Three restaurants in Philadelphia were included in this year’s “Best of the Best” list of U.S. eateries published by the review-based website Tripadvisor.
Released on Wednesday, the rankings include South Philadelphia’s Ristorante Pesto, Center City’s Cleavers and Old City’s Sonny’s Famous Steaks. Ristorante Pesto came in at No. 4 in the Everyday Eats category, which represents places with great food that won’t break the bank. Cleavers and Sonny’s were ranked at No. 12 and No. 14, respectively, in the Quick Bites category. The rankings are based on ratings and reviews left on Tripadvisor between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023.
Owned by Giovanni and Concetta Varallo, Ristorante Pesto has been serving traditional Italian fare on South Broad Street since 2003. It is Tripadvisor’s top-rated restaurant in Philly and has more than 4,000 reviews, though it fell slightly on this year’s ranked list (it was No. 3 last year). The restaurant’s menu is comprised mostly of veal, pasta and seafood dishes.
Cleavers, which describes itself as a “no-bull” cheesesteak spot in the heart of the city, opened in 2016 in the former location of Good Stuff Eatery on 18th Street. The sandwich shop offers cheesesteaks made with ribeye, as well as chicken and vegetarian offerings. This is the first time Cleavers has been recognized by Tripadvisor’s list.
This year marks Sonny’s second appearance on the travel site’s annual list. The shop opened on Market Street, just a few blocks from the Liberty Bell, in 1999. Sonny’s has been frequently ranked among the best cheesesteak spots in the city, but for those who aren’t fans of Philly’s signature dish, the restaurant has plenty of other food items.
“Restaurants provide a great way for travelers to get immersed in a destination’s history and culture,” said Sarah Firshein, head of editorial at Tripadvisor. “This year’s Travelers’ Choice Restaurant winners… are especially exciting.”
Some non-Philly Pennsylvania eateries were recognized too, including Marblehead Chowder House in Easton, Lawrence Park Diner in Erie and A Little Pizza Heaven in Scranton. Marblehead Chowder House was listed in the Everyday Eats category at No. 15, while Lawrence Park Diner and A Little Pizza Heaven were listed in the Hidden Gems category at No. 20 and No. 22, respectively.
Earlier this month, The New York Times included El Chingon in South Philly, My Loup in Rittenhouse and Kalaya in Fishtown among its 50 best restaurants in the U.S. Bon Appétit recently named two places in Philly — South Philly’s Heavy Metal Sausage Co. and Pietramala in Northern Liberties — to its list of the 24 best U.S. restaurants.