Inside the Eater 38
I was asked to do the Spring 2023 update of Eater’s guide to the 38 best restaurants in Philadelphia. This is a selection of the restaurants I chose to highlight. Check out the full guide on Eater’s website.
In Olney, the unassuming Kim’s Restaurant provides an exceptional Korean barbecue experience. Part of the magic lies in the restaurant’s use of charcoal for the in-table grill, a rarity now that many Korean barbecue spots have switched to gas burners. The allure of meat prepared over a live fire is undeniable, and the service staff makes sure every piece of lamb chop and kalbi beef is perfectly cooked. Bountiful servings of fresh banchan accompany the meal. Make a reservation for a big group, or walk in with a smaller crowd.
Chef Nok Suntaranon has moved her beloved Italian Market Thai BYOB to a much larger location in Fishtown. Thankfully, everything is as flavorful and fun as expected, including new additions like tropical cocktails. The menu of Southern Thai dishes is longer, so bigger groups will find lots to share, like miang pla phao — a whole grilled branzino served with pineapple, herbs, and rice noodles — or a towering tom yum kalaya with giant river prawns emerging from the fragrant broth. The chic restaurant recently started lunch service on weekends, and small groups can usually find a spot at the bar, but it’s best to book ahead for a table.
Philadelphia’s love of sandwiches may be confusing to outsiders, but everyone loves Middle Child. At Middle Child Clubhouse — the second, much bigger restaurant from sandwich legend Matt Cahn — you can still get all the sandwich hits from the first shop, but now with so much more, like imaginative cocktails from Brandon Thrash and a whimsically American dinner menu. Hits include okonomiyaki-style latkes, a house Caesar decked out with Old Bay shrimp, and a hulking bone-in pork chop. The restaurant itself is a great place to hang, too.
Over the course of a two-year closure, Marina de Oliveira and Chris D’Ambro reimagined their high-end Italian restaurant to bring Philadelphia something totally new. Ambra, next to sibling Southwark, welcomes groups of two or four diners into the kitchen for a tasting menu that examines the cuisine from intriguing angles like a house-made crab pasta based on D’Ambro’s family’s summer traditions or a carta di musica inspired by the Queen Village neighborhood’s musical history. At $300 a person (including service and wine), cash only, it’s a splurge that will stay with you long after you leave. Larger groups can also book the dining room for eight to 10 people at a flat price of $2500. It’s the most entertaining dinner party in town.
El Mezcal Cantina took over a former Point Breeze pizzeria complete with a wood-fired brick oven, which chef Eladio Soto uses to great effect for pizza, of course (topped with the likes of al pastor), but also for Mexican dishes like camarones a la parrilla. He roasts these head-on shrimp, infusing them with a hint of smoke before tossing them with corn and a buttery, adobo-laden sauce that will leave you scraping the bowl. Be sure to order an agave cocktail and a bright, fresh aguachile from the dedicated aguachile bar.