The 38 Essential Restaurants in Philadelphia

"Zahav, the 2019 James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Restaurant, first introduced Philly to the delights of Israeli cuisine and its myriad influences more than a decade ago. The restaurant continues to set the standard with its menu of laffa, meze, and grilled meats and vegetables. In addition to the stellar service, the showstopper at Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook’s restaurant is the pomegranate molasses-braised lamb shoulder, but even something as simple and now-ubiquitous as hummus is genuinely eye-opening here. Reservations open at 11 a.m. the first day of each month for the entire month ahead." - Eater Staff, Ernest Owens