The Best Restaurants In Fishtown

Philly has plenty of Middle Eastern food, and we can’t seem to escape Mediterranean restaurants. But Emmett delivers a combination that you won’t find anywhere else. The service is seamless, and drinks like a lamb fat washed-rye cocktail are as fine-tuned as what’s coming from the kitchen. Influences come from the Levant, with stops in France, Italy, and the American South, but no matter the inspiration, every dish is delicious. Horseradish-flooded wagyu tartlets are topped with wasabi caps, charred carrots bathe in spicy mangal jam, and the ruby red duck—the city’s best—is paired with caramelly dates and seared foie. Eating an array of confident, complex dishes isn’t the issue at Emmett. Figuring out how to try them all is.

Despite the name, Amy’s Pastelillos isn’t entirely about the deep-fried meat pies—everything the Puerto Rican shop makes is pretty great. From the excellent sides like pickled yuca to the various bowls (go for the Vegano) and loaded sweet and spicy tostones nachos, it’s all going to make you feel like you’ve been doing this meal thing all wrong. Of course, all of the pastelillos are fantastic, but it’s the sweet and tender guava pork that has Philly lining up. They're only open from 11am to 3pm, Wednesday to Saturday, so plan ahead to leave with something you’ll be talking about tomorrow.

Kalaya is the first place we think of when we want Thai food, a place to impress out-of-towners, or a big night out with friends. The giant, palm-tree filled spot is always packed, so we wouldn't suggest showing up without a reservation. From the chewy sakoo moo dumplings and fragrant seafood dishes to the sweet and spicy khiaw waan kalaya, Philadelphians just can’t seem to get enough. Neither can we. It's one of the Best 25 Restaurants in Philly for a reason.

Liberty Kitchen's breakfast sandwiches, cutlets, and hoagies will have you cosplaying as a tiger. Even something simple will be full of little surprises, like chianti provolone spread on a roast pork sandwich. The attention to detail makes eating these sandwiches (and tomato pie) feel like you're having bread with meat and cheese for the first time again. And, in Philly, that accomplishment should come with a key to the city.

Between the coffee shop and bakery in the front and pita flying out of the ovens in the back, this giant Lebanese restaurant smells exactly how you wish your house did. It's useful for just about any dining situation. Come by yourself for a couple pastries in the mornings, or bring 10 people for a big group brunch or dinner. We usually go for dishes like charcoal-roasted beets, smoky baba ganoush, and the tender, slow-roasted lamb.

This all-day American spot in Fishtown is one of the rare places that works for everything from a laptop lunch to a drunken night out. It's a little bananas inside: picture Princess Diana posters, toilet seats designed with Peanut Chews, pool tables, and bar seats. And the cocktails and spins on diner classics are just as thoughtful and fun. Come for a light, syrup-slicked stack of pancakes in the morning, reliable sandwiches for lunch, some of the city's best drinks all day, and a great burger at night.

This Portuguese cafe on Girard makes airy pasteis de nata that would be worth crossing the city to eat. But they also have great breakfast sandwiches with housemade linguiça and a fried egg, as well as lunchier things like salads and a platter that comes with fries and grilled chicken slapped with piri piri. Meet someone here for coffee or a daytime date. Or just bee-line for a blistered, sweet egg tart when you wake up at 9am on a Saturday after a sh*tty week.

Shackamaxon’s pizza is so good that they constantly have people lining up outside their Girard Ave. shop. These crispy pies have a ton of char—don't call them burned—it's just part of the thin-crusted-but-not-exactly-New-York style. The team only serves four options: plain, pepperoni, tomato, and a rotating weekly special. And you'll have to walk right up to their window to order any of them (though you can call if you a whole tomato pie or email if you're getting at least four pies).

Pizzeria Beddia is where we go for sit-down pizza and good wine in Fishtown. The space itself looks like a sleek industrial garage, with a smiling cloud lamp hanging over their u-shaped bar. Get the No. 2, which is topped with Calabrian cream, mozzarella, and Old Gold gouda. It sort of tastes like a gooey mac and cheese on top of expertly baked dough. Beddia also has a private "hoagie room" where, for $75 per person, you and five friends can get the omakase experience of every Philadelphian’s dream: stacked hoagies, pizza, and soft serve.

Wm. Mulherin’s looks like it belongs in the Catskills, but the music and crowd are the opposite of serene. Ear-popping volume aside, the part-boutique hotel, part-restaurant has big round tables, a fireplace, and a near-infinite number of Italian dishes that are worth grabbing. Stick to pasta, especially the pappardelle. It’s made with savory duck ragu that gets a touch of sweet bitterness from the chocolate mixed in. They also have decent Neapolitan pizzas, like the double margarita pie topped with mozzarella and burrata that you should order or use as ear muffs, your call.

At this tiny sushi omakase restaurant, you exchange $155 for precious raw fish. It's located in the same building as Wm. Mulherin’s and comes from the same team. The barrel-shaped door leads into a small, dark room that’s almost entirely taken up by the sushi counter. To start, you’ll get a small tray of appetizers followed by things like soy-marinated wagyu short rib and crispy tilefish, and then around 12 pieces of sushi, a cup of miso soup, and a small dessert. Come here if you have something to celebrate, but beware—we have on occasion left hungry.

This casual Italian restaurant is a collaboration between people who like flour and eggs, and Waywine Vineyards. That means you come here to eat tagliatelle with lamb ragu and drink something made in PA. Nothing costs more than $30 and the room is dark enough to make you look a little mysterious. Bring a date, or a book and sit at the counter.

When you’re having a bunch of people over or don’t plan on going grocery shopping for a week, consider La Chingonita’s Try It All Box. It’s like a greatest hits album for this Mexican spot that has two birria, two tinga vegana, and two suadero tacos, two stalks of street corn dripping in crema, two tacos dorados, and two classic tortas all for $55. Come here the next time you’re looking for an exciting quick meal, or stop by and look out on Girard Ave. while going knuckles deep in some consomme.

Like Larry’s and Pat’s, there are lots of places in Philly named after some guy serving cheesesteaks. This throwback soda shop-themed spot across from Johnny Brenda's makes cheesesteaks with what's essentially cheesy provolone lava pouring out of them. But at Joe’s, you can get one along with burgers, a cheesy hot sausage, milkshakes, and a pineapple sundae topped with fudge and chunks of fruit.

This Mexican restaurant works for friends who want to put some tostadas in their tummies before going out in Fishtown. It's a Starr restaurant, which means it's going to be loud, themed within an inch of its life, and everyone around you will be taking photos for their dating profiles. Get the loaded shrimp nachos and the green aguachile.