Typical Food in Philadelphia

A diverse, thriving metropolis, Philadelphia manages to be both contemporary and historic, hip and old-school. Though its skyline is dominated by two modern glass-and-granite skyscrapers, the real gems are the quiet streets extending away from Center City, lined with old row houses and corner buildings splashed with colorful murals. This is the birthplace of the U.S.A., but don’t think of Philly as one giant American history lesson: The city is younger and more vibrant than you might assume, with edgy public art and a leading craft beer scene just as woven into the current landscape as the cracked Liberty Bell and expected (yet still delicious) cheesesteak. Our food coverage, ranging from old-timer favorite snapper soup and “red gravy” Italian-American to raw local oysters, pays homage to both ends of Philadelphia’s spectrum.

Find typical foods in Philadelphia.

Cheesesteak

Fried oysters with chicken salad

Hoagie

Ice Cream

Irish potatoes