Two Philly Restaurants Named to ‘All Time Eater’ List

Two Philadelphia restaurants have taken top honors in Eater's “All Time Eater” list. The list recognizes thirty-eight of the nearly 160,000 restaurants that have been honored by the food website over the last two decades for their enduring impact on restaurant culture.

Born in Capulhuac, Mexico, Chef Cristina Martinez launched South Philly Barbacoa in 2014 as a food cart. Soon after it launch, crowds flocked to the food cart, eager for the culinary establishment's specialties, such as slow-cooked lamb. In 2015, Martinez and her husband, chef Ben Miller, turned the food cart concept into a brick-and-mortar establishment, and still foodies continued to find them. 

Writing for Eater, Jess Mayhugh had the following to say about South Philly Barbacoa's appeal:

“SPB is known for its pit-braised lamb, offal sausage (a spicy grind of kidneys, hearts, herbs, and chiles), house-nixtamalized tortillas, and steaming bowls of consomé laced with barbacoa drippings over rice and garbanzos,” Mayhugh said. “In fact, Martinez is largely credited with catapulting the popularity of barbacoa in the States, expanding many palates beyond the limited 'sliced beef' served at Chipotle. What's more, she has spurred on a national conversation about the rights of undocumented workers in the food industry, exemplifying what it means to be a mission-driven chef.”

South Philly Barbacoa is at 1134 S. Ninth St. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 5 a.m. until the food runs out.

When Zahav opened in Philadelphia in 2008, it introduced the city to a new interpretation of Israeli dining. Its cuisine helped move Levant into the culinary limelight.

As Zahav has become more widely known, the restaurant has allowed Chef Mike Solomonov to explore flavors and cooking for dishes such as silky hummus with laffa, meze inspired by his upbringing and travels to the Middle East, and pomegranate lamb shoulder. 

Here's what Eater's Melissa McCart has to say about Zahav:

“Its success helped shape Philadelphia's modern restaurant scene and paved the way for the group's many offshoots there and now in New York City. What keeps Zahav relevant is its generous service, a menu that feels intimate, food that reflects a sense of place through Solomonov's perspective, and a kitchen and bar that continue to evolve while honoring their roots,” she said. 

Zahav is at 237 St. James Place.