10 Best Local Restaurants in Philadelphia

Reading Terminal Market is known as one of the largest and oldest indoor food markets in the United States. A popular stop on many tourist itineraries, it’s still a favourited spot for downtown dwellers to shop for fresh produce, flowers, speciality foods and more.

As for the dining, you can’t go wrong with visiting one of the market’s Pennsylvania Dutch vendors, who are known for serving up rib-sticking, comfort food favourites. These include fried chicken, chicken pot pie and mashed potatoes, as well as regional specialities like shoofly pie and apple dumplings. One of the favourite vendors is Dutch Eating Place.

Federal Donuts has a handful of shops scattered around the city that offer fresh-made doughnuts in a rotating array of flavours. It is the brainchild of a group of Philadelphia hospitality professionals. Besides doughnuts, it’s also known for its twice-fried crispy chicken that you can ask them to sandwich between the halves of your favourite doughnut.

You’ll find your staple flavours, of course, like maple and blueberry, but also more inventive options like sticky toffee banana or strawberry lavender. If you fall in love with these breakfast pastries and are off to visit another city, you’ll be glad to know that the brand ships nationwide.

Larry’s Steaks is a low-key, casual sandwich shop with multiple locations around Philadelphia. It offers a range of cheesesteaks beyond your normal steak-cheese-and-onion variety and all in huge portions. It isn’t as famous as Philly’s 2 big Philly cheesesteak shops, namely Geno’s and Pat’s, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to love about it.

Among the cheesesteak varieties to try are the House Way Steak, which is topped with sweet peppers, mushrooms, fried onions, cheese, pepperoni and marinara sauce. You can also order a chicken steak, which swaps out the beef for chicken, or even pizza, hoagies or stromboli.

Get your caffeine fix at this longstanding coffee bar situated inside an old mechanic’s shop. Whether you grab your coffee and pastry to go or sit a while in one of the folding chairs on the patio, you’ll appreciate the love and care that goes into the small-batch, locally-roasted coffee beans.

The coffee bar hosts guests chefs for dinner service each Monday and Friday and features food trucks for brunch on the weekends. You’re never quite sure what kind of cuisine you’ll find on offer from the visiting chefs. Past options have ranged from Filipino favourites to from-scratch waffles and French toast.

Mike’s BBQ is a tiny, hole-in-the-wall place in Philadelphia that only operates a few days per week and only until the eatery sells out of product each day. However, while that may sound like a hassle to some travellers, locals will assure you that Mike’s is worth trying if you can.

The menu options include a range of smoked meats like brisket and pulled pork, as well as the sides you’d traditionally expect with barbecue, like potato salad and coleslaw.

South Philly Barbacoa is an affordable option in Philadelphia for Mexican fare. Despite the restaurant’s humble exterior, it’s achieved lots of national renown and even ships its products across the country.

You may very likely have to wait for your meal, but once you’re inside, you’ll find authentic Mexican cuisine on offer from a celebrated chef, including tamales, tacos and all the rest. Grab a seat outside or at one of the communal tables inside and chow down as you enjoy the artwork on the restaurant’s gallery walls.

Hardena is your spot to go in Philadelphia if you’re craving for or interested in trying out Indonesian cuisine while in the city. A longstanding neighbourhood favourite, Hardena has been featured in a range of food-centric publications and on several food and travel shows since it was founded in 2001 by a family of New York City transplants.

The same family still runs the restaurant, though the children are now at the helm. The menu changes up frequently, but you can always expect a good mixture of salads, soups, chicken and beef dishes, as well as vegetarian meals and the beloved Indonesian satay.

John’s Roast Pork serves up Philly cheesesteaks, but you go for the roast pork sandwich. Another Philadelphia speciality, these sandwiches are similar to a cheesesteak, but feature roast pork on crusty bread and are usually served with au jus. As for John’s Roast Pork, the pork is flavoured with garlic and rosemary and topped with provolone and spinach before serving.

Love the pork? You can buy it by the pound. Those who aren’t keen on it can also choose from all-day breakfast options and traditional beef and chicken cheesesteaks. Make sure to bring some cash if you want to eat – John’s doesn’t accept card payments.

Dalessandro’s Steaks & Hoagies claims that it offers the best Philly cheesesteak of them all in Philadelphia. While the claim is up for debate depending on who you ask, there’s something to be said for the restaurant’s longevity.

Try the fresh cheesesteak (which also comes in a chicken variety), but take a gander at the other options on the extensive (and affordably priced) menu as well. A broader selection of hoagies, burgers and salads means that everyone in your travelling group will find something to love.

The Dandelion is a local Philadelphia favourite named after a similar London eatery. It feels a little posh, even if it is still on the affordable side. The restaurant offers British-style eats in a pub-reminiscent setting. Think menu items like welsh rarebit, rabbit pie, bangers and mash, fish and chips and all the rest. The restaurant even offers family-style Sunday roast dinners.

Brunch is offered every weekend and the convenient location puts you right near some of the city’s best hotels and downtown attractions.