Home to a number of James Beard award-winning chefs, the contemporary Philly food scene is as diverse and dynamic as the city itself, and its offerings have received acclaim from prominent publications like Travel + Leisure, which in 2022 declared it to be “one of the most exciting destinations in the country.” Philadelphia’s culinary selections were also lavished much praise last year in an article from The Week, which said that “for sheer bloody deliciousness, ... Philly punches way above its weight.” Not to be outdone, the New York Times, in its predictions of gastronomic trends for 2024, stated that the city, indeed, is “a food town.”

As Philadelphia has been firmly established as a culinary powerhouse, let’s start off as most epicurean-minded visitors to the city do by grabbing an iconic Philly cheesesteak.

Located in South Philadelphia, Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks are perhaps the most famous purveyors of this beloved sandwich. A perfect combination of thinly-sliced ribeye and melted cheese (often Cheez Whiz or provolone) stuffed between a soft hoagie roll, the cheesesteak is a must-try for anyone visiting the city. While fierce debates rage over which establishment serves the best cheesesteak, it’s clear that both maintain a special place in the city’s food lore. Pat’s and Geno’s also speak to the fact that while Philly’s delicacies have gone through a significant transformation over the years, the local, salt-of-the-earth favorites will never go out of style.

In 2023, Philly won more James Beard Awards than any other city in the country. This includes the award for Outstanding Restaurant going to Friday Saturday Sunday, which is located in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood and specializes in New American fare. Taking home the award for Outstanding Restaurateur was Ellen Yin, founder and co-owner of the High Street Hospitality Group, which operates Fork in the Old City neighborhood (Food & Wine magazine included the establishment on its 2024 list of Best Classic Restaurants in Every State). And for the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award, honors went to Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon for her restaurant, Kalaya, which serves Thai dishes in the Fishtown neighborhood.

The profile of Philadelphia’s contemporary food scene has been boosted over the years by the likes of Michael Solomonov, whose Israeli cuisine at the much-lauded Zahav in City Center East has racked up an array of awards in the last decade — including James Beard Awards for International Cooking in 2016, Outstanding Chef in 2017 and Outstanding Restaurant in 2019. Likewise, James Beard-nominated chefs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby have garnered acclaim for their plant-based dishes at Vedge, which opened in 2011 and is similarly based in City Center East. Also operating out of City Center East is Marc Vetri, whose fine-dining Italian restaurant, Vetri Cucina, earned him the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2005.

Even as innovative, fine dining in Philadelphia is on the ascent, the city continues to deliver affordable, delicious meals influenced by various cultures. Take, for instance, the bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) phenomenon that has enabled local young chefs to open small storefront restaurants without the expense of a liquor license. The BYOB trend has made it possible for a diversity of culinary creativity to be showcased citywide at such restaurants as A Mano in the Fairmount neighborhood, which specializes in seasonal handcrafted Italian cuisine; Helm, located in the Kensington neighborhood, which serves New American fare; and Perla, which pushes out high-quality, modern Filipino dishes to customers in the East Passyunk neighborhood. 

From South Philly favorites and West Philadelphia’s Baltimore Avenue to Chinatown and Northeast Philadelphia, other cultures among many that have made their way into the city’s food scene include Indonesian, Vietnamese, Mexican, Ethiopian, Indian, Korean, Senegalese, Szechuan, Afghan and Malaysian influences. It is this kind of eclecticism that has allowed an establishment like the Lebanese-inspired Suraya (located in Fishtown) to become just as embraced as longtime stalwart DiNic’s, which is located inside the venerable Reading Terminal Market in Center City, and is famed for making “the other cheesesteak,” a roast pork Italiano sandwich topped with sharp provolone cheese and garlicky broccoli rabe.

Although Philadelphia’s food scene has changed over time, it has changed for the better, growing and becoming more international in scope. And not only does that make for an exciting time for local foodies, but foodies everywhere searching for the country’s newest dining destination.