Philadelphia, a city celebrated for its cheesesteaks and rich culinary history, also boasts a thriving scene for health-conscious eaters. From vegan eateries to farm-to-table establishments, the city offers a diverse range of options for those seeking nutritious and delicious meals. This guide explores some of the best healthy food options in Philadelphia, catering to various dietary preferences and lifestyles.
Restaurants Emphasizing Fresh, Whole Ingredients
Several Philadelphia restaurants prioritize the use of fresh, whole ingredients to create flavorful and nourishing dishes.
WellFed: For those seeking convenience without compromising on health, WellFed offers a weekly rotating menu of chef-made meals that are 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, seed oil-free, and Paleo-friendly. They deliver throughout Philadelphia and within a 40-mile radius, making it easy to enjoy healthy meal prep without the stress of cooking.
Talula's Garden: This Washington Square eatery has long been committed to the farm-to-table concept, sourcing ingredients carefully and preparing them with a light European touch. Their modern menu changes with the seasons, emphasizing fresh, local produce. Diners can enjoy healthy and delicious options like Mediterranean sea bass and seared sea scallops with gulf shrimp.
Sweetgreen: Starting as a farm-to-table salad shop, Sweetgreen has expanded to multiple locations in Philadelphia, offering seasonal salads and bowls made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Customers can customize their meals and take advantage of rewards programs.
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Vegan and Vegetarian Cuisine
Philadelphia's vegan and vegetarian scene is vibrant, with restaurants offering innovative and satisfying plant-based dishes.
Vedge: Located in Center City, Vedge is a renowned vegan restaurant serving globally-inspired cuisine. Their menu features creative dishes made without any animal products, such as salt-roasted beets, stuffed avocado, seared maitake mushrooms, and eggplant braciole.
Pietramala: This casual vegan restaurant in Northern Liberties offers satisfying dishes like sweet corn gnocchi and maitake mushrooms with heirloom polenta. The cozy atmosphere and BYOB policy make it a great spot for a relaxed and healthy meal.
Abyssinia: This Ethiopian spot near Penn's campus offers a variety of vegetarian dishes. The Vegetarian Combination includes six popular vegetarian dishes served on injera, providing a flavorful and filling meal.
Diverse and Healthy International Flavors
Philadelphia's diverse culinary landscape extends to healthy international cuisines, offering a range of options for those seeking globally-inspired flavors.
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Kanella Grill: This Greek restaurant offers excellent and affordable Greek food. Diners can enjoy a family-style Greek feast with kebabs, hummus, and dolmades.
Nafi Food Express: This halal food truck in West Philly serves Indian food, including grilled lamb, veggie biriyani, and smashed eggplant. They also offer a light and peppery chicken salad.
Suya Suya: This Northern Liberties West African spot offers affordable bowls filled with spicy brussels sprouts, juicy shrimp, and zobo ginger tea.
Pera: This Turkish spot offers shareable plates like tabouli, creamy hummus, lemony marinated lamb skewers, and whole dorado.
Laos Thai Restaurant: This Kensington spot is ideal for enjoying shrimp wontons, spicy tom yum soup, pan-seared tilapia, and pad kee mao.
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Tuna Bar: This Old City spot offers light options like ginger and seaweed salads, tuna crudo, and rolls with salmon, daikon, lettuce, and avocado.
Casual and Convenient Healthy Options
For those seeking quick and convenient healthy meals, Philadelphia offers several fast-casual options.
honeygrow: With multiple locations in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, honeygrow makes it easy to build a healthy meal with customizable stir-fry and salad options. The app's order-ahead feature is a convenient time-saver.
Snap Kitchen: Snap Kitchen offers pre-packaged breakfasts, lunches, and dinners designed for busy people. They also offer meal subscriptions with customizable plans to fit various dietary needs.
Hummus Republic: This fast-casual Mediterranean eatery allows customers to build their own salads, pitas, or bowls with organic hummus dips, proteins, and unlimited toppings.
Hibiscus Cafe: This West Philly cafe offers salmon wraps, seitan fajitas, fresh-squeezed juices, and side dishes like curried chickpeas and smoky kale.
The Juice Room: This neighborhood juicery in Mt. Airy serves mango lassis, green smoothies, sandwiches, pastries, and salads.
Sip-N-Glo: This Philadelphia spot offers nutrient-packed juices and smoothies made with fresh ingredients.
Restaurants with Healthy Options Alongside Other Fare
Some Philadelphia restaurants offer healthy options alongside more indulgent fare, providing choices for diners with varying preferences.
Aqimero: Located in the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, Aqimero offers Latin American cuisine with a modern twist. The menu features shareable plates and wood-fired grill selections, with options like tuna tartare, crispy calamari, prime dry-aged ribeye, and seared branzino.
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks: This downtown Philadelphia restaurant offers fresh seafood and shellfish, as well as steak and garden-fresh salads.
THIRTEEN Restaurant: Located inside the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel, THIRTEEN Restaurant offers modern American cuisine with regional influences. The menu includes dry-aged steaks, Maryland blue crab, and Atlantic salmon.
The Love: This Rittenhouse Square restaurant offers everyday American cuisine with a focus on seasonal and local ingredients.
Estia Restaurant: The restaurant specializes in whole grilled fish which are flown in from the Greek Islands, the shores of Morocco, Tunisia, & Portugal.
Kitchen + Kocktails: At its heart, Kitchen + Kocktails is a modern comfort food restaurant - serving elevated favorites like our famous flavored fried chicken & lobster tails, shrimp & grits, creative waffles, and southern classics with a bold twist.
The Capital Grille: The Capital Grille is best known for our expertly prepared steaks, which are dry aged in house for 18 to 24 days and then hand-cut by our restaurant's on-premise butcher.
La Viola Bistro: A fine-dining establishment, it specializes in Italian fare. Some items on the menu at La Viola - East include pasta such as bowtie pasta with shrimp, along with a linguini pasta dish with veal. In addition to pasta, La Viola serves a variety of seafood and grilled steak entrées.
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