A gastronomic guide to Philadelphia, the USA's historic hotspot

“Welcome to the original White House!” my tour guide Mijuel K Johnson enthuses, his arms outstretched like a conductor frozen in motion. We’re standing on historic ground, in the heart of Philadelphia’s leafy Independence National Historical Park. Looming beyond Mijuel’s shoulder is the terracotta facade of Independence Hall, known as the birthplace of the USA due to the Declaration of Independence having been signed here in 1776. Nearby, a queue of tourists are waiting to pay their respects at the small but mighty Liberty Bell, a longstanding symbol of USA freedom, first rung when the declaration was initially read to the public. 

Yet Mijuel, a young historian who leads The Black Journey walking tour, is quick to add that there are elements of the city’s past still being uncovered. “We’re standing on the site of the President’s House, which served as the original capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800, while Washington DC was under construction. You see, Philadelphians have long been the OGs!” Mijuel laughs, as we peer at the remains of the mansion, unearthed during a planned extension of the Liberty Bell Center in 2007. Part archaeological dig, part period reconstruction, this is the spot where George Washington and, later, John Adams lived. It’s also where nine enslaved people served the first president, Mijuel adds. 

Philadelphia’s storied past, particularly when it comes to the American Revolution, has long been the key draw of Pennsylvania’s most populous city, honoured as the first World Heritage City in the US. But these days, the city’s diverse food and arts scenes are stepping up to take centre stage.

From history to hoagies: discover street eats in Philadelphia

With the city home to the second-largest Italian and Irish, and the fourth-largest African-American communities in the country, it’s no wonder that its cuisine is something of a smorgasbord. Visitors to Philadelphia can enjoy French fine dining at the beloved bistro Parc, browse stalls serving everything from soul food to shawarmas at the historic Reading Terminal Market, sample street tacos at Casa Mexico and slurp fragrant noodle soup at Vietnam — the latter both low-key eateries recently crowned James Beard Foundation Award winners. I bid Mijuel farewell, craving a taste of the city’s legendary foodscape for myself. 

Meandering a couple of blocks southwards, neighbourhoods of tree-lined boulevards and handsome brownstone houses gently unfold. On the corner of South 9th Street, I meet Jacqueline Kelly, owner of StrEATS of Philly Food Tours, standing at the frenetic mouth of the Italian Market, one of the oldest and largest al fresco markets in the country. The Italian-American chef and tour guide grew up just a stone’s throw from the market and seems to remain on first-name terms with almost everyone on the 10-block street. 

She guides me past ramshackle food stalls selling juicy oranges and football-sized artichokes, all stacked in the shade of a patchwork of corrugated iron and canvas awnings. As we duck into vintage delicatessens to nibble on punchy chunks of artisan cheese and plump Sicilian olives, Jacqueline explains that the neighbourhood gets its distinctive zest from three significant waves of immigration: Southern Italians at the end of the 19th century, Vietnamese in the 1970s and Mexicans in the 1990s. 

These diasporas have created some unexpected fusions, Jacqueline tells me. This becomes immediately clear as we dip into Lupita’s Grocery, a Mexican-owned convenience store. Like a charmingly chaotic souk, the walls are stacked with towers of crisp packets and household mops, while at the lunch counter, hulking slabs of meat compete for space with Latin American licuados (milk-based smoothies). We order monstrously large hoagies — a traditional Italian-American sandwich that can trace its roots to the early immigrants who worked the nearby shipyards. It’s made by piling a bread roll high with finely sliced meat, cheese and salad. As we navigate each protein-packed bite, a spirited soundtrack of Mexican ranchera music pumps through the store’s speakers. 

“Many Mexican immigrants started as dishwashers in the Italian restaurants here and worked their way up to become chefs. The outcome has been a crossover in the dishes, with restaurants like Franco Fusion serving tacos with Italian fillings, or Italian pasta stuffed with spicy Mexican ingredients,” Jacqueline says, as we head back out into the sunshine. We pass windows where diners slurp steaming bowls of pho, before emerging back onto the main street under a rainbow flutter of Mexican fiesta bunting.

A cultural kaleidoscope

The following day brings the opportunity to take the city’s creative pulse. Considered one of the finest destinations for free public art in the USA, Philadelphia is home to countless sculptures and around 4,000 vibrant murals, with colourful sweeps of the city operating much like an outdoor gallery. On a walk towards the South Street neighbourhood, I pass artworks including Robert Indiana’s iconic Love sculpture, Claes Oldenburg’s supersized Clothespin sculpture and a dazzling mural of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air himself, West Philadelphia born-and-raised Will Smith. 

It’s early on a Sunday, but Philadelphia’s South Street district, spanning roughly 14 blocks, is already limbering up for the day. I wander past beatnik coffee houses bustling with dog-owning locals, hole-in-the-wall pizza joints and a labyrinth of secondhand clothing emporiums stuffed with quirky goods. My destination is Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a former abandoned lot that’s been reimagined as a folk-art masterpiece by Isaiah Zagar, a local resident now in his 80s. 

It’s a staggering sight to behold — every inch of the treasure trove grotto and courtyard painstakingly adorned. The walls, floors and maze-like tunnels are a kaleidoscope of found curiosities, mosaics, bejewelled tiles and glinting mirrored shards. Isaiah has lent his maximalist vision to several public murals throughout the district, too, many of which I pass while strolling towards the Tattooed Mom dive bar to finally sample the one and only Philly cheesesteak.

The more-is-more aesthetic continues at this eclectic institution, where the walls are decked out in a riot of graffiti tags, stickers, memorabilia and painted artworks. Owner of 26 years, Robert Perry greets me at the bar, overlooked by twinkling fairy lights and a kitschy bust of Elvis in his Las Vegas heyday. “This area has a long history of counterculture, from its roots as an immigrant Black and Jewish neighbourhood, to the Sixties, when the hippies settled and then the punk rockers,” Robert says, as he slides the house special Philly cheesesteak across a Formica table towards me, ribbons of glistening beef smothered under a gooey blanket of hot, melting cheese. 

Despite evidence of gentrification, the district remains a haunt for folks of all stripes, he continues. “Today, South Street is a place where people come to discover their creative selves, to gather and exchange ideas,” he tells me, as across the room a floral, Barbie-themed installation is being constructed to coincide with the annual Philadelphia Flower Show — a 195-year-old horticultural celebration that sees the city set abloom in spring. 

I press on towards the revered Philadelphia Museum of Art, where — despite galleries packed with globe-trotting artworks from the likes of van Gogh, Picasso and Duchamp — the real action is underway outside. A busker on a saxophone has struck up a rousing rendition of Gonna Fly Now, the theme tune from the film Rocky, as tourists puff their way up the 72 famous steps to the museum. They stop at the top for a champion’s photo call, poses mirroring the bronze statue of Balboa below.

It would be easy to while away a warm spring afternoon watching this street theatre play out, but I have one final menu to enjoy, at Wilder, near Rittenhouse Square. This laid-back neighbourhood hotspot was opened by a chef and artist couple, who transformed a bygone dance studio into a cosy three-floor bar and restaurant. Inside, I join locals perched on leopard-print stools at the candle-lit bar, shucking oysters and feasting on unexpected dishes such as savoury cannoli — a sweet potato shell filled with salmon and lashings of creme fraiche. 

Heading home, I pass a towering statue of Pennsylvania’s founder, William Penn, looking down at this buzzy metropolis from atop City Hall. Philadelphia may have its roots in the nation’s past, but right now, it’s the city’s bright future that’s holding the attention. 

Three more Philadelphia city tours

1. Yo, Philly! Rocky Film Tour
Best for: the cinema lover

The popular Yo, Philly! Rocky Film Tour is led by heavyweight guide Mike Kunda, the city’s most devoted Rocky impersonator. The three-hour tour takes in various filming highlights and has even been endorsed by Sylvester Stallone himself. 

2. Constitutional Walking Tour
Best for: history buffs

Take a deep dive into Philadelphia’s storied past as the birthplace of the USA with this 75-minute Constitutional Walking Tour. Covering just over a mile, the tour takes in over 20 significant sites, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. 

3. Philly by Boat
Best for: a new perspective

Built on the meeting point of two large rivers, the Schuylkill and the Delaware, Philadelphia has a rich maritime history. See the bright lights of the city from a different angle with a one-hour sunset cruise on the Delaware River, sailing under the magnificent Ben Franklin Bridge and soaking up the city’s industrial waterfronts.