South Street is teeming with bars made for a wild night out, but Side Eye feels like it's built for the regulars—all dark wood, low lighting, and Euro-pub energy. Friends post up at the enormous bar with IPAs and $8 Citywides before drifting from snacky shrimp cocktails and deviled eggs into dinner territory—think juicy burgers, towering triple-cooked fries, and other French-leaning dishes.

Vernick’s newest concept already feels like a neighborhood staple. This time, it’s Italian, and the housemade pastas are on point—linguine with lobster and rigatoni in ragu bianco are non-negotiables. The bar is crowded with locals, and it toes the line between “special occasion” and “walk in for a spritz and see where the noodles take you.” Start with some snacks (the carta di musica and roma tomatoes are both surprise hits), add some pastas, and you’ll end up staying longer than planned.

Manong is new to Fairmount, but its sibling Tabachoy already has Filipino-star status in Bella Vista. This spot mixes tradition with playful riffs on chain-y steakhouses, including a tasty, mushroom-heavy Bloomin' Onion moment. The menu is unexpected: crispy lumpia with mozzarella and a syrupy chili sauce, juicy skewers, soy-slicked prime rib, and lechon with satisfyingly crackly skin. Come for the comforting, lemongrass-hugged chicken, and stay for the free Ninja Turtles arcade game.

We pretty much like everything Marina’s pizza does. The NYC-style pizzas have thin, crispy crusts, and rank among the best in the neighborhood—but they’re worth traveling for, too. The whole pies are massive, making a saucy pie topped with cup-and-char pepperoni a no-brainer for game day (grab an order of the extra garlicky garlic knots, too). Join the stream of people grabbing sausage and pesto-drizzled pies to go, or join friends hovering around a table like moths to a gooey mozzarella flame.

When pizza is dressed up with crab rangoon or french onion soup, you know you’re in for a good time. The Callowhill spot comes from one of the owners of Pizza Brain (RIP), and offers thin-crust pies with classic and creative toppings in a massive, colorful space. All that space, plus a bar, makes it excellent for an impromptu pizza party with friends.

The latest addition to our already stacked sweet treat scene is Seaforest Bakery, a sunny corner shop in Graduate Hospital with exceptional Korean goods. Mushroom bulgogi is held in buttery turnover layers, the doenjang caramel roll is topped with candied walnuts, and while a buckwheat chocolate chip cookie is good, the brown buttery kinako sesame cookie is a true standout. Grab an espresso—beans come from Càphê Roasters—and at least one of the bite-sized goguma cheesecakes.

The High Street Hospitality team excels at carbs of all kinds (pasta at Fork, pizza at High Street, and pancakes at a.kitchen). Their newest venture cuts right to the chase: The Bread Room in Center City makes a country boule, sesame semolina, and caraway rye worth planning your week around. There are pastries, too—the almond chocolate croissant being a favorite—but bread is the clear specialty here, along with delightful espresso options, like the croissant milk cortado and black sesame latte.

Bomb Bomb Bar is a refuge for seafood lovers, Barolo drinkers, and anyone who likes porchetta sandwiches while watching the Eagles. Since 1936, this storied Italian-meets-barbecue landmark was the heart of deep South Philly (it closed in 2024). But it’s back, thanks to the chef/owner of Palizzi, now with a seafood-heavy menu. The bar up front serves snacks like crispy fried mozzarella to walk-ins. But the wood-paneled dining room serves a five-course, $65 tasting menu.

With its arsenal of age takoyaki, katsu curry, and mentaiko cream pasta, Dancerobot brings Japanese comfort food to Rittenhouse. It’s also bringing creative cocktails and a touch of sashimi—it’s from the team behind Royal Sushi & Izakaya. It’s loud and lively, and as with its sister restaurant, a fun place to share ebi gyoza in a drinkable soy-chili vinegar and nasu dengaku in a luscious miso glaze. Whatever you get, don’t skip the kare pan.

Sao is the sibling restaurant of Mawn and this East Passyunk newcomer, with a focus on fresh oysters and flavorful seafood dishes, is likely headed for a similar level of acclaim. Thanks to a full bar and a loud, Southeast Asian soundtrack, the buzzy Cambodian restaurant is an easy choice for date night or dinner with a few friends.

This much-anticipated French restaurant in Kensington is worth a visit based on size alone. There are three distinct dining areas, including a balcony where you can catch friends clinking martini glasses and couples splitting the decadent lump crab pasta, and massive floor-to-ceiling windows beckoning you in from the ground floor. The food is just as exciting as the space. Everything on the seafood-heavy menu looks enticing, but the must-orders are the scallop gratin and the lobster.

Tesiny comes from the owner of Biederman’s, an Italian Market appetizing shop that specializes in smoked fish and caviar. So it’s not surprising that the raw bar at the chic and sexy spot is top-tier. What is surprising? The Dickinson Narrows restaurant is just as adept at cocktails and meaty mains.