Must-see restaurants in Chinatown & Center City East

Legendary – and for good reason. Since 1998 Marc Vetri has been winning awards and adoring fans with his Italian cuisine. This elegant, intimate…

Your Japanese/Korean/Jewish grandmother might not approve, but the brisket ramen with smoked matzo ball and kimchi at CHeU gets our thumbs up. Gleefully…

Since 2011 Vedge has been setting the standard not only for vegan restaurants in Philly but restaurants in general. A meal here will crush any…

Morimoto is high concept and heavily stylized, from a dining room that looks like a futuristic aquarium to a menu of globe-spanning influences and…

During the day this charming cafe and food market is ideal for a coffee, light bite or something to picnic on in the park opposite. After 6pm it…

Serving up hearty Pennsylvania Dutch fare, this sit-at-the-bar affair is one of the key places to chow down at Reading Terminal Market. Their generous…

'Sunday gravy,' that delectable slow-cooked tomato-meat sauce that's a staple of Italian-American tables, is served every night at this homey restaurant…

Darkly lit with a mid-century modern style, this place channels 1950s Americana. Southern-style cooking offers up succulent deep-fried chicken with warm…

More of a worthwhile cause than a great gourmet destination, Rosa's wall is plastered with post-it notes: tokens from the people who have donated $1 to…

It's cash-only and BYOB at this popular place that's very cozy and usually packed to the gills with a chatty crowd – making it no place for an intimate,…

Sample Burmese specialties, such as Shan noodle soup and Asian tea leaf salad, at this reliable Chinatown restaurant. Among the huge array of tantalizing…

It's cash only and BYOB at this hand-pulled noodle joint. Slurp up delicious and inexpensive soups with perfectly chewy noodles, plus standard stir-fries…

Dim sum are served throughout the day at this casual spot. Dig into tasty buns and soup dumplings, as well as rice plates and noodles.

For cheap, fast eats, nothing beats one of these 'Vietnamese hoagies,' as locals call banh mi.