Winner of the title of “Iron Chef” on Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef program in 2010, Jose Garces is the most famous and accomplished restaurateur in Philadelphia. His flagship Amada restaurant (Spanish tapas) is the cornerstone of an empire that includes Latin classics such as Mexican (Distrito and Buena Onda), Basque (Tinto), as well as highbrow (Volvér), lowbrow (Village Whiskey), and domestic offerings (JG Domestic, and The Olde Bar). Garces rose through the ranks at the Cuban and Mexican restaurants (Alma de Cuba and El Vez) of Stephen Starr (vide infra) fame from 2001 through 2005, then opened Amada that same year. The student is now the master…
In addition to his Iron Chef title, Garces is also a 2009 winner of the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious “Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic” award. Some of the best meals of my life have been had in his restaurants.
Check out all Chef Garces' restaurants.
Marc Vetri amassed a restaurant dynasty in Philadelphia…and then sold it all to Urban Outfitters. Yes, the clothing company. No, I’m not kidding. Still scratching my head over that one. His Osteria restaurant is a very good Italian restaurant, though. Pizzeria Vetri? Meh.
This powerhouse couple has revitalized the restaurant scene in Philadelphia’s “Gayborhood”district. They have a string of successful restaurants, ranging from Mediterranean favorite Barbuzzo to the Italian classic Little Nonna’s to the Spanish Tapas restaurant Jamonera. Their bold, homey flavors combined with hip, engaging atmospheres make getting last minute reservations difficult if not impossible. These two restaurateurs have made their mark in a very short time and are clearly a force with which to be reckoned.
Check out all of Turney & Safran's restaurants.
A young and relative newcomer to the Philadelphia restaurant scene, Michael Solomonov has taken the city by storm. His flagship Israeli / Middle Eastern restaurant is Zahav, which means “gold” in Hebrew. It is an appropriate name, as he certainly has the golden touch. Solomonov’s culinary background includes stints with both Stephen Starr (vide infra) and Marc Vetri (vide supra). He has opened several additional restaurants, including Abe Fisher, Federal Donuts, Percy Street BBQ (now regrettably closed, as their brisket was heavenly), and hummus restaurant Dizengoff. All are great, but Zahav is the one not to be missed. I went to a book signing for Solomonov’s new Zahav cookbook at the eponymous restaurant, and while he mentioned that he was opening up a Dizengoff branch in New York City, he is clearly at home in Philadelphia. We are much the richer for his presence.
At the Zahav cookbook signing, Solomonov was asked how he came up with recipes. He describe the process for his marvelous beet with tahina salad: beets are sweet, he said, and you need to pair that in a dish with something bitter. What is bitter, he asked? Tahina (ground sesame seeds, also known as tahini). Those two ingredients, along with garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and complementary herbal notes from fresh dill and fresh mint make this recipe utterly magical. It becomes increasingly rare to be able to taste something truly uniquely new and exciting. This recipe was one such surprise. I took my sister (the ex-Restaurant Critic and Food Editor at Philadelphia magazine) to Zahav, and she loved the salad, even though she hates beets. Solomonov was in the restaurant that night after our meal, and when my sister approached him to ask him to sign her copy of his cookbook she told him, "You are a fucking genius!" I fully agree.
Chef Solomonov has since won the prestigious James Beard award in 2017 for Outstanding Chef of the Year. WOW!
Regarding Zahav, the bad news is that you will never get a reservation. It is booked in advance as soon as tables become available. The good news is that you can sit at the bar and order everything on the menu. Do it, and get the full tasting menu ending with the braised lamb and Persian wedding rice. You’ll thank me.
Check out all Chef Solomonov's restaurants.
Famed restaurateur Stephen Starr’s restaurants are as much about the atmosphere as they are about the food, and OH MY does he go for atmosphere! From futuristic looking Pod, which looks like it could be from either the cartoon The Jetsons or from Woody Allen’s Sleeper to Jones, which looks like something out of The Brady Bunch, to the walnut paneled Butcher & Singer steakhouse (which actually has appeared in several Hollywood films), the atmosphere is always fun and engaging. The food is always great, too! In 2017, Starr won the James Beard award for "Best Restaurateur in America". The award was well-deserved.
Check out all Stephen Starr's restaurants.