Every city has its secrets, and the town that gave birth to the nation is no exception. When it comes to hidden culinary treasures, the nooks and crannies created by the streets of Philadelphia are ripe with mouth-watering surprises! If you're hungry, all you have to do here is pick a street and wander for a while to find a great place you never knew existed. What follows is a painfully short list of just some of the little-known cuisine powerhouses that Philly has to offer.
MARIGOLD KITCHEN 501 So. 45th St. Philadelphia, PA (215) 222-3699
Hours: Dinner Tues-Sun, from 5:30pm
Way past the western edge of Penn’s campus, this bitty BYOB—and former teahouse consistently turns out some of the most adventurous plates in Philly. Michael Solomonov is the man behind the burners, garnering nods from Philadelphia STYLE and Philadelphia Magazine as one of 2006’s best new chefs for his thoughtfully prepared, calendar-correct dishes. The menu has a Middle Eastern bent—pork roulade with grape leaves, striped bass tagine, halvah semifreddo—but staid Wharton parents can handle the gnocchi with trumpet mushrooms and short rib with curried potatoes. Sunday’s $35 three-course menu at Marigold is one of the best deals in town.
Estimated cost per person $40
FOR PETE’S SAKE 900 South Front Street Philadelphia, PA (215)462-2230
Nestled between I-95 and the tony redbrick townhomes of Queen Village, this corner haunt keeps its real with affordable fare a step up from traditional bar grub. The powerful pulled BBQ pork is smoked in-house. Beefy burgers topped with tangy bleu cheese won’t make your cardiologist happy. This redbrick gastropub lures locals and Center City denizens alike that come for the salty thickets of addictive fries, creamy baked potato soup, and beer menu that sends brew snobs to hops heaven. Expect Belgians and Irish brews on tap, as well as locals like Yards and Dogfish Head, served by friendly bartenders with Irish accents.
Estimated cost per person $15
VINTAGE 129 So. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA (215) 922-3095
Hours: Monday-Friday, 4pm-2am, Saturday, 5pm-2am
Votives flicker from exposed brick walls, and a bluesy soundtrack grooves at Vintage, a laid-back enoteca in the former red light district. Espoused owners Jason and Delphine Evenchik alternate bartending with onion soup-and-cabernet breathers, chatting up their patrons—all of whom seem to be B.F.F. with the nectarine Vespa-riding twosome. Park it at the zinc-wrapped bar beneath a grand chandelier made of 80 empty wine bottles and graze on fromage, charcuterie, and buttery escargots, as well as blackboard specials with brasserie sensibility. Think steak frites and tiger prawns, washed down with 100 wines by the bottle and 60 by the glass.
Estimated cost per person $40
APAMATE 1620 South St. Philadelphia, PA (215) 790-1620
A tree grows in G-Ho, and its name is Apamate. This tree is majestic and tall, blooming with an umbrella of hot-pink flowers. It’s also native to Venezuela and isn’t particularly well suited to pollution and/or Philly pigeons. Fortunately, Apamate is also the name of a relaxed Northern Spanish joint serving Basque country pintxos near Graduate Hospital. Beneath exposed ductwork and meandering track lights, co-owner and self-taught chef Ane Ormaechea is plating up these smaller-than-tapas tidbits derived from her Basque family’s recipes in her saffron-colored South Street shoebox. Think wonderfully tangy tuna topped with lacy vinegar-soaked onions and thimbles of robust gazpacho served with dainty tea party spoons. Don’t miss the from-scratch churros. These sugared snakes of deep-fried dough are hand-cranked from an imported churrera and served with a mug of Venezuelan dark chocolate sauce that’s thick as Turkish coffee
Estimated cost per person $15
NIDO 1540 W. Ritner St. Philadelphia, PA (215) 755-0860
Among the crush of double-parked cars and raven-haired contessas clutching Louis Vuitton bags, is Nido, a serene corner bôite pulling uptown foodies deep into the heart of South Philly. Chef/owner and native Michele Iovino has been in the restaurant biz since birth—her family owns the legendary Girasole—and turns out flavorful Neapolitan fare that harks to her roots in Southern Italy. In a dining room draped in candlelight and dark woods, savor the spicy sirloin, truffled fettuccine, lemony grilled octopus, and melanzane al forno—a pillowy napoleon of eggplant and zucchini baked and bubbling with sweet tomato and gooey mozzarella. If that doesn’t make you swoon, the rum-drenched baba cake and a complimentary shot of bracing limoncello certainly will.
Estimated cost per person $25
JOHN’S ROAST PORK 14 Snyder Ave Philadelphia, PA (215) 463-1951
Hours: Open daily, 6:45 am – 3 pm
Situated on deserted island somewhere in the vicinity of Snyder Avenue, John’s is where sandwich cognoscenti go to dine in the shadows of IKEA and UPS. The union guys and business suits grubbing at the busted-up picnic tables in the gravelly parking lot know this 73-year old luncheonette closes at 3 pm—most of the time. After sacrificing your car’s suspension bouncing over train tracks and secret backroads and lucking out with John’s capricious hours of operation, finally scoring a roast pork sandwich—declared by Details as one of the 22 best in America—feels like finding the holy grail. Meltingly tender pork. The sting of hot peppers. Provolone so sharp it could cut you. All married on a Kaiser that transforms the separate ingredients into one insanely delicious $3.75 powerhouse. Doesn’t hurt that their cheesesteaks are killer too.
Estimated cost per person $5
GNOCCHI 613 E Passyunk Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19147 (215) 592-8300 Hours: (Mon-Thurs) 5 pm - 10 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5 pm - 11 pm; (Sun) 4 pm - 9 pm A tiny slice of Italy awaits you at Gnocchi! This establishment may be almost as small as its pasta namesake, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in ambiance and flavor! Gnocchi sports all the trappings one might expect in an old mobster movie: brick walls, exposed pipes across the ceiling, and Italian frescos that grace entire walls. Besides original twists on traditional, home-made Italian fare, such as chicken and artichoke sausage, there's the restaurant's three versions of the gnocchi: tomato basil, spinach, or asparagus. Try the gnocchi tre formaggi with radicchio, shitake mushrooms, roasted peppers, and white wine sauce.
Estimated cost per person for dinner: $11 - $18
Holiday hours: New Year's Day- Closed, Valentine's Day- Open, Easter- Open, Thanksgiving - Open, Christmas Eve - Closed, Christmas Day - Closed, New Year's Eve - Open
LA PADELLA 1619 Grant Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19115 (215) 677-7723 Hours: Lunch (Tue-Fri) 11:30 am - 3 pm; Dinner (Tue - Thurs) 4:30 pm - 10 pm, (Fri - Sat) 4:30 pm - 11 pm, (Sun) 4:30 pm - 10 pm; Brunch (Sun) 10:30 am - 3 pm Another Northeast Philadelphia fixture that might be overlooked in favor of Center City locales, La Padella delivers solid Italian dishes with some not so Italian entrees thrown in for good measure. Don't be fooled by the establishment's prosaic location in the middle of a shopping center (complete with movie theater). Owner and chef Giulio Leone is straight from Milan, and his dishes are overflowing with authentic flavor. La Padella's Black Lobster Ravioli is incredible (yes black ravioli…sounds weird, but trust me, you won't regret trying it!), with Cognac basil cream sauce, lump crabmeat, and fresh tomatoes. And if you're feeling like a really good steak, try the 12-ounce filet mignon marinated with Jack Daniels. The friendly staff encourage customers to relax and enjoy the romantic lighting, rich dark wood decor, and seemingly never-ending background crooning of Old Blue Eyes (trust me again, that's a good thing). And don't forget about the excellent lunch buffet, which not only has mind-boggling variety but unsurpassed exotic quality (when was the last time you had marinated vegetables and veal scaloppini for lunch?).
Estimated cost per person for lunch/dinner: $11 - $28
Holiday hours: New Year's Day- Closed, Valentine's Day- Open, Easter- Open, Thanksgiving - Open, Christmas Eve - Open, Christmas Day - Closed, New Year's Eve - Open
LA TERRASSE 3432 Sansom Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 386-5000 Hours: Lunch (Mon - Fri) 11:30 am - 3 pm; Dinner (Mon - Thurs) 5 pm - 10 pm, (Fri - Sat) 5 pm - 11 pm The distinctive savor of France is alive and well in Philadelphia thanks to La Terrasse! This classy establishment began serving up its classical French dishes in 1966. All the La Terrasse regulars will inundate you with endless reasons for the restaurant's longevity: the warm and happily secluded ambiance and the camaraderie of friendly neighborhood exchanges amongst La Terrasse veterans. But in the end, it's the great food at an even better price. House specialties include coriander and corn crusted calamari with chipotle aioli, as well as peppercorn and fennel crusted tuna over spinach. And don't forget traditional French staples such as escargot (served here in a chou pastry shell). Top this impressive display of culinary artwork with an extensive wine list, and you have a niche worth visiting!
Estimated cost per person for lunch/dinner: $15 - $30
Holiday hours: New Year's Day- Closed, Valentine's Day- Open, Easter- Open, Thanksgiving - Open, Christmas Eve - Closed, Christmas Day - Closed, New Year's Eve - Closed
MONK'S CAFÉ 264 S. 16th Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) 545-7005 Hours: 11:30 am - 2 am daily Don't be deceived by this restaurant's name…you won't be eating and drinking like a monk when you're there! Walking into Monk's is like stepping back in time, with thick wooden rafters overhead and a solid dark wood bar that makes one think of Old World Belgium and Germany. Monk's always has a HUGE selection of great beers from around the world on tap. And this list is always changing, so regulars are treated to something new all the time. So you may find yourself sipping Hoegaarden from Belgium while you feast on Monk's specials like Truffle Infused Ribeye Steak (marinated in truffles, shallots, parsley, and truffle oil, and sauced with a demi-glace made with truffles and Corsendonk ale).
Estimated cost per person for lunch/dinner: $10 - $27
Holiday hours: New Year's Day- Open, Valentine's Day- Open, Easter- Open, Thanksgiving - Closed, Christmas Eve - Open, Christmas Day - Closed, New Year's Eve - Open
The Top List of Delicious Hideaways - Philadelphia, PA