3 Philly Restaurants Make New York Times 'Restaurants List'

PHILADELPHIA — If you've been paying attention to the culinary scene in Philadelphia, you know it's been in a sort of renaissance for several years.

With numerous James Beard Award winners and nominees from eclectic backgrounds, dining in the city could be better than ever.

And three restaurants in the city were listed on the New York Times' "The Restaurant List."

The list highlights the "50 places in the United States that we’re most excited about right now," according to the Times.

This year's list is the third ever by the storied publication.

"It wasn’t easy to narrow it down, but here are the 50 restaurants that excite us most right now," the Times wrote.

El Chingon, Kalaya, and My Loup are representing Philadelphia on the list.

Here's a bit of what Niktia Richardson wrote about El Chingon:

When South Philly Barbacoa opened nearly a decade ago, it was clear that the Mexican immigrants who had settled in Philadelphia had a culinary story to tell. El Chingon, just a 10-minute walk away, feels like a continuation of that story. After decades working at upscale French and Italian restaurants, Juan Carlos Aparicio takes us home to the Pueblan kitchen where his mother taught him to cook. El Chingon doesn’t clamor for attention or traffic in gimmicks; it’s simply a neighborhood restaurant, albeit one of the highest order.

Brett Anderson had this to say about James Beard Award-winning Kalaya:

Chutatip Suntaranon pranced away from her flight-attendant career and onto the national culinary stage in 2019, when she started serving head-turning southern Thai food at a 39-seat B.Y.O. restaurant. As of last year, that Kalaya is no more, but the new version is as dazzling as the original was modest. Ms. Suntaranon’s business partnership with Defined Hospitality, a local restaurant company, hasn’t muted her forcefully spiced, luminous cooking. Be sure to order the flower-shaped shaw muang, the fiery venison curry and the goong phao, with its grilled freshwater prawns — and while you eat, marvel at the realization that this preternaturally gifted chef and restaurateur didn’t open her first place until age 50.

And lastly, Sara Bonisteel had this to say about My Loup:

“Je me souviens” (I remember) is the motto of Quebec, and it’s also a vibe at this newcomer in the City of Brotherly Love, where you might remember things about restaurants that have been missing in recent years — namely fun. The chefs Alex Kemp and Amanda Shulman have created a weeknight spot that feels like a dinner party in the spirit of Montreal’s Joe Beef, where both worked. The easiest way to experience the twists, turns and surprises of their seasonal menu is the “Let us cook for you!” option, which could go from a seafood platter to a hot-cold crab situation (big crab meets Big Mac) to a meaty main, like a pork chop with peaches.

See the full list from the New York Times online here.