The Michelin Guide is coming to Philadelphia.
In a recent announcement, the Michelin Guide—which is considered the premier restaurant review system in the world—indicated that two new guides will drop in the Northeast U.S. later this year. That’s right, Michelin stars are coming to both Boston and Philly in 2025.
Philly in particular has an ever-growing dining scene and if you ask me, Michelin’s arrival in the city of brotherly love is long overdue. But, there are some things I’d like to see from the Philly Michelin Guide—specifically an inclusion of some nearby NJ restaurants that I believe to be more-than-worthy of the list.
Collingswood, New Jersey is a suburb of Philadelphia. It’s also one of the best dining cities in the Garden State. The small town is home to three of the best restaurants in New Jersey on my 2025 top 30 list. It’s not just me who thinks that Collingswood deserves recognition on Philly lists, Philadelphians themselves often fawn over the suburb. Philadelphia Magazine recently published a guide to Philly’s best tasting menus, where Jersey’s own June BYOB was included.
Philly Mag also listed June BYOB and nearby Zeppoli as two of the 50 best restaurants in Philadelphia. Collingswood’s Hearthside has been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer before that.
According to Eater, International director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec is already set to visit Thai hotspot, Kalaya, dinner party-inspired gem, Her Place Supper Club and Cristina Martínez’s Casa México.
The Philadelphia Michelin Guide Should Consider These NJ Restaurants
I’ll make my case brief and to the point. Collingwood is closely tied to Philadelphia—both in distance and culture. The suburb regularly draws Philadelphians outside of city limits to experience its shopping, arts and most importantly, its food.
Michelin refuses to venture a few miles outside of Manhattan for their New York Guide, but I’d argue that the Philly suburbs are more closely tied to the city’s culture than the suburbs up north are tied to NYC. It wouldn’t be the first time Michelin has made an exception. The Inn at Little Washington is a Three-Star restaurant in Washington DC’s Guide despite being located well over an hour (70 miles) outside of the city. Suddenly 15 minutes and five miles outside of Philly doesn’t sound too far, does it?
As such, these three Collingswood restaurants deserve consideration for the Philadelphia Michelin Guide.
Zeppoli
Chef/Owner Joey Baldino’s quaint and moody Zeppoli brings diners an explosion of Sicilian flavors and technique. The menu is straightforward—rarely changing—featuring staple dishes that Baldino grew up eating just a stone’s throw away in South Philadelphia. It’s a destination restaurant for those of us in North Jersey and one I consider a must-try for anyone within a three-hour drive. The complementary bowl of honey-soaked struffoli at the end of your meal is just the icing on the cake.
Menu Highlights: Tomato-stewed rabbit, grilled shrimp with beans, housemade pork sausage, Sicilian fish stew.
June BYOB
June’s haute French cuisine and white-tablecloth digs would fit in just fine in any city’s Michelin Guide. First opening in Philly before relocating to Collingswood, Chef and Owner Richard Cusack has curated a truly luxe experience that transports diners to a different kind of experience. Silky smooth foie gras torchons and pastry-encrusted Beef Wellington are just the start. Did we mention that June is one of a handful of restaurants in the country offering a classic Canard a La Presse?
Menu Highlights: Pressed duck tasting menu, hand-made pastas, Crêpes Suzette.
Hearthside
Chef Dominic Piperno is not playing around at Hearthside. His staple restaurant centers the conversation around a wood-burning hearth that backdrops the dining room. Anything that can benefit from a kiss of wood fire is sure to pass through the flame-spitting contraption in some regard before hitting your table. A la carte and prix fixe offerings keep the options open for Hearthside diners. Additionally, Hearthside recently announced that they will be moving to a larger space in neighboring Haddon Township, which will bring a full liquor license to the restaurant for the first time.
Menu Highlights: Dry-aged steaks, wood-roasted half chicken, crudo, hand-made pastas.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
