What's this line for? · United States
The 10 food lines you'll walk past in Philadelphia, and what the people in them are waiting for. For each: what to get when you reach the front, how long it usually takes, whether it's worth it, and how to beat it.
Reading Terminal Market
The line is forRoast pork with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe
The sandwich that's been named best in America, with a line at the counter to show for it.
Worth the waitExpect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go before 11am
Reading Terminal Market
The line is forA fresh glazed donut, or a seasonal special
Amish-made donuts and a line that never seems to end.
Worth the waitExpect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go early on a weekday
Pennsport
The line is forA cheesesteak or roast pork on a seeded roll
A James Beard classic many Philadelphians rate above the tourist stands.
Worth the waitExpect: 30 to 45 min at lunch. Weekday lunch only
Beat it: Get there by 11am
South Philly
The line is forA cheesesteak on their own seeded roll, and a plain pie
Michelin-noticed cheesesteaks and pizza from a 9th Street storefront.
Worth the waitExpect: Lines out the door, phone orders take hours
Beat it: Call the moment they open, or go at 11am
Italian Market
The line is forLamb barbacoa tacos and the consommé
Cristina Martínez's weekend lamb tacos, a Netflix Chef's Table subject.
Worth the waitExpect: 20 to 45 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go early, they close when the lamb runs out
Roxborough
The line is forA cheesesteak with fried onions, and the cherry peppers
The cheesesteak many locals pick over Pat's and Geno's.
Worth the waitExpect: 20 to 30 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch on a weekday
Washington Square West
The line is forThe Phoagie and the BLT
A sandwich shop with a cult following and viral BLTs.
Worth the waitExpect: 20 to 40 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
East Passyunk
The line is forCannoli filled to order
An Italian bakery since 1921, filling cannoli in front of you.
Worth the waitExpect: Long at holidays, short otherwise
Beat it: Avoid the week before Christmas and Easter
South Philly
The line is forA cheesesteak with Whiz, ordered "wit" (onions)
The cheesesteak face-off with Geno's across the street.
Skip the lineLocals call Pat's and Geno's the tourist version of the cheesesteak. Fun at 2am; for the best one, wait at Dalessandro's or John's Roast Pork instead.
Expect: Often 15 to 30 min late at night
Beat it: Know your order before you reach the window
South Philly
The line is forA cheesesteak with provolone and onions
The neon rival of Pat's, open all night.
Skip the lineThe neon and the rivalry with Pat's are the draw, not the sandwich. Get your cheesesteak at Dalessandro's or John's Roast Pork.
Expect: About 15 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Waits are what people usually see, not live times, and lines move and vanish: check hours before you go. Picked from Chef Amazing's Long lines lists (checked open Oct 23 2026) and checked against the press on 2026-11-12: hungryonion.org · defector.com.