El Chingon

Chef Juan Carlos Aparicio spent 20 years in professional kitchens before opening this South Philly spot to cook Pueblan food on his own terms, and the result landed on the New York Times' Top 50 Restaurants list in 2023. The cemita is the thing to order: a sandwich built on house-made bread baked fresh every morning, and Philadelphia Magazine wasn't wrong to call it the star of the menu. The birria tacos, aguachile, and guava cheesecake round out a menu that's more focused and technically sharp than most Mexican spots in the city.