Sichuan Chinese$$old-city
Han Dynasty in Philadelphia is Han Chiang's Sichuan room on Chestnut, the kitchen that ranked the spice scale 1 to 10 and made the city order dan dan noodles.
Signature: Dan dan noodles, Dry pot
Order: Dan dan noodles, dry-pot rabbit at heat 7, three-pepper chicken, mapo tofu.
Tip: Order one dish below the heat level you think you can handle. The 10 scale is honest.
Mediterranean$$$center-city
Barbuzzo in Philadelphia is Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran's 13th Street Mediterranean room since 2010, with wood-fired pizzas and the salted caramel.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Salted caramel budino
Order: Wood-fired pizza of the week; salted caramel budino, the dish locals order by name.
Tip: The bar counter overlooking the open kitchen takes walk-ups. Quietest table on a Friday night.
Neapolitan Pizza$$old-city
Pizzeria Stella in Philadelphia is the Stephen Starr Neapolitan pizzeria on Headhouse Square, a wood-burning oven turning out bubbly Margherita.
Signature: Margherita, Tartufo pizza
Order: Margherita with San Marzano and buffalo mozzarella; the Tartufo with black truffle and fontina.
Tip: Walk in at noon for the happy-hour pies; the main rush starts at 18:30. Reserve on Resy for weekend dinner.
Pizza, Italian$$$fishtown
Pizzeria Beddia in Philadelphia is Joe Beddia's Fishtown reincarnation of the Bon Appetit 2015 America's Best Pizza, with a margherita pie and a separate.
Signature: Margherita pizza, Hoagie
Order: Margherita with sungold tomatoes; a salad of every herb in the kitchen.
Tip: The hoagie room books separately. Reserve it for groups of four to six who want lunch sandwiches.
Vietnamese$$washington-avenueDaily 10:00-21:00
Nam Phuong in Philadelphia is the 20-year Vietnamese banquet hall on Washington Avenue, with a 200-item menu running pho, clay pots, banh xeo and bun rieu.
Signature: Pho dac biet, Banh xeo
Order: Pho dac biet (everything bowl); banh xeo crepe; sugarcane shrimp paste with rice paper rolls.
Tip: The clay-pot section at the back of the menu is the room's quiet best. The chicken with ginger or the catfish.
Vietnamese$$northern-liberties
Street Side in Philadelphia is a tiny Vietnamese BYOB on West Girard, an Asian street-food counter with hand-rolled rice paper rolls, kroeung beef skewers.
Signature: Pho, Pork belly rice paper roll
Order: Pork belly rice paper roll; kroeung beef skewer; a bowl of pho with the side plate of herbs.
Tip: BYOB. Bring a Vietnamese lager or a crisp Riesling. Mostly a takeout-friendly counter, so go early for a seat.