Forget your alarm clock and your morning rush—the real flavor of the day is waiting for you at lunchtime! While breakfast might get all the credit, these incredible Philadelphia lunch spots are here to prove that the midday meal is where the magic truly happens. From a hummus-focused eatery that’s a foodie obsession to a stir-fry spot that reinvented healthy eating, and a legendary sandwich shop that’s a true taste of Philly, these destinations are worth skipping your morning toast for.
Lunch Spots in Philly You Won’t Want to Miss
Dizengoff
Chef Michael Solomonov kicked off America’s obsession with Israeli cooking when he opened Zahav with partner Steve Cook in 2008. The hummus at Zahav is so popular, so revered, it’s spawned this offshoot restaurant named for a street in Solo’s native Tel Aviv. At Dizengoff, the chickpea dip is the focus of the counter-service menu, paired with pillows of pita baked daily in house. It’s a fast, efficient operation with a ton of swagger overseen by chef Emily Seaman, who rotates through creative hummus toppings like slow poached eggs, crispy chicken skin and everything-spiced onions. If you go on a Sunday, you might get the chance at a limited bowl of shakshuka.
Honeygrow
Honeygrow injected the tired salad bar with locavore swagger when it debuted in Center City in 2013. Now, there are more than a dozen locations in the mid-Atlantic, and the flagship just reopened after a refresh. The menu, overseen by corporate chef Dave Katz and executed by an unflappably friendly staff, takes a sustainable approach to sourcing fruits, vegetables and proteins for its build-your-own salads and stir-fries. For a healthy dessert, the Honeybar takes the same custom approach with your choice of fresh fruits drizzled with one of three local honeys. Trust us and add shaved coconut, dark chocolate chips and whipped cream.
Manakeesh Cafe
Ensconced in a former bank building in the Spruce Hill area of West Philly, Manakeesh specializes in the Lebanese flatbread of the same name. Served warm from the oven, the puffy, round loaves come with both traditional toppings (za’atar, kafta) and unorthodox ones (bacon, egg-and-cheese, cheesesteak), which speak to the diverse crowds that fill the lounge-y, tapestry-lined space. Encased behind glass along the front counter, pistachio baklava cut in a dozen different shapes glitter like jewelry. A box makes an excellent souvenir.
John’s Roast Pork
Housed in a cinderblock bunker along a derelict railroad crossing, the Bucci family’s luncheonette is the quintessential purveyor of roast pork sandwiches in Philly. Newbies and lifers line up in a zigzag along the counter and grab seats at the picnic tables outside. The signature pork is juicy, garlicky and herbaceous; sharp provolone and sautéed spinach—no broccoli rabe here—are de rigueur. John’s incidentally makes one of the city’s best cheesesteaks, too, and the breakfast sandwiches lined with fluffy eggs and deep-fried pucks of scrapple are equally as good in the afternoon.
