Philadelphia Travel Guide
Eating Philadelphia
What to eat and where — the cheesesteak argument decoded, the roast pork sandwich locals prefer, Reading Terminal and the Italian Market, soft pretzels and water ice, and the BYOB dining culture that makes Philly dinners a bargain.
Philadelphia eats better than its sandwiches suggest, but the sandwiches are where to start. The city's food identity is built on working-class classics, immigrant neighborhoods and two historic markets, and over the last two decades it has added one of the most interesting restaurant scenes on the East Coast. Here is how to eat it well.
The cheesesteak, decoded. Thinly sliced beef cooked on a flat-top, piled into a long roll, topped with cheese — provolone, American or the processed cheese sauce locals call Whiz — and, if you want, fried onions. Ordering is a ritual: say the cheese and then "wit" or "witout" for onions, and have your money ready at the busiest counters. The most famous corner is Ninth Street and Passyunk Avenue at the south end of the Italian Market, where Pat's King of Steaks, which claims to have invented the steak sandwich in 1930, faces Geno's across the intersection under its blaze of neon. Both are worth seeing; many locals will steer you elsewhere for a better sandwich, with Dalessandro's in Roxborough and John's Roast Pork in South Philadelphia among the names you will hear. Reading Terminal Market has several counters if you want to tick the box conveniently.
The roast pork sandwich. Ask enough Philadelphians and many will say this, not the cheesesteak, is the city's best sandwich: thin-sliced, juicy roast pork with sharp provolone and garlicky broccoli rabe on a seeded roll. DiNic's at Reading Terminal Market is the most accessible place to try it, and John's Roast Pork in South Philadelphia is a pilgrimage for devotees. Split one with a cheesesteak and decide for yourself.
Reading Terminal Market. Open daily from 8am to 6pm under the former Reading Railroad train shed since 1893, the market has nearly 80 merchants and was named the best public market in America for 2026 by USA Today 10Best readers. Graze rather than sit down: Pennsylvania Dutch stands for apple dumplings, whoopie pies and hand-rolled soft pretzels (most closed Sundays), DiNic's for roast pork, Bassetts for ice cream, plus butchers, cheese counters and stalls covering cuisines from soul food to Thai. Weekday mornings are calm; weekend lunch is crowded, so send one person to hold seats.
The Italian Market. South Ninth Street's open-air market is one of the oldest and largest in America, and walking it is the best food tour in the city. Start with coffee and a pastry, taste cheese at Di Bruno Bros, pick up seeded bread at Sarcone's Bakery, and work your way south past old-line butchers, a historic spice shop and the taquerias and barbacoa kitchens run by the Mexican families who are now the heart of the market. Ralph's, one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country, is on the block. Go Tuesday to Saturday mornings for the full scene, and bring cash for smaller stands.
Snacks and sweets. Soft pretzels, twisted into a figure-eight and sold by the bag, are the classic morning snack; buy them fresh. Water ice — a smooth Italian ice — is the summer essential, sold at corner stands across the city. Tastykakes, the local packaged cakes, are in every corner store. Italian bakeries in South Philadelphia, such as Termini Bros, are famous for cannoli and cookies. Tomato pie — thick, room-temperature, sauce-topped pizza without cheese — turns up at South Philadelphia bakeries and parties.
The BYOB city. Pennsylvania's liquor licenses are expensive and scarce, so Philadelphia has an unusually large number of excellent bring-your-own-bottle restaurants, especially small chef-run places in South Philadelphia, Fairmount and Queen Village. Bring a bottle from a state wine store, pay little or no corkage, and dinner costs far less than in New York or Washington. Check whether a restaurant is BYOB when you book.
Where the restaurant scene lives. Rittenhouse Square and the blocks around it have the densest concentration of polished restaurants and wine bars. East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia is a walkable restaurant row with a neighborhood feel. Fishtown, north of Old City, is the trend-setting district for new restaurants and bars. Chinatown, by the Convention Center, is excellent for dim sum, noodles and late-night meals, and Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia has some of the best Vietnamese food on the East Coast. Zahav, Michael Solomonov's modern Israeli restaurant in Society Hill, is the most famous dining room in the city and books up weeks ahead.
Hotel dining worth knowing. Jean-Georges Philadelphia at the top of the Four Seasons is the special-occasion view dinner; the Mary Cassatt Tea Room at The Rittenhouse serves afternoon tea daily; and Aqimero under the Ritz-Carlton's rotunda turns breakfast into an architectural event.
A one-day food crawl. Breakfast at Reading Terminal Market with a soft pretzel and coffee; a mid-morning roast pork at DiNic's to share; walk or ride to the Magic Gardens, then graze the Italian Market through the afternoon; a cheesesteak at Ninth and Passyunk as the late-afternoon snack; then a BYOB dinner on East Passyunk Avenue. Finish with water ice if it is summer, or a nightcap in Rittenhouse if it is not.
Etiquette and tips. Do not ask for a cheesesteak with Swiss at the classic stands; just enjoy the theater. Tip at counters as you would elsewhere in the US. Expect lines at peak hours and walk-up-only service at most sandwich shops. And whatever you eat, someone will tell you where it is better — ask them, and add it to the list.