You might think you know Philadelphia through its legendary cheesesteaks, unhinged hockey mascot, and a scrappy fictional boxer with a chip on his shoulder. But Philly has always been full of surprises, and nowhere is that more evident than in the city’s food scene. You’ll find Michelin-starred tasting menus alongside laid-back BYOBs, and century-old Italian bakeries a few blocks from an epic Cambodian feast that’s become one of the hardest tables to book in the country. There’s a 19th-century public market packed with Pennsylvania Dutch classics, and, on weekends in warmer months, an open-air Southeast Asian market in the middle of a sprawling city park.
When it comes to eating and drinking, Philly continues to punch above its weight. Read on and plan your own culinary adventure in the City of Brotherly Love.
For breakfast, seek out regional Italian pastries and creative takes on scrapple
In East Kensington, Fiore is an Italian bakery and daytime cafe from husband-and-wife chefs Ed Crochet and Justine MacNeil, serving custard-filled bomboloni, pistachio cream cornetti, and egg-and-ricotta sandwiches on focaccia. If you arrive early but want to try the housemade pasta, they’ll happily make you a bowl of cacio e pepe too. At Out West in West Philly, don’t miss the lamb sausage stacked with over-medium egg, cheese, and strawberry harissa jam sandwiched in a potato bun.
For a taste of scrapple, the Pennsylvania Dutch specialty made with offal and cornmeal, try the version at the Dutch Eating Place in the cavernous Reading Terminal Market, the city’s 19th-century food hall and an essential stop regardless. For a more contemporary version, the signature at Sulimay’s, a cash-only Fishtown diner, is panko-battered squares of spicy whitefish scrapple served with a sunny-side up egg and long hots.
For a lavish Sunday brunch, visit Dancerobot, chef Jesse Ito’s retro-style izakaya in Rittenhouse, and order the sourdough pancake, a wobbly, table-sized cloud served with red miso maple syrup. If it’s something savory you’re after, Griddle & Rice in South Philly splits its menu between Indonesian and American breakfast, and the nasi uduk with coconut rice and fried chicken is worth the trip.
For lunch, a sandwich pilgrimage and a Cambodian cult favorite
