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 dishes: Pho dac biet, Banh xeo
Must 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.
Address: 1100 Washington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Stock in Philadelphia is Tyler Akin's 18-seat Fishtown BYOB on Girard, a Southeast Asian counter with a pho stock that simmers 14 hours and a rotating khao soi.
Signature: Beef pho, Khao soi
Order: Beef pho with the side plate of herbs; khao soi if it appears; a roast pork banh mi at lunch.
Tip: BYOB. Bring a crisp Riesling or a Vietnamese-style lager. Cash and cards both work.
Pizzeria Vetri in Philadelphia is Marc Vetri's Neapolitan pizza room on Chancellor near Rittenhouse, with a wood-fired oven from Naples and the rotolo that travelled the country.
Signature: Margherita, Rotolo
Order: Margherita with buffalo mozzarella; the rotolo (rolled mortadella, ricotta and pistachio).
Tip: Walk in at 17:30 on a weeknight. The main rush starts at 18:30.
K'Far in Philadelphia is Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook's all-day Israeli bakery and cafe at 19th near Rittenhouse, the morning room before the Zahav night.
Signature: Borekas, Shakshuka
Order: A bourekas filled with feta and za'atar; shakshuka at brunch; the babka to take home.
Tip: Walk in for the bakery counter at 08:00 before the work crowd lands at 09:30. The pastries sell out by 11.
Mike's BBQ in Philadelphia is the South Philly barbecue counter on 11th Street since 2018, founded by Mike Strauss and now run by Daniel Grobman, with whole-hog brisket and ribs.
Signature: Brisket, Pork ribs
Order: A sliced brisket plate; pork ribs; the burnt-end sliders if they are running.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Open Thursday to Sunday; the brisket sells out by 14:00 on a Sunday.
Famous 4th Street Delicatessen in Philadelphia is the 1923 Queen Village Jewish deli on the Bainbridge corner, a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for over-stuffed pastrami sandwiches.
Signature: Pastrami on rye, Matzo ball soup
Order: Pastrami on rye; matzo ball soup; the chocolate-chip cookie at the door on the way out.
Tip: Cash gets a discount at the register. The triple-decker is too much; halve it with a friend.
Zahav in Philadelphia is Michael Solomonov's modern Israeli room near Society Hill, James Beard's Outstanding Restaurant in America 2019 and the city's most-booked tasting menu.
Signature: Hummus tehina, Lamb shoulder
Order: The lamb shoulder for two with the hummus tehina, the way it has been ordered since 2008.
Tip: Book 30 days out on Resy at 10am Eastern. The Mesibah feast lands at the family table.
