Our Favorite Philly Eats!

Sep 17, 2021My Store Admin

Christina’s Top 10 Favorite Philly Eats

Charlie Was A Sinner (vegan)

Charlie Was A Sinner is a go-to spot of mine for special occasions. It’s got a cool, dark, mysterious vibe that stays consistent with every trip. The well-curated decor perfectly aligns with the carefully selected menu options. Located in the center of it all on 13th Street, this restaurant is a great place for a date night, to show an out-of-town friend, or to anyone who appreciates exceptional plant-based food. Charlie’s menu is set up by snack, solo, iterations, and compositions. I highly suggest ordering a few of each!

Favorite Menu Items:

Shishito Peppers
Zucchini “Crabcake” Slider
Korean Style Fried Tofu
Ricotta
Bucatini and Meatballs

Luhv Deli (vegan)

Luhv Deli, encompassed by the hustle and bustle of Reading Terminal is my go-to vegan deli. Their shop within the Market has a wide range of “meats” and “cheeses” to select from. They also make their own breakfast sandwiches, hoagies, wraps, soups, and more. You will always be welcome with smiling faces and friendly banter while shopping at this family-owned deli.

Favorite Menu Items:

Capicola
Provolone
Chickpea Tuna
Italian Hoagie
Reuben

(Photo is from a sandwich I made with meats and cheeses from the deli)

Monster Vegan (vegan)

Monster Vegan, which first opened for take-out and delivery during the pandemic, opened its doors for diners this past July. Monster Vegan for me is incredibly well-crafted and thoughtful comfort food including hoagies, pastas, and unique appetizers. Did I mention the atmosphere? I’m taken into an 80’s club life NYC vibe that I never got to experience. The soundtrack is that of a Depeche Mode/New Order feeling while you watch cult classic horror films in the background. Every member of their team is also so kind and welcoming.

Favorite Menu Items:

General Tso's Cutlet Hoagie
Chicken Caesar Hoagie (when available)
Spicy Rigatoni Bolognese
Chopped Cheesesteak
Luchador Fries
(Photo is from Halloween’s special brunch option of fried chicken and waffles)

20th Street Pizza (vegan)

20th Street Pizza is a fully vegan pizzeria steps away from Rittenhouse Square. Serving full pies in square and round options or slices, this place has something for everyone. The dough is incredibly special, and they really put a lot of care into it. Featuring local Conscience Cultures Creamery mozzarella, this hand-crafted Philly vegan cheese brand is the perfect pair to these pies. The flavor is something 20th Street pays attention to. There are really memorable and unique details to their pizza including vegan sausage, Fresno romesco, pesto, and lemon ricotta. I also always top my order off with garlic knots.

Favorite Menu Items:

Green Round Pie
White Round Pie
Hot Potato Square Pie
Supreme Square Pie
Grandma Square Pie

Su Xing House (vegetarian, no dairy)

Su Xing House, tucked away on Sansom Street is a real Philly gem within the vegan/vegetarian scene. Family-owned and operated, you will be in the presence of great people and outstanding Chinese food. With an extensive and very unique menu, there is truly something for everyone. Su Xing House takes classic dishes such as Peking Duck, Prawn with Walnut, Chow Mei Fun, and Moo Shu and then puts a plant-based twist on them. Pro-tip #1: try to snag one of the 2 cozy window seats in the back room. Pro-tip #2: Ask for the restaurant’s house-made chili oil for some extra heat!

Favorite Menu Items:

Scallion Pancakes
Chow Mei Fun Singapore Style (photographed)
Eggplant with Basil
Veggie Heaven (photographed)
General Tso’s Tofu

Circles Thai

Circles Thai, located in both South Philly (take-out/delivery only) and Northern Liberties has tons of veggie-based and tofu options throughout the menu. This is a go-to take-out option in our house. You get to choose your heat level and you should choose wisely! I love that Circles has really spicy dishes. They even have a “Thai hot” option. As much as I say I can handle the heat, I could only try that one once!

Favorite Menu Items:

Pad See Ew
Pumpkin Curry
Garlic Basil Fried Rice
Pad Woodsen
Lemongrass Soup

Hardena

Hardena, a South Philly landmark offers comforting, traditional Indonesian cuisine. Family-owned and operated, this restaurant puts care into every single dish. The flavors are incredibly special and I always finish a meal there feeling content and nourished. Guy Fieri and Action Bronson even stopped by for a visit! Come to South Philly and take a trip down to Flavortown. Pro-Tip: Add Sambal to your dish for some extra flavor and heat!

Favorite Menu Items:

Oseng Tempeh
Sambal Goreng Kentang
Gudeg
Terong Balado
Sayur Singkong

Tattooed Mom

TMom’s holds a special place in my heart. It was the very first restaurant my partner and I stumbled across while looking for a place to live in Philly. I was immediately taken in by the scene; the totally street art-covered walls, the bright green paint, the toys on the table, and the vegan menu. We ordered the vegan honey sriracha chicken wrap with tots and haven’t stopped coming back since. Tattooed Mom is incredibly involved in the community and holds events at their space such as, “Philly for Change, where local progressives meet to discuss progressive change.”

Favorite Menu Items:

Vegan Pickled Fried Chickn Sandwich
NY Chop Cheese Sandwich
Vegan Nashville Hot Chickn Sandwich
Beyond Mom's Vegan Burger
Vegan Corn Dog on a stick

Tomo

Tomo serves traditional Japanese cuisine with a twist. The restaurant creates dishes with impeccable flavor and offers a wide range of vegan options. The “tuna” is made from tomato, the “eel” is made of eggplant, and the “steak,” is seitan. Their rolls are distinctive, colorful, and very well-crafted. Dining in is quite the special experience but their take out and delivery is wonderful as well!

Favorite Menu Items:

Vegan Tomo
Harvest Roll
Straw-Veggie
Steamed Veggie Gyoza
Vegan Green Dragon

Dim Sum House

Another go-to for take-out and delivery, Dim Sum House offers a unique and delicious flavor profile throughout the menu and has tons of vegan options. Basically, most of the typical chicken dishes listed on the menu have a tofu option attached. Dim Sum, meaning "touch the heart" in Chinese, is very fitting as the restaurant puts heart into each recipe created. Located on Chestnut Street in both West Philly and Rittenhouse, there are options for both sides of the Schuylkill!

Favorite Menu Items:

Truffle Edamame Dumplings
Dry Pepper Style Tofu
Tofu and Broccoli in Brown Sauce
Dry Pot Style with Tofu
Kung Pao Style Tofu

And lastly, I’d like to mention Primary, Philly’s newest plant-based restaurant. It just opened last week in Northern Liberties! Primary has an incredibly healthy and delicious plant-filled menu with locally sourced produce. Some shoutouts to try are the Arepas, Kohlrabi Hand Pie, Kofta Kebab Sandwich, Harissa Roasted Romanesco Broccoli, and the Maduro Banana Split! Can’t wait to try more!

Honorable mention for 2 closed favorites: Wiz Kid and Govinda's

V Marks the Shop for the best vegan groceries!

And for dessert, of course, P.S.& Co.

...and ice cream from Vannah Banana

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Andrea’s Top 10 Favorite Philly Area Eats

Growing up with a Mom who could cook anything and everything well, I grew up spoiled with the best flavors! Perhaps that explains why I prefer to cook rather than eat out. It's one of the main reasons I started P.S. & Co.! To cook the cleanest, healthiest food for you as Mom did for us. When I do go out to eat, here's my die-hard list of go-to's for authentic fare. (Here's a photo of her as a late teen in Mandalay, Burma.)

Thai - Chabaa Thai (Manayunk)

Two favorite vegan dishes: Garden Pad Thai with Tofu and Vegetables and Pad Krapao (spicy basil tofu). I recommend ordering multiple servings of sticky rice if you're obsessed with sticky rice like me!
I customize their Pad Krapao and Pad Thai with additional broccoli and make it all as spicy as they dare.
I started making my own version of Pad Krapao with organic Thai basil and organic chilis growing on our roof! Tommy grew these from heirloom seeds. My favorite type of tofu texture is baked with salt/black pepper/EVOO, then frozen. Defrost the tofu the day before cooking to have the air pockets soak up the sauce. Our Garden Pad Thai was inspired by Chabaa's. This is my favorite Thai restaurant in Philly because it tastes authentic. Even my family who grew up in Thailand gave their seal of approval. Chabaa does not use pre-made pastes/sauces, MSG, and you can taste the difference. It is the only place I go for Thai in Philadelphia, and is worth the drive out of Center City!

Burmese- Rangoon (Chinatown)

Go before they permanently close after almost 30 years - closing at the end of 2021. Ask them for what I order and they'll make sure it's prepared without fish sauce, dried shrimp and totally vegan.

Burmese Tofu Salad - made with lentils instead of soy. Love the spicy, tangy, salty combo of flavors with my favorite Burmese toppings: fried onions, cilantro, chili oil.
Fried Watercress Salad - tangy, sour, and sweet
Tea Leaf Salad - tea leaves shipped from Burma
Monsoon Vegetable Curry - warm and comforting like a potato curry Mom used to make for us
Vatana Bean - also similar to our Burmese Chickpea Curry!

Dim Sum/Chinese- Unit Su Veg

Obsessed with their Mooshoo Veg dish, their Spicy Tomato Noodle Soup, and any of their dim sum delights! The list is too long to include here. I especially love the sticky rice wrapped in tofu skin, any of their steamed buns and the fried mushroom is also a winner for something fried and slightly sweet. Such a blast to eat a smorgasbord of vegan dim sum again. Love you, Unit Su Veg!

Sichuan - Chengdu Philly

Finally, a place that isn't afraid to make it spicy. I CAN TAKE IT! Any of their spicy tofu dishes and mung bean noodles are favorites. Try any and all of their vegan dishes for a fun tour of Sichuanese food.

Indian/Dosas- Amma's For dosas and Keralan vegetable curry, as well as their spicy fried cauliflower and spicy fried appam cubes, Amma's makes wonderful vegan options and gluten-free dishes, too.

Coriander in Voorhees, NJ is still my a tradition for wonderful okra dishes, vegetable curries, and fresh breads. We've been eating here for over a decade. They even catered my mom's memorial after she passed because it was her favorite restaurant, and the flavors reminded her of Burma. Not technically in Philly, and they have a Philly branch, but drive over the bridge for the authentic flavors made by Chef. It's worth the trip!

Ramen -Hiro Ramen

They make a vegan ramen with handmade noodles and vegan broth. Love the authentic, Japanese vibe inside. Reminds me of the small, ramen shops in Tokyo. (Cash only).

Pizza- Alice

Eggplant Pizza - finally a pizza place that doesn't hold back on spicy chili flakes! The melt-in-your-mouth eggplant with delicious olive oil on a fresh crust also takes me straight back to Italy. Ordering a whole or half pie seems to taste better than trying by the slice, maybe because it's fresher when made just for you. You won't miss the cheese, and it shows you don't need cheese (real or vegan) to make a satisfying pizza! Can you tell I'm obsessed with spicy flavors?

Vietnamese -Vietnam

For their Vietnamese "Egg" Rolls served with pickled vegetables and fresh herbs - our Imperial Rolls were inspired by these babies! These perfectly crisp, fried egg rolls have a bubbly exterior that adds an extra crunch. My go-to way of eating anything fried is with something pickled and a bounty of raw herbs. These egg rolls always make me happy.

Soft Pretzels- Center City Soft Pretzels In the Italian Market - go between 6-7 am when they are fresh off the presses and steam in your mouth! These pretzels remind me of high school National Honor Society fundraisers! I used to eat 2, large, braided pretzels (50 cents each in the 90's) everyday after schools when these were available. Took me 20 years to find a soft Philly pretzel reminiscent of childhood. I was just out of the loop!

Bonus: since I rarely eat out anymore, I love gathering my staples from these two places. Soon, I won't have to work weekends anymore and can begin venturing back out to the organic farmers' markets! I've missed shopping directly from the farmers.

Mom's Organic Market