How to Spend a Foodie Weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is steeped in history and there are so many historical sights (Liberty Bell, anyone?) to enjoy when you go. If you’re only there for a weekend, it may be hard to fit everything into your schedule that you’d like to do.
For someone like me who’s been to Philadelphia countless times though – from a road trip with my grandparents when I was little to visiting my sister and cousins who went to university there – the typical tourist trail was not the enticement. Honestly, I had coined my recent trip as a “foodie weekend in Philadelphia” because the principal inspiration for the visit was to check out the local restaurant scene.
Even for someone who likes food as much as I do, eating *all* day long is pretty impossible, so my friend and I had a short list of places to explore in between meals. Between my frequent visits and her having lived there for 6 years, this was really some of the last few things neither of us had done before.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjAeeE3Hkt8/?hl=en&taken-by=travelsavvygal
Although you may be so inspired you check these spots out on your first visit! It depends on what interests you.
And yeah, we ate really well. The “Foodie Weekend in Philadelphia” was a success!
Check out all the spots we visited below:
Things to See and Do
I honestly had never heard of this spot before planning this trip, but it is one of the most unique art museums I’ve ever visited, along with Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which I also loved. The Barnes Foundation art is displayed just as it was when its patron was alive, in room after room with whimsical designs and interspersed with antique utilitarian objects with artistic beauty.
And the collection is filled with more Renaissance masterpieces than you may have ever seen in one location before. The museum used to be in Philadelphia’s suburbs, a subject of controversy when it was moved, but is now easily accessible on the city’s museum row.
TIP! This is a pricey visit, but not only did I think it was completely worth it, you can also get discounts by becoming a Barnes Foundation member or bundling admission with other Philadelphia attractions with either the Philadelphia Pass or the Philadelphia City Pass.
Did you know that Philadelphia is home to the oldest, continuously inhabited residential street in America? Despite its historical roots, and my many previous visits to Philly, I actually learned about this spot from Instagram! I probably would have made it here sooner if Instagram had existed during my previous visits to the city, but was so glad to explore this block of houses this time around.
TIP! Various events happen throughout the year and guided tours are available Friday to Sunday and on Thursdays during summer. Options are listed HERE.
An outdoor market covering many blocks, the stands are also interspersed with brick-and-mortar shops selling Italian goodies. Stop by the Italian Market Visitor Center for a map and some helpful guidance as to which spots to check out and come hungry so you can eat your way through. And pick up some goodies to take home with you.
TIP! This was an easy stroll from the Philadelphia Magic Gardens (see below).
TIP! It was accidental that I stumbled upon the annual Italian Market Festival the one weekend I happened to be in town, but it was filled with vendors and music and all sorts of entertainment, including the absolutely insane Grease Pole Climbing competition:
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens has only been open to the public since 2008, so this was actually my first visit to the city since it opened. Artist Isaiah Zagar had been beautifying this section of the South Street neighborhood since the 1960s, turning an eclectic combination of objects like tiles and glass bottles into a giant outdoor art installation with winding passageways and stairs linking different sections.
It is quite the experience to stroll through it all, this is definitely one of those places you need to see for yourself!
TIP! There are timed tickets that are sold beginning a month ahead of time. I visited on a Sunday in May and was only able to get tickets for about an hour after I waited in line, so if you are on a tight schedule or it is peak tourist season, I’d recommend buying tickets in advance.
TIP! This was an easy stroll from the Italian Market (see above).
There are beautiful murals all over Philadelphia as part of this revitalization project. If you go to the website linked above, you can download an easy-to-navigate map showing the location of the different artworks. I did not follow the trail, but if you are strolling the city and keeping your eyes open, you’re likely to spot quite a few of these to appreciate as I did.
Where to Eat and Drink
This coffee spot is very fancy about its beans and blends, and although its only been around since 2010, has racked up national accolades for its coffee roasting, barista skills, and cold brew coffee. The blend I sampled was good although not my favorite, but it was a solid sip to go with the definite hipster vibe at the Elixr Center City location, one of three outposts in the city. This is a Philadelphia chain that is popping up in several American cities, but with good reason – the coffee here is delicious! There are 5 locations across Philadelphia (I visited the one in Dilworth Plaza) and it served my favorite coffee of my visit. There are great espresso-based coffee drinks that are not too acidic, so just the way I like it. Chinese food is a must on any foodie weekend in Philadelphia, and this is one of the few highly-rated spots outside of Chinatown, and very close to the Barnes Foundation (see above), which is how I ended up here. Although the space is basic and it’s located on a strip mall stretch, there were some very delicious bites. For dim sum, there are plenty of options, and if you’re indecisive like I can be, they also offer a dim sum sampler. And you know they’re serious about their food when the waitress patiently explains which dipping sauce goes with which dim sum item, which appealed to the sensibility I developed living in Italy – that there is one best way that food is intended to be consumed for maximum enjoyment. TIP! All that said, I’ve enjoyed even better dim sum in Philly’s Chinatown, and would only seek out this spot if you’ll be in the area anyway. This spot has fun flavor combinations iced like your typical donut, but what the staff recommended to me was the freshly fried original style dipped into a choice of 3 toppings: cookies and cream, cinnamon brown sugar, and strawberry lavender. It was so good to have the piping hot, yeasty, freshly fried donut that I would probably order this one again on any return visit. I’ve also heard great things about their wings, but I visited earlier in the morning and they weren’t serving them yet. TIP! Go at or after 11am to sample their fried chicken wings with your donuts. Benedicts here range from more traditional versions with crab cakes or smoked salmon to a short rib benedict, root vegetable benedict, and chicken-and-waffles benedict option. Even more elaborate are the flavored french toasts like pecan pie, salted caramel banana, or the ever-tempting cookie dough stuffed french toast. This wasn’t blow-my-mind amazing, but the food is very good, and it is worth going for the variety and unusual combinations you’ve probably never seen on another brunch menu anywhere else! TIP! Expect a wait, although the earlier you go after they open, the faster you’ll get seated. The food here is both beautiful and delicious and is such a great value for the haute cuisine quality of the dishes coming out of the kitchen, and was a memorable first meal of our foodie weekend in Philadelphia. The signature Amish chicken (or half-chicken) is fantastic, and was a highlight of the evening – and this is from someone who doesn’t usually order chicken out at a restaurant! Besides the one big dish, my friend and I just divided some small plates, which were really exceptional bites and beautifully plated. The cocktails were well-balanced and delicious, and there was a very good selection of wines by the glass. I thought it would be an older, stuffier crowd, but it turned out to be a mix that included a lot of young professionals and very friendly, approachable, and helpful wait staff to guide us along the way. They definitely earned their many accolades, including a 2017 James Beard award for the chef. How to Reserve Option 1: By phone, 90 days in advance Option 2: On the OpenTable website, 60 days in advance, opens at midnight US Eastern time Option 3: If you can’t find options you like online, call the restaurant at any point → I made plans less than 60 days in advance, so after not finding good options online, I called and was able to get a Friday night reservation at 7:30pm around 45 days ahead of time. One of the first high-end dining destinations featuring Israeli cuisine, this restaurant was THE REASON for my Philadelphia foodie weekend. Zahav has made it to Eater’s list of the “38 Essential Restaurants in America” for all four years the list has been compiled, which is probably a footnote compared to some of its other accolades. Dishes are available a la carte or with the Taste of Zahav offering small plates, salads, and a large fish or meat or vegetable dish from the coals for $48 per person. But at just a little more pricewise, what you really want to do while you’re here is enjoy the $56 Chef’s tasting with the Chef Solomonov’s signature pomegranate-glazed lamb shoulder, one of my best bites of recent memory. Even the rice has detailed touches, and it was all so perfect together. You definitely want to eat here on a foodie weekend in Philadelphia – or any trip to the city, really! TIP! I recommend snagging a reservation on the earlier side if you can, otherwise trying your luck in person on the day, as the most popular dishes (the lamb shoulder!) will sell out nightly around 7:15pm – or even earlier – since so many people order it. TIP! I’ve done plenty of wine tasting in Israel, and while Zahav’s wine list boasts excellent Israeli options, I found the Israeli wines to be a bit over-priced and the lesser-known Lebanese Bekaa Valley selections to be much better value for a delicious bottle. How to Reserve Option 1: On the OpenTable website, 60 days in advance, opens at midnight US Eastern time Option 2: If you can’t find options you like online, call the restaurant to likely be added to a wait list Option 3: Be a walk-in on the evening you’d like to dine. → You can put your name down on the walk-in list around 4:30pm, even though the restaurant does not open until 5pm. One option is to stick around and eat right when they open at 5. The other option (which I took advantage of) is to put your name down, go do other things around town, and come back when most of the seats turn over between 7:00-7:30pm. Since it’s just a running wait list all night, be sure to let the host or hostess know your plans and give them another heads up when you return. My friend and I arrived back a few minutes after 7pm and got seats overlooking the open kitchen within 5 minutes. TIP! Between 4:40 and 7:00pm, I stopped by Elfreth’s Alley (see above) and then Sassasfras Bar (see below). Another nearby option to enjoy yourself while you wait for a later dinner time is the even closer, historical City Tavern that still brews old time beer recipes from the time of Founding Fathers, so if you’re more of a beer fan (or just curious like I will be when I return to Zahav to eat again!) it’s another convenient option. I visited in summertime, and Capogiro was definitely recommended to me most often in terms of ice cream or gelato places around Philadelphia. Although it was not quite as good as my Favorite Gelato Places in Italy, Capogiro serves a delicious gelato made in the traditional Italian style and was some of the best I’ve had outside of Europe. TIP! Some flavors were better than others (the pistachio was great!) so I recommend trying a few before deciding what flavor combination to order. The Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company was a front for America’s largest alcohol bootlegging operation during Prohibition, and the space operates these days as a speakeasy. Travel + Leisure even mentions it in their article about Philadelphia being a foodie destination. There’s now an “Upstairs Bar” that is tiki-themed, which is where most people head, although the cocktails there were a bit hit or miss. The real fun is at the speakeasy downstairs, with pretty interesting drink combinations and the dark, windowless vibe you’d expect from a speakeasy. TIP! There is one bouncer for both levels, who will point you to the Tiki Bar unless you know to specifically ask about the speakeasy. TIP! The wait doesn’t tend to be terribly long, and the bouncer can give you a pretty accurate idea of how long to expect. Close to Zahav (see ‘Dinner’ section above), this was a good place to spend time before dinner, and is a bar worth seeking out in its own right. There are innovative cocktails that change seasonally and the bartenders are very accommodating if you want to order a drink off-menu. It’s a pretty laid back vibe for a bar with great cocktails, with sports showing on the many TVs during my visit. You may find that an AirBNB is not as great a deal as you’ll find in other cities, especially if you want to stay near the center of Philadelphia. There are limited spots available, and your options will be priced accordingly. Look early for the best prices, and this can be a way to get more of a local perspective on the city. If you’ve never tried AirBNB before, click THIS LINK to get a $40 credit after your first AirBNB stay! This is my go-to website for finding great deals, and there is often a generous cancellation policy with bookings. You can sort options by ratings or price and get a sense of what is available on your dates. Search Booking.com Now Have you ever planned a trip for the food? What are your favorite foodie cities? Any other destinations I should check out on my next foodie weekend in Philadelphia? 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Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch
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Where to Stay
