3 Philly Restaurants Honored Among 50 Best in North America

Three Philadelphia restaurants were recognized among the best in North America by a group of 300 chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, and gourmet food enthusiasts.

Kalaya ranked seventh on the 50 Best brand's debut list of "North America's 50 Best Restaurants," which considered restaurants across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Friday Saturday Sunday ranked 16th, and Royal Sushi & Izakaya was 32nd. Kalaya's owner, Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon, was named North America's best female chef. 

According to PhillyVoice, The 50 Best list is published by the United Kingdom media company William Reed. The company is known for publishing annual editions of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurants from Mexico, Central America, and several Caribbean countries, including Cuba and the Dominican Republic, are included in the company's list of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants.

Kalaya was recognized for its "imaginative Thai cooking with reams of charisma" and focus on elevating Thai food to an upscale dining experience in its luxurious dining space in Fishtown. The $98 tom yum soup, bird-shaped dumplings, and tamarind-glazed pork chop captivated the taste buds of experts who compiled the 50 Best list, but Suntaranon attracted particular praise.

Friday Saturday Sunday, an American restaurant in Rittenhouse, was highlighted for its blend of classic French technique with African diaspora influences and for its Lovers Bar's "extraordinary" cocktail menu. Earlier this year, head bartender Paul MacDonald was recognized among the most innovative bartenders in the country by Wine Enthusiast. 

Finally, Royal Sushi & Izakaya in Queen Village was celebrated for its low-key yet sophisticated atmosphere and nigiri entrees, created with "texturizing knifework as fine as calligraphy," according to reviewers.