Over the last five years, there’s been one Philly restaurant whose culinary week of delight has been notably missed. That’s all changing come September as Manayunk Restaurant Week makes a return to Main Street, September 8 through the 14th. Over seven delicious days, more than 20 restaurants will roll out two- and three-course prix fixe menus at $15, $25, $35, and $45 per person, with both lunch and dinner options depending on the spot. It’s the ideal moment to book a table at a longtime favorite or finally try that new place you keep walking past—indoors, outdoors, casual, or dressed up, the week is designed for every appetite and every vibe.
The spirit of Manayunk Restaurant Week is simple: collaboration over competition. “Manayunk Restaurant Week is a celebration of Manayunk’s thriving dining scene. It’s the perfect time to try new flavors, support local chefs, and experience the heart of our community,” says Manayunk Development Corporation Executive Director Gwen McCauley.
Brendan McGrew, Director of Operations for Voracious Hospitality, adds, “Each restaurant can do what they do best at its price point…Rather than each of us fighting for a bigger piece of the pie, we are all working together to make the pie bigger.”
Marketing and retail strategy consultant Joan Denenberg underscores the timing: the Manayunk Restaurant Week comeback is engineered to spark visits during a traditionally slower season, showcase the neighborhood’s range, and boost small businesses right as we roll into fall.
Consider this your nudge to reserve now. Expect menu exclusives, chef signatures, and featured drinks at select locations—everything from craft cocktails and local beers to easy-drinking house wines—curated to complement those prix fixe lineups. For full menus, hours, and any last-minute updates, confirm with each restaurant and keep an eye on the Manayunk Restaurant Week official site.
Manayunk Restaurant Week: who’s cooking and what to order
The Manayunk Restaurant Week roster is a who’s who of Main Street favorites. At Bar Jawn ($35, dinner), lean into a house draft, sangria, or margarita to start, then go playful with fried cheese or egg rolls before tackling one of the crowd-loving sandwiches or burgers—yes, the infamous “Jawn” upgrades are on offer—and even a discounted Eating Challenge for the bold. Next door, Bayou returns with its sports-bar comfort and seafood staples; details will be posted closer to the week, but expect casual, shareable plates that play well with game-day energy.
Blondie splits its deal two ways: a $15 two-course dinner built around snack-able openers like truffle fries, chicken skewers, deviled eggs, and fried chicken sliders, plus salads; and a $35 three-course with mains such as salmon, shrimp & grits, mushroom tortellini, or a short-rib sandwich, finished with desserts like the over-the-top Blondie Split. Tex-Mex hangs at Cactus Restaurant & Bar, where menus are forthcoming—count on Southwestern standards and a lively patio scene.
Craving Thai or sushi? Chabaa Thai Bistro / Yanako ($35, lunch and dinner) maps a polished three-course tour: start with chive cakes, crispy spring rolls, shumai, takoyaki, or a coconut-kissed Tom Kha salmon cup; move to Pad Thai, spicy basil stir-fry, green curry, teriyaki proteins, or chef’s sushi sets; close with mochi, mango cheesecake, or tiramisu (matcha or classic). Jake’s & Cooper’s ($35, dinner) keeps it timeless: soup or salad, your choice of artisan pizza or pasta, and a signature dessert—smart wine pairings are a given in this beloved room.
Burger royalty Lucky’s Last Chance ($25, dinner) leads with loaded tots—Old Bay cheese, garlic butter asiago, or jalapeño cheese—then goes full send with signature burgers like the cult-favorite PB & Bacon, the Incomparable Bacon Cheddar, the Pickle Monster, or the towering Gorganzilla, capped by an exclusive dessert of fried birthday-cake Oreos.
River-view landmark Manayunk Brew Pub ($35, lunch and dinner, four courses) pairs scenic deck seating with appetizer choices such as pear-walnut-ricotta crostini or mushroom-goat cheese puff pastry; mains include crispy pan-seared salmon with charred poblano cream or slow-braised short-rib pappardelle; desserts range from lemon posset with raspberries to peanut-butter mousse with Nutella whip, and your prix fixe includes a 12-oz draft beer, a house wine, or a soft drink.
A block off Main, JD McGillicuddy’s ($25, dinner) bundles a beverage (craft beer, wine, or cocktail) with starters like cheesesteak egg rolls, mozzarella triangles, fries, wings, or nachos; stacked mains cover chicken cutlet sandwiches, shrimp tacos, hearty salads, fish and chips, burgers, and cheesesteaks—including the Spicy Jawn and the Schwarber.
Across the street, Mia Ragazza ($45, dinner) leans into modern Italian: begin with fried artichoke hearts, a “sort-of spicy” Caesar, or suppli; choose handmade pastas—bucatini alla gricia, rigatoni vodka, or linguini with pistachio pesto—or go big with bone-in chicken parm; end with a decadent 16-layer tiramisu chocolate cake or a cannoli trio. Featured sips include house red and white by the glass, a tiramisu espresso martini, and the berry-bright My Girl.
Asian comfort continues at New Leaf ($45, lunch and dinner, indoor) with a choose-your-own trio: warm up with wonton, hot & sour, or miso soup; pick a salad and dim-sum duo; then head to entrées like wok-fried lemongrass beef, Mongolian lamb, General Tso’s chicken or shrimp, or spicy crispy chicken/shrimp; desserts range from New York cheesecake to a glossy chocolate pyramid.
Outdoors, PHS Pop Up Garden throws a $25 BBQ Chicken Dinner: house-smoked leg, roasted potato salad, corn “riblets,” deviled egg, a King’s Hawaiian roll with honey butter, and strawberry shortcake—garden drinks at the ready.
SOMO Manayunk ($45, dinner) brings its speakeasy-meets-neighborhood feel with salads and cheesesteak egg rolls before entrées like shrimp Alfredo, chicken parm, vegetarian paella, or beef medallions, finished with a chocolate tart or banana-chocolate bread pudding. At Taqueria Amor, value plays abound: a $15 three-course with kale salad or tortilla soup, cauliflower tacos or carnitas tacos, and ice cream; or a $25 three-course that adds guacamole, shrimp al pastor, grilled chicken fajitas, or beef birria tacos with consommé, ending with creamy rice pudding.
Beer lovers should point to The Brass Tap ($35, dinner), where a 150-plus list supports shareables like pot stickers, boom-boom shrimp, Brussels sprouts, mac ’n’ cheese bites, or a Caesar; mains include an Asian BBQ sandwich, hot-honey pizza, fish and chips, 10 wings, or steak frites; desserts swing sweet with bourbon-maple brown-butter cake or a lava cookie with ice cream.
The Couch Tomato ($25, lunch and dinner) is a clean-eating champion—prix fixe includes a beverage, a soup sample (tomato basil and more), a composed salad (think fried goat cheese, Hail Caesar, pear-fection, peach vibes), and an entrée from bistro burger to Nashville chicken sandwich, black-bean burger, hearts-of-palm “fish” tacos, or a personal pizza; note the no-sharing policy for this menu.
The Goat’s Beard ($35, dinner) opens with TGB Nuggets, cheesesteak egg rolls, or a classic wedge; moves to mains like a double-patty smashburger, the OG 8×10 Detroit-style pie, mushroom risotto (with add-on proteins), or steak mac & cheese; and closes with mixed-berry cobbler. Featured beverages include The Goat’s Beard (Old Overholt rye, lemon, mint), the bubbly-fresh Friendly Neighbor, and a local West Coast IPA from Conshohocken.
The Rook ($35, dinner) celebrates its scratch-kitchen sandwiches with starter choices of French onion soup, Caesar, or wings; mains like The Daisy, The Rook, a cheesesteak, or The Bear; and a tiramisu finish—big flavor, lively room.
Sweet tooth? Tubby Robot Ice Cream Factory sets a $15 special of six-scoop ice-cream flights—yes, flights—perfect for date night or a family finish. And Zesty’s ($45, dinner) brings Mediterranean warmth: open with Greek spreads, mussels krassata, or spanakopita; choose from moussaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, a lemon-ginger glazed salmon, chicken Lefkadas, or lamb souvlaki; then pick from the dessert tray of the day.
That breadth—burgers to birria, sushi to short-rib pappardelle, garden BBQ to gelato vibes—is exactly why Manayunk Restaurant Week is one of the region’s great dining traditions. Book soon, bring friends, and let Main Street set the table for your fall.
Welcome back, Manayunk Restaurant Week. We missed ya!
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