Pennsylvania · best-of list
The 11 Best Restaurants in Pennsylvania
All 11 restaurants our route editors picked in Pennsylvania, across 7 destinations, gathered in one list. 1 spot on this list appears on more than one of our routes.
Our curated picks
11 restaurants in Pennsylvania, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Center City & Penn's Landing 3 picks
Amada
Center City & Penn's Landing · On our Philadelphia New Year's Eve route
Jose Garces's Spanish tapas restaurant on Chestnut Street in Old City, open since 2005.
Parc
Center City & Penn's Landing · On our Philadelphia New Year's Eve route
Stephen Starr's Paris-style brasserie on Rittenhouse Square, busy from breakfast to late dinner.
Tip: Ask for a window table facing the square.
Zahav
Center City & Penn's Landing · On our Philadelphia New Year's Eve route
Michael Solomonov's Israeli restaurant in Society Hill, open since 2008 and known for its hummus and lamb shoulder.
Tip: Reservations open weeks ahead; the bar holds a few walk-in seats.
Photo: Aaaahitsrach · CC BY-SA 3.0
Broad Street & South Philly 2 picks
Geno's Steaks
Broad Street & South Philly · On our Philadelphia New Year's Eve route
Pat's neon-lit rival across the intersection, open since 1966 and also open around the clock.
Photo: Wobbanight · CC0
Pat's King of Steaks
Broad Street & South Philly · On our Philadelphia New Year's Eve route
Corner stand at 9th and Passyunk where the Olivieri family says the cheesesteak began in 1930; open 24 hours.
Tip: Order fast at the window: the steak, 'wit' or 'witout' onions.
Photo: Jim.henderson · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kennett Square 2 picks
Hank's Place
Kennett Square · On our Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route
Small roadside diner at the Chadds Ford crossroads, a longtime breakfast stop near the Brandywine Museum.
Tip: Breakfast is the draw; expect a line on weekend mornings.
Talula's Table
Kennett Square · On our Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route
Market and cafe on State Street by day; at night a single farm table seats one party for a long tasting dinner.
Tip: The farm table books up months ahead; the daytime market is walk-in.
Downtown & the Cultural District 1 pick
Original Oyster House
Downtown & the Cultural District · On our Pittsburgh New Year's Eve route
Pittsburgh's oldest bar and restaurant, open on Market Square since 1870, known for oversized fish sandwiches.
Tip: Order the fish sandwich to share; it hangs well past the bun.
Photo: Cbaile19 · CC0
Lancaster 1 pick
Shady Maple Smorgasbord
Lancaster · On our Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route
Huge Pennsylvania Dutch buffet in East Earl with roast turkey, chicken pot pie, shoofly pie and dozens of other dishes.
Tip: Closed on Sundays; come hungry and skip lunch.
Photo: FossilDS · CC0
Mount Washington 1 pick
Primanti Bros.
Mount Washington · On our Pittsburgh New Year's Eve route
Original 1933 Strip District counter serving sandwiches with fries and coleslaw piled inside the bread.
Tip: Check holiday hours before you go; expect a short line at lunch.
Photo: Tom Murphy VII · Public domain
Philadelphia 1 pick
Reading Terminal Market
Philadelphia · On our Capital Cities Corridor route + 1 more
1893 market hall with Amish bakeries and Philly sandwich counters.
Tip: DiNic's roast pork with provolone and greens is the order.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 2.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in Pennsylvania?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 11 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Pennsylvania has the most restaurants on this list?
Center City & Penn's Landing has the most (3 of 11), followed by Broad Street & South Philly (2) and Kennett Square (2).
More lists for Pennsylvania
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Center City & Penn's Landing 3 on this list
- Broad Street & South Philly 2 on this list
- Kennett Square 2 on this list
- Downtown & the Cultural District 1 on this list
- Lancaster 1 on this list
- Mount Washington 1 on this list
- Philadelphia 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.