Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia is Greg Vernick's James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 2017 Rittenhouse bi-level brownstone, with the avocado toast that defined the room.
Signature dishes: Avocado toast, Wood-fire fish
Must order: The avocado toast with chilli flake; whatever whole fish is on the wood fire that night.
Tip: The chef's counter on the second floor watches the open kitchen. Book it specifically when reserving.
Address: 2031 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Parc in Philadelphia is Stephen Starr's Rittenhouse Square French brasserie on 18th Street, a Parisian-cafe room that runs croissants by 08:00 and onion soup past 22:00.
Signature: Steak frites, Croque madame
Order: Steak frites with bearnaise; the croque madame at brunch; a half-bottle of Sancerre.
Tip: The outdoor sidewalk seats on 18th Street face Rittenhouse Square. Book them specifically in summer.
Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Philadelphia is the eight-seat Queen Village omakase counter behind the front-room izakaya, ranked among North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025.
Signature: Sushi omakase, Pork gyoza
Order: The omakase counter at the back; the crispy pork gyoza if you sit at the izakaya bar in front.
Tip: The omakase books out 30 days at midnight on Resy. The izakaya front room takes walk-ups most weeknights.
Laser Wolf in Philadelphia is Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook's Israeli skewer-grill at Howard and Master in Olde Kensington, the casual sibling to Zahav.
Signature: Beef shipudim, Lamb merguez
Order: The mixed grill plate with beef shipudim and lamb merguez; the salatim spread to start.
Tip: Walk in at the bar before 18:00 on a weeknight. Reservations stretch out 2 weeks on the Resy calendar.
Suraya in Philadelphia is the Fishtown Lebanese market, garden and restaurant on Frankford Avenue from Greg Root, Nicholas Kennedy and chef Roland Kassis, opened 2017.
Signature: Whole roasted fish, Lamb shawarma
Order: Whole roasted fish for the table, lamb shawarma platter, the labneh with shrak bread.
Tip: Brunch on the back garden patio in summer is the room's best seat. Saturday 10am books out the fastest.
Fork in Philadelphia is Ellen Yin's 1997 Old City flagship on Market Street, a James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur 2022 anchor of the Philadelphia dining renaissance.
Signature: Hand-cut pasta, Roast duck
Order: Whichever hand-cut pasta is on the seasonal menu; the roast duck if it appears.
Tip: The bar runs a separate menu and a half-price oyster happy hour weekday afternoons. Walk in for it.
Parc in Philadelphia is Stephen Starr's Rittenhouse Square French brasserie on 18th Street, a Parisian-cafe room that runs croissants by 08:00 and onion soup past 22:00.
Signature: Steak frites, Croque madame
Order: Steak frites with bearnaise; the croque madame at brunch; a half-bottle of Sancerre.
Tip: The outdoor sidewalk seats on 18th Street face Rittenhouse Square. Book them specifically in summer.
Han Dynasty in Philadelphia is Han Chiang's Sichuan room on Chestnut in Old City, the kitchen that ranked the city's spice scale 1 to 10 and made the dan dan noodles famous.
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-spice scale is honest.
