Recently, Philadelphia was rated as the #1 city to visit in America by Lonely Planet. Although I may be biased in agreeing with this ranking since I go to Villanova University, the city's food, culture, and events really prove Lonely Planet right. Out of all the eateries I have been to in Philadelphia, here are the six I recommend the most:
Dim Sum Garden
Dim Sum Garden is a charming Chinese restaurant right in the heart of Philadelphia's own Chinatown. Getting there by train is a breeze and the restaurant is surrounded by Chinese karaoke bars and dessert shops. I found myself craving every item on the menu, and because of this, I ordered a few entrees to share with my friends. The pan fried beef potato cakes were spicy and perfectly fried, the pork dumplings were scrumptious, and the sesame chicken was out of this world. Out of everything, the best dish at Dim Sum Garden was the steamed pork soup dumplings. I had never heard of soup dumplings before and sucking soup out of dumplings seemed a little crazy, but once I bit into the dumpling, all of the wonderful flavors poured out. They were so good my friends and I had to order more and more. The prices at Dim Sum Garden were very reasonable, especially considering all of the food we were served. The food was incredible.
Misconduct Tavern
Misconduct Tavern is the perfect restaurant for anyone who is trying to soak in the special essence that Philadelphia is proud to have. The tavern has special craft beers, plenty of Cheesesteak items on the menu, and televisions surrounding the bar with games constantly playing. When I went, I was intrigued by the fun atmosphere and the variety of food they had on the menu. I split the grilled cheese and guacamole, and the salmon sliders with a two of my friends. I was not disappointed. The grilled cheese was spicy and ooey gooey, while the avocado and bacon added texture. On the other hand, the salmon sliders were perfectly cooked, delicious, and unique because of the saffron aioli that came along on the side. Misconduct Tavern is the perfect place to go if there is a good game on TV and if you are hungry for savory comfort food.
Meltkraft Grilled Cheese
Meltkraft Grilled Cheese is located in Reading Terminal Market right in Center City. In the market, there are tons of different dining options, but the one that stood out most to me was Meltkraft because all of the cheese is made on the owners' farm and, of course, because grilled cheese is always amazing. I ordered the classic grilled cheese, but nothing was classic about it. The use of fresh, artisan cheeses and bread perfectly melted together still makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Meltkraft has the best grilled cheese that I have ever had in my entire life, and I can easily say, they are probably the best in the entire universe (and this is not an exaggeration!) They also are on the list of the top 21 best grilled cheeses in America created by Thrillist if you don't believe me...
Ralph's Italian Restaurant
Ralph's Italian Restaurant was opened in Philadelphia way back in 1900. It has been passed down through five generations of Ralph's family and has had some historic visits from Theodore Roosevelt, it stands the test of time by continually proving that Ralph's has incredible Italian food. Out of all of the traditional Italian specialties that grace the menu, I chose a simple spaghetti and meatball dish, and it was amazing. It tasted just like how my Italian family makes spaghetti and meatballs, and was even better than when I had the same dish in Rome! Ralph's really gave me that "mom and pop" restaurant feel and I was happy to have a home-cooked meal at a restaurant.
The Franklin Fountain
Franklin Fountain is a quaint little ice cream and milkshake shop that I stumbled upon when I was walking around Philadelphia. At first, I thought I could just get a vanilla ice cream in a cone, but when I looked at the menu, I was surprised at all of the different flavors and specialties! There were of course the classic flavors, like chocolate and vanilla, but also on the menu appeared flavors like maple walnut, green tea, and Hydrox cookie, which sounds a little scary but it is really an old-fashioned Oreo type of cookie. There are also banana splits, milkshakes, sundaes, retro sodas, and egg creams (extra thick milkshakes.) Besides all of the exotic and delightful flavors, the decor of the shop was so adorable and really made me feel like I had traveled back in time. I ordered a scoop of the Hydrox cookie ice cream and it was so yummy that I am immediately returning the next time I go into the city.
Ishkabibble's
Last but not least is one of the best places in Philadelphia to get a classic cheesesteak- Ishkabibble's. When I first came to the city, I asked someone at the airport where the best restaurant to get a cheesesteak was, and when he recommended Ishkabibble's, he was not wrong. The cheesesteak was made to order and came to me steaming with melted cheese whiz and a side of french fries that were so crispy and heavenly. I also ordered their famous "Gremlin" drink, which was a delicious mixture of grape juice and lemonade. Ishkabibble's is definitely an underrated cheesesteak joint that deserves more press because everyone needs to know how good their cheesesteaks and fries are.
