, which I found to be generally less crowded.

Sky Cafe is an unpretentious Indonesian restaurant with incredible food

Sky Coffee is an Indonesian restaurant located on Washington Avenue, and the only reason I call it modest is because you might have trouble spotting it at first in the mall.

However, the food is amazing. Bring a crowd ready to share, because the more people you come with, the more dishes you can try. And you’ll want to try everything.

If you’ve never had Indonesian food before, don’t worry: the menu is covered with photos of the dishes. If you’re still unsure, the staff can help point you in the right direction.

Kalaya Thai Kitchen doesn’t shy away from using real spices

Kalaya Thai Cuisine is so good and so popular that it was moved from its small location in the Italian Market to a much larger location in Fishtown.

Owner Chutatip “Nok” Suntaron prepares authentic Thai food, a far cry from the usual takeout many Americans are accustomed to. The restaurant uses ingredients you may have never tried before, and some dishes have spice levels that aren’t suitable for the faint of heart.

In my opinion, they serve some of the best Thai food in the country. Not only will you leave feeling satisfied, but you will also leave with a whole new understanding of Thai cuisine.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya is a Japanese restaurant with an omakase sushi bar in the back

Whenever a friend visits Philadelphia, I suggest we go to Royal Sushi & Izakaya.

Chef Jesse Ito owns the Japanese restaurant, which has a reservations-only omakase bar in the back. The bar and dining room fills up on a first-come, first-served basis and is arguably even more fun.

Choose from a wide selection of Izakaya-style small plates, order a fun cocktail, and sit back to people watch. Whatever you do, don’t skip the fried chicken wings.

Monk’s Cafe is a beloved Philadelphia establishment with remarkable fries

Monk’s Café, near Rittenhouse Square, has apparently been around forever (my father used to go to the Belgian restaurant back in the day). You’d be hard-pressed to find a Philadelphian who doesn’t love this place.

It’s appropriate for almost all occasions. I spent an hour there alone, joined friends for drinks after work, and left with my partner’s family on a Sunday afternoon.

A bar with an impressive beer list, Monk’s Cafe also serves some of my favorite fries in town, which you can order on their own – I ate an entire basket myself – or as an accompaniment to a towering bucket of mussels.

With dark wood paneling, long, sleek booths, and a never-ending list of beers on tap, Monk’s Cafe is the kind of place you can easily sit for hours.

Fiorella is a quaint pasta bar in the Italian Market

Fiorella is a small pasta restaurant owned by James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Marc Vetri, and it’s one of my favorite restaurants.

It’s great on a cold winter night. On one visit, my friend and I sat at the bar, ordered cacio e pepe and sausage ragù, chatted for hours over our glasses of wine, and finished the meal with an olive oil cake. It was perfect.

If you’re hoping to visit Fiorella, plan ahead and don’t bring a lot of people. There are only a handful of tables and bar seats, so I suggest making reservations.

Middle Child is known for its hoagies, and no trip to Philadelphia is complete without one

The Philadelphia hoagie – a sandwich on a long Italian roll usually filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables and sauces – is a staple in this city. We know it, we love it and we are all very proud of it.

You can’t come to Philly without getting a hoagie, and Middle child has long been one of the best.

The restaurant’s Phoagie, a bahn mi-style vegetarian sandwich, is one of my favorites, but its turkey club with house-made pickles and cranberry-miso mayonnaise is also pretty unbeatable.

Middle Child also serves breakfast sandwiches until 11 a.m., although I’ve never gotten downtown early enough to grab one.

When you’re done, head to Dirty Franks, a cash-only bar with a rotation of longtime regulars that always makes for a fun evening. One of them might even ask you to play a game of Scrabble.

This story was originally published on January 28, 2023 and last updated on October 27, 2025.