I went to Philly for a long weekend. Luckily, with so many iconic sights to see for next to nothing — the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (to name a few) — I got to spend all my money on food.
Here’s a list of five fun restaurants/bars to dine at right now in Philadelphia, PA.
Save this for your next trip to the City of Brotherly Love. It will also come in handy if you’ll be visiting Philadelphia this year during America’s 250th anniversary celebrations!
Kalaya
The greatness of Nok Suntaranon‘s behemoth of a restaurant is no secret. Kalaya is currently ranked as the number 7 restaurant in North America by World’s 50 Best.
The dining area, which was built out of an old warehouse space, is as dashing as it is enormous, with huge potted greenery filling up the center of the room and lending a tropical vibe.
As for the food, it’s a wonderful mix of Thai dishes inspired by Suntaranon’s mother, who used to run a food stall in southern Thailand.
Do not leave the restaurant without ordering the giant river prawn.
Dancerobot
Jesse Ito’s second eatery, Dancerobot, focuses on Japanese comfort food. As is the case with so many spots in Philly, the room has a quirky layout — one half is devoted to a rocking bar area, perfect for dropping in for drinks or a few small plates, and the other half is a jam-packed dining room, where you can fill your table up with as many items that will fit.
On a weekend night, both sides will be loud and boisterous, with a young and fashionable crowd digging into one of the many plates of food that are inspired by gussied up versions of the kind of food you might cobble together at home after a night out drinking in Tokyo.
The comforting hamburg steak with a bowl of rice all day long for me, thanks.
Pietramala
While vegan food might not as be as trendy or popular as it once was in the mid 2010s, true believers are still at it, and continue to push the boundaries of what plant-based food can do. Pietramala is a vegan restaurant that earned a Michelin Green Star in 2025.
It’s a tiny sliver of a restaurant, where the open kitchen takes up most of the space in the front room and fills the air with the smoky smell of grilled vegetables. The back room is a bit more removed and all the vibes thanks to some black lights and quaint little cafe curtains lining the windows.
A Murasaki sweet potato with kosho buffalo sauce was a winner during my recent visit.
Little Water
Little Water is a charming little spot right in the heart of Rittenhouse Square that prides itself on honoring the array of seafood from across the Mid-Atlantic coast, served with intention.
If you want to live large, put in an order of the grand plateau, a feat of oysters, shrimp, scallops and more that could easily feed 4-6 people who want to snack on an array of seafood.
Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday
For some reason the details of exactly what goes down at Lovers Bar are a bit scarce online. Maybe that’s because the local’s want to keep it a secret that not only can you get drinks at Lovers Bar, but there’s also an entire a la carte food menu that allows you to get dishes that come out of the same kitchen as Friday Saturday Sunday, the One Michelin Star restaurant that sits upstairs from the bar.
Super friendly and knowledgeable bartenders. Spin the carousel to get a drink inspired by the Fibonacci sequence (!!!). Walk-ins only, get there early (20+ mins before opening) or late, for best chance at a seat.
A word to the wise: When the bartender at Lovers Bar says to get he octopus with pinto beans, you must obey.