East Passyunk Avenue’s warm, inviting Le Virtu draws from the flavors of southern Italy’s Abruzzo region — and uses ingredients imported from Abruzzo — for pasta, fish, and meat dishes that change with the seasons. The pastas, like the maccheroni alla chitarra with braised lamb ragu, are available in half sizes, so it’s easy to try more than one (and you should). When the weather cooperates, dine on Le Virtu’s roomy outdoor patio. 

Christopher Kearse’s French-influenced menu at Will, his snug East Passyunk BYOB, changes constantly so the chef can make the most of local, seasonal ingredients. Get a feel for Kearse’s cooking on a Sunday evening at the weekly prix fixe dinner, which is always innovative and impressive — and a steal at $45.

Even on restaurant-packed East Passyunk Avenue, chef Sam Jacobson's meat pies at Stargazy — served with a big smack of mashed potatoes and a downpour of parsley liquor — are hard to ignore, especially when followed by a dessert of sticky toffee pudding in heavy cream. This humble British pie shop provides one of the tastiest meals in town.

Hardena is that no-frills, family-run restaurant everyone loves to know — including the James Beard Foundation, which put Hardena on its list of semifinalists in 2018. Choose from a steam table of collard greens, beef rendang, oseng tempeh, and other Indonesian options, and don't forget to check the chalkboard for additional items, because a round of saté or a plate of peanut-y gado gado will complete the experience. The sambal at this South Philly spot is easily one of the best hot sauces in town, so make sure to say yes to a dollop when it's offered.

Chef Tod Wentz's romantic East Passyunk Avenue restaurant impressed immediately, even on a strip packed with major competition. The French fare at Townsend is lovely both to look at and to eat, the cocktails are superb, and the wine list is one of Philly's best. The small dining rooms, both upstairs and down, are elegant without being pretentious; the scene is livelier at the front bar.

It's worth going to this relaxed East Passyunk BYOB just for the novelty of Philly native Joncarl Lachman's Dutch and Scandinavian menu. But the house-made breads and smoked and cured seafood — not to mention the hearty brunch dishes — are good enough to keep diners coming back again and again. New to Noord? Bite into a bitterballen to see what the fuss is about.

Husband-and-wife chefs Lee Styer and Jessie Prawlucki serve new American fare at their sophisticated corner spot on East Passyunk Avenue. Sidle up to the bar for a plate of oysters and a glass of bubbly or sit down to a meal of seared foie gras with grilled stone fruit, chicken with corn risotto, and decadent dark chocolate mousse.

Chef Lou Boquila cooks the foods he grew up with at Perla, his sleek Filipino restaurant on East Passyunk Avenue. Bring a hungry crowd to the twice-weekly family-style kamayan dinners, where diners eat with their hands — rice, whole fish, chicken, pork belly, and more off a tablecloth of banana leaves. The restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol; it’s BYOB. 

After a couple of moves, Cristina Martinez’s nationally praised lamb tacos are safely ensconced in their new Italian Market home. But be warned that the casual Mexican eatery is only open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and thanks to Netflix shows Chef’s Table and Ugly Delicious featuring Martinez and her husband/co-owner Ben Miller, a lunch crowd is pretty much guaranteed.

Bibou, with its white tablecloth service and artfully presented plates, has long been regarded as one of Philly's top French restaurants. Chef Pierre Calmels is peerless when it comes to creating sophisticated versions of classics rooted in French peasant cuisine. And even better, he'll pick out every plate: The BYOB is tasting menu-only, at $115 a head.

Jesse Ito’s Queen Village destination is a two-in-one deal. Look for the red lantern outside and walk into a hip Japanese bar with anime projected on the wall, Hitachino and Kirin on draft, and plates of sushi and skewers. It feels like enough, but so far you’ve only tried Royal Izakaya. Hidden in the back, behind a thick curtain, is Royal Sushi, where Ito offers three omakase seatings a night, priced at $70 or $130. The fish he chooses and prepares is some of the very best in Philly. Book well in advance. 

Bella Vista's Good King Tavern is appropriate for any occasion with fantastic wines, friendly service, and expert French bistro fare, all in a relaxed neighborhood spot that's effortlessly cool enough to draw diners in from far and wide.

Stepping inside Serpico, incongruously set in a former Foot Locker on South Street, feels like stepping out of Philly. Peter Serpico, previously the head of David Chang’s restaurant empire, brings a New York vibe (in a good way) to his eponymous restaurant, which he owns with acclaimed restaurateur Stephen Starr. Try to get a seat at the chef’s counter circling the open kitchen for a view of the cooks making gorgeous Asian-influenced plates like dry-aged sirloin tataki and Japanese eggplant with pistachio and feta mousse.

The short Cypriot menu at Washington Square West’s small, bright Kanella Grill appears simple, but the flavors of Konstantinos Pitsillides’ grilled pork, chicken, and halloumi kebabs, lamb shawarma, and falafel are addictive. Go for a platter or a pita sandwich and a sage-infused lemonade, or bring along a bottle of wine — adding to the value here, the restaurant is BYOB. 

Marc Vetri’s original destination spot turns 20 this year and it shows its age like a fine wine. The Washington Square West restaurant is as intimate and tastefully decorated as ever. There’s nothing flashy here to distract from the tasting menu-only meal ($165), with every course — the almond tortellini, the smoked goat, the panna cotta — an example of what modern Italian food aspires to be.

Chef-owners Andrew and Kristin Wood run Russet, an elegant Spruce Street BYOB that's one of Rittenhouse's best options for a memorable meal that makes the most of local and seasonal ingredients. The menu is ever-changing and never boring. Don't skip whichever house-made charcuterie is on offer.

Nicholas Elmi teamed up with the veteran bar owners behind several Philly hotspots for Royal Boucherie, a lively French brasserie in Old City with dark wood, exposed brick walls, and antique touches. To eat: Champagne-braised escargot, outstanding charcuterie, and steak au poivre. But this isn’t just a dinner and drinks spot. Royal Boucherie is open for lunch and brunch, and also serves a late-night menu.

Chad and Hanna Williams got rid of everything but the name at Friday Saturday Sunday when they took over the 40-year-old Rittenhouse institution. The revamped fine dining restaurant now serves imaginative new American fare and standout cocktails. Head to the second-floor dining room or settle in at the stylish downstairs bar. 

During the day, Michael Schulson's Double Knot is a street-level Center City coffee shop that serves a lunch menu of build-your-own Vietnamese-inspired banh mi, salads, and rice and noodle bowls. By night, the main floor transforms into a bar. Meanwhile, below ground, low-lit rooms beckon with a Japanese menu of expertly prepared sushi, dumplings, and skewers.

High Street on Market in Old City is one of the city's most versatile restaurants. Duck in still wearing pajamas for a cup of Rival Bros. coffee and a bacon, egg, and cheese on brioche, or bring out-of-towners here for a dinner of seasonal dishes — like a beef carpaccio that’s a playful take on the Philly cheesesteak — that will explain why everyone's talking about Philadelphia’s restaurant scene.

Many years have gone by, many restaurants have come and gone, and Oyster House remains unfazed in its Sansom Street digs. The seafood and raw oyster king has been part of the Philly tradition since 1947 and in its present location since 1969. Now that it's three generations deep, the restaurant is better than ever. A revamp in the 2000s gave the space a glossy new look, with white-tile walls, a marble bar, and wooden tables.

It might seem unnecessary to approach Jewish deli foods from a new point of view, but buying into that notion would mean missing out on Abe Fisher, which would be a shame. The chicken liver mousse, served with house-made rye bread, is one of the best diners are likely to encounter, and the Montreal-style smoked short ribs could keep any pastrami lover happy for days. The Center City restaurant is more upscale than “deli” implies, and the cocktails alone are worth a stop in.

Sleek and polished with plush seats, University City’s Walnut Street Cafe feels like an upscale dinner destination with well-executed versions of familiar American fare. But head here during an early morning commute and it’s a quick coffee-and-pastry stop offering fantastic baked goods. Later in the day, swing in for a lunchtime sandwich, an afternoon latte, or a happy hour glass of wine.

The chair cushions are worn through, the floor sags, and the service is leisurely, but it all adds to the comfortable charm at Abyssinia, which cooks up some of the best Ethiopian food in Philly. The stew-like dishes — including several vegetarian and vegan options — are scooped up with perfectly thin, spongy, slightly sour injera bread, used in place of utensils. Up a narrow staircase from the dining room is Fiume, a thimble-sized dive bar with a surprisingly thorough whiskey list.

Three stars from restaurateur Ellen Yin’s orbit struck out on their own with Cadence, a small, intimate BYOB in South Kensington. Chefs Michael Fry and husband-and-wife Jon Nodler and Samantha Kincaid are making inventive new American fare like bison tartare with beet rye bread and delicate cheese-filled dumplings with lamb ragu. Order a la carte or select three courses plus dessert for $65. There’s a liquor store across the street if you want to pick up a bottle of wine before dinner.

The sleekly industrial Kensington Quarters in Fishtown works directly with local farms to oversee the animal-to-table process from beginning to end. The result is not-to-miss charcuterie, burgers, sausages, and other meaty offerings. But skipping over the non-meat plates — like the mushroom toast— would be a mistake.

It's easy to fall in love with Helm, a comfortable spot where the chef-owners run around dropping off intricate plates to hungry diners. Just don't get too attached to any one dish here: The menu at this farm-to-table BYOB in Kensington changes all the time.

At Cheu Fishtown, set in a former horse stable on Frankford Avenue, diners settle in under a mural of an octopus slurping up noodles and dig into inventive Asian-Jewish fare: brisket ramen with matzo balls, Bubbie Chow’s sliced beef, and, for the vegetarians at the table, a top-notch coconut curry ramen. It’s unlike anything else in Philly (except across town at the original, Cheu Noodle Bar, where the food is just as good but the space and menu are smaller).