The 10 Most Popular Restaurants in Philadelphia
The most-booked spots in the City of Brotherly Love...
Philadelphia’s reputation as a premier food-and-dining destination is increasingly well-known — and increasingly well-documented in national newspapers and magazines such as Bon Appetit , Food & Wine , The New York Times , The Washington Post , GQ and many, many others.
But which of the city’s restaurants are the most popular? Where are travelers and residents dining daily?
Here’s a list of the most-booked restaurants in Philadelphia, according to OpenTable , the popular restaurant reservation website and app.
Check out which restaurants made the top 10 below and then start making your plans to visit one of Philly’s most popular restaurants soon.
Diners may feel as though they’ve gone transatlantic while hanging out at Parc , a Parisian-inspired bistro from prolific and James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Stephen Starr. Perched at tables across from Rittenhouse Square , diners can take in views of the park’s ever-present foot traffic while supping on the restaurant’s crusty fresh breads, onion soup and mussels simmered in white wine, shallots and garlic.
Where: Parc, 227 S.18th Street
Born of Chester County ’s famed Talula’s Table, this farm-to-table destination feels like the country — especially during warm months, when the planted courtyard is in bloom — right between city buildings and across the street from historic Washington Square . Dinner and Sunday brunch offer seasonal menus that star an extensive cheese selection.
Restaurateurs Aimee Olexy and Stephen Starr team up again — much to their fans’ delight — for this bilevel restaurant and bar . The American menu features fresh, seasonal food, as well as the most important ingredient: the love.
Where: The Love, 130 S. 18th Street
El Vez
Inventive guacamole, tuna tostadas, tacos and specialty margaritas are menu highlights at this bright and buzzing Mexican spot , which features a shiny lowrider bicycle centerpiece above its circular bar. Bartenders pour an impressive selection of mezcal, plus blanco, reposado and añejo tequilas.
Where: El Vez, 121 S. 13th Street
Modeled after the contemporary gastropubs in Britain, The Dandelion is a cozy eatery that invites Anglophiles to imbibe cask-stored pints and dine on delicious Welsh rarebit, an English cheddar-adorned burger or sticky toffee pudding. And, since a British-inspired restaurant would not be complete without afternoon tea, pots of tea with traditional fixings are available daily.
The authentic Fogo De Chao Brazilian Steakhouse began more than 35 years ago in Brazil and features fire-roasted meats carved table-side by gaucho chefs, gourmet salads and sides, and an award-winning wine list.
Double Knot
This buzzed-about, multi-personality eatery does everything right. As a cafe for morning coffee, a place to grab Asian-inspired banh mi, rice and noodle bowls for lunch — and an absolutely stunning underground izakaya for dinner and drinks — chef Michael Schulson’s dream project is a delicious juggernaut.
Chef Michael Schulson’s 95-seat eatery is a feast for the eyes, with reclaimed timber and distressed metal accents. Guests dine on modern Asian small plates served from the open-air kitchen. Outside, the venue’s hidden Graffiti Bar is a stylish setting for alfresco drinks and snacks.
Where: Sampan, 124 S. 13th Street
This retro restaurant-bar , named for chef Marcie Turney’s restaurateur grandparents, revives American classics such as meatloaf, wedge salads and cheese curds, pairing them with cocktails like the Lakeside, vodka with lime juice, mint and violet, and Marilyn’s O-F, a brandy Old Fashioned.
Philly food forces Michael Schulson and the Termini bakery family joined up to serve old-school Italian in this bilevel space . The ground floor houses a casual luncheonette with table and counter seating, while the basement level is a sprawling and elegant lounge, filled with cozy nooks, plush booths and sunken corners.
The Perfect Hotel Package for an Easy Philly Escape
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
