5 Must-Visit Pennsylvania Restaurants You Might Recognize From TV

The U.S. is home to dozens of great food spots that have gained fame or notoriety through TV shows over the years. For homey cooking and diner food, "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" has been crowning comfort food spots for over 15 years. You may recognize these 5 must-visit Pennsylvania restaurants from TV, all of which have been featured on this show or a similar program.

From diner breakfast classics to regional Pennsylvania staples like cheesesteaks and pierogies, a wide range of cuisine can be found at these spots, all of which are deeply connected to the state of Pennsylvania. Many of the places on this list are in or around Philadelphia, which is considered one of the most underrated foodie destinations in America, according to travelers. Some of these spots are trendy city eateries, and others have to be reached in the surrounding suburbs or countryside, but all have been made famous on the Food Network. Below are our picks.

In downtown Hatboro, PA, about an hour north of Philadelphia, Daddypops Diner has been operating in town since 1987. For over 30 years, the beloved neighborhood spot has been serving breakfast and other classic diner food. In 2024, Daddypops was named one of the best restaurants in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, maintaining its reputation for having great food years after it was featured on television. The diner was shown on an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" back in 2008, cementing it not only as a great place for locals but a diner that brings in folks from out of town, and even out of state.

Like any diner, breakfast is Daddypops' specialty. Their episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" focused primarily on the diner's scrapple, a Pennsylvania specialty made from fried pork scraps, flour, and spices, and breakfast potatoes. If you like Daddypops scrapple, you'll find it at many local institutions, including America's largest buffet, located in an underrated Pennsylvania town full of rich history. Reportedly, Daddypops goes through around 200 pounds of potatoes each day. Guy Fieri said of the diner: "It's a neighborhood institution filled with regulars who know exactly what they want." If this is the vibe you want in your diner, Daddypops is a well-loved spot to try. 

Located on Mifflin Street in South Philly, the South Philadelphia Tap Room opened in 2003. A decade later, in 2013, Guy Fieri hit it up in an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." Still going strong in the same neighborhood today, this spot is open every day of the week and has both indoor and outdoor seating. In the episode "Traditional Gone Wild," Fieri tried South Philadelphia Tap Room's deep-fried PB&J and tacos.

Even though it's been twelve years since the episode aired, you'll still find the deep-fried PB&J on their lunch and dinner menu. In addition to a wide variety of beers, the South Philadelphia Tap Room serves light bites (wings, crab deviled eggs, tacos, fries), soups and salads, and sandwiches. Some of their sandwich options include a Southern fried chicken sandwich and a za'atar-dusted tofu sandwich. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 am to 3 pm.

Aside from appearing on TV, this institution is highly respected in the city by other chefs and food writers. Philadelphia-based food critic Craig LaBan has said of the restaurant, "Few gastropubs have shown the magnetic power of a great beer list quite as much as the South Philadelphia Taproom. Its 14 fresh taps and 70-bottle list are enough to draw beer fans from far and wide."

Guy Fieri must love breakfast, and Philly breakfast, too. Honey's Sit 'n Eat, a Philadelphia institution, is known for its all-day breakfast menu. This spot was opened in 2005 by partners Jeb Woody and Ellen Mogell. In the kitchen at Honey's Sit 'n Eat, Woody wanted to find creative ways to combine the southern recipes he grew up eating with the traditional Jewish meals that Mogell grew up with and to create a restaurant that serves all the foods the couple desired when they went out to eat. In 2011, the show was featured on an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," and is still a cash-only establishment.

Located in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood, this spot is known for often having a wait on weekends for its popular all-day breakfast. However, there's a wide variety of food options on the menu — everything from pancakes, eggs in a variety of styles, and breakfast burritos to sandwiches and burgers. Plus, we can't forget Guy Fieri's favorite menu item, their chicken chili Frito pie.

This next spot appeared on the Food Network baking competition show "Cupcake Wars" in 2011 and has continued to grow as a company since. Located in Lahaska, PA, Lucky Cupcake Company is still going strong in Peddler's Village, a historic shopping village in Bucks County. This part of the state is not only Pennsylvania's top fall foliage destination, offering orchard tours and autumn flavors, but also a top cupcake destination according to the Food Network. With Christmas approaching, if you live nearby in PA, chances are you'll stop by this location to view Christmas lights and get some shopping done. This is the perfect time to try one of the cupcakes that made the shop TV famous.

In addition to cupcakes, Lucky Cupcake Company sells a variety of full-sized cakes, pastries, cookies, pies, tarts, cake pops, cannolis, and more. All of Lucky Cupcake Company's desserts are made on premises, and all are preservative-free. If you want to place an order for cupcakes or any other treats, you don't have to stop into the shop either. Orders can be placed over email for pickup or delivery if you do happen to live within 25 miles of Peddler's Village. Joanne Jarin, the owner of Lucky Cupcake Company, also runs summer camps and hosts private events in the shop.

Last but not least, this classic diner is a Pittsburgh institution at this point. Kelly O's Diner first gained widespread notoriety on an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" in 2009; however, it has been a beloved neighborhood staple in Pittsburgh since its opening in 2001. Founded by Kelly O'Conner, the menu consists of family recipes that were handed down from her mother, which Fieri noted could be felt in the spot's food and atmosphere. The diner originally opened in Pittsburgh's North Hills area and has since added two more locations in the Strip District and Warrendale.

Kelly O's Diner menu consists of diner classics — breakfast feasts of eggs, meats, toasts, and home fries, sweet stuff like pancakes and waffles, as well as eggs benedicts, omelets, sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, and sides. Whatever you would typically order at a diner, Kelly O's has it, or a spin of its own that incorporates popular regional food items like kielbasa. This is a great spot to hit to fuel up before a long day exploring the city. It may even inspire a visit to this revitalized bustling downtown in America's one-time steel capital, which is 'criminally underrated.'

To compile this list, we looked at all the spots that the Food Network has covered in its programming in Pennsylvania over the years. These 5 spots stood out based on reviews and how often they were mentioned by other travelers, rounding up their top picks. In addition, we made sure that our picks covered a wide range of regions in the state and were not all concentrated in one major city.

The list spans Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the surrounding suburbs. Each was featured on a popular television show and has remained a go-to restaurant or bakery in its city or neighborhood. Looking for more foodie-inspired travel guides? These are the top 5 foodie cities in America for 2025 (and NYC didn't even make the cut).