Upper Darby restaurants / Illustration by Keith Warren Greiman
In celebration of Delco restaurants and the people who make them great, we are declaring this Delco Eats Week. Check back daily for stories from the sprawling print feature on the county’s food scene in the October issue of Philly Mag.
When you think about Upper Darby, your first thought might go to the shuttered Tower Theater. Or maybe the once-thriving shopping district that was 69th Street. Remember that landmark Sears store? But that was the past. One of the remarkable things about Upper Darby today is the diversity of its restaurant scene, a product of immigration patterns over the past several decades. While the population of Delaware County overall is predominantly white, quite the opposite is true here. One measure of the diversity of Upper Darby is its school district, where more than 100 languages are represented among the student body. The other measure: the Upper Darby restaurant scene.
Here, a selection of Upper Darby restaurants that showcase this diversity so well.
What to Order: Crispy spring rolls and the pho, which we will put up against anything you get on Washington Avenue any day. Plus, there are few places where you can order a steaming bowl at 9 a.m. 7036 Terminal Square.
El Chapulin Mexican Restaurant
What to Order: Birria tacos, better-than-most guacamole, hearty chicken soup, and, of course, a glass bottle of Mexican Coke dished out by some of the friendliest servers around. 8901 West Chester Pike.
What to Order: The heaping Ulster fry breakfast. That’s Irish sausage and bacon, eggs as you want them, roasted tomato, soda farl, brown bread, potato bread, and a pancake. (Screw the keto.) 8443 West Chester Pike.
What to Order: If you have to pick between ribs or brisket, go for the brisket. And lots and lots of sides. For the house, order a pound of smoked turkey, sliced, and you’ll never want deli lunchmeat again. 265 East Township Line Road.
What to Order: The explosively flavorful papri chaat (but as this joint is takeout only, request sauces on the side or beware of sog), bone-in goat curry, and garlic naan. 8917 West Chester Pike.
Kings & Queens Liberian Cuisine
What to Order: Grilled red snapper with jollof rice, sautéed sweet potato greens, and whatever the weekend-only Liberian specials are (they’re announced on Thursdays), which might be peanut butter stew or chuck rice and gravy. 107 Fairfield Avenue.
What to Order: Generous platters of Jamaican jerk chicken and oxtail, served up with rice and peas and cabbage, but you’re going to want a side of collard greens and macaroni and cheese, too. 501 South 69th Street.
What to Order: Kimchi pancake, soft tofu soup, Korean fried chicken wings, and tabletop barbecue, all washed down with soju cocktails, in one of the few Korean restaurants in the region that’s open until 2 a.m. It’s quite a scene. 7260 Marshall Road.
El Rinconcito Restaurant & Bakery
What to Order: Any of the Ecuadorean ceviches, grilled pork chop with tostones, lentil stew, fried red snapper, and one of their batidos with flavors like soursop and passionfruit. Kids will love the Ecuadorean hot chocolate. 7001 West Chester Pike.
What to Order: The upstairs food court is where it’s at. We usually wind up at Tomo for sushi (buy-two-get-one-free rolls on Wednesdays!) or Jian for pork bulgogi. Don’t forget to grab bubble tea from S&B on the way out. 7050 Terminal Square, 2nd floor.
What to Order: The double lamb burgers with a secret Lebanese sauce evocative of Big Mac’s sauce and the falafel bowl with hummus and pita. Ask for the pickled vegetables. It’s not on the menu. But you want them. 125 South State Road.
What to Order: The only two things they sell: Armenian sausages (soujuk) and flatbreads topped with minced meat, vegetables, and spices (lahmajun). Note that there’s barely a sign, and you have to get buzzed in. Takeout only. 400 Long Lane.
What to Order: Once you manage to park (it’s difficult – and the local parking enforcement officers are brutally efficient) and make sure you have cash in your pocket (it’s cash only), the best pizza in Upper Darby. Bonus: Slices, which are huge, are available – a rarity these days. 62 South 69th Street.
Published as “A Culinary Compass to Upper Darby Restaurants” in the October 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.