The Resy Hit List: Where In Philadelphia You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

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.

Michael Solomonov’s restaurant first opened in Philly 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 alongside the country’s best hummus and an array of tiny vegetable dishes called 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.

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. Others, including Citizens Bank Park, have cribbed this smart move. DiGiampietro is obsessed with making perfect sandwiches and pizza. Thanks to plenty of national attention, this small Italian Market shop always has a line down the block, but it’s a line of happy people. Happy pizza people. Happy cheesesteak 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.

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.

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.

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 and Cabo, Mexico’s celebrated Flora Farms, serves a menu that blends seasonality, classic technique, and playfulness. Always order some pasta here and share a few appetizers or go big with a decadent double cheeseburger topped with local blue cheese and bacon. Served in either a serene-yet-casual dining room, a greenery-dotted courtyard, or at the convivial bar in the front room, Southwark delivers food that’s almost too pretty to eat. Speaking of, the bar here is one of the best in town.

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.

This Greek-Cypriot BYOB first opened in 2008, and has been a sunny neighborhood staple for casual kebab-centric meals ever since. Today, Kanella is owned by Tayfun Abuska, and leans Greek-Turkish. It’s still great. Start with some small plates, like roasted pepper and walnut dip with pomegranate molasses, crispy Brussels sprouts with carrot dip and za’atar, or seared halloumi with dried fruit. Entrees run from meat or fish kebabs with perfumed rice pilav to vegetarian options like spanakopita and falafel. The filo-based desserts here are sweet, light, and classic. Save room.

Longtime restaurateur Ellen Yin made Philly proud when she brought home the award for Outstanding Restaurateur at last year’s Beard Awards. Her flagship restaurant has seen a few excellent chefs come and go in its 25-year history, but the quality always remains. And the Old City mainstay has been supporting local farmers, and serving regional ingredients, long before it was cool. Whether a whole Pennsylvania trout or a dry-aged burger, everything on this seasonal, contemporary American is solid. Pro tip: Stop at the bar while museum-hopping around Independence Mall.

Call 215-625-9425 for more info.

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.

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.

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.

Call 215-554-7380 for more info.

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.

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.

We are giddy about the return of chef-owner Ange Branca to Philly’s food scene. We’ve been mourning the loss of her soulful Malaysian fare ever since she was forced to close her original restaurant, Sate Kampar. Now, 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.

Pizzeria Beddia has come a long way since the days of the longest lines in town when it was a two-man operation on Girard Avenue. Now, with the backing of Defined Hospitality — the hospitality gurus behind Suraya and Kalaya — Joe Beddia’s pizza place is a busy, buzzy restaurant with a full bar. The pizza is still great. Try a classic 16-inch pie with whole milk mozzarella and shreds of aged Gouda-style old gold cheese or a white pizza topped with potato and rosemary cream. Start your meal with tender judion beans and finish it with 1-900-Ice-Cream soft serve.

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.