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Welcome to the third wave of Philadelphia dining, an era in which locals are more likely to chat you up about their favorite chorizo tacos, wild-yeasted ales, or tasting menu than anything cheesesteak. Yes, the famous sandwich is still around (eat one if you must) but is slowly losing traction to its distant cousin, the roast pork. This is the Philly sandwich to try, be it a traditional rendition at John’s or DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market or a new-school take, like the one topped with lacto-fermented broccoli rabe at High Street on Market.
Speaking of Old City’s High Street, its chef/partner, Eli Kulp, represents a group of Philadelphia chefs that has had a massive impact on the dining scene in the last few years: the ex–New Yorkers. Like Kulp, Peter Serpico of Serpico, Eli Collins of Pub and Kitchen, Greg Vernick of Vernick Food & Drink and other talented former 212-ers have shifted their careers here from some of NYC’s finest kitchens and restaurant groups. Even in East Passyunk and Fishtown, white-hot neighborhoods that are dethroning Center City as Philly’s dining nucleus, inflated rents are bargains compared to those in the Big Apple.
The recent influx of out-of-town chefs complements Philly’s homegrown talent. This has always been a scene that has fostered and supported its own, and the last several years have seen young chefs rising through the kitchens of Stephen Starr, Marc Vetri, and Georges Perrier and going on to debut compelling, idiosyncratic, solo projects. Like Pierre Calmels, who left the storied (now closed) Le Bec-Fin to open tiny Bibou in Bella Vista, and his LBF successor, Nicholas Elmi, who won Top Chef after opening Laurel on East Passyunk. (To give you an idea of the depth of talent in the 215, Elmi is the second Philly chef to win Top Chef.) And then there’s Michael Solomonov, a former Vetri capo who went on to found Zahav, the restaurant that ignited America’s passion for Israeli cuisine, and win a James Beard Award. Solo (as he’s affectionately known here) is in conscientious empire-building mode with longtime business partner, Steve Cook, and mentoring a new generation of young chefs. You can still catch him working the bread station at Zahav most nights, between annual research trips to Israel and surfing breaks at the Jersey Shore.
The Israeli, Iraqi, Turkish, and Yemenite recipes on the menu at Zahav are just a handful of the cuisines represented in this multiethnic town. Philadelphia has a long history as a city of immigrants, from Western Europeans in the early 20th century to the Vietnamese, Mexicans, and Africans of today. Chinatown reigns as the city’s hub of hand-pulled noodles, breakneck dim sum, and siphon coffee before it was cool, while Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, and Senegalese hideaways occupy tree-lined storefronts and old banks in West Philly. Vietnamese pho halls and bakeries congregate along Washington Avenue in South Philly, also home to the city’s vibrant Mexican population. In the Italian Market, many of the old businesses have given way to industrious taquerias. You can follow the trail of fresh-pressed tortilla crumbs from Bella Vista down into East Passyunk, a hood where it’s not uncommon to hear Spanish, Vietnamese, and five different dialects of Italian just walking down the street.
Housed inside a former greenhouse, Cake is a refined spot for breakfast and lunch, though the sweets and pastries are still a highlight at this former bakery. The menu includes creative twists on lunchtime classics: try the Philly cheesesteak marsala or the croque monsieur brushed with apricot mustard. Light streams in through the greenhouse glass and a fountain occupies the center of the room.
Geno’s, open since 1966, is a fresh-faced upstart compared to neighboring rival Pat’s, which has been slinging steaks since 1930. That gulf manifests itself visually in the contrast between Pat's understated aesthetic and Geno's over-the-top use of neon, which burns so brightly astronauts can probably see it from space, and the fact that Geno's meat is sliced, not chopped. Some aficionados claim that the two serve wildly dissimilar products; others just don't get it, but it's always fun to taste-test, as the buses full of tourists who frequently make their way down this way can attest.
People come to McNally's more for the food than the beer (families are welcome), and generally order one of the six featured sandwiches. The Schmitter, a cheesesteak on a kaiser roll with fried salami, fried onions, and a special sauce, is insanely delicious. Rivaling the Schmitter is the vegetarian sandwich option, the G.B.S. (George Bernard Shaw), which has mushrooms, peppers, tomato, and lettuce draped in cheese and special sauce. For an even more heavenly taste, ask for fried veggies on the G.B.S. At a close third is the Dickens—hot turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on a kaiser roll.
North Third is one of the first restaurants to settle in Northern Liberties at the infancy of the neighborhood's transformation. The menu hasn't changed much, mostly because locals love hits like the Moroccan-spiced lamb burger, mushroom flatbread, and house-made pierogies. Weekend brunch here—breakfast burrito, berry-topped French toast—is one of the best in the area.
New cheesesteak restaurants come and go, but two of the oldest—Pat's and Geno's, at 9th and Passyunk—have a long-standing feud worth weighing in on. It comes down to a matter of taste, as both serve equally generous portions of rib-eye steak, grilled onions, and melted provolone, American, or Cheez Whiz on freshly baked Italian rolls. The main differences, as far as we can tell: Pat's meat is chopped, and its shop’s exterior is a bit more understated than Geno's neon extravaganza.
Mark Bee, the local restaurateur behind favorite gastropub N. 3rd, bought the Silk City Diner in 2006, polished off its grease-coated, 1950s-era pink Formica counter, and started serving updated comfort food. Menu items include a fierce plate of buttermilk fried chicken, deep-fried veggie wings, the city's best bowl of mac and cheese (baked with a garlic-bread crust), and some lighter fare (salads and roasted veggies) should you want to go next door to the bar and lounge and dance 'til dawn beneath the disco ball.
This neighborhood gastropub is a Northern Liberties fixture, popular with the hipsters who populate this particular neighborhood, and for good reason. The frequently changing menu, presented unpretentiously on a chalkboard, is much more ambitious—and much tastier—than you'd expect from average bar food, and since you're in a bar, you can wash down the shellfish, terrines, local-veggie-forward salads, and wild game with one of the local microbrews on tap. Sunday brunch (think Bloody Marys and fresh oysters) is always busy.
Tria's brown interior and minimalist signage give off a wallflower vibe, but the tables packed with chic urbanites grazing lightly contradict its inner beauty. The knowledgeable staff is serious about the restaurant's focus—the "fermentation trio" of wine, cheese, and beer—but not in a snobby way. They'll casually toss off suggestions for a cheese plate that's a phenomenal medley of textures and flavors. Then they'll recommend a zippy white wine that sets it off perfectly. The café has gotten so popular, it's multiplied several times with locations on Spruce and Walnut Streets.
Large French windows open up onto the sidewalk where tables are always packed in the warmer months with chic young couples and groups sipping old-fashioneds and Bellinis and supping on plates like oysters on the half, spaghetti Bolognese, and steak tartare toast.
Lively and upbeat, Le Bus is a solid choice for high-quality basics like burgers, tacos, and fish-and-chips. Winnie's also serves breakfast and baked goods.
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