For the first time ever, Philadelphia has a Michelin star. Three, in fact.
Friday Saturday Sunday, Her Place Supper Club, and Provenance were each awarded a star, capping a brilliant showing as 31 other Philadelphia restaurants — including three cheesesteak shops — received honors in the city’s debut in Michelin, arguably the world’s most prestigious restaurant awards.
Tuesday night’s Northeast Cities ceremony — which included restaurants from Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston (also in its Michelin debut) — drew hundreds of culinary professionals from around the world to the Kimmel Center, whose facade was lit up in Michelin’s signature red. The attendees were a who’s who of the culinary world, including chefs Thomas Keller and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and drew dozens of the city’s best-known chefs and restaurateurs, such as Greg Vernick, Marc Vetri, Omar Tate, and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, Jesse Ito, and Ellen Yin.
Hanna Williams looks on as her husband, chef Chad Williams, and Lynette Brown-Sow do a FaceTime after the Michelin awards at the Kimmel Center. Brown-Sow has known Chad Williams since he was a baby.
Ten Philadelphia restaurants received a Bib Gourmand — recognized as great food at a great value, though not star-worthy. They represent a mixed bag of cuisines and price points: cheesesteaks (Angelo’s, Dalessandro’s, Del Rossi’s), Israeli cuisine (Dizengoff), Mexican (El Chingón), pizza (Pizzeria Beddia, Sally), casual pasta (Fiorella), Japanese (Royal Sushi & Izakaya), and classic Jewish deli (Famous 4th Street Deli).
Michelin deemed 21 other Philadelphia restaurants as Recommended: Ambra, Forsythia, High Street, Hiroki, Honeysuckle, Illata, Kalaya, Laser Wolf, Laurel (whose final night will be Nov. 21), Little Water, Mish Mish, My Loup, Pietramala, River Twice, Roxanne, Southwark, Suraya, Vedge, Vernick Food & Drink, Vetri Cucina, and Zahav. Michelin says these restaurants serve high-quality food and use good ingredients.
Joe Beddia (from left), Greg Root, Nick Kennedy (rear), Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, and Roland Kassis with the Michelin Man at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesday at the. Kimmel Center.
Besides the Recommended honor, Pietramala — chef Ian Graye’s vegan restaurant in Northern Liberties — was awarded a Green Star for demonstrating commitment to sustainability.
All can use the name “Michelin” in their marketing, a powerful tool that potentially boosts business.
Michelin, which operates in secrecy, bases the selections on its anonymous inspectors. Stars denote excellence: one star signals very good cuisine that’s “worth a stop,” two stars indicate excellence “worth a detour,” and three stars represent exceptional dining “worth a special journey.”
Chef Jesse Ito and Mia Colona at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesdy at the Kimmel Center.
The ceremony, a milestone for Philadelphia’s profile as a dining destination, was the city’s highest-profile appearance since 2018, when the James Beard Foundation announced that year’s finalists for its annual chef, restaurant, and media awards in a ceremony at Parc.
It was a night of camaraderie, pride, and emotion. After heading to the stage to acknowledge Angelo’s Pizzeria’s Bib Gourmand, owner Danny DiGiampietro disappeared for a bit. “I had a walk outside,” he explained later. “I can’t stop crying.”
Philadelphia’s one-stars
Friday Saturday Sunday chef Chad Williams and his wife, Hanna, took over this storied Rittenhouse restaurant in 2016 and pivoted to a set multicourse menu. “Thanks to skilled technique, just the right amount of innovation and an innate understanding of the luxury ingredients he uses, his dishes fill the mouth with flavor and succulence,” the Michelin blurb reads. “His delicious crispy sweetbreads will convert any skeptic; quail with pâte plays with texture, and the New York strip is a lesson in expert seasoning. There’s a great cocktail bar on the first floor; the long, narrow, lively and warmly run restaurant is up a steep flight of stairs — and those stairs will seem even steeper when it’s time to leave. Expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food.”
Amanda Shulman (right) and her husband and business partner, Alex Kemp, giggle after winning a Michelin star for Her Place Supper Club at the Michelin ceremony at the Kimmel Center on Tuesday.
Her Place Supper Club, also in Rittenhouse, was born out of chef Amanda Shulman’s cooking for friends in her Penn campus apartment. Michelin praised its “warm and welcoming supper club vibe.” While diners may get their own table, “there’s a real communal feel at play here; everyone is served at the same time after Amanda has explained to the room the makeup of each dish and perhaps the influence behind it.”
Provenance, chef Nicholas Bazik’s sumptuous atelier across from Headhouse Square, delivers what Michelin calls “a high-wire, high-stakes performance defined by precision, harmony, and, of course, taste. Korean and French influences come and go with this elaborate tasting menu where special soys, vibrant oils and glossy sauces give wonderful dimension to pristine seafood and dry-aged proteins. Think Japanese tuna with whipped tofu, puffed sorghum and chili oil or brown butter hollandaise with country ham, caviar and cauliflower. The ideas are original, the flavors bold.”
The Michelin effect
All this boils down to commerce. City and state tourism boards have increasingly turned to Michelin — the French-based tire company that has been publishing the influential dining guides for decades — as food tourism plays a growing role in travel planning.
Ian Graye of Pietramala accepts a Green Star award at Tuesday’s Michelin Guide announcement event at the Kimmel Center.
Michelin has expanded rapidly in the United States over the last several years. Besides the American South region — covering Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — there are guides for Texas and Colorado. Atlanta’s 2023 guide has since been rolled into the South. The Florida guide, launched in 2022, now includes Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Internationally, it recently arrived in Qatar, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
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The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau cites an Ernst & Young study, commissioned by Michelin, showing the guide’s influence: 74% of travelers consider Michelin’s presence a decisive factor when choosing a destination; 76% say they would extend a trip to dine at a recommended restaurant; and 80% report being willing to pay more for what they view as a Michelin-level dining experience.
For restaurants that receive distinctions, the impact is immediate as restaurants append “Michelin” to their social-media profiles.
The energetic and anxious crowd of chefs and restauranteurs during the Michelin ceremony at the Kimmel Center Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
The reservations boost can be dramatic. In Charlotte, the 18-seat Counter sold about 900 reservations in the days after earning a star at the 2025 American South ceremony on Nov. 3, booking out through mid-February, chef-owner Sam Hart told Axios. About half the reservations came from out-of-town guests, including some international travelers.
In many U.S. markets, the guide is explicitly part of tourism strategies: Axios has reported that the states included in the South edition are collectively paying Michelin $5 million over three years. PHLCVB has not disclosed how much it paid for Michelin’s partnership, which was announced in May.
Chefs Jean Georges Vongerichten (left) and Thomas Keller posed with the Michelin Man ahead of Tuesday night’s ceremony at the Kimmel Center.
Not only can reservations rise, so can menu prices at the winning restaurants. A widely cited 2018 analysis by Carly Shin of George Washington University found that a one-star rating increases menu prices by about 15%, two stars by 55%, and three stars by roughly 80%.
Michelin says that 82% of chefs report increased revenue after receiving a distinction, 60% add new staff, and 58% say a nod boosts team motivation and morale — though anecdotally, some chefs acknowledge enormous pressure to maintain such a high level.
Michelin’s arrival has inspired the PHLCVB Foundation to sponsor the Philabundance Community Kitchen program, a 16-week culinary vocational training and life-skills program for adults with low or no income, offering hands-on kitchen experience, ServSafe certification, and post-graduation employment support in the food service and restaurant industry. The foundation will connect the recognized chefs and restaurateurs to the PCK program.
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Philly earns three Michelin stars
The Philadelphia chefs acknowledged at the Michelin Guide announcements at the Kimmel Center Tuesday.
For the first time ever, Philadelphia has a Michelin star. Three, in fact.
Chefs Amanda Shulman and Alex Kemp won a prestigious Michelin star for Her Place Supper Club. She started in the biz by cooking for friends at her Penn campus apartment. The second star went to Chad and Hanna Williams’ Friday Saturday Sunday. And the third restaurant to earn a star was Nicholas Bazik’s Provenance.
Michelin added 21 Philadelphia restaurants to their “Michelin Recommended” category: Ambra, Forsythia, High Street, Hiroki, Honeysuckle, Illata, Kalaya, Laser Wolf, Laurel, Little Water, Mish Mish, My Loup, Pietramala, River Twice, Roxanne, Southwark, Suraya, Vedge, Vernick Food & Drink, Vetri Cucina, and Zahav. The broader Recommended (or “Selected”) category includes restaurants deemed noteworthy and reliably good.
Ian Graye at Pietramala won a Michelin Green star. This distinction is given to restaurants that demonstrate commitment to sustainability.
Below the star level is the Bib Gourmand, highlighting restaurants offering high-quality food at good value, usually in a more casual format. Philadelphia also got strong representation in that category. Angelo’s, Dalessandro’s, Del Rossi’s, Fiorella, El Chingon, Dizengoff, 4th Street Deli, Pizzeria Beddia, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, and Sally all were awarded Bib Gourmands.
Cheesesteaks dominated Philly’s surprising list of Bib Gourmands
A cheesesteak at Del Rossi’s.
Of all the Michelin choices, the most surprising category was the Bib Gourmands.
There are three cheesesteak specialists on the list — Angelo’s, Dalessandro’s, and Del Rossi’s — but only El Chingon as representative for the city’s huge Mexican scene.
Fiorella also seems like an odd choice for a Bib — sure, it’s “high quality food at a moderate price” but it’s in a difference price bracket than say, Dizengoff.
Of the three restaurants that actually received a star, only Friday Saturday Sunday received a majority of their vote, with 63.3% of readers saying they’ll win one.
Her Place Supper Club (34.9%) and Provenance (37.8%) fared much better in the real awards than readers gave them credit for.
A majority of Inquirer readers also gave stars to Royal Sushi & Izakaya (65.9%), Kalaya (59.3%), and Zahav (51.4%) – all three received recommendations but no stars.
It’s hard to overstate the broader influence of Her Place Supper Club, with its frequently changing tasting menus, TED Talk-like course narrations, and Instagram-stoked reservation scrambles that helped launch Amanda Shulman’s star. But the James Beard-nominated chef has never lost sight of the goal of making her original 24-seat gem into one of Philly’s most exquisitely polished dining experiences, with a thoughtfully concise drink program, an ever-whimsical vibe, and hyper-seasonal menus with French, Italian, and nostalgic Jewish influences, crafted together with chef de cuisine Ana Caballero and sous chef Santina Renzi. Whether it’s a refreshing red drum crudo over chilled cucumber-honeydew gazpacho, smoky lamb merguez with eggplant and chanterelles, or delicate caramelle dumplings stuffed with sweet corn over creamy blue cheese sauce, the dishes here are a pitch-perfect collaboration of an all-female kitchen locked in sync. Cultivating that team has been essential as Shulman’s gone on to open My Loup with husband Alex Kemp and readies another project on Fitler Square. Her Place’s continued success very much reflects that Shulman has allowed it to become their place, too.
The octopus and beans from the bar menu at Friday Saturday Sunday.
The buzz might seem impossible to live up to for Friday Saturday Sunday after being named most outstanding restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation in 2023. But with one astounding bite after another on the recent tasting menu — starting with a shatteringly crisp, thimble-sized cup of nori pastry filled with a tartare duo of veal and tuna, all crowned with caviar — Chad and Hanna Williams are clearly not resting on any laurels. Their townhouse oasis off Rittenhouse Square, already the most exciting fine dining experience in Philly, has only gotten better. The airy beignet stuffed with braised oxtail and smoked yam purée was so ethereal, I wished it was more than just a singular “snack.” Pastry chef Amanda Rafalski’s strawberry tarte may also be the most beautiful strawberry confection I’ve ever eaten. It was so vivid, we needed to pause on the way out for a celebratory drink at the ground-floor Lovers Bar, whose leopard-print stools are designated for walk-ins only. It’s a worthwhile stop on any visit to spin Paul MacDonald’s brilliant cocktail carousel for a lucky mystery drink, sip through several obscure amari, and conclude (once again) that the hype for Friday Saturday Sunday is absolutely legit.
Steelhead Trout “En Croûte” with beurre cancalaise served at Provenance.
When you’re paying $225 to sit down for a 2½ hour dinner (figure between $700 or $800 for two all-in with tip and tax, depending on what you drink), there isn’t much room for error. And there are still too many menu missteps at Provenance, where only about half of the 47 compositions I tasted over two meals were a complete success.The focal point of Provenance is an 11-seat counter wrapped around a gleaming steel kitchen that is also a stage — where chefs and servers are the protagonists. And the drama is high at Provenance, the most ambitious French fine-dining project to open in Philly since Jean-Georges in 2019.Such a grand tasting should, ideally, paint a picture with a compelling narrative and a distinct point of view. For Bazik, who has spent 15 years in local kitchens, including Fork, Bistrot La Minette, Good King Tavern, and Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, that portrait is clearly of his passion for updating French classics with influences from the Korean pantry, introduced to him by his wife, Eunbin Whang.Details, however, too frequently marred the bigger picture. With such intricate compositions, where there are bull’s-eyes of sauces within sauces within sauces, the slip of a knife, the rapid cooling of a protein meant to be served hot, or the miscalculated intensity of any one element, can tip the balance.
Notable Michelin snubs include Kalaya, Royal Sushi & Izakaya
Chef-owner Jesse Ito at work at Royal Sushi & Izakaya.
Giving Kalaya and Vetri Cucina a recommended but not a star was a notable snub. But perhaps the spiciest choice of the night was awarding a Bib Gourmand to Jesse Ito’s Royal Sushi & Omakase, long considered a star contender.
One wonders if the inspectors had trouble getting into the vaunted omakase.
Another notable snub: Phila and Rachel Lorn, owners of Mawn and Sao, were nowhere to be seen. Nor was Northeast restaurant impresario Stephen Starr.
Provenance, open less than a year, awarded a Michelin star
Chef Nicholas Bazik, of Provenance with wife Eunbin Whang, is awarded a star at Tuesday’s Michelin ceremony.
Provenance, chef Nicholas Bazik’s hushed atelier across from Headhouse Square, was awarded a star — a stunning development for a restaurant open less than a year.
Michelin international director Gwendal Poullennec asked Bazik what his inspiration was. He pointed to his wife, Eunbin Whang.
First-ever Philly Michelin star goes to Her Place Supper Club
Chef and owner Amanda Shulman sweeps between seatings at Her Place Supper Club.
For the first time ever, Philadelphia has a Michelin star.
Amanda Shulman and Alex Kemp won the prestigious Michelin star for Her Place Supper Club. She started in the biz by cooking for friends at her Penn campus apartment.
Shulman started in the biz by cooking for friends at her Penn campus apartment.
The energetic and anxious crowd of chefs and restauranteurs during the Michelin ceremony at the Kimmel Center Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
// Timestamp 11/18/25 7:13pm
Watch live: Michelin awards ceremony in Philly
// Timestamp 11/18/25 6:50pm
Jean-Georges Vongerichten hopes to add to his Michelin star collection
(From left) Kateryna Brooke, Jean Georges Vongerichten, and Marc Vetri during the cocktail hour at the Kimmel Center.
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten drew a crowd of onlookers.
Vongerichten is one of the most decorated restaurateurs ever, and recalled his first Michelin experience in 1973 when his parents took him to dine at the three-starred Auberge de l’Ill in Alsace.
I asked him how many Michelin stars he had among his restaurants and he said, “I don’t know. My whole head is full of stars. I hope to pick up more tonight.”
Kimmel lobby getting crowded ahead of Michelin ceremony
Chef Marc Vetri (left), and Chad Williams, of Friday Saturday Sunday, during the cocktail hour at the Kimmel Center.
The Kimmel lobby is becoming a crush of people, photographers, and cater-waiters, handing out wine and hors d’oeuvres.
There is a lot of French being spoken in the crowd, befitting Michelin.
“I always get nervous before an awards ceremony,” said chef Marc Vetri, here with his wife and a crew of five people, including his business partner, Jeff Benjamin.
“These events are great,” Vetri said. “I can say, ‘hey, chef,’ and not worry about their name.”
The lobby of the Kimmel Center ahead of the Michelin ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
Michelin has editions of its Red Guide to cover regions around the world. It started in France.
There are a lot of factors at play, but to get an estimate, let’s look at how other cities fared in 2024’s guides.
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With almost two decades of guides under its belt and a population of almost 8.5 million, it’s no surprise that New York City topped the list of cities with the most starred restaurants in 2024. New York City was the first American city to get a Michelin Guide, in 2006.
In this top ten both Atlanta and Washington, D.C., serve as a better comparison to Philly. Atlanta, with about 513,000 residents, earned five one-star ratings in 2023, the first year that Michelin awarded stars there. Washington’s population was about 700,000 in 2017, the same year the Michelin Guide was introduced there and awarded 15 restaurants with star ratings. Population isn’t always a good indicator though. Houston, with 2.3 million residents, earned six stars in its first year.
Kiki Aranita, a food writer (and former chef and restaurateur) for The Inquirer, predicts four or five Philadelphia restaurants will earn a Michelin star this year. She also thinks we might see a Bib Gourmand or two.
Will Philly get any two- or three-star ratings?
Paula Forbes, a senior writer and restaurant critic at Texas Monthly who has reported on the Michelin Guide in Texas, says that “generally speaking, I think that there is sort of an attitude towards, you have to kind of grow into it. You have to get your first star, then your second star, and then your third star.”
Restaurants often don’t earn a two- or three-star rating the first time they achieve a rating and it often takes several years for a restaurant to move up a rank, if at all. Texas has yet to earn a two- or three-star rating. In its third year, Colorado gained its first two-star rating.
Michelin’s guide to France. The tire company premiered its guides in 1900 as a promotional tool.
City and state tourism boards partner with Michelin — the French-based tire company that has been publishing the influential dining guides for decades — as food tourism plays a growing role in travel planning.
Michelin has expanded rapidly in the United States over the last several years. Besides the American South region — covering Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — there are guides for Texas and Colorado. Atlanta’s 2023 guide has since been rolled into the South. The Florida guide, launched in 2022, now includes Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Internationally, it recently arrived in Qatar, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau cites an Ernst & Young study, commissioned by Michelin, showing the guide’s influence: 74% of travelers consider Michelin’s presence a decisive factor when choosing a destination; 76% say they would extend a trip to dine at a recommended restaurant; and 80% report being willing to pay more for what they view as a Michelin-level dining experience.
For restaurants that receive distinctions, the impact is immediate as restaurants append “Michelin” to their social-media profiles.
The reservations boost can be dramatic. In Charlotte, the 18-seat Counter sold about 900 reservations in the days after earning a star at the 2025 American South ceremony on Nov. 3, booking out through mid-February, chef-owner Sam Hart told Axios. About half the reservations came from out-of-town guests, including some international travelers.
In many U.S. markets, the guide is explicitly part of tourism strategies: Axios has reported that the states included in the South edition are collectively paying Michelin $5 million over three years. PHLCVB has not disclosed how much it paid for Michelin’s partnership, which was announced in May.
Not only can reservations rise, so can menu prices at the winning restaurants. A widely cited 2018 analysis by Carly Shin of George Washington University found that a one-star rating increases menu prices by about 15%, two stars by 55%, and three stars by roughly 80%.
Michelin says that 82% of chefs report increased revenue after receiving a distinction, 60% add new staff, and 58% say a nod boosts team motivation and morale — though anecdotally, some chefs acknowledge enormous pressure to maintain such a high level.
In connection with Michelin, the PHLCVB Foundation is sponsoring the Philabundance Community Kitchen program, a 16-week culinary vocational training and life-skills program for adults with low or no income, offering hands-on kitchen experience, ServSafe certification, and post-graduation employment support in the food service and restaurant industry. The foundation will connect the recognized chefs and restaurateurs to the PCK program.
Rittenhouse Square weighs in on which spots deserve Michelin stars
// Timestamp 11/18/25 12:20pm
What to expect at tonight’s Michelin ceremony
Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guide’s international director, will help emcee tonight’s ceremony.
Awards will be presented live with TV host Java Ingram serving as emcee alongside Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guide’s international director. Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the PHLCVB, will open the evening.
Lillia Callum-Penso, a reporter who covered the American South awards for the Greenville News earlier this month, said she was struck by the atmosphere onstage during the ceremony. Many of the chefs already knew one another from festivals or previous jobs. “There was a lot of conviviality among the chefs when they were called on stage,” she said. “It was kind of moving — that to me was a very telling and interesting part of the ceremony.”
Michelin may be a huge part of the foodie lexicon, but it might not be a household word everywhere. Because Michelin North America’s headquarters are in Greenville, “people in Greenville know Michelin as the tire company,” Callum-Penso said.
Many residents, she said, were surprised to learn “there’s a whole lifestyle component to Michelin.”
Philly in the spotlight as chefs gather for prestigious Michelin awards
Gwendal Poullennec, Michelin’s international director, attends a dinner in Michelin’s honor in May at Philadelphia’s Her Place Supper Club.
Philadelphia will be thrust onto the world culinary stage tonight as chefs, restaurateurs, tourism officials, sponsors, and international media gather at the Kimmel Center for the unveiling of the Michelin Guide’s expanded Northeast Cities edition. It covers restaurants in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and, for the first time, Boston and Philadelphia.
The ceremony, marking a milestone for Philadelphia’s profile as a dining destination, is the city’s highest-profile appearance since 2018, when the James Beard Foundation announced that year’s finalists for its annual chef, restaurant, and media awards.
Given that five cities are involved — with two newcomers — it’s likely that more than a hundred restaurants will be honored tonight overall. The results will appear online only; there will be no published book.
Michelin, which operates in secrecy, bases the selections on its anonymous inspectors. Stars denote excellence: one star signals very good cuisine that’s “worth a stop,” two stars indicate excellence “worth a detour,” and three stars represent exceptional dining “worth a special journey.” Below the star level is the Bib Gourmand, highlighting restaurants offering high-quality food at good value, usually in a more casual format. The broader Recommended (or “Selected”) category includes restaurants deemed noteworthy and reliably good. There also is a Green Star, given to restaurants that demonstrate commitments to sustainability. Restaurants, not the chefs, get the award.
In Philadelphia, speculation on who will win — and even who was invited to the ceremony — is all chefs have been talking about for the last several weeks. Michelin does not inform winners beforehand (though early this month, the list of the American South winners was accidentally leaked 12 hours before the ceremony in Greenville, S.C.).
Last week, Michelin did inform the owners of three three-star restaurants — Alinea, the Inn at Little Washington, and Masa — that they would each lose a star at tonight’s awards.
As Philadelphia City Hall was lit up in Michelin red last night, the partying began. OpenTable took over Sao, a hot, new South Philadelphia restaurant, for a cocktail reception for chefs who use the reservation platform. Guests included Ian Graye of Pietramala, Omar Tate of Honeysuckle, and Chad and Hanna Williams of Friday Saturday Sunday.
Late this afternoon, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will host a private reception at Jean-Georges Philadelphia at the Four Seasons, with chefs shuttled to the ceremony by private bus. A cocktail hour will precede the awards, and multiple after-parties are scheduled, including a gathering at the Arts Ballroom sponsored by OpenTable and Evian, and a Resy/Amex and Visit Philly takeover at Dancerobot — the new Center City izakaya from Jesse Ito and Justin Bacharach — featuring drinks, food, and karaoke.
Michelin Stars are finally coming to Philly. How well will the city’s restaurants fare?
A Michelin star is a coveted award among restaurants and chefs and is the most prestigious of the awards the Michelin Guide bestows. Only 259 restaurants in the United States earned a star rating in 2024. In addition to the star ratings, the Michelin Guide also awards the Bib Gourmand to recognize restaurants that are serving high-quality meals at a reasonable price and a Green Star to symbolize excellence in sustainability.
Restaurants are not nominated nor do they apply to be evaluated. Stars are awarded annually and can be lost or gained year-on-year. Michelin keeps most details of the process secret, but we know a few vague details.
Anonymous inspectors visit restaurants multiple times to evaluate the restaurant during different dining periods, different days of the week, and different seasons. Restaurants around the world are evaluated by the same inspectors, to ensure that restaurants are judged by the same standards, and those inspectors make decisions to award stars as a collective.
Inspectors evaluate based on the following criteria:
South Philly weighs in on what spots deserve Michelin stars
What will Michelin mean for the Philly restaurant scene?
Provenance chef-owner Nicholas Bazik greets guest in the Headhouse Square restaurant on Oct. 17, 2024.
Dining rooms in Philly are abuzz with talk of Michelin’s impending arrival in Philadelphia —whose stars (or lack thereof) are set to be announced on Tuesday.
On a recent night, while celebrating my wedding anniversary at the elegant Friday Saturday Sunday, diners at tables on either side of mine discussed the potential of the restaurant winning a star. That same week, at the hushed, luxe soapstone counter at Provenance, where spotlights shine precisely upon the parade of twenty-some courses (which costs $300 inclusive of tax and service charge, but not beverages) placed in front of diners, Michelin was brought up by every single guest to chef Nich Bazik as he made his rounds.
“I’ve been to a lot of Michelin-starred places and they’ve been mediocre. But I think you’re going to get one,” I overheard one diner telling Bazik.
Anticipation is high. But what would getting Michelin recognition actually mean to Philadelphia restaurants? In at least one case, it might translate to survival. For the rest of the city, the guide’s arrival is both foreboding and exciting.
Fishtownresidents and business owners Shannon Leocata Figueras and Justice Figueras will sell no wine before its time. This much is clear because LeoFigs, their winery and restaurant, has been “coming soon” for months at Frankford and Susquehanna Avenues.
Recently, the LeoFigs signs came down and a new one appeared in the window, showing a drawing of a cat wearing a space helmet while watching a rocket circling the moon.
Justice and Shannon Figueras at LeoFigs, their future winery, restaurant, and cocktail bar at 2201 Frankford Ave. on Jan. 2, 2025.
Nope. The sign was a ruse, Justice Figueras said. When anything opens in Fishtown, “everybody’s like, ‘Is it going to be another Rocket Cat?’ So we thought it was a little bit cheeky — maybe get us some awareness before we posted some jobs.”
LeoFigs — whose opening is sorta-kinda-definitely set for mid-December, probably — is now hiring for all positions in the front and back of the house, including executive chef.
The Rocket Cat sign, coming down soon, will also serve as LeoFigs’ first real post on its newly scrubbed Instagram account. “I basically erased all of our old [posts] because we went through a rebrand,” he said. “It was good timing for the Rocket Cat situation.” The original logo, designed by their children, has been subbed, as well.
The original LeoFigs logo, designed by the owners’ children.LeoFigs’ new logo.
“We definitely put the neighborhood in a tizzy,” said Shannon Figueras, an executive with Bacardi. “We didn’t realize everybody would get so excited, but we feel like we probably should say something.”
The tactic worked perhaps too well.
“We really can’t walk out on the sidewalk without somebody being like, ‘What’s going on?’” said Justice Figueras, a Jersey Shore-bred wine-business lifer, adding: “We didn’t think we could really offend anybody.”
Since the spring, months after it was first mentioned, LeoFigs’ concept has evolved substantially. The couple expanded their winemaking operation, including a recent trip to the Finger Lakes, where they purchased about three tons of grapes.
Up front, the design has shifted from a simple host counter to a full working counter that will become a showpiece for making fresh pasta. They said they’re doubling down on scratch pastas, breads, and even some pastries.
Despite the café buzz the Rocket Cat ruse generated, LeoFigs will not be a morning destination. “I don’t think there’s a crowd for lunch — there are a million cafés and coffee shops over here,” Justice Figueras said.
Instead, the plan is to open in the late afternoon and focus on dinner service, with “medium” plates inspired by a trip from Barcelona to Sicily. “We almost want to be more of a food hall for wine,” he said.
With Thanksgiving so close you can almost smell the stuffing, we are in prime pie time. Bakers and pastry chefs across the region are crimping cold, buttery crusts and cooking down aromatic fruit fillings and spiced custards for the coming wave of preorders. But pie need not be reserved for the holidays, as a number of spots on this list know. After the rounds of pumpkin and apple are put away, there’s space for crusty-creamy slices of salted honey, peach, key lime, strawberry rhubarb, ricotta, and carrot cake(!) pie all year long. Read on for The Inquirer food desk’s favorite pie purveyors. — Jenn Ladd
The Bread Room
High Street, Ellen Yin’s long-running bread and pastry powerhouse, always delivers on the baked goods front. Its expertly made pies are only offered once a year, and this holiday season, Yin’s recently opened bakery, the Bread Room, is taking over. The lineup includes two pies that could be straight out of the New York Times Cooking repertoire: a chai-chocolate pie with an airy mousse filling in a thin and crunchy chocolate crust, and a gorgeous lattice-topped thick-cut apple pie with a miso caramel-glazed crust. Preorder pies online by Sunday, Nov. 23, for pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 26. — Beatrice Forman
Denise’s Delicacies
This 33-year-old North Philly institution is best known for its fresh-made doughnuts and ultra-rich pound cake, but, boy, do they know how to make a pie. The bakery’s bestseller this time of year is the sweet potato pie, filled with a creamy, bronzed custard with a just-right level of sweetness in a buttery, crumbly crust. A close runner-up is Denise’s apple pie, which hits all the right notes: Its gooey, perfectly spiced interior is suffused with the slightest tang and pairs perfectly with a double-crust pastry shell that’s dense and almost fudgy. It’s a simple pie, expertly made — like if your mom baked it, but even better (love you, mom!). The family-owned bakery also makes peach, pecan, coconut custard, blueberry, and cherry pies. Call ahead or walk in and buy from the display case; 6- and 10-inch pies will be availableup to the day before Thanksgiving (and year-round otherwise). — Jenn Ladd
Downtime Bakery
You can reliably score a slice of pie year-round at this year-old Mount Airy bakery, because owner Dayna Evans is a pie devotee: She and her team regularly whip up different variants each week, channeling whatever seasonal produce (and whims) inspire them, be it sour cherry, coconut custard, chocolate chess, or a pear-hazelnut number with a cornmeal crumb topping. What stays consistent is Evans’ signature spelt flour crusts, which give these pies nutty character and a little more bite than most — a theme that runs throughout Downtime’s offerings. Its preordered Thanksgiving pies are all sold out, but keep an eye on the bakery’s Instagram to see if one of the offerings (torched meringue-topped sweet potato, a quince-suffused gateau Basque, or a double-crust apple pie my 4-year old termed “a little spicy”) resurfaces. Pie slices roll out at 1 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. — Jenn Ladd
Flakely
Unlike its trademark gluten-free croissants and bagels, Flakely’s holiday pies can’t be found frozen in a pastry ATM. They only come fresh from behind the pink door at 220 Krams Ave. in Manayunk, where baker Lila Colello conjures a limited run of pies for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. This season’s offerings start off strong with a pumpkin-maple tart piped with a ribbon of bruleed marshmallow fluff and a gooey bourbon-pecan version garnished with leaf-shaped shortbread cookies. Both are almost too pretty to eat. Preordering has been extended to Thursday, Nov. 20, for pickups between Nov. 24 and Nov. 26. If you miss this year’s go-round, you’ll have to wait for next year to get a bite of this apple (tarte tatin). — Beatrice Forman
Flying Monkey
This Reading Terminal Market stand is renowned for its whoopie pies and butter cake, but Flying Monkey’s apple crumb pie represents the platonic ideal of the holiday treat: warm and buttery, with a crumbly oat topping so delectable, I wish the bakery sold it separately. The pies here are relatively no-frills compared with some others on this map, but you can get them anytime of year, making them just as solid a treat for joyful do-nothing days as for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Customers can preorder Thanksgiving-specific apple crumb and pumpkin pies for Nov. 26 pickup from Flying Monkey’s new location in Chadds Ford, or call the Reading Terminal stand to schedule a pie pickup any day of the year (for key lime, s’mores, chocolate cream, and more) with 48 hours’ notice. — Beatrice Forman
The Frosted Fox
The deep-dish pies from this Germantown Avenue gem are so good, you’ll want a second slice moments after you finish the first one. The pies from this bakery, from a couple of Culinary Institute of America grads, look as good as they taste: Leaf-shaped pastry cutouts adorn the pumpkin pie, while their Thanksgiving fruit pies (apple crumble, pear-ginger) are finished with a heaping mound of crispy-crunchy-buttery crumble topping. Toasted pecan and sweet potato round out the holiday pie selection, all of which come in flaky, beautifully crimped all-butter crusts. Place an order by Friday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m. for holiday pickups the following Tuesday and Wednesday. Owners Jennifer Low and Sean Williams try to keep extra pies (and cake and cookies) on hand for walk-ins, and they’ll be around in December, too. Frosted Fox offers pie year-round on weekends (preordering is recommended), with flavors changing seasonally; look for strawberry rhubarb, mixed berry, and key lime with meringue as the calendar turns. — Jenn Ladd
Little Coco
When Valentina Fortuna closed her beloved scratch bakery/cafe, Constellation Collective, in Collingswood in 2021, she figured she’d still make a few pies here and there for loyal customers. Fortuna’s pies were in such demand — particularly the salted honey — that her garage turned into a veritable black market bakery. In 2023, Fortuna opened Little Coco, a cozy cafe in a more low-key setting down the road from the original location, in Barrington, Camden County. Her fans followed. Fortuna serves a rotation of sliced pies weekly, with brown butter brownie and classic apple crumb among the favorites. Holiday preorders have begun, with pies including pecan, pumpkin squash, and the famed salted honey. — Jason Nark
Night Kitchen Bakery
Kids will clamor for the myriad beautiful cookies on display at this 44-year-old Chestnut Hill staple, but don’t let them distract you from the pie. Night Kitchen’s pumpkin pie, sporting sugared pie-crust leaves, is the bakery’s bestseller this time of year, but hot on its heels is apple crumb, packing a whopping five Granny Smiths per pie. There’s also pecan, chocolate pecan, sweet potato, double-crust apple, key lime, and sour cherry crumb (my favorite, which you can also order as an equally delicious tart, along with other year-round tarts like chocolate chess and blueberry almond). Pie is not just a Thanksgiving thing here; owner Amy Edelman says Night Kitchen packs its pastry shells with seasonal fillings — think strawberry rhubarb and mixed berry — throughout the year. — Jenn Ladd
Penza’s Pies at the Red Barn
Evelyn Penza, South Jersey’s pie queen, turned a family horse barn into a pie destination in Hammonton, aka the “blueberry capital of the world.” Blueberry pie is on the menu at the Red Barn Farm, Cafe, & Pie Shop, of course, but Hammonton also has a rich Italian heritage, so there’s plenty of ricotta pies on the menu, too. The 85-year-old Penza said pumpkin ricotta is among her best, along with the massive five-fruit pie, which looks like a work of art and must weigh close to 10 pounds. She said her pies are “cloaked in goodness.” The pie rush is already here, Penza said. To order ahead, call the shop. Penza’s doesn’t take credit cards, so bring lots of cash or use Venmo and, while you’re there, sit down for breakfast. — Jason Nark
Ponzio’s Diner Bakery Bar
What’s a diner without a slice of pie and hot cup of coffee? This Cherry Hill legend serves up hefty, crumbly slices of house-made pie for dessert all year long. (The diner’s chicken pot pie, served on Thursdays, is also a staple.) When Thanksgiving rolls around, whole pies are available for preorder. This year, choose between classic apple, Hammonton blueberry, sweet cherry, fresh pumpkin, coconut custard, and lemon meringue. For the fruit pies, you’ll have to make a tough call: double crust or cinnamon-butter crumb topping? Call before Monday, Nov. 24, to reserve. If there are any leftover pies (unlikely), Ponzio’s bakery stays open for takeout on Thanksgiving Day. — Hira Qureshi
Second Daughter
On the fourth floor of the Bok building, whiffs of freshly baked brown butter chocolate chip cookies and cosmic brownies lure customers to Second Daughter’s walk-up counter. You’ll likely glimpse chef-owner Rhonda Saltzman baking savory and sweet treats, including her stellar pies, which are available year-round. Saltzman uses Pennsylvania-sourced fruit and changes up her offerings with the seasons. This year’s Thanksgiving selection includes sour cherry pie topped with almond praline; apple pie with bourbon-spiced tart apples and an oatmeal crumb topping; a spiced pumpkin pie (or tart, with maple-brown sugar whipped cream); plus brownie tarts, salted caramel apple galettes, and apple and cherry-almond hand pies — all nestled in flaky pate brisee crusts. Order by Friday, Nov. 21, for pickup the following Wednesday and Thursday. Don’t have patience to wait for Thanksgiving? Saltzman has petite pies at the counter to indulge in beforehand. — Hira Qureshi
Tartes
Step up to the takeout window at Tartes in Old City and you’ll find a scene fit for a still life: ornately arranged miniature fruit tarts stacked atop cake stands, waiting to be bagged and boxed. Though this 25-year-old bakery also makes cookies and bite-size cakes, it’s best known for its namesake sweet, with a selection that rotates throughout the year. Thanksgiving brings an apple-raspberry variety dusted with cinnamon, plus bourbon pecan, pumpkin, and a pistachio frangipane topped with poached pears — all available in 9-inch pies as well as 2½- and 4-inch tarts. Orders are open until Nov. 24. My recommendation is to use the minis as a dessert appetizer of sorts for Friendsgivings and holiday parties. Guests will think you’re extra fancy. — Beatrice Forman
Vernick Coffee
For many Philadelphians, a visually stunning seasonal pie from this soaring second-floor breakfast/lunch/coffee oasis has become a holiday tradition. This year, Vernick’s pastry team is baking a gluten-free dirty chai pumpkin pie topped with quenelles of chocolate-coffee whipped cream; a dark chocolate-sea salt pecan pie with a fudgelike maple custard; a dulce de leche caramel apple pie made with local Pink Lady apples; and its classic carrot cake pie, with a salted ginger graham crust and perfectly piped kisses of cream cheese frosting (indeed this is a carrot cake stuffed into a dense and lovely pie crust). The carrot cake pie is available year-round; for one of the Thanksgiving pies, preorder via Vernick Coffee’s Tock page by Friday, Nov. 21, for pickup between Nov. 24 and 26. — Kiki Aranita
Sure, you could pick up hot dogs, falafel, or shawarma from a street vendor while watching the Philadelphia Marathon. But here are 10 options for a family-friendly sit-down experience.
Menu style: Greek street-food café with gyros, souvlaki, salads, loukoumades, pita platters.
Kid-friendly notes: Counter-service; quick and easy food; typically calm; just off the Parkway near the start/finish corrals; there’s also a Center City location with counter service at 120 S. 15th St.
Kid-friendly notes: Pizza is an easy win; quick service; plenty of room inside the dining rooms; outside along the Parkway for stroller parking and snacking while watching runners.
📍 1701 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, 📞 215-801-5198
Pedestrians fill the 12th Street sidewalk outside Reading Terminal Market.
Menu style: American comfort food, featuring burgers, chicken fingers, mac & cheese, salads, brunch dishes.
Kid-friendly notes: One of the most reliably family-friendly restaurants in the city, with a kids’ menu; plenty of room for strollers; drinks for adults; outdoor seating when weather allows.
Menu style: Food hall with an interesting mix of Peruvian, Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian food, sandwiches, burgers, salads, coffee, pastries, and a Federal Donuts location.
Kid-friendly notes: High-ceilinged, spacious, good bathrooms; fast service — extremely easy for families and large groups; steps from the Walnut Street bridge spectator zone and across from 30th Street Station. There’s a bar, too.
📍 3025 Market St. (Bulletin Building at Drexel), Philadelphia
Menu style: Neapolitan-style pizza, pastas, shareable antipasti, wood-fired dishes.
Kid-friendly notes: Pizza and pasta are always kid wins; roomy layout; easy access relative to Center City; its East Falls location is right next to the Kelly/Ridge spectator stretch.
Menu style: Pizzas, salads, sandwiches; upstairs bistro has more plated entrées.
Kid-friendly notes: One of the most kid-friendly restaurants in Manayunk — booster seats and high chairs; pizza by the slice; lots of families on weekends; right on the marathon’s Manayunk out-and-back.
📍 102 Rector St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-483-2233
The Landing Kitchen is an all-day cafe at the riverside redevelopment of the Pencoyd Ironworks.
Kid-friendly notes: Huge outdoor space in Bala Cynwyd overlooking the river (across from Manayunk); very stroller-friendly; plenty of room for kids to move around; great for families who want a calmer scene than Main Street.
One of the keys to the sandwiches at Huda — chef Yehuda Sichel’s acclaimed shop in Rittenhouse — is the cloudlike, house-baked milk bread.
At Huda Burger — opening Nov. 19 near Suraya and Palmer Park in Fishtown — Sichel is also building his burgers and chicken sandwiches on the luxurious, mildly sweet buns inspired by Japanese shokupan.
In fact, he built the entire place around them. “This kitchen is like half bakery, half prep kitchen just for the buns,” Sichel said. The buns at Huda Burger will be seeded, unlike those at the original shop, which serves one of The Inquirer’s favorite smash burgers — the Mott, topped with buttermilk ranch, pickled peppers, pepper Jack brie, and hot honey.
Huda Burger’s setup at 1602 Frankford Ave.
Sichel is banking on the buns to separate him from the other burger makers. (New York’s 7th Street Burger has a location opening this winter down the street, further adding to the pressure.)
“Being in a saturated market really forces you to get better, and there’s nothing I like more than some competition,” said Sichel. Besides the bread, everything else is being made in-house, including pickles and sauces, and every item is prepared to order — even the chicken is butchered in the back.
Besides three kinds of crispy chicken sandwiches (coated in rice flour, cornstarch, Wondra flour, and what Sichel describes as “a whole bunch of spices”), Huda Burger’s menu includes a rotating line of five or six smash burgers. There’s a classic cheeseburger, a create-your-own option, a vegetarian burger, a pastrami fried onion burger (a cross between a pastrami burger and an Oklahoma-style smash burger), and a bread-free cheeseburger salad. The menu also includes curly fries, pickles, and shakes made with soft serve from 1-900-Ice-Cream.
Crispy chicken sandwich at Huda Burger, 1603 Frankford Ave.
His partner is Dan Berkowitz, the chief executive and co-founder of 100x Hospitality, an event production company specializing in immersive and travel experiences.
The space, designed by Lance Saunders, includes a half dozen indoor counter seats and a few outdoor tables in season.
Sichel, who grew up in Elkins Park, started in the restaurant business at age 15, making sandwiches at a kosher deli in Baltimore. After culinary school in Israel, he moved home to work for chefs Georges Perrier at Brasserie Perrier and Daniel Stern at Rae, followed by a stint with chef Neal Fraser at Grace in Los Angeles.
Cheeseburger salad at Huda Burger, 1603 Frankford Ave.
In 2010, he joined Steven Cook and Michael Solomonov at Zahav. He rose through the ranks — from line cook to pastry to sous chef — and played a major role in the opening of Citron & Rose (2012) in Lower Merion and Abe Fisher (2014) in Rittenhouse. Abe Fisher was named a Best New Restaurant by Travel & Leisure, and Sichel was named to Zagat’s 30 Under 30 Rock Stars Redefining the Industry. He left CookNSolo in 2020, opening Huda at 32 S. 18th St., that summer amid the pandemic.
Huda Burger, 1603 Frankford Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. till 9 p.m. daily, but there are plans to extend.
The transition became official Thursday when the restaurant revealed a new (and cheaper) menu on Instagram that includes a 12-item all-day menu of revamped diner classics served from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., plus pared-down lists of breakfast and dinner-only options.
The change embraces Percy’s “true identity,” Kligerman said, and comes after a spate of mixed reviews that called out how the restaurant’s brunch program outshone a dinner menu of $30-plus entrees that included a Thai curry, a lamb shank, and a Cooper Sharp-topped burger.
Percy opened under the El at 1700 N. Front St. in May as the ground-floor anchor to Urby, a 200-unit luxury apartment complex. The restaurant earned fans and haters fast: Percy’s¾-pound ricotta pancakes and babka French toast found an immediate following in Fishtown’s crowded brunch scene. And yet, Philly Mag food critic Jason Sheehan bestowed the title of “Philly’s most disappointing new restaurant” upon Percy in September, arguing the restaurant was “all vibe, with little else worth saying.”
The reviews came with a silver lining, according to Kligerman. Percy was able to raise $4,000 for the Fishtown Community Library through a limited-run sale of shirts screen-printed with Sheehan’s headline.
Plus, a bit of constructive criticism didn’t hurt.
“I’m really grateful that we were able to spin something negative into something so positive,” Kligerman said. “We don’t have the runway that [larger restaurateurs] have, where they can collect a lot of data and open with a perfect concept … Now that we have the data from reviews, from the public, from our sales reports, we get to hit our stride.”
Percy’s all-day menu leans heavily on what worked from its brunch. The cinnamon-crusted ricotta pancakes are still there, but customers can now order them until 9 p.m. along with other favorites such as the espresso-dulce de leche beignets, a roast pork croque monsieur, and a new mortadella club sandwich smeared with burrata and pistachio pesto.
The biggest changes came for the breakfast and dinner menus, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. respectively. Breakfast’s star is the $11 Philly Grand Slam, a play on the standard diner breakfast with two eggs and home fries plus bacon, duck sausage, and a ricotta pancake for an additional charge.
The $11 Philly Grand Slam from Percy has two eggs, toast, and homefries, with bacon, duck sausage, or a ricotta pancake for an additional charge.
Dinner, too, got a makeover, swapping the Thai curry and lamb shank for a fried chicken Reuben and an elevated meatloaf served with a red wine jus, whipped potatoes, and purple cauliflower.
The new menu nods to Tuckerton, N.J’s Dynasty Diner, where South Jersey-bred Kligerman grew up splitting disco fries and pancakes with his friends until their parents chastised them for running up against curfew. It also fills a hole in Philly’s breakfast-for-dinner scene, as the city’s diners continue to dwindle, with owners putting them up for sale or preparing for demolition.
“When I think about Dynasty, I get that warm family feeling,” said Kligerman, 37, who now lives in Fishtown. “I want Percy to offer that.”
The $26 pork cheek bourguignon at Percy, now served TV-dinner style on three compartment trays as part of the restaurant’s diner rebrand.
Percy’s revamp also comes with a significant decrease in prices.
Initially, all but the burger on Percy’s dinner menu cost between $30 and $40 per entree. Now the entire menu — save for the $31 half chicken with polenta — clocks in below $28. Most dishes had $4 to $6 shaved off, Kligerman said. The croque monsieur, for example, dropped from $24 to $17, while the burger had $3 knocked off, to now sit at $18.
“We wanted to make sure the pricing allowed people to come back multiple times a week. And I think our opening pricing … definitely positioned us to be that one-day-a-week or special occasion-type restaurant,” said Kligerman. “Good diners are for everyone.”
The plate-sized ricotta pancakes from Percy, which will now be available from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. as the restaurant transitions to an all-day diner.
Good diners also have a look, he said: hard plastic cups that get constant refills, salt and pepper shakers on the table, and stacks of paper napkins. All of those elements have now been wrapped into Percy’s mid-century modern decor.
Percy’s plating also reflects the change. All five dishes on the dinner menu will be served TV-dinner style, in compartmentalized trays with spaces for the protein, side, and a single bread roll.
“It’s kind of playful,” Kligerman said. ”Everything is.”
Percy, 1700 N. Front St., 215-975-0020, percyphl.com. Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday; 9 a.m. to midnight Thursday to Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Max’s Seafood Cafe, which brought lofty dining ambitions to down-to-earth Gloucester City, has changed hands after a quarter-century.
The new owners — Mike and Barb Williams, who previously ran the three Pudge’s sandwich shops still operating in the Pennsylvania suburbs, and entrepreneur Chris Widell — plan to open Tuesday as Pudge’s Pub. It will sport a far more accessible menu of steaks, hoagies, and bar food, as well as some of Max’s bestsellers, such as steamed clams, clams casino, and mussels in three sauces. A former Max’s chef is on board, as is the former bar manager.
Pudge’s Pub’s Facebook page.
But while change is inevitable, especially in the restaurant world, last week’s announcement failed to impress the Facebook crowd. No sooner had the partners swapped out Max’s logo for a jaunty sketch of a mustachioed Pudge on the profile page than the comments flew on the page of the news site 42 Freeway, based on its article about the transaction:
“Oh, my God! They’re not using ‘Max’s’ anymore!” “I’m guessing a joke?” “Change an iconic name?” “Such a classy-looking restaurant for a cartoon character logo and basically takeout food menu.” “Is this AI pulling [a] prank?”
The partners expressed frustration as moderator Mark Matthews tried to reason with the commenters. Marilyn Johnson, moderator of the South Jersey Food Scene page, did the same on her post.
“Give us a chance,” an exasperated Mike Williams told The Inquirer on Friday. Economic reality drove the decision to rebrand as Pudge’s. Max’s hasn’t made a profit in at least three years and foot traffic was low, Williams said.
Many commenters conceded that they hadn’t visited Max’s in a long time. “I don’t want to say we’re saving it, but we want to resurrect a place where all walks of life can come and have fun,” Williams said.
Pudge’s Pub co-owners Mike and Barbara Williams and their son Preston in the bar, formerly Max’s Seafood Cafe in Gloucester City.
They are keeping the neon Max’s Cafe sign, which has cast a glow over the intersection of Hudson and Burlington Streets for decades. They applied a fresh coat of paint to the classic barroom, and are keeping the ornate wood-and-mirror bar, circa 1912, as it was.
The draft-beer list, which included high-brow specialties like Chimay, has been simplified to more standard offerings like Miller Lite, Stella, and Yards. (The fancier beers will be available in bottles.) Williams said they plan to host special events in the parking lot and are adding four TVs inside.
Mike Williams said he had a butcher prepare a custom cut of beef for the cheesesteaks. They’ll use rolls from Liscio’s, also a South Jersey business, since their previous supplier, Conshohocken Italian Bakery, closed last year.
Facebook comments opposed to the changeover at Max’s Seafood Cafe in Gloucester City.
Even the bar’s new focus on cheesesteaks sparked outrage from commenters who lamented that greater Gloucester was on the brink of Whiz overload. Two other shops are due to open soon just down the street: a barroom from Lillo’s (of Hainesport fame) at the former Thomas Murphy’s Pub, and Irishtown Steaks, from a former head cook at the well-regarded Donkey’s Place a few minutes away in Camden. In nearby West Collingswood Heights, Danny DiGiampietro of Angelo’s Pizzeria is planning to open a new eatery.
Pudge’s and Max’s histories
It’s not as if the Williamses are new to the game. The Pudge’s project is a return to their family’s roots. Pudge’s traces its history to Frank’s, the hoagie shop that a 21-year-old Frank Carbone opened at Wister Street and Chew Avenue in Germantown, near what was then La Salle College, after he got out of the service in the late 1950s.
Carbone renamed it Pudge’s — his childhood nickname — when he moved it to Whitpain Shopping Center in Blue Bell, Montgomery County, in 1972. His daughter, Barbara, and her husband, Mike Williams, took over Pudge’s after Carbone’s death in 2000. The Williamses opened locations in the Lansdale and Pottstown areas before selling their last location in October 2024; all three operate under the new owners, and Williams said he has rights to the name.
The Gloucester City bar opened in 1890 as a shoe store and became Leisinger’s Saloon in 1912, when German immigrant Joseph Fred Leisinger installed the bar. After Leisinger’s death in 1937, another German immigrant, Max Waterstradt, bought the business and named it Max’s Cafe, also a neighborhood taproom. By the late 1970s, Max’s had evolved into Max’s Seafood Cafe, known for simply prepared seafood. Time and deferred maintenance caught up with the building, and Max’s went dark in 1998.
In 2001, Tom Monahan — a partner in the nearby Chubby’s restaurant — bought Max’s, restored it, and reopened it with a premium menu whose entrees in its later years were priced in the high $30s. Monahan, who operated Max’s until last week’s sale, did not reply to a message seeking clarity on his restaurant’s gift certificates. Mike Williams and Widell said they would not honor them at Pudge’s.
By the weekend, as the Facebook crowd had moved on to a new tempest (was a new bank planned for Washington Township really necessary?), the partners were applying their final touches to the pub.
Asked how Pudge’s would set itself apart from other local hangouts, Mike Williams replied that an owner — he, his wife, or son Preston — would be on premises from opening till closing daily: “That’s the only way for quality control, and just being friendly — that is an art that is lost these days.”
Pudge’s Pub, 34 N. Burlington St., Gloucester City, N.J. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Hours will be extended on select game days.
Friday Saturday Sunday, Mawn, Kalaya – let us know who you think deserves a prestigious Michelin star
Tomorrow night during a ceremony at the Kimmel Center, Michelin will award its first ever stars to restaurants in Philadelphia. The wait is nearly over but until we finally find out we want to know which ones you think deserve a star.
Now that you know more about Michelin stars, let us know which of these restaurants you think deserves one — swipe right for Yes or left for No. Yes, just like Tinder. Finding it hard to decide? We'll also show you how other Inquirer readers have voted so far.
Mawn
Cuisine
Cambodian
Neighborhood
South Philadelphia
Crowd says
Friday Saturday Sunday
Cuisine
Modern American
Neighborhood
Center City
Crowd says
Her Place
Cuisine
Modern American
Neighborhood
Center City
Crowd says
Provenance
Cuisine
French, Korean
Neighborhood
Center City
Crowd says
Honeysuckle
Cuisine
American, Brunch
Neighborhood
Spring Garden
Crowd says
Zahav
Cuisine
Israeli
Neighborhood
Center City
Crowd says
Kalaya
Cuisine
Thai
Neighborhood
Fishtown/Kensington
Crowd says
Pietramala
Cuisine
Vegan
Neighborhood
Northern Liberties
Crowd says
Royal Sushi & Izakaya
Cuisine
Japanese
Neighborhood
South Philadelphia
Crowd says
My Loup
Cuisine
French, Seafood, Modern American
Neighborhood
Rittenhouse
Crowd says
Parc
Cuisine
French
Neighborhood
Rittenhouse
Crowd says
Vernick
Cuisine
Seafood, Modern American
Neighborhood
Rittenhouse
Crowd says
Vetri Cucina
Cuisine
Italian
Neighborhood
Center City
Crowd says
Andiario
Cuisine
Italian, American
Neighborhood
West Chester
Crowd says
All rated!
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Staff Contributors
Design, Development, Reporting, and Data: Aileen Clarke
Editing: Sam Morris
Photography: Jose F. Moreno, Monica Herndon, Yong Kim, Tom Gralish, Charles Fox, Tyger Williams, and Tim Tai
Illustration: Steve Madden and Sam Morris
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It’s our goal to create a snapshot of what the dining scene looks like year after year. To do that, we sent 17 scouts out across the city to try hundreds of restaurants, and came up with a list that we think represents Philly in 2025.
Of course, that means a lot of great places didn’t make the list, and there is no shortage of dissent about our final picks.
You’ve heard what we think. Now we want to hear from you. On Friday, November 21, our food team will be in the comment section below, answering all of your questions about how we made the 76, what we think about the final list, and what we hope to change for next year. Ask away, and we’ll give our honest opinion.
You decide 
