Overlooked No More: the Philadelphia Food Scene

By Christina Mueller

Everyone knows Philadelphia as the home of the Liberty Bell and Constitution Hall, but as a culinary destination it is often overshadowed by New York and Washington, D.C. But the Philadelphia food scene is finally getting the attention it deserves, stepping out as much for its place in US history as for its current incarnation as an affordable hub of culinary innovation. From great sandwiches and cheesesteaks to new vegetarian and noodle shops, Philadelphia is making its mark as a hub of food innovation.

The Philadelphia Food Scene: What to Eat by Neighborhood

Center City

Near the convention center and many major hotels, Center City attracts many high-concept restaurants and plenty of shops. Redding Terminal Market, one of the country’s oldest public markets, sells everything from locally sourced meat and produce to flowers and baked goods. Numerous restaurants, cafes, and stands sell everything from Peking duck to soul food. Legendary local restaurateur Stephen Starr, of Starr Restaurants, placed three restaurants here, including Mex-eclectic El Vez and high concept American Talula’s Garden.

Fishtown

Situated on the Delaware River, just north of Center City, Fishtown is, perhaps unsurprisingly, where fish was once sent to be smoked and processed. Now a nightlife hub, the neighborhood hums with countless beer halls, distilleries, ice cream shops, and pizza parlors. Stock, a Southeast Asian BYO (see more on BYO below), serves a well-edited menu of curries, pho, banh mi, and salads. Fette Sau, another Stephen Starr restaurant, serves up plenty of barbecued meat, all smoked in-house, with picnic tables as the primary form of seating. Frankford Hall (yep, Stephen Starr is involved) serves up German-American fare such as schweinshaxe (pork shank) and bratwurst (there’s a vegetarian Impossible Burger to be had, too) and plenty of beer to wash it down. Or check out Pizza Brain, a restaurant so serious about pizza, it includes a museum dedicated to what it calls “pizza culture.” (They also make the regionally famous tomato pie.)

West Philadelphia

The community near the Penn campus that stretches along Baltimore Avenue between Forty-Third and Fiftieth Streets is known for its array of food trucks (check out Whirly Pig for its foie gras PB&J) and its spirit of diversity and openness. Stop in for Senegalese at Youma, Laotian at Vientiane Cafe, or modern soul food at Booker’s. Pakistani, Ethiopian, and a new wave of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurants are also to be found here.

East Passyunk

BYOs are a big part of the Philadelphia food scene. A workaround for chefs and restaurateurs who choose not to navigate the byzantine workings of the state’s liquor laws, BYOs, or Bring Your Own restaurants, is code for “no alcohol sold on premises.” Darlington confirmed that every neighborhood has them, but East Passyunk, a neighborhood just south of Center City, is filled with BYOs that are great for a date. “There’s a little square where men sit next to a fountain and play dominos,” she says. And there is a farmer’s market. Perla serves up modern, locally inspired Filipino fare while Laurel‘s intimate feel and refined French cuisine comes in a seven-course tasting menu format.

Ninth Street Italian Market

Squeezed in between East Passyunk and Center City is the vortex of Philadelphia’s Italian food scene. A stretch of South 9th Street has been home to an Italian marketplace for over 100 years. “This is the neighborhood where the little old ladies with their thick black shoes shop for the ingredients for tonight’s dinner,” says Darlington. It’s a neighborhood where vendors hand cut a wheel of Parmesan to order and the aroma of fresh spices wafts on the air. The Italian Market remains a neighborhood food hub. It is home to Isgro Pastries and Termini Bros. Gold Medal Pastry where cannoli is made while you wait “and the cannoli ladies will correct your pronunciation of ‘ricotta,’” says Darlington. Newer immigrant groups are adding fresh flavor to the Philadelphia food scene. Grab fresh-pressed tortillas at Tortilleria San Roman or just-made falafel at Al Zaytouna.

Click here for more.