READERS' CHOICE

We asked, you responded.

Our team compiled local mainstays across the region in 15 categories to represent the city’s vibrant culinary footprint. From one of the nation’s best food markets nestled in FDR Park to wood fire pies for the kiddos in Headhouse Square, Philly’s dining scene is as diverse and bold as its residents. After receiving hundreds of nominees and clocking in thousands of votes, we narrowed down the winners.

1/10

• Favorite Breakfast Sandwich

  Middle Child

  248 S 11th St

  

  The original location of Matt Cahn’s emporium of simple, yet flavorful sandwiches stuffs fluffy eggs into two slices of potato bread, along with Cooper sharp American cheese and arugula for $8.50, or between two slices of rye with house corned beef for $11.75. You can order each sandwich as is or make adjustments to your liking — either way, you’ll start your morning off right. Breakfast is available until 11 a.m., sometimes 11:15 a.m., but never later.

  • Websitemiddlechildphilly.com
  • Instagram@middlechildphiladelphia

• Favorite Pizza

  Angelo’s Pizzeria

  736 S 9th St

  

  Back in 2022, Angelo’s won our bracket for the city’s favorite Italian hoagie. Now, the South Philly takeout spot can add favorite pizzeria to its accolades. Folks wait in lines to bite into cheesy, saucy pies with crispy, puffy crust. Order pies like the Scoochamenz, with roasted long hots, hot sausage, red onion and topped with Mike’s Hot Honey post bake, or the Fungi Spinachi with baby leaf spinach and mushroom in square and circle options to share or just for you.

  • Websiteangelospizzeriasouthphiladelphia.com
  • Instagram@angelos_pizzeria_south_philly/

• Favorite Date Spot

  Friday Saturday Sunday

  261 S 21st St

  

  Inside an unassuming Rittenhouse townhouse is a James Beard award-winning fine-dining restaurant and buzzy first-floor bar. Share pretty plates of grilled quail, rich sweetbreads, and Ossetra caviar-topped crudo as you sip on wines and cocktails from an extensive beverage list. Chef-owner Chad and Hanna Williams, the husband-and-wife team behind this success story, play with complex flavors and luxury ingredients for a precise execution that’s sure to impress your date — but make your reservations in advance to score that table for two.

  • Websitefridaysaturdaysunday.com
  • Instagram@friday.saturday.sunday

• Favorite Happy Hour

  Oyster House

  1516 Sansom St

  

  You know you’re in for a good happy hour when oysters are on the menu. Servers at this Sansom Street restaurant expertly shuck oysters hailing from the Delaware Bay to Cape Cod daily. But when the clock hits 4 p.m., you’ll find those oysters for $2 a pop at the bar. Walk-in Tuesday through Friday to slurp your fill for two hours.

  • Websiteoysterhousephilly.com
  • Instagram@phloysterhouse

• Favorite Wine Bar

  Barcelona Wine Bar

  1709 E Passyunk Ave

  

  If exploring international wines is your thing, then Barcelona Wine Bar is the place for you. This national chain offers a selection of wines hailing from Spain to France. In the warm and welcoming ambiance of the East Passyunk Avenue location, sip on a sparkling wine from the Canary Islands, white from Rioja, Spain, or red from Maldonado, Uruguay as you snack on cheeses, charcuterie, tapas like crispy calamari and bacon-wrapped dates, large plates like whole roasted branzino, and more. Treat yourself to olive oil cake or burnt basque cheesecake to finish on a sweet note.

  • Website​​barcelonawinebar.com
  • Instagram@barcelonawinebar

• Favorite Burgers

  Village Whiskey

  118 S 20th St

  

  At chef Jose Garces’ Center City West restaurant, you’ll find a $32 burger, duck fat fries, and over 200 types of whiskey. Chow down on the Whiskey King burger, a fat house-blended Wagyu patty topped with maple bourbon-glazed cipollini onions and seared foie gras. For those looking for a juicy classic, there’s a double smashburger for $18. Vegetarians, the black bean and lentil patty topped with guacamole and pickled red cabbage on a seeded pan au lait roll is for you ($14).

  • Websitevillagewhiskey.com
  • Instagram@villagewhiskeyphl
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• Favorite Doughnuts

  Federal Donuts

  1219 S. Second Street

  

  People come from far and wide to the doors of Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook’s Federal Donuts shops. Glazed and decorated each morning or fried to order and tossed in flavored sugars, you can’t go wrong — not when there are spiced cake doughnuts with marshmallow glaze, dark chocolate drizzle, and graham cracker crumbs, and other flavors to enjoy. The shops, found all over the city, also serve twice-fried, super crispy chicken for those looking for a bit of savory with the sweet.

  Has multiple locations.

  • Website​​federaldonuts.com
  • Instagram@federaldonuts

• Favorite Sushi

  Royal Sushi & Izakaya

  780 S. 2nd St

  

  There’s a reason owner-chef Jesse Ito has been nominated five times for the James Beard awards. The sushi options at this Queen Village restaurant are fun and inventive, illustrating Ito’s dedication to the craft. Take the Metapod roll, which pairs wasabi flying fish roe with tuna, or the Softshell Crab, featuring fried jumbo soft shell crab and puffed rice. And that’s not to mention the omakase experience that’s often booked a month in advance, where sushi lovers pay $230 to score 17 pieces featuring hand-molded rice and rare imported fish. “The fuss is merited because Ito is simply in an omakase league of his own,” wrote Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan.

  • Website​​royalizakaya.com
  • Instagram@royal_izakaya

• Favorite Street Vendors

  Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park

  1500 Pattison Ave

  

  This open-air market at FDR Park may feel like a sensory overload at first, but as soon as you adjust you’ll understand why Food & Wine named it one of the best food markets in the nation. The Southeast Asian Market annually runs Saturdays and Sundays, spring through October. Soak in the good vibes, support a plethora of family-driven vendors, and enjoy all the eats from mango sticky rice to fresh fried pork rinds. Remember to bring your appetite and some cash.

  • Website​​fdrseamarket.com
  • Instagram@seamarket_fdrpark

• Favorite Dumplings

  Dim Sum Garden

  1020 Race St

  

  With endless dumpling options at this Chinatown favorite, ordering family-style is the way to go. Cover the table with metal steamers of pipping hot spicy pork soup, vegetable, pan-fried beef, spicy shrimp, and chicken dumplings. Add steamed vegetable buns, curry chicken cakes, and crab rangoon for some extra munchables. Bring cash and plan for a wait at this often packed bi-level restaurant on Race Street.

  • Website​​dimsumgardenphilly.com
  • Instagram@dimsumgarden

• Favorite Tacos

  South Philly Barbacoa

  1140 S 9th St

  

  At a yellow-painted building on South 9th Street, chef Cristina Martinez can be found cooking up one of the city’s best-known dishes. At the South Philly hotspot, the James Beard-award winning chef dishes out mouth-watering barbacoa, panchita, and steamed root vegetables and greens with consommé for dipping. Eating tacos at the South Philly staple is fun for visitors of all ages. Wash it all down with agua fresca and horchata.

  • Websitewww.barbacoaphilly.com
  • Instagram@barbacoachef

• Favorite Sandwich

  John’s Roast Pork

  14 E Snyder Ave

  

  Thinly-sliced pork mingles with garlicky sauteed spinach and provolone with each bite of one of the city’s best roast pork sandwiches. But it’s not the only option you’ll get at South Philly’s John’s Roast Pork. The shop, in operation since 1930, is teeming with sandwiches. Order 12-ounce cheesesteaks for $12.50, meatball subs for $8 to $11, BLTs for $8.50 to $12, and more.

  • Website​​johnsroastpork.com
  • Instagram@johnsroastpork
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• Favorite Croissant

  Artisan Boulanger Patissier

  1218 Mifflin St

  

  It’s hard to point to the “best croissant in Philadelphia,” wrote Inquirer food reporter Jenn Ladd, but Artisan Boulanger Patissier makes a good argument with its fluffy croissants. The shop’s late baker/pastry artist, Andre Chin established a legacy of French-style baking in a largely Italian neighborhood on the corner of 12th and Morris Streets, scoring a James Beard nod for the shop’s pastries.

  • Instagram@artisianbakeryphilly
  • Phone(215) 271-4688

• Favorite Kid-Friendly Restaurant

  Pizzeria Stella

  420 S 2nd St

  

  In Headhouse Square, there’s one restaurant were kids get their own seat at the table. Pizzeria Stella invites guests of all ages to feel at home with comfortable seating and a kid-friendly menu. You and your little ones can enjoy wood-oven pizzas, pastas, flatbreads, and more. And don’t forget to treat the kiddos to fried doughnuts and gelato for dessert.

  • Website​​pizzeriastella.net
  • Instagram@pizzeria_stella

• Favorite Spot for Big Groups

  Suraya

  1528 Frankford Ave

  

  If you’re looking to dine with a group of up to nine, make your reservations for Suraya’s dining room on Resy. The spacious Lebanese restaurant on Frankford Avenue is an upscale spot fit for large parties. Mezze plates like hummus and tabouli are great for sharing at the big round tables in the dining room. Order a la carte or get the “Taste of Suraya” option for $75 per person on Fridays and Saturdays and $42 for brunch reservations for a fixed selection of items. Groups of 10 or more, you’ll need to reserve your party online.

  • Websitesurayaphilly.com
  • Instagram@surayaphilly