Top 12 Best New Restaurants in Philadelphia You Need to Try

Lola Lin

Lola Lin

November 20, 2025

5 min read

The search for the best new restaurants in Philadelphia is a constant adventure. The best new restaurants in Philadelphia offer exciting flavors, creative chefs, and memorable dining experiences. The best new restaurants in Philadelphia are popping up in neighborhoods from Rittenhouse to Kensington. The best new restaurants in Philadelphia reflect the city's diverse culinary spirit. The best new restaurants in Philadelphia are worth getting excited about. In this guide, we dig in to the top 12 spots that have opened in the past year, giving you the inside scoop on where to find your next great meal.

Elegant restaurant interior in Philadelphia

1. Amá: Authentic Mexican Wood-Fired Magic

Wood-fired octopus at Amá

Amá represents a beautiful expression of chef Frankie Ramirez's Mexican heritage. The space feels like a Spanish mission with stained wood-beam ceilings and white plaster walls lined with handmade Oaxacan pottery.

  • What makes it special:
    1. The stunning whole wood-fired octopus with salsa macha verde could easily feed four people.
    2. The milpa salad is an edible representation of an ancient indigenous farming system.
    3. The menu explores nuanced regional Mexican cuisines from Baja to the Yucatán.

Learn more about Amá and its authentic Mexican dishes.

2. Honeysuckle Provisions: A Cultural Experience

McDonald's Money burger at Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle isn't just a restaurant—it's a portal into Black history and culture through food. Chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate have created something truly special on North Broad Street.

  • Standout dishes:
    1. The McDonald's Money burger topped with caviar, truffle, and gold leaf.
    2. Deviled eggs with crab and Scotch Bonnet pepper heat.
    3. Haitian spaghetti with crawfish and West African Xo sauce.

For a taste of this cultural journey, check out Honeysuckle's inspiring menu.

3. Use Assembo.ai to Create Custom Restaurant Backgrounds

Assembo.ai interface for product photography

Restaurant owners can use Assembo.ai to create stunning visual content for their menus and social media. This AI tool helps showcase your dishes in perfect settings.

  • How it helps restaurants:
    1. Upload photos of your signature dishes and place them in different backgrounds.
    2. Create consistent, professional-looking menu photos without expensive photoshoots.
    3. Test how your food looks in various settings before finalizing your marketing materials.

Discover how Assembo.ai can level up your restaurant's visual presentation.

4. Little Water: Seafood Excellence

Oysters and caviar at Little Water

Randy and Amanda Rucker's Little Water serves what might be the most interesting menu in Philadelphia right now. Every plate tells a story of a lifetime spent near the water.

  • Must-try seafood:
    1. Peekytoe crab salad crowned with uni on a golden-brown hash brown brick.
    2. Simple halibut filet transformed into something extraordinary.
    3. Creative riffs on classic seafood dishes with flawless execution.

Experience Little Water's coastal-inspired menu.

5. Emmett: Mediterranean Time Warp

Dishes from Emmett's tasting menu

Emmett feels like a place where time slows down. The long, narrow space on Girard Avenue offers a refreshingly leisurely dining experience focused on Mediterranean flavors.

  • What to order:
    1. Smoked whitefish with green garlic latkes.
    2. Dry-aged duck with wild cherry terrine.
    3. Date cake with Turkish coffee caramel for dessert.

Read more about Emmett's Mediterranean tasting menu.

6. Sao: Cambodian Seafood Sensation

Sao's vibrant Cambodian dishes

From the team behind Mawn, Sao brings exciting Cambodian flavors to East Passyunk with a focus on fresh seafood and vibrant Southeast Asian spices.

  • Key dishes:
    1. Aged hamachi crudo in sweet and spicy chili ponzu.
    2. Jumbo scallops in spicy-savory crab gravy.
    3. Crispy fried chicken painted with umami-rich caramel fish sauce.

Find out how to get reservations at this buzzy Cambodian spot.

7. Corio: Creative Pizzas and Pastas

Corio's innovative pizza menu

This University City spot from Vernick alums proves Philadelphia can always use another pizza joint when the pies are this creative and delicious.

  • Pizza highlights:
    1. Pies topped with hazelnut pesto and béchamel.
    2. Spicy Bolognese with beef and pork sausage.
    3. Braised rabbit mingling with ricotta cheese.

Learn about Corio's expanded dinner menu.

8. Supérette: French Cafe Charm

French pastries and wine at Supérette

This pastel-colored former butcher shop combines the soul of a Parisian cafe with the heart of a Millennial wine shop, creating one of the most fun places to eat in Philly right now.

  • French delights:
    1. Rustic ham sandwiches topped with crushed potato chips.
    2. Summery salads dressed in espelette and honey vinaigrette.
    3. Curated wine list perfect for sunny lunches.

Discover Supérette's French cafe experience.

9. Tesiny: Seafood and Cocktail Sophistication

Tesiny's elegant raw bar

From the owner of Biederman's comes Tesiny, a chic Dickinson Narrows spot that excels equally at raw bar offerings, cocktails, and meaty mains.

  • What to try:
    1. The plateau from the top-tier raw bar.
    2. Calabrian-spiced broiled oysters.
    3. Perfectly cooked wagyu in rich demi-glace.

Get tips for scoring reservations at Tesiny.

10. Borromini: Starr's Italian Addition

Borromini's elegant Italian dining

The latest addition to the Starr restaurant empire brings sophisticated Italian dining to Rittenhouse with a lively yet intimate atmosphere perfect for dates or celebrations.

  • Italian classics:
    1. Garlicky clam pizzetta with focaccia-like crust.
    2. Char-singed rich lasagna.
    3. Powerhouse juicy meatball as large as its bowl.

Read about Borromini's place in the Starr multiverse.

11. Seaforest Bakeshop: Korean Pastry Perfection

Korean baked goods at Seaforest

This sunny corner shop in Graduate Hospital brings exceptional Korean-inspired baked goods to Philadelphia's already impressive sweet treat scene.

  • Bakery highlights:
    1. Mushroom bulgogi in buttery turnover layers.
    2. Doenjang caramel roll with candied walnuts.
    3. Brown buttery kinako sesame cookies.

Learn more about Seaforest Bakeshop's Korean treats.

12. The Bread Room: Carb Heaven

Artisan breads at The Bread Room

From the High Street Hospitality team comes The Bread Room, a Center City spot that makes country boule, sesame semolina, and caraway rye worth planning your week around.

  • Bread and pastry stars:
    1. The almond chocolate croissant.
    2. TBR breakfast plate with perfect semolina and jammy egg.
    3. Croissant milk cortado and black sesame latte.

Discover The Bread Room's artisan bread program.

Final Thoughts

Philadelphia's dining scene continues to evolve with exciting new restaurants opening across the city. From authentic Mexican at Amá to French cafe charm at Supérette and Cambodian seafood at Sao, there's something for every taste and occasion. These best new restaurants in Philadelphia represent the creativity and diversity that make the city's food scene so special. No matter if you're planning a special date night, a casual meal with friends, or just want to try something new, these spots offer memorable experiences and delicious food. The next time you're wondering where to eat, consider one of these excellent new additions to Philadelphia's culinary landscape.

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