We asked our contributors to the Resy Hit List to share their top dining experiences in their cities this year — to choose 10 restaurants that define the state of great dining right now. Welcome back our Best of The Hit List for 2025.
It’s been a year of real momentum in Philly dining. As the Michelin Guide arrived in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time, chefs have used the moment to level up — opening second, third, even fourth spots, and doubling down on the ideas that got them here. A city once dominated by Italian kitchens is now seeing thoughtful waves of French, Japanese, and Mexican cooking, led by chefs who know these cuisines intimately, whether by heritage or deep study.
Last year hinted at a post-pandemic rebound; this year confirms it. Diners are out, hungry, and looking for more — more casual spots serving serious food, more big spaces built for groups, more bars (both cozy and swanky) that stand up to national scrutiny, more destination-worthy dining, and more seasoned cooks finally opening places of their own.
These are the 10 restaurants that defined Philadelphia dining in 2025.
Sarah Maiellano is a Philly-based food and travel writer. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
Dining and Cooking