The Best Restaurants in Philadelphia Right Now

Grace & Proper gives South Philly a piece of European bar culture, big on vintage feels and upscale comforts. The space is all about seasonal drink specials, well-crafted classics, and other approachable provisions, all curated to make you feel like you're at a corner cafe in Lisbon. Help yourself to a meat and cheese plate with manchego and cured pork loin and tack on a few other dishes from a smattering array of delectable bites like burrata-topped meatballs, braised pork loin, and gruyere-fueled onion soup.

Nobody makes it quite like grandma, which is no more true than at this restaurant serving Northern Thai fare with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Try Thai-style beef meatballs covered in a sweet-savory sauce, or the New York strip steak made with grandma’s special steak sauce. The spot offers a collection of small plates so you can try a bit of everything, from grilled sticky rice and pork to fish cake made with coconut milk and brown sugar. Make sure to ask about the daily specials, because you never know what grandma may have whipped up.
How to book: Via SpotOn

Her Place is the always changing, always welcoming dinner party we didn’t know we needed. The restaurant manages to pull off the perfect blend of a laidback dinner party vibe with nuanced, unexpected fare. The prix-fixe menu updates every couple weeks and follows the creativity of chef Amanda Shulman and her team. Some past highlights include sour cream and onion sweetbreads with caviar, buttermilk fried crab, and French onion soup lasagnetta with truffles. It can be tough to snag a reservation here, but you can always try your luck on Monday evenings when the restaurant is walk-in only.
How to book: Via Tock

For the most fancy of occasions, consider a night of fine dining at this sky-scraping French restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The new restaurant is located on the 59th floor of the Four Seasons, right in the heart of Center City. Lofty views go with a lofty price tag of a $218 tasting menu, the likes of which includes six land and sea dishes like golden ossetra caviar and cured sea trout. The $198 “earth-based” selection is a vegetarian-friendly version that’s no less opulent.

Slavic-inspired European dishes are the heart of Restaurant Aleksandar, which elevates an already-warm atmosphere with statement artwork and story-forward dishes. Chefs Montana Houston and Ja’mir Wimberly-Cole craft a menu of highbrow land, sea, and soil dishes with Slavic twists, like the braised Hungarian short rib made for two served with chermoula, mushroom conserva, and other seasonal additions. In addition to draught beers and wines by the bottle, you’ll also find unexpected craft cocktails like the 11:11 with gin, bergamot liqueur, cocchi rosa, and smoked lavender.

Tulip Wine Bar has been quick to charm Philly diners thanks to its intimate, neighborly atmosphere and grade-A supply of Italian-focused fare and perfect companion wines. Stop in to warm up over big plates of Thai-inspired linguini and mussels, lamb ragu, and cacio e peperoncino, as well as smaller accent dishes. Created in collaboration with Wayvine Winery & Vineyard, the cozy corner restaurant also offers a careful list of wines by the bottle or glass, plus local beer and craft cocktails.

Vegan paradise Pietramala is a produce-first kind of place, focusing solely on produce from in and around Pennsylvania. This paves the way for a hyper-focus on seasonality, and you’ll find menus change often to ensure farm-fresh goodness. Regardless of what’s on the docket, you can universally expect a lovingly curated collection of vegan dishes and specialties, handled with care to put flavor front and center. It’s BYOB, so be sure to grab a bottle of natural wine to round out the meal.

Too often the best pizza in Philly can be notoriously hard to order, and often require a bit of planning ahead of time. But pie lovers, rejoice! Brooklyn-born Paulie Gee’s has set up shop in Philly, and it’s everything you need to satisfy those spur-of-the-moment pizza cravings. You can dine in at the retro-tinged space, featuring vinyl, pool tables, and a bar, or get one of the massive pies delivered. The slices are classic Brooklyn-style and beautiful for folding, with vegan options available too.

Chef Alexandra Holt is offering an eight-course dinner tasting menu that is always in flux, following no one type of cuisine but always sharing a thread of innovation. The playful BYOB spot is equally casual yet elevated, serving the perfect whimsical atmosphere to match the meal. Past dishes have included tomato cannolis, kombu ice cream, basque cheesecake, raclette cake with caviar, and more—take a peak at Instagram to get a hint of what you might see during a visit.

Another vegan-friendly spot is moving into town, this time with plant-based Fitz on 4th taking over the previous Fitz and Starts space. Visit for a smattering of vegan plates like empanadas, “crab” cake, and pink penne, and pair it with a signature vegan cocktail like the Fitz Eclipse featuring turmeric-infused vodka with carrot and lemon zest.

Saami Somi takes advantage of the undying, universal love for all things bread and cheese with khachapuri, a Georgian dish that boils down to a sourdough boat housing cheese, eggs, and all kinds of other good stuff. While the full complete menu of Georgian dishes is still in the works, Saami Somi also offers hand-rolled soup dumplings, small plates, and fresh bread in addition to four khachapuri options.

After a few COVID-era delays, Wilder launched onto the Rittenhouse dining scene with a spectacular space that shows off gorgeous design as a backdrop for a fun, approachable menu of elevated favorites. In addition to Neapolitan pizza and fresh crudo taking center stage, Wilder dishes out handmade pasta, stunning raw bar platters, and some on-point mains like the dry-aged strip steak with parm potatoes or Spanish octopus finished with charred eggplant puree and pesto. At the bar you’ll find curated drafts and cans, smart cocktails, and bubbly.

At Amina, Southern fare meets Nigerian influence in a space inspired by the restaurant’s African warrior namesake. Chef Daryl Harmond, in partnership with owner Felicia Wilson, incorporates his own personal spice blends to create a menu that’s rich in flavor and big on incorporating ingredients of African cuisine. The menu runs the gamut from casual snacks to elevated entrees, including peri peri wings, NOLA-style gumbo, catfish hush puppies, grilled lamb T-bone steak tower, and hot fried cauliflower. There are even a few items with a local Philly bent, including the cheesesteak beignets and soft pretzel-dusted fish n’ chips.

After getting us hooked with pop-ups over the years, chef and owner Jennifer Zavala has finally blessed us with a brick-and-mortar location in South Philly. Juana Tamale offers birria tacos, tamales, ramen, and even vegan wings as menu mainstays, but always keep your eyes peeled for specials you’d never expect.

Expect all the best flavors from across the Caribbean islands at Ocho Rios Parrilla, which is named after the northern coast of Jamaica. Menu highlights include traditional oxtail stew in rich brown gravy, grilled salmon in Barbados BBQ or Jamaican jerk sauce, and curry shrimp sauteed with tri-color peppers in a coconut curry sauce. It’s even better with specialty house cocktails, from traditional Cuban mojitos to hibiscus tea margaritas.

You’ll always find something new to try at Salam Cafe, with a menu that features baba ghanoush, spicy beef stew with injera, hummus, falafel, and weekend veggie firfir. If you can’t decide which way to go, stop by for the Ethiopian and Mediterranean fusion special, which gets you three courses for $20. Even better, you can always swing by the other side of the restaurant and pick up some essentials from the market to take home.

The grown-up version of Philly’s lunchtime favorite now offers a full dinner menu and bar. Middle Child Clubhouse has upped the offerings with breakfast, lunch, and dinner available at a 40-seat bar or 60-seat dining room. The menu ventures beyond the sandwich—though those are obviously still there—to include an eclectic mix of laidback plates, everything from veggie burgers to fried seafood. At the bar, expect more irreverent charm, this time in the form of frozen negronis and chai tea Old Fashioneds.

Stephen Starr’s latest Philly restaurant is way more than just an eatery. The space is a bookstore, music venue, and art gallery, but all of that takes a backseat to the killer food and drink options. A live-fire grill is the focal point of the Mexican-focused menu, serving up meat, seafood, and veggie tacos, along with some smaller plates like guacamole and ceviche. If you want to get fancy, for-the-table house specials include lobster puerto nuevo, adobo lamb shank, and more.

Càphê Roasters specializes in premium Vietnamese coffee roasting, sourcing largely from Vietnam as well as other Southeast and East Asian regions. To go with your coffee, the spot offers a cafe menu of banh mi sandwiches, including some with housemade Vietnamese sausage, as well as other bites like eight-spice wings, three-hour confit chicken, and fried mochi that the cafe has dubbed, Pillow Jawns.

Perched at the top of Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing high above its sister restaurant The Landing, Lark offers soaring views of the Schuylkill River and Manayunk. The restaurant is Nicholas Elmi and Fia Berisha’s high-end, dinnertime answer The Landing’s all-day cafe, offering a coastal Mediterranean menu of items like squid ink pasta with lobster, glazed duck breast, and butter roasted scallops. Expect a playful bar program of house cocktails and a curated wine list, plus zero-proof options.

Fish platters, king crab fried rice, and charbroiled seafood are all mouthwatering fixtures at Gabriella’s, which takes inspiration from Vietnamese street fare with the singular goal of feeling and tasting authentic. Chef Thanh Nguyen’s slate of tasty seafood dishes doesn’t stop there—don’t miss the whole branzino grilled in banana leaves, the wok-fried red snapper, or the crispy soft shell crab when you visit this BYOB for family-style dinner servings or Sunday brunch.

Snacks, tacos, and mezcal—La Llorona keeps its menu unfussy and to the point, which is why people love it so much. Whether you’re after braised beef tacos, a round of queso and warm tortillas, or a full-on carne asada, La Llorona does it in a way that feels fun and instantly relaxed. In addition to dinner, you can enjoy sampling agave nectars at the bar or visiting for weekend brunch.

Down North Pizza offers up Detroit-style square pies alongside mango habanero wings, spicy crab fries, apple pie milkshakes, and more mouthwatering creations. Even better, Down North is on a mission to reduce recidivism rates by offering culinary career options for the formerly incarcerated, so you can feel good digging in.

Fiorella serves up a little bit of everything you crave when it comes to Italian food, whether you’re dining in the large indoor and outdoor space or getting takeout. For now, pizza, pasta, hoagies, lots of wine, and even Italian soda are all in the mix, plus Fiorella is in the process of rolling out happy hour, late night, and brunch menus to boot—so it’s a go-to any time of the day.

It’s all about skewers and other grill-worthy foods at Laser Wolf, which is modeled after a traditional Israeli skewer house. First, order a variety of chicken, eggplant, tuna, and Bulgarian beef kabobs or large dishes like branzino and ribs for the table. Then, sit back as the table is outfitted with a plethora of salatim (or salads and spreads) like hummus, Babaganoush, and cucumber and green tomato salad with harissa to share. The restaurant comes from the team behind what is perhaps Philly’s toughest reservation, Zahav, so you know it’s going to be good.

James-Beard-nominated Kalaya has been a must-visit destination in Philly since opening in 2019. The menu features stir-fry-centric entrees, like the Kang Pu Bai Cha Plu, with crabmeat curry, wild betel leaves, rice vermicelli, cucumber, cabbage, long beans, and jasmine rice, and smaller delectable apps like the gorgeous Shaw Muang, purple flower-shaped chicken dumplings.