Philadelphia
The place where my food journey all began for me is John’s Roast Pork. I didn’t think I would ever eat something better for a LONG time. Luckily, I did, and that is kind of how this all started to be honest. Philly is an amazing food city, with lots of good grub all over. But when you are in Philadelphia, your journey must start and end with cheesesteaks. I will not compromise on that ever. So, while there are great restaurants all over the city I call home, I will be sticking mainly to cheesesteaks with a small dabbling of pizza places as well. Obviously, I am from Philly so I will tell you once, DO NOT GO TO PAT’s AND GENO’s, they are trash. Do you want to know where to go to get a cheesesteak? That is what I am here for. Enjoy the read.
Cheesesteaks
Rank: 28
You are in Philly; you are getting yourself a cheesesteak whether you like it or not. And you simply cannot miss out on John’s. John is a master on the grill and, hands down, makes the best cheesesteak in the city. Since you are in Philly, you know it is the best cheesesteak in the world. The roast pork is also good, but come on, you NEED the cheesesteak. Not a single person I know who has had this cheesesteak has even attempted to argue that is not the best cheesesteak on the planet. While I cannot recommend John’s enough, as a Philly boy, I think this really is a must for anyone visiting or who has not had the pleasure of living in the city. They are closed on Sundays and Mondays and have been known to run out of bread or steaks, so to secure yourself the best cheesesteak and one of the best meals, I have had the pleasure of devouring. Make sure to plan ahead to ensure you get a taste of the most delicious meal in the city.
Pizza/Cheesesteaks
Rank: 84
Angelo’s really should start including cheesesteaks in their name because you need to get both pizza and cheesesteaks when you go. A large pepperoni pizza and a cheesesteak is a combination that is truly unmatched. The best pizza in the city AND the 2nd best cheesesteak in the city combine for a remarkable experience. Angelo’s does not have a website, and calling ahead is the only way to place an order. Along with that, they are ALWAYS busy, and their phone is extremely hard to get into. I sat around with 5 friends, calling continuously until we got through in order to secure our meal. I highly recommend you set aside a good 10-15 minutes to just call Angelo’s and then another 30-40 for your food to be ready. It is definitely worth the effort, and I highly recommend swinging by for amazing pizza and cheesesteak that puts much of Philly(besides John’s) to shame.
Italian/Crispy Gnocchi
Rank: 88
Not only are cheesesteaks noteworthy in Philly, but Ambrosia is our first addition to the list of non-cheesesteak dineries in Philadelphia. Ambrosia is an Italian joint near Rittenhouse Square, and it offers a delectable menu that will satisfy anyone craving Italian fare.
I am confident this entire menu is delicious, but if I were you, I would go out of my way to destroy the bowl of crispy gnocchi. The goat cheese is absolutely delicious and pairs beautifully with the pancetta, mushrooms, and squash.
Falafel
Rank: 121
There are a few Goldies around Philly, and if they all cook up the same high-quality Falafel that the Goldie near Rittenhouse Square does then the whole city is in for a treat. This is some of the best falafel I have had in my life, their sauce is incredible, and their falafel balls have the perfect crunch. I highly recommend just sticking to the falafel sandwich as there is not much more you might need in your life.
Cheesesteaks
Rank: 160
The most iconic of the cheesesteak joints in the city. Jim’s is on South Street, where you want to be on a night out in Philly, and with Jim’s open late, serving amazing steaks until the wee hours of the morning, it is accessible and always worth a stop. When going to Jim’s, get ready for the iconic cheesesteak with cheese whiz, but I HIGHLY recommend ordering with extra whiz because without it is a little dry in my opinion, but with the extra whiz, it is easily the third best steak in the city/world. Without extra whiz, it is still good, but it is not elite. Either way, expect an amazing atmosphere, historic location, and a line around the block at all hours of the day.
Deli/Pizza Steak
Rank: 162
How could you not fall in love with a small family-run deli in South Philly? Here the mom, dad, son, and daughter run most of the show, and they kill the entire affair. From amazing cheesesteaks to killer cutlets, this deli really has it all.
I would say that any sandwich you select from Dorlores would suit you right for a Sunday Birds game, but I do have to make a special call out to their pizza steak. I had never before had a pizza steak that was worth making this list until the fateful afternoon I devoured Dolores’. I would say trying a pizza steak here is a must, along with perusing their other fantastic options as well.
Mexican/Cemitas
Rank: 166
A Mexican spot in Philly!? This may seem sacrilegious as a native to Tucson these days, but to my chagrin Philly has not one but two noteworthy Mexican restaurants. Chingon boasts a wide array of options, but I recommend devouring their Cemitas here. It is a glorious Mexican sandwich. I have faith that whatever you choose will suit your fancy, the Arrachera Tatemada Al Pastor that I had was great, but I don’t think you could go wrong with any of these Cemitas.
Cheesesteaks
Rank: 191
Yet another place to devour cheesesteaks in the land of cheesesteaks. Cleavers is another cheesesteak joint on the list that serves all their sandwiches on seeded rolls, similar to Angelo’s and John’s(the top two on the list, among others). That should show you that Cleavers knows what they are doing here. While it is clearly not at the top of my rankings for the best cheesesteak on the planet, it is in the top 5. If you are in the Rittenhouse Square area and can’t make it to South Philly, then Cleavers is where you need to go, as everything else in my top 5 is in South Philly.
Baklawa Pancakes
Rank: 239
Café La Maude is an amazing place in Philly that has great brunch. And I usually like sticking to the breakfast items on most brunches. And while I did that here, I would say feel free to cast aside the bowlines. The lunch options looked phenomenal. However, among the breakfast options, I tried the Baklawa Pancakes, which were the best, but not by a CRAZY amount. The bananas hit home for me, as I love them, as did the blueberries, but I also want to note that all of the options at Café La Maude are amazing.
Cheesesteaks
Rank: 244
A fantastic cheesesteak joint that recently opened up in Old City boasts to have the best cheesesteak in Old City. And they are spot on with that call. While it is not nearly a top joint in the city, it is quite delicious, and while you are in Old City seeing everything Philly has to offer historically, stopping in for a cheesesteak at Old Brother will surely help you understand just how impossible it is for any other place to capture the iconic Philly meal.
White Pizza
Rank: 278
Pizza Shackamaxon is an interesting place for me to rank. I rarely enjoy white pizza, and if I do, I never like it more than the tomato variations from the same place. However, Pizza Shackamaxon is an exception to this rule. The white pizza here is so damn good, AND it is a fair amount better than any of the tomato variations. The tomato pie here is also great, and I would recommend it for those craving red sauce.
Cheesesteaks
Rank: 285
One of the most historic cheesesteaks in the city is found at the original Tony Luke’s. I beg of you not to order one in the ballpark if you want an actual Philly steak. The original location is the spot to go for a great steak if you are in South Philly, and Angelo’s and John’s are closed. If you are going to a sports game on a Sunday or Monday, come to Tony Luke’s fill-up before the game. Then, at the game, just get yourself some crab fries and eye up Jim’s or another spot on the list. I also recommend the cheese fries here if you are looking for something to share and want a little more than one steak but don’t think you could muster two down.
Pizza
Rank: 293
The 3rd best pizza in the city, right down the street from Angelo’s in South Philly. The square pizza is absolutely delicious and while you are in Philly cheesesteaks are highly recommended, of course, a good pizza can be found at Santucci’s. The accessibility of Santucci's hours makes it very reliable to secure an amazing pie. The pizza has an amazing mix of sauce and cheese, and of course, the pepperoni is great on this pie; definitely worth checking out if you have the time.
Vietnamese/Bahn Mi
Rank: 299
It should be no surprise that the Bahn Mi at QT Vietnamese is the best thing to order here. The QR Special has my heart since it has the most variety of meat. You are welcome to veer in a separate direction if you see another Bahn Mi that entices you. However, I think straying from the Bahn Mi’s would be a mistake at QT.
Bakery/Cannoli
Rank: 304
Termini Bros. Bakery is another one of those spots that have a few locations around Philly, and if the other locations are up to the same par as the one in Reading Terminal Market, you will be happy with your Cannoli selections all over town. I clearly went to the location in Reading Terminal Market, which is an iconic marketplace in Philadelphia, and even though I do not have any other noteworthy spots in the market, the cannoli here are sure to suffice your food cravings from a must-stop in Philly.
Cheesesteaks
Rank: 303
The last spot on my list in my Philly is another great cheesesteak spot, and if you can’t tell yet, please do not go to Pat’s and Geno’s, they are horrible tourist traps. Dalessandro’s has a good cheesesteak and is another iconic Philly staple. I would definitely recommend it, but if you can swing every other restaurant on this list first, I definitely recommend it.
Mexican
Rank: 308
South Philly Barbacoa is the second of two noteworthy Mexican spots I have found in Philly, which is still a surprise to me living in Tucson. Even though this ranks so low in my rankings overall, if you are craving Mexican food in Philly, this is one of two spots that I can vouch for having quality Mexican food this far away from Mexico.
Places I haven’t tried but came up in research:
1. Pizza Jawn(Detroit style)
2. O Sole Mio(Italian)
3. Pitruco(pizza)