As the countdown to the New Year approaches, Billy Penn is counting down the most significant food stories that shaped 2025. From new restaurant openings, to innovations in the delivery scene, to notable food awards — our list reflects on the past and gives insight on dining spots and trends to look out for in 2026.
10. Oysters are in
Move over New England. What are Philly’s award-winning chefs doing this year? They’re opening new oyster spots. Out of the handful of James Beard Award winners in our city, CookNSolo’s Michael Solomov and Mawn’s Phila Lorn both opened new oyster-themed restaurants: Jaffe Bar and Sao, respectively. What’s more, in addition to leading this year’s Shuckfest, Oyster House expanded its presence with a smaller location at PHL. Now anyone traveling through our city can experience a tasty mollusk!
9. The African American Market came to FDR Park
FDR Park is known for its eclectic and delicious markets, from the Mercado Latino to the Southeast Asian Food Market. This year, another one was added to the roster: the African American Market. With delicious bites from Black-owned businesses around Philly, the market from organizer Karen Harris is bound to continue to grow and attract talent.
8. Wonder came sweeping in
Wonder, the food-tech delivery platform, expanded rapidly across the Philadelphia area in 2025, opening more than 10 new locations. Even if you don’t know what Wonder is, you’ve likely gotten one of their mailers or messages in your inbox. The food hall and delivery service from billionaire Mark Lore aims to become the Amazon of food — with different vendor options and fully integrated kitchens letting you mix and match cuisines. Now that Wonder is here, the next question is going to take some time to answer: Is it here to stay?
7. Gather Food Hall opened with a student-driven mission
Gather Food Hall opened in University City this year with a mission to prop up celebrated Philly food vendors and make meals more accessible for food-insecure college students. The food hall has just six vendors inside, with notable local popups and restaurants like Sahbyy Food, Mucho Pero and El Mictlan. The new food hall, in conjunction with the nonprofit Believe in Students, aims to provide 5,000 free meals in 2026 to students who are struggling with food insecurity.
6. Stephen Starr closed Pod and opened Borromini
Pod was once one of Philly’s most unique restaurants. The space, which looked like a ship out of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” opened at the turn of the century with a sushi conveyor belt and “pod” booths that changed color via lighting. Over time, however, what once felt new began to feel dated. And now, what’s old is new again. Borromini, a classic and rustically designed Italian space, opened at Rittenhouse Square with a much hyped 100-layer lasagna. While the Inquirer’s Craig LaBan dismissed that lasagna as “muddled mush,” the design and scope of the restaurant shows a yearning for something more classic and comforting.
5. Philadelphia got its first women’s sports bar
This year, Marsha’s, Philadelphia’s first-ever women’s sports bar, came to South Street. Chivonn Anderson, Marsha’s owner, decided to open the space after going to a sports bar, asking her server to put on the Women’s World Cup and getting denied. The bar is named after LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson, and has set out to champion sports played by women and be a space for the queer community.
4. Philadelphia tried its first Tokyo cheesesteaks
Kosuke and Tomomi Chujo, the owners of Tokyo’s Nihonbashi Philly, the best Eagles bar and cheesesteak spot in Japan. The husband-and-wife team have studied hard to get their recipe right, and they moved mountains to have two special cheesesteak popups when they visited the city last spring. The duo have proven their dedication and love for Philadelphia, and the city threw that love right back at them. The first pop-up drew over 1,000 people as residents waited on line for as long as three hours to try two Japanese-inspired options: one with ribeye sukiyaki style, the other with chicken teriyaki and egg.
3. Iron Hill Brewery closed all of its locations
Where were you when you heard that Iron Hill Brewery was shutting down? Even those who weren’t fans of the restaurants may have felt a seismic shift in the Philly dining scene when the chain abruptly announced the closure of all 19 of its restaurants. The call was so out of the blue that many of the staff didn’t even know. Now, many of Iron Hill’s large and spacious storefronts remain empty — serving as a ghostly reminder of the restaurant’s legacy.
2. Four James Beard Award nominations and one big win
This year four Philadelphia restaurants and chefs received nominations for the James Beard Awards, otherwise known as the culinary Oscars: Jesse Ito and Amanda Schulman for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, Friday Saturday Sunday’s Lover’s Bar for Outstanding Bar, and Phila Lorn for Emerging Chef. In the end, Lorn — who runs Mawn with his wife and partner Rachel Lorn — was the sole Philly restaurateur to take home the bacon.
1. The City of Brotherly Love got its first Michelin Guide
This year, for the first time ever, the Michelin Guide came to town, and unveiled its updated 2025 North American Michelin Guide at the Kimmel Center. Three restaurants went home with big wins: Friday Saturday Sunday, Provenance and Her Place Supper Club all got a Red Star. In addition, Pietramala won a Green Star (for sustainable dining) and a bunch of restaurants won Bib Gourmands and Michelin Selected awards. Although there were arguably some snubs and omissions, it was exciting to bring Philly’s restaurant scene to the world stage.
