Dim Sum Garden is a shanghainese dim sum restaurant in Chinatown, Philadelphia.
Dim Sum Garden in Philadelphia is chef Shizhou Da's Shanghai dumpling room, reopened January 2025 on Race Street in Chinatown with a doubled soup-dumpling.
Editorially verified May 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Xiao long bao, Hand-pulled noodles
Must order: Xiao long bao by the basket; hand-pulled scallion-pancake noodles; the XL straw soup dumpling.
Tip: Sit at the front window seats to watch the pleating. Cash works but cards land too.
Address: 1024 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Barbuzzo in Philadelphia is Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran's 13th Street Mediterranean kitchen, open since 2010, anchored by wood-fired pizzas.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Salted caramel budino
Order: The wood-fired pizza of the week; salted caramel budino for dessert, the dish that built its reputation.
Tip: The bar counter overlooking the open kitchen takes walk-ups. It is the room's quietest table on a Friday.
Forsythia in Philadelphia is Christopher Kearse's modern French bistro on Chestnut Street in Old City, a 2025 Michelin Guide selection with rabbit porchetta.
Signature: Escargot, Duck a l'orange
Order: The escargot with parsley and shallots; the duck if it appears on that night's tasting menu.
Tip: Happy hour from 16:30 weekdays runs half-price oysters and a French 75. Walk in for it.
Ambra in Philadelphia is Chris D'Ambro and Marina de Oliveira's 16-seat Italian tasting menu on South 4th in Queen Village, the city's most personal.
Signature: Tasting menu pasta, Counter-side antipasti
Order: The full nine-course tasting; the four-seat kitchen counter rather than the main table when available.
Tip: Book at exactly 30 days out at 10am on the venue's site. Saturday seatings fill in the first 90 seconds.
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 (the 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. Order the catfish or the chicken with ginger.
Street Side in Philadelphia is a small 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; pho with the side plate of herbs.
Tip: BYOB. Bring a Vietnamese lager or a crisp Riesling. Tight room, so go early or get it to go.
Pizzeria Stella in Philadelphia is Stephen Starr's Headhouse Square Neapolitan pizzeria on the corner of 2nd and Lombard, with a wood-burning oven.
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 happy-hour pies; main rush starts at 18:30. Reserve on Resy for weekends.
