How many restaurants are there in Philadelphia's busiest areas?
We counted 1,093 restaurants within 1 km of the centres of 10 Philadelphia areas. Rittenhouse Square is the most crowded at 89.4 per km²; Chestnut Hill is the least, at 5.4.
Mapped
1,093
in 10 areas
Busiest area
89.4/km²
Rittenhouse Square
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Restaurants by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rittenhouse Square4.4★ average | 28189.4/km² | 89.4 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| South Street4.5★ average | 18157.6/km² | 57.6 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| East Passyunk4.5★ average | 15549.3/km² | 49.3 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| University City4.3★ average | 10533.4/km² | 33.4 | 4.3★ | HIGH |
| Northern Liberties4.4★ average | 8928.3/km² | 28.3 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Old City4.4★ average | 8727.7/km² | 27.7 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Fishtown4.4★ average | 8326.4/km² | 26.4 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Fairmount4.3★ average | 5617.8/km² | 17.8 | 4.3★ | HIGH |
| Manayunk4.4★ average | 3912.4/km² | 12.4 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Chestnut Hill4.4★ average | 175.4/km² | 5.4 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
Where is it least crowded?
- Chestnut HillMODERATE
17 restaurants within 1 km (5.4 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
- ManayunkMODERATE
39 restaurants within 1 km (12.4 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
- FairmountHIGH
56 restaurants within 1 km (17.8 per km²), averaging 4.3★.
Fewer restaurants is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 1,093 restaurants in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up542 (50%)
- 4.0 to 4.4378 (35%)
- 3.5 to 3.974 (7%)
- Below 3.524 (2%)
- Under 10 reviews75 (7%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- Farmer's Fridge5 outlets · 1 area
- Wawa4 outlets · 2 areas
- Chipotle Mexican Grill2 outlets · 1 area
- halal gyro2 outlets · 1 area
- The Halal Kitchen2 outlets · 1 area
Check competition at your exact address — free
Drop a pin on the street you have in mind and see every competitor around it on a map, with ratings and review counts. The scan is free with an account.
Questions
Is Philadelphia saturated with restaurants?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 5.4 per km² in Chestnut Hill to 89.4 per km² in Rittenhouse Square. 8 of the 10 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Philadelphia area has the most restaurants?
Rittenhouse Square, with 281 within 1 km of its centre (89.4 per km²). Next come South Street (181) and East Passyunk (155).
What is the average rating of restaurants in Philadelphia?
4.4 out of 5, across the 1,018 restaurants with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is South Street (4.5), the lowest University City (4.3).
Which restaurant chains are most common in Philadelphia?
In the areas we mapped: Farmer's Fridge (5 outlets in 1 area), Wawa (4 outlets in 2 areas), Chipotle Mexican Grill (2 outlets in 1 area).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every restaurant on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Philadelphia.