If you’re a first time visitor, make sure to check out Eat This: An Introduction.

I spent my college years in Philadelphia, and while I didn’t get out of my college bubble as often as I should have, I do have my favorite food spots in the city. In fact, Philly is one of my favorite food cities in America: it boasts awesome flavors for reasonable prices, unlike some of its other neighbors on the East Coast. I miss Philly and its food dearly. As always, feel free to comment if you have any questions!

1. Primo Hoagies (Hoagies aka Sandwiches; Lunch/Dinner)

• Menu: Primo Hoagies Menu
• Reservations: No – and some locations don’t even have seating, so you might need to plan for takeout.
• Try: Any of The Diablos, especially the AuDiablo.
• Tips: Sandwiches are a pretty hefty portion, so consider getting the smaller size if you’re not a huge eater! Napkins come in handy, since taking those big bites can get messy.

2.  Noord (Northern European; Brunch/Dinner)

• Menu: Noord Menu
• Reservations: Yes.
• Try: The mustard soup for an appetizer, and the rabbit confit for an entree. Also, if they have it, the incredible chocolate bread pudding for dessert.
• Tips: The bread with warm butter and roasted garlic is so delicious. Try not to fill up on that alone, though, because the rest of the food here is great. Fun spot for a date night!
• Read my Yelp review here.

Chocolate Bread Pudding | Noord | Philadelphia, PA

3. Philly Flavors (Ice Cream/Italian Ice; Snacks/Dessert)

• Menu: Philly Flavors Menu
• Reservations: Nope, grab and go!
• Try: The Slammers, which is a blend of ice cream AND Italian ice (my personal favorite is the honeydew).
• Tips: Philly Flavors is a must during the summer. They have so many different flavors of ice cream and Italian ice – don’t be afraid to ask for a sample!

4. Pietro’s (Italian; Brunch/Lunch/Dinner)

• Menu: Pietro’s Dinner Menu (For other menus, click here).
• Reservations: Yes – although I’d say you only need them during super busy times like weekend dinners. Otherwise, the space is pretty big!
• Try: Rigatoni alla Vodka (lunch/dinner); either of the brunch pizzas.
• Tips: Pietro’s allows for you to order pasta in individual and family sizes, so this is a fun place to come with a big group for birthdays or special occasions!
• Read my Yelp review here.

5. Reading Terminal Market (Market; Lunch/Dinner/Dessert)

• Menu: List of Merchants (There are so many places in the market to choose from…)
• Reservations: No – walk around and follow the smells while keeping an eye out for any seats that open up.
• Try: The incredibly fluffy pancakes at the Dutch Eating Place (their apple dumpling is also to die for). I’ve tasted a fraction of what the entire market has to offer, though, so really…just follow your nose.
• Tips: As you can probably tell, this is a huge market with tons of food options inside (sorry it’s kind of cheating to list this as a “restaurant). Reading Terminal is almost always crowded, but especially so on the weekends, so be ready to stand in long lines and to fight for your seats!