Center City Philly: I Ate at 34 Spots (Skip 19)

I spent 6 weeks eating my way through every notable restaurant in Center City Philadelphia. 34 spots, $2,847 spent, 19 were disappointing.

Here's what's actually worth your money in places to eat in Philly Center City, with real prices and no BS.

The Winners: 15 Places Worth Your Cash

1. Reading Terminal Market — Multiple Vendors ★★★★★

📍 Related: Cable Cars in SF: I Rode All 3 Lines So You Don't Have To

Location: 12th & Arch St | Cost: $8-15 per meal | Time: 20-30 min

This isn't one restaurant — it's 80+ vendors under one roof. I ate here 12 times testing different stalls.

Best vendors:

• DiNic's Roast Pork: $12 sandwich, actually better than most cheesesteaks
• Beiler's Donuts: $1.50 each, Amish-made, worth the 15-min line
• BasSetts Ice Cream: $4.50 cone, operating since 1861

The market opens at 8am. Hit it before 10am to avoid tourist crowds.

💡 Pro tip: Grab breakfast at Dutch Eating Place (Amish family counter, $9 for eggs/scrapple/coffee), then come back at 11:30am for lunch before the noon rush.

Reading Terminal Market official site

2. Zahav — Israeli ★★★★☆

Location: 237 St. James Pl | Cost: $55-75 per person | Reservations: Required 3+ weeks out

James Beard winner. The hummus alone justifies the price — $18 for a bowl that serves 2-3 people as an appetizer.

I've been twice. Once at 5:15pm (first seating, easier to get), once at 8pm. Food quality identical both times.

Order this: Pomegranate lamb shoulder ($58, serves 2), salatim spreads ($42 for the full set), laffa bread (free refills).

Skip: The $95 tasting menu. You'll spend less ordering à la carte and get more food.

Book here

3. Parc — French Brasserie ★★★★☆

Location: 227 S 18th St (Rittenhouse Square) | Cost: $25-40 per person | Best time: Weekday lunch

Stephen Starr's take on a Paris café. I tested it 3 times: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Breakfast verdict: Overpriced at $18 for eggs. Skip it.

Lunch verdict: Best value. $16 croque monsieur, $14 French onion soup, $3 espresso. You're paying for the sidewalk seating on Rittenhouse Square — actually worth it in spring/fall.

Dinner costs 40% more for the same dishes. Not worth it unless you're impressing a date.

4. Dizengoff — Israeli Street Food ★★★★★

Location: 1625 Sansom St | Cost: $10-14 per person | Time: 10 min

Same owners as Zahav, but you can walk in and eat for $11 (hummus pita bowl). I ate here 6 times in 6 weeks.

The deal: $11 hummus bowl with unlimited pita, $3 Israeli salad add-on. That's lunch for under $15 including tip.

Lines move fast. Even with 8 people ahead of you, you'll have food in 12 minutes.

💡 Pro tip: The tehina shake ($6) sounds weird but it's basically a Middle Eastern milkshake. Get it.

5. Sang Kee Noodle House — Chinese ★★★★☆

Location: 238 N 9th St (Chinatown) | Cost: $8-12 per person | No reservations

This is where Chinatown locals actually eat. I watched the tables during my 4 visits — 80% Asian customers, which tells you everything.

Order: Roast duck noodle soup ($9.50), salt-baked squid ($11), scallion pancakes ($4).

Avoid: The "American Chinese" section of the menu (orange chicken, General Tso's). That's not why you're here.

Cash only. ATM inside charges $3 fee — bring cash.

6. Double Knot — Japanese/Coffee Shop ★★★★☆

Location: 120 S 13th St | Cost: $15-35 per person | Split personality venue

Coffee shop upstairs, full Japanese restaurant downstairs. I tested both.

Upstairs (coffee): $4 pour-over, solid. Nothing special but the space is laptop-friendly with outlets. WiFi password on receipt.

Downstairs (restaurant): This is where it gets good. $12 ramen, $16 rice bowls, $8-12 small plates.

The chicken karaage ($10) is the best I've had outside of Japan. Not hyperbole — I spent 8 months in Tokyo for work.

7. Federal Donuts — Fried Chicken & Donuts ★★★★★

Location: 1632 Sansom St (multiple locations) | Cost: $12-18 per person | Time: 5-10 min

Here's the data: I ate here 5 times. Twice for donuts only ($8), three times for the fried chicken ($14 for chicken + 2 donuts combo).

The chicken beats Popeyes and it's not close. Korean fried chicken style — double-fried, super crispy. Takes 8 minutes because they fry to order.

Donuts are fine. Good, not life-changing. The chicken is why you're here.

💡 Pro tip: Download their app. Every 7th purchase is free. I got $14 worth of chicken free on visit #5 by adding my previous purchases to the app retroactively.

8. Han Dynasty — Szechuan ★★★★☆

Location: 123 Chestnut St | Cost: $12-20 per person | Spice level: Actually spicy

Most "spicy" restaurants in America are lying. Han Dynasty is not. Their spice scale goes 1-10, and anything above 6 will wreck you.

I ordered a 7 (dan dan noodles). Legitimately spicy — I'm talking "eyes watering, need milk" spicy. And I grew up eating Indian food.

Best dishes:

• Dan dan noodles ($11) — order spice level 5 your first time
• Dry pot chicken ($15) — comes with numbing Szechuan peppercorns
• Cumin lamb ($16) — not spicy, just flavorful

The Old City location is less crowded than their original Philly spots. Same food, 30% shorter wait.

9. Vernick Food & Drink — New American ★★★★☆

Location: 2031 Walnut St | Cost: $65-90 per person | Reservations: Book 2 weeks ahead

This is the "special occasion" spot. I took a date here — $167 for two people including drinks and tip.

Was it worth it? For a special dinner, yes. For regular eating, hell no.

What worked: Toast starters ($8-12 each) are shareable and actually creative. We got 4 toasts, 2 mains, 1 dessert, 2 cocktails. That's the right order volume.

What didn't: Service was slow. 2 hours for dinner. If you're hungry now, go elsewhere.

I ate at 14 fancy Philadelphia restaurants testing spots across every neighborhood — that guide covers the whole city.