Child Friendly Restaurants

If you’ve ever been to South Philly's predominately Italian neighborhood, you may know the charming feeling that emanates from a place immersed in such culture and authenticity. Maggiano’s Little Italy, located in Center City, recreates the enchantment of an Italian neighborhood to a tee, with a menu chock-full of hearty Italian dishes that are served in bountiful portions, an extensive wine and drink list, and friendly service from a staff straight from the motherland. Combine all of this with Old Blue Eyes and other rat-pack era musicians supplying the soundtrack, and you are guaranteed to leave floating on a cloud …

Pumpkin, coined from the pet name of husband and wife co-owners Ian Moroney and Hillary Bor, offers an adventurous menu that changes daily – dishes can include snails, cardoon, and homemade banana gelato. The intimate 28-seat restaurant in the city’s Graduate Hospital area also serves up the sort of comfortable charm that comes of candle lighting, small tables, and attentive service from employees that include members of Moroney’s family. This neighborhood restaurant is well suited for a second date, a second anniversary or a couple of hours catching up with old friends. With an ever changing menu that boasts farm-to-table …

Get your spice on at Distrito Modern Mexican—a colorful, hip Mexican restaurant and cantina. Keeping it traditional with their house specialties of Ceviches, Sopas, Tacos, Los Moles, and more—but keep it kitschy and fun with their retro-inspired décor, fit with colorful pink neon lights and a mesh of upscale and decidedly tacky design. Chef Jose Garces, a master of Latin cuisine, aims to create culinary creations that fuse traditional dishes with a modern interpretation. With options for lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, plus cocktails and finger food, Distrito Modern Mexican is a one-of-a-kind place to dine.

Just five weeks after Ralph’s opened its doors, Teddy Roosevelt sat down for a classic Italian meal in a burgeoning South Philadelphia Italian neighborhood; that was in 1900. Today, Ralph’s still caters to a host of notable diners and delivers the same simple, homey but high quality Italian fare as always. It’s a spaghetti and meatball parlor where red tomato sauce is king, queen, and heir to the thrown. Ralph’s is the oldest family owned Italian restaurant in America. The trattoria’s no fuss consistent approach to Southern Italian cuisine and elegant but non-stuffy atmosphere have made it a favorite among …

Taking the heart of Italy into their food, Tre Scalini features numerous fish and other antipasta dinners to entice their patrons. Easily located by the green overhangs that contrast the red brick wall, Tre Scalini brings Italy home to Philadelphia. Chef Franca DiRenzo creates everything from scratch in the back of her kitchen where she is constantly busy. Patrons can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with a wide variety of menu items, from pasta dishes to more American ideals with Italian flavors added. The staff are very personable and try to treat you as if you were a guest in their …

Family owned and operated, Pietro’s Prime prides itself on knowing their guests and on welcoming new ones. The impression of family is prevalent through every inch of this upscale steakhouse. Owners Marissa and Sean Powell and their family are notable residents of West Chester and have been for over 80 years. The family’s commitment to the community reveals itself through their dedication to quality. The fact that Pietro’s uses only hand-carved Pureland Premium Black Angus, richly marbled and aged on premises, makes Pietro’s Prime one of the few true steakhouses in West Chester. Not only does Pietro’s Prime offer remarkable …

With hundreds of locations all over the East Coast – including seven in Philadelphia– Crown Fried Chicken has become a great alternative to Popeye’s and KFC. Not only does Crown serve delicious, crispy fried chicken, they also serve up burgers, seafood, and even ice cream; let’s see the Colonel do that! They also provide some solid side dishes to go along with whatever you choose, creating a balanced meal. Bring cash when you visit Crown Fried Chicken though, because they’re so low key that they don’t take plastic.

Can’t decide between eating seafood, sushi, steak, or Peking duck? Royal Buffet and Grill has a wide variety of all-you-can-eat options to choose from, including Chinese, American and Japanese cuisine. Their interior is equipped especially for the most serious buffet fans, with specific dining sections such as an Open Kitchen, Open Grill, Open Hibachi, Long Sushi Bar, Chef’s Special Bar, Hot Food Bar, Dessert Bar, Salad Bar, and Fruit Bar. Serving over 200 items daily, Royal Buffet and Grill was voted Best Buffet Restaurant by Main Line Times and named one of the Top 10 Buffet Restaurants in the USA …

Feast on quality casual fare and fine libations while treating yourself to supreme sounds at World Café Live. This top-notch music venue and eatery caters to what Philadelphia craves most: great times and even better food. The Café itself features three spaces to accommodate everything from sit down dinners and mid-concert munchies. Upstairs Live is open weekdays for full lunch and dinner service and nightly on the weekends, giving guests the chance to satisfy their appetite for healthful salads, savory burgers and sandwiches, and fresh pasta and seafood specialties. On weeknights, it’s also a great idea to head Upstairs for …

*Bistro Dos is temporarily closed for season. We'll see you next year!* Bistro Dos offers a Latin inspired food menu, a variety of Margaritas, Libations, Wine, and Craft beer. Enjoy Bistro on Bridge's outdoor garden seating located at 400 Bridge Street.

Indian food can be a delicacy for foodies, but when served all-you-can-eat style, it can be a match made in heaven. Since 1988, New Delhi Indian Restaurant has brought spice to Philadelphia, serving a wide selection of both traditional Indian cuisine as well as options for seafood, vegetarian dishes, salad, and dessert. Traditional favorites include chicken tikka masala as well as samosas, vegetable malai kofta, and garlic na’an. They also feature options for catering and take-out. With a large, modern, upscale dining area, great for large parties or special events, this fair-priced buffet is sure to spice up your life …

While Blue Bell Inn’s rich history shapes it to this day (Blue Bell itself was named for it), it is by no means stuck in the past. Owner/Executive Chef John Lamprecht Jr. regularly offers internationally-influenced specials (Crab Cake with Wasabi Cream) to compliment his largely classical menu. A sleek bar featuring live music and large-screen plasma televisions offers a buoyant, but refined retreat for professionals looking to unwind, and the small dining rooms’ colonial design creates an intimate atmosphere without being stuffy. Anyone looking for time-tested fine dining with modern sensibilities need look no further than Blue Bell Inn.

Cheesesteaks are so ingrained in Philly tradition that visitors don’t dare depart the city without sampling the city's namesake sandwich. At Pat’s, diners come for the original—founder Pat Oliveri created the sandwich in 1930—and are willing to suffer long lines and follow strict instructions for “How to Order a Steak.” Make sure you come with cash and a decisive palate—if you stumble over your order you may be sent to the back of the line. But stay steadfast and the reward is yours: thin slices of juicy ribeye, smothered with melted cheese and grilled onions, and stuffed into a crisp …

Hibachi Steakhouse and Sushi Bar is a fun place to go to enjoy the causality of sushi and with the service of a steak house. With an open grill set as the centerpiece for a diversity of dining options, guests have the choice of an intimate setting on the second level, or a bustling social jamboree downstairs, dining directly at the Chef’s grill. The whole family can be satisfied with the generous variety of selections, a feature Hibachi prides itself on. Alongside gourmet sushi, crisp tempura, noodles and fried rice, scallops, filet mignons, and lobsters give the carte du jour …

City Tavern may offer one of the most unique dining experiences possible: one that replicates the customs and foods of 18th-century Colonial America. Located on an historic site, paying homage to the original City Tavern built in 1773, and serving a menu of 18th-century fare, this is one restaurant that will truly transport you in time.

Peter McAndrews, Executive Chef of Modo Mio (Italian for “my way”), has taken traditional Italian cuisine and done it his way. The restaurant recreates the ambiance of an Italian osteria, with a quaint, homey setting that takes guests right into the heart of old Italy. Diners can experience Chef McAndrew’s innovative approach to rustic Italia through the scores of regional dishes from Sicily and Northern Italy, as well as appetizing Italian-American creations. Scrumptious pastas, such as the Agnolotti in creamy almond butter sauce, are complemented by a variety of rich entrees like the Braciolette, a sausage-stuffed steak topped by melted …

Enjoy a cold cocktail—and seasonally, a warm fire—while watching the sunset over the Delaware River. In the summer, sit on the patio, and watch the calming river while munching candied walnuts atop a crisp Marguerita Salad. Please a selective palate with an atmosphere that offers choice: dress up, dress down; eat light, eat full; dine fancy or relax in an over-stuffed chair in the plush, yet relaxing, lounge. Satisfy mom’s flavor for flounder, a cousin’s craving for crabcakes, and still get your monthly mignon. Try the Yardley Inn, where classy contemporary is really choice.

Rivaling neighboring Pat’s, Genos is Philly’s other notorious 24-hour cheesesteak stop. As has been the case since Joe Vento opened in 1966, sandwiches come heaping with thinly sliced steak and a choice of American, Provolone, or cheese wiz melted across the top. The menu is simple, the ordering straightforward, and the meal a decadent version of the best sandwich Philadelphia has to offer. If the glowing storefront doesn’t lure you in, the unmistakable scent of grilled steak certainly will.

Located just south of the hustle of South Street in Queen's Village, the Famous 4th Street Deli is a quaint Jewish-American restaurant featuring hospitable service and enormous sandwiches. Named after the streets in New York City, some of the sandwiches stand over six inches tall and come with a choice of sides like potato pancakes and fresh fruit. Traditional Jewish American delicacies, including monsterous bowls of matzah ball soup, can be ordered as appetizers. The attached bakery freshly bakes a motley of pastries available for desert or take out daily.

For a sweet taste of Philadelphia, Swiss Haus Bakery bakes decadent and quality cakes, pastries, and cookies using premium ingredients and traditional European recipes. This Certified Kosher bakery is ideal for grabbing a cupcake on the go, or a cake for a birthday—they even offer options for catering and wedding cakes. It also offers a little bit of Philly history, since this bakery was opened in 1923 and changed owners in 2007. With sweet treats like margiolane, tiramisu, cannolis, cream puffs or strawberry shortcakes, Swiss Haus is sure to ease your sugar cravings in no time.