In a city as full of good restaurants and bars as Philadelphia, one would be forgiven for staying within a 10-block radius of their house. There is good food to be had everywhere in this town — from the bottom of FDR Park to the ends of the Northeast. But in the search for good food, the historic neighborhoods of the Northwest can be forgotten.
The Northwest technically covers a large section of the city with several distinct neighborhoods (which themselves contain micro-neighborhoods) — Germantown, Mount Airy, Chestnut Hill, Roxborough, Wissahickon, East Falls, and Manayunk — but in this guide, Eater has collected the essential places to eat along the winding cobblestoned strip of Germantown Avenue that sits east of Wissahickon Valley Park. The neighborhoods are organized up a hill that begins in Germantown, transitions to Mount Airy, and summits at Chestnut Hill.
In this area, visitors find plaques that memorialize the early abolition movement, historic houses, and tall trees and blooming flowers galore. Start at either end of the hill and make your way up or down, stopping to enjoy everything from vegan soul food to cold cider to diner omelets along the way.
Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
