The Resy Hit List: Where In Philadelphia You’ll Want to Eat in May 2024
There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
We’ve designed it to be your essential resource for dining in Philadelphia: a monthly-updated (and newly expanded!) guide to the restaurants you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Six Things In Philadelphia Not to Miss This Month
- James Beard Award Watch: Philly isn’t primed to clean up at the James Beard Awards like last year, but we do have one finalist in the running for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Good luck to Royal Sushi’s Jesse Ito! The region is already a winner though, with leadership awards going to Christa Barfield of FarmerJawn and Muhammad Abdul-Hadi of Down North Pizza.
- Trivia Alert: One of Philly’s favorite vegan restaurants, Primary Plant Based on Girard Ave., is hosting themed trivia events with specials every couple weeks. On May 1, test your Star Wars knowledge and on June 5, it’s all about Mean Girls.
- Patio Season: North Broad’s always excellent Osteria just covered its 50-seat patio, creating an all-season outdoor section. That’s a good thing because Jeff Michaud’s long-running Italian destination is one of the hottest tickets in town. Not that there aren’t plenty of options for outdoor dining around.
- Bastia Preview: Get a preview of Tyler Akin’s forthcoming restaurant Bastia when the chef pops up at Nick Elmi’s Laurel on E. Passyunk on May 14. And check out lots of other things to do on our Resy Events page.
- Cultural Celebrations: With May being both Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, you have a good excuse to visit restaurants, like Zahav and Kalaya, that celebrate each culture. For AAPI Heritage Month, Little Fish’s Alex Yoon is collaborating on two May dinners with Tae Strain, of Washington D.C.’s Ggoma Supper Club, which you can book on Resy.
- All About Mom: May is also the month of Mother’s Day and the variety of special events is broad indeed. Whether it’s a special dinner at Aleksandar, the lavish brunch spread you’ve come to expect from Lacroix, a jazz buffet at Renata’s Kitchen, or more, we’ve got you covered.
New to the Hit List (May 2024)
Enswell, Royal Sushi, Townsend, Vernick Food & Drink.
1. Friday Saturday Sunday Rittenhouse Square
The whole country has been talking about Chad and Hanna Williams’ restaurant. FSS beat every competitor in the country in 2023 to win the James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant, and we agree it pretty well defines dining in Philadelphia right now. Which is why we celebrate how perfect their fresh take on fine dining is: The bar, the service, the soundtrack, the lighting, and most of all, the fun and refined eight-course tasting menu that’s never been better. It’s also never been a tougher table to reserve: The books open on Resy on the first of every month at 10 a.m.
2. Zahav Old City
Michael Solomonov’s restaurant opened in 2008, on its way to launching the Middle Eastern dining craze nationwide. In 2019, it was named the best restaurant in the country by the Beard Foundation — the first Philly restaurant to earn that honor. So while this isn’t the easiest Resy to score, jump on it eight weeks in advance or come early to snag a bar seat or walk-in-only outdoor table. All meals start with fluffy, warm Laffa bread, the country’s best hummus, and an array of salatim. Spend the extra $10 to get the four-course Mesibah tasting menu that includes the pomegranate lamb shoulder with crispy Persian rice. Yeah, you’ll be full, but the lamb and rice fry up beautifully with an egg cracked on top for breakfast the next day.
3. Angelo’s Italian Market
The best cheesesteaks in the city. Convince us we’re wrong. Danny DiGiampietro makes the rolls fresh every morning. Is there any other cheesesteak joint in town doing that? Angelo’s is also the first place that we can remember employing Philly’s own melty, creamy Cooper Sharp cheese. DiGiampietro is obsessed with making perfect sandwiches and pizza, and this small Italian Market shop always has a line down the block, but it’s a line of happy people. Happy cheesesteak people. Happy pizza people. The kind of people who will offer your toddler a slice as you walk to the playground; which is a random, totally made-up example, we assure you.
Find more info here.
4. Irwins South Philadelphia
Chef Michael Vincent Fererri has been cooking top notch Silician food for most of his career in Philly. He’s known for handmade pasta, family recipes, and fresh spins on classic Italian dishes. The view from here on top of Bok Building, a former public high school, overlooks South Philly and is a special experience for locals and visitors alike. New this year is Salvatore’s Counter, named after his late father, where Fererri serves a never-repeated 10-course menu to four diners every other Sunday. Book that or any of the regular tables.
5. Kalaya Fishtown
Much has already been said about Kalaya. But if Nok Suntaranon’s southern Thai restaurant has been delighting diners since its humble start in the Italian Market, it has found a proper spot in its much larger Fishtown digs, with a liquor license that helped create a vital bar scene. Book early and often; you’ll be rewarded with deeply flavored curries, adorably shaped dumplings, and a signature grilled freshwater river prawn that’s mixed tableside with its tomalley and jasmine rice.
6. Southwark Queen Village
The space has been a popular neighborhood restaurant since 2004, but came into greatness when Chris D’Ambro and Marina De Oliveira took it over in 2016. D’Ambro, who previously cooked at Kennett Square’s always-booked Talula’s Table, serves a menu that blends seasonality, technique, and playfulness. Always order some pasta and share a few appetizers or go big with a decadent double cheeseburger. Served in either a serene-yet-casual dining room, a greenery-dotted courtyard, or at the convivial bar, Southwark delivers food that’s almost too pretty to eat. Speaking of, the bar here is one of the best in town.
7. Jezabel’s University City
Philly is lucky to have Jezabel Careaga. The Argentine chef is talented, connected, and creative. When she’s not making the city’s best empanadas and unforgettable pastries (especially the dulce de leche stuffed alfajores), she makes furniture and helps run the Sisterly Love Collective to raise up local women in the hospitality industry. Her West Philly cafe is a great place for breakfast or lunch, and offers a serious single-origin tea selection along with espresso drinks.
8. Vernick Food & Drink Rittenhouse Square
Ask a chef where they like to go on their day off and chances are they’ll mention Vernick Food & Drink. Greg Vernick’s first restaurant has been one of Philadelphia’s best since its 2012 opening. It’s a good idea to share dishes from each section of the large, modern American menu here. The mahogany roast chicken is always great, as are fluke ceviche in coconut broth, a whole roasted artichoke, anything on toast, and delicate pastas. Locals like to sit at Vernick’s bar for dinner, where the drinks run from boozy to zero proof, along with a smart wine list.
9. Enswell Rittenhouse
Hello, gorgeous. Rittenhouse’s new cafe and cocktail bar combo may just be the prettiest restaurant in Philly, if not the whole Eastern Seaboard. Designer Lance Saunders of Stokes Architecture + Design created this art deco space with green trim, antique brass, mosaic tile, tall columns, an over-the-bar mural, and custom chandeliers. Rival Bros., New Liberty Distillery, and chef Andrew Farley (formerly High Street on Market) work together at Enswell to delight diners all day long, from coffee in the morning to spicy crab hashbrowns, ice cream sundaes, and espresso-infused whiskey drinks at night.
Find more info here.
10. Little Fish BYOB Bella Vista
Little Fish is that ideal Philly restaurant of just-barely yesteryear. It’s a chef-driven neighborhood BYOB with blow-you-away food. As national attention has rained down on our fair city, restaurant culture has shifted toward liquor license holders in busy parts of town. It’s different at Little Fish, and we love it. Anyone who loves seafood should come through for Alex Yoon’s $90 five-course prix-fixe that runs from raw treats — like scallops and chili oil on buttery sesame toast — and pasta to seared fish, and a dessert of the day.
11. South Philly Barbacoa Italian Market
What more can we say about the James Beard Award-winning restaurant known for its appearance on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table”? Mexican chef Cristina Martinez is a wizard with lamb. Her barbacoa tacos and soul-warming consommé draw visitors from all over the country, but equally as revolutionary is her work as an activist for fellow immigrants and those facing food insecurity. Line up at her sunny, casual Italian Market eatery and be patient. This meal is worth the wait.
Find more info here.
12. River Twice East Passyunk
Randy Rucker is a masterful chef, especially when it comes to the pristine seafood that stars on his menu at River Twice. The four-course tasting menu changes daily, based on seasonality and the kitchen’s creative whims. Whether it’s raw Maine scallops with chive crème fraiche and crispy potato crumbs or a winter citrus Creamsicle with wild vanilla, each dish displays textural contrast, unique ingredients, and beautiful presentation. Get the wine pairing at this special occasion destination; it features some special lesser-known selections alongside the classics.
13. Essen E. Passyunk
Tova du Plessis’ modern Jewish bakery has been an E. Passyunk favorite since its 2016 opening. Having spent time in celebrated kitchens like Zahav and the Restaurant at Meadowood in California, the South Africa native brings serious cooking chops. Now, Essen is on the verge of growth with a Fishtown location that will offer more of a sit-down experience for breakfast and lunch. This is the place to go for challah, black and white cookies, apple cake, rugelach, and du Plessis’ signature chocolate-halva babka. Bagels and schmear are an obvious and tasty choice, but don’t miss the tender za’atar croissant sandwich with labneh and a hard-boiled egg.
Find more info here.
14. Royal Sushi Omakase Queen Village
Philly’s only Beard Award finalist remains one of the hardest reservations in town to snag. It’s worth the effort to experience Jesse Ito’s high-skill omakase at Royal Sushi. The fish here is carefully sourced, intensively prepared, and delivered bite by perfect bite at an intimate counter in a back room of Royal Izakaya, a busy Japanese bar/restaurant. Royal Izakaya is walk-in only; Royal Sushi you can book below.
15. Abyssinia West Philly
College students from nearby University City are the first to recommend this classic Ethiopian restaurant. It’s affordable, casual, delicious, and filling. To get the full experience, order a meat combo and a vegetable combo to share with your dining companions. Each comes with a few classic, Ethiopian stewed dishes on top of tangy, spongey injera (similar to a thin pancake). Abyssinia offers reasonably priced beer and runs a too-cool-for-school upstairs bar that often hosts live music, comedy, and other activities like chess and karaoke.
Find more info here.
16. My Loup Rittenhouse
We’ve been loving on My Loup since it opened a year ago. Amanda Shulman’s sophomore restaurant has been racking up national praise — another spot we think helps to define Philadelphia’s dining scene. With husband Alex Kemp, she serves a menu of interactive dishes that are equally fun and delicious. Think: Thin slices of rare roast beef wrapped around hot fries and pickled shrimp served in a mini mason jar with a side saltines. (We have some tips for snagging a table.)
17. Booker’s Restaurant & Bar West Philadelphia
Booker’s has been a Southern-infused comfort-food staple in its West Philly neighborhood since 2017. Brunch here is always a good move, when fried chicken and waffles and strawberry cheesecake French toast star on the menu. In the evenings, it’s all about deviled eggs, seafood mac ‘n’ cheese, fried chicken, and vegan jambalaya. New owners took over a year ago with a promise to keep everything we love about Booker’s, while boosting the bar program and making new connections in the community.
18. Kampar Bella Vista
We are giddy about the return of chef-owner Ange Branca, and her soulful Malaysian fare, to Philly’s food scene. With Kampar, she has a new, two-story location with a concept on each floor. Upstairs, the Kongsi (social club), which is open now, offers energetic vibes, a full bar, and an a la carte menu, with new and old dishes, including rendang, achat, and a saucy street burger wrapped in a crepe-like omelet. When it opens, downstairs will have a fixed price tasting menu by Branca, along with various chefs in residence.
No reservations. More info here.
19. Kim’s BBQ Olney
Head to North Philly for some of the city’s best Korean barbecue. Dinner starts with an array of complimentary banchan (shareable mini vegetable dishes) and moves on to tender grilled slices of beef and pork. A server handles the hard part: Cooking the meat over the hardwood charcoal powered grill while a powerful range hood over each table pulls the heat and smoke away. It still gets toasty. Kim’s also offers a small selection of Korean soju and Asian beers.
More info here.
20. Townsend EPX East Passyunk
Townsend Wentz is celebrating his eponymous restaurant’s 10 year anniversary this spring. His flagship restaurant is known for its seasonal and classic French dishes, best showcased in a five-course tasting menu. Lovely à la carte offerings, including snails and roasted bone marrow, are also available. Sommelier Gordana Kostovski expertly leads the drinks program at Townsend, which has one of Philly’s great bars. (Open until 2 a.m.!)
