Russian and Ukrainian Food in Northeast Philadelphia

Russian and Ukrainian food in Northeast Philadelphia centers on Bustleton Avenue, where markets, bakeries and dining rooms serve borscht, dumplings, smoked fish and cheese bread. The neighborhood also serves Uzbek and Georgian cooking, because immigrants from across the former Soviet Union settled here. Five kinds of place stand out in print: an Uzbek dining room, Georgian restaurants, a market with a bakery and a family-style hall.

What is the story behind Russian and Ukrainian food in Northeast Philadelphia?

Billy Penn has reported that Bustleton and Somerton are nicknamed Little Odessa because so many residents came from Russia, Ukraine and nearby regions, and that a Jewish community center, KleinLife, has helped thousands of newcomers, including Ukrainian refugees. The food reflects that mix. Alongside Russian and Ukrainian staples you will find Georgian and Uzbek dishes, so a good guide covers the whole corridor.

This is a car-friendly part of the city, with long shopping strips and large parking lots. Plan a loop instead of a single stop.

Which Bustleton Avenue food should you try first?

Start with the places both Philadelphia Magazine and Billy Penn name.

• An Uzbek dining room is old-world in style. Philadelphia Magazine points to several kinds of borscht, a spicy carrot salad and samsa, a baked pastry, and Billy Penn adds kharcho soup and manti dumplings.
• A Georgian restaurant serves dishes such as kubdari. Philadelphia Magazine names kubdari, a lamb-stuffed bread, and Billy Penn lists cheese-filled khachapuri, lobiani and kebabs.
• A Georgian bakery-restaurant is praised for khachapuri baked in a traditional oven, and Billy Penn adds spinach with walnuts and dumplings.
• A large grocery is one that Philadelphia Magazine praises for an extensive bakery and a hot bar sold by the pound, and Billy Penn calls it an old-style market with affordable produce and baked goods.
• A large family-style hall is another. Philadelphia Magazine describes big Russian dinners with live music, and Billy Penn notes Saturday-night performances and dishes such as smoked fish and blintzes.

Menus and schedules change, so call or check before a special trip.

What is khachapuri, and where do you find it?

Khachapuri is Georgia's famous cheese bread, a baked dough boat filled with melted cheese and often topped with an egg. Both of the Georgian kitchens are named for it in print. Order one for the table and tear it apart while it is hot. It is rich, so a salad or pickled vegetables on the side help.

If you like bread, the Philadelphia bakeries guide shows how other communities in the city treat theirs.

Where is the best Eastern European bakery in Philadelphia?

For a market bakery, the big grocery on the avenue is the one named by both magazines. Expect shelves of breads, pastries and cakes, and a hot food counter priced by weight. Bring a bag and a list, and ask the staff what is freshest. A bakery counter like this is a cheap way to taste many things, since you can buy a small piece of each and compare at home.

What can you buy at Northeast Philadelphia groceries?

Markets here sell smoked meats, dumplings, pickles, dairy, breads and sweets that most supermarkets do not stock. The big grocery is the place both sources highlight. Billy Penn also reports on other grocers in the area, and you can learn the neighborhood quickly by walking the aisles and asking staff what they cook at home. Check labels if you have allergies, because many items are imported and labeled in other languages.

How do you order a first meal at an Uzbek dining room?

Order for the table. A sensible spread is a borscht to start, a plate of manti or samsa to share, and a main such as kebabs or a rice dish. Philadelphia Magazine describes the dining room as old-world, so take your time. Ask the server which dishes arrive together and whether the kitchen suggests a combination for your party size.

How do you plan a Northeast food day?

Pick a market for the morning, a dining room for a long lunch and a bakery on the way back. A group of four can try five or six dishes at one table. If you are bringing children, ask about portion sizes, and if someone is vegetarian, khachapuri, spinach dishes and salads cover a lot.

A few practical habits help. Go with an open mind and ask staff to explain a dish before you order it, since many menus use names you may not know. Bring a cooler bag if you plan to buy smoked fish or dairy at a market, and carry some cash in case a stall prefers it. Evenings and weekends are busier, particularly at the larger dining rooms, so ask whether a table is likely to be available. Finally, leave room to taste something unexpected, because the best discoveries in this corridor are often the dishes you did not plan to order.

Where next in Philadelphia?

For another community's kitchens, the Polish food in Port Richmond guide covers a neighborhood in the opposite direction. The Pennsylvania hub links the state's towns, and the US food guides hold the rest of the country.

Back at your kitchen table, open the Mosey app, rate your khachapuri or borscht by the dish and add the place to a list of Northeast Philadelphia stops.