Food · Philadelphia · United States
What to eat in Philadelphia
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Philadelphia, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 颐园居, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Cheesesteak, Roast pork sandwich and Hoagie. Share a roast pork sandwich, a Pennsylvania Dutch pretzel, a slice of shoofly pie and a Bassetts cone between two or three people to taste the city's classics in one lunch. Check whether a restaurant is BYOB before you go; many small places have no licence and welcome your own bottle, sometimes with a small corkage fee.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Cheesesteak
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for…
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Cheesesteak
Thin-sliced ribeye griddled and piled into a long roll with Cheez Whiz, provolone or American cheese. Order like a local: 'one Whiz wit' means Cheez Whiz with fried onions, 'witout' means none.
Where: Pat's and Geno's face each other at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue; many locals prefer neighbourhood shops and the stalls in Reading Terminal Market.
Dish
2.Roast pork sandwich
Many Philadelphians rate this above the cheesesteak: thin-sliced roast pork in its juices with sharp provolone and garlicky broccoli rabe on a seeded Italian roll.
Where: DiNic's in Reading Terminal Market and John's Roast Pork in South Philadelphia are the best-known addresses.
Dish
3.Hoagie
Philadelphia's name for a long sub sandwich, declared the city's official sandwich in 1992. The Italian version layers salami, capicola and provolone with lettuce, tomato, onion, oil and oregano on a fresh roll.
Where: Italian delis in South Philly and the Italian Market, and Wawa convenience stores across the region.
Snack · Vegetarian
4.Soft pretzel
Philadelphia pretzels are baked in a figure-eight shape and sold in joined strips, best warm with yellow mustard. Locals eat them as a breakfast or school snack.
Where: Street vendors on Center City corners, pretzel bakeries and the Pennsylvania Dutch stalls in Reading Terminal Market.
Dessert · Vegetarian
5.Water ice
The city's smooth Italian ice, scooped in flavours like lemon, cherry and mango. A 'gelati' layers water ice with soft-serve custard.
Where: Corner stands across South Philly and the Rita's chain, which started in nearby Bensalem; most are seasonal from spring to early autumn.
Bakery · Vegetarian
6.Tomato pie
A thick, focaccia-like square of dough topped with sweet, chunky tomato sauce and little or no cheese, eaten at room temperature. It is party food and bakery-counter food rather than restaurant pizza.
Where: Italian bakeries in South Philadelphia and the Northeast, sold by the slice or the sheet.
Breakfast
7.Scrapple
A Pennsylvania Dutch loaf of pork trimmings and cornmeal, sliced and fried until crisp outside and soft inside. It is served with eggs, often with ketchup or maple syrup.
Where: Diners and breakfast counters across the city, including the breakfast stalls in Reading Terminal Market.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Shoofly pie
A Pennsylvania Dutch molasses pie with a crumb topping, either 'wet-bottom' and gooey or drier and cake-like. It pairs well with black coffee.
Where: Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch bakery stalls in Reading Terminal Market, and farm stands in Lancaster County.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Tastykake
Packaged cakes made in Philadelphia since 1914; Butterscotch Krimpets and chocolate Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes are the local favourites and a nostalgic souvenir.
Where: Every convenience store and supermarket in the region.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Bassetts ice cream
A family ice-cream company founded in the 1860s, with a marble counter in Reading Terminal Market since the market opened in 1893. Flavours run from butter pecan to Irish coffee.
Where: The Bassetts counter in Reading Terminal Market.
Food experiences
Reading Terminal Market grazing
Share a roast pork sandwich, a Pennsylvania Dutch pretzel, a slice of shoofly pie and a Bassetts cone between two or three people to taste the city's classics in one lunch.
The cheesesteak face-off
Pat's and Geno's sit across 9th and Passyunk under neon signs; try one from each, then compare with a neighbourhood shop elsewhere to decide where you stand on Whiz versus provolone.
East Passyunk dinner
East Passyunk Avenue in South Philly has a long run of small chef-owned restaurants, many of them BYOB, which keeps dinner bills lower than in Center City.
BYOB culture
Pennsylvania's liquor licences are expensive, so many small Philadelphia restaurants let you bring your own wine. Buy a bottle at a state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits store before dinner.
Quick bites and street food
- Soft pretzel — Street vendors on Center City corners, pretzel bakeries and the Pennsylvania Dutch stalls in Reading Terminal Market.
- Tomato pie — Italian bakeries in South Philadelphia and the Northeast, sold by the slice or the sheet.
- Scrapple — Diners and breakfast counters across the city, including the breakfast stalls in Reading Terminal Market.
- Tastykake — Every convenience store and supermarket in the region.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Soft pretzel, Water ice, Tomato pie, Shoofly pie, Tastykake and Bassetts ice cream. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Check whether a restaurant is BYOB before you go; many small places have no licence and welcome your own bottle, sometimes with a small corkage fee.
- Wine and spirits are sold in state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores and some supermarkets, not in corner shops.
- Book popular Center City and East Passyunk restaurants a few days ahead for Friday and Saturday nights.
- Reading Terminal Market is busiest at weekday lunch and on weekends; go mid-morning for shorter queues.
- Sales tax is added at the register and an 18–20% tip is expected at sit-down restaurants, so the final bill is well above menu prices.
Tipping
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Wit / witout | With or without fried onions (cheesesteak order) |
| Jawn | All-purpose word for a thing, place or event |
| Down the shore | Going to the New Jersey beaches |
| Wooder | Local pronunciation of 'water' |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Philadelphia famous for?
Cheesesteak, Roast pork sandwich, Hoagie and Soft pretzel. Thin-sliced ribeye griddled and piled into a long roll with Cheez Whiz, provolone or American cheese.
+Is Philadelphia good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Soft pretzel, Water ice and Tomato pie.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Philadelphia?
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.