As most restaurants in the United States begin to reopen their doors with fewer restrictions, diners are also beginning beginning to marvel at the experience of eating out for dinner or lunch again.

To kick off 2022 and hopefully a year with less restrictions, Yelp has published its annual list of the 100 best places to eat, as voted by its users.

Reflecting the diversity of the platform's community, these rankings covers a wide range of eateries, from fine dining to street food trucks.

Participant Requirements

To determine what places would be part of the exclusive list for 2022, Yelp used data generated from the comments of its community and assigned ratings. The list was also filtered with the experiences of the owners and a trend expert to create a diverse list that holds true to the philosophy of the platform.

It is important to emphasize that one of the requirements applied by Yelp implies that dishes are affordable, meaning they don't exceed $30.

Cocina Madrigal, a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, tops this year's list that includes a wide variety of cuisines, including Afghan, Japanese, Honduran and Peruvian, among many others.

Across Pennsylvania, five places made it onto the list that celebrates food culture and the return of diners to in-person eating.

The Bakeshop on 20th (number 20 on the list)

“We are a small-batch bakery that specializes in recreating the flavors of your childhood using treasured family recipes,” the description of this cozy spot reads.

This Philadelphia bakery specialize in products like croissants, cookies, scones, sticky buns, and brownies. They also offer soups and breakfast sandwiches on their menu throughout the day. The most popular product on the menu is avocado toast. It is located at 269 S. 20th Street in Philadelphia. 

Pho 75 (number 29 on the list)

“Heaven's cure for a hangover is served daily at our Vietnamese noodle shop which has the perfect formula: Easy diner atmosphere, friendly, fast service and huge bowls of delicious, steaming pho; yes, we do only one thing, and we do it well, but we do not accept plastic, so remember to bring cash,” the description reads of this Vietnamese restaurant, also in Philly.

Anytime you want a bowl of pho, this is the place to go. It's located in a shopping plaza just off Washington Avenue and is a can't-miss experience.

Gi-Jin (number 48 on the list)

Located in Pittsburgh, this restaurant specializes in hand-rolled sushi and gin, and is characterized by a balance of respect for Japanese technique, tradition, ingredients and moderation.

“Your experience will be fluid and effortless, with dishes that arrive at the table as soon as they are ready, with flavors that go from the lightest to the most daring,” reads the restaurant's own description.

It is located at 208 6th Street in Pittsburgh.

Frieda (number 66 on the list)

“At Frieda, we have one main goal: To create genuine connections between people of all generations and all social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds,” is the business mission of this restaurant that invites diversity in all forms.

Through seasonal menus, Frieda presents a European-inspired style of cooking, using ingredients sourced locally through partners like Lancaster Farm Fresh and The Common Market.

The restaurant is at 320 Walnut Street in Philadelphia.

Kooma (number 98 on the list)

Located in King of Prussia, PA, this sushi bar is characterized by offering unforgettable flavors and a fine presentation. Its ingredients are selected by hand and the chefs only use the freshest and highest quality products.

Its owners define the Kooma experience as follows: “We are attentive, from start to finish, in the process of creating sushi. Our chefs combine their years of experience in each dish to obtain a product that speaks for itself.”

It is located at 201 Main Street, Suite 100 in King of Prussia, PA.

This is the ninth year Yelp has published a list of the 100 Best Places to Eat and the second year they have invited their community to personally recommend spots.