South Street in Philadelphia

South Street in Philadelphia – What’s it All About

February 20, 2025 By Jeff Belonger

South Street in Philadelphia – What’s it All About

South Street in Philadelphia is a unique and diverse street to explore with its many restaurants, bars, stores, and “Bohemian” atmosphere. The part of South Street that I am referring to is from Front Street to Tenth Street, which has become one of Philadelphia’s most prominent tourist attractions.

The restaurant, bar scene, and unique shops areelectrify South Street. Over 100 shops and more than 50 restaurants and bars cover this area. The different types of restaurants range from American, Thai, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Jamaican, Irish and Japanese. The bar scene is just as diverse, and the types of shops range from clothing stores that cater to teens and 20-somethings to gift shops, sex shops, music stores, and tattoo parlors. Besides, people-watching on South Street can be just as entertaining because of the diverse groups of people; hence, it has become a tourist area for decades and a place just for so many to hang out.

Over the years, South Street has been known for its Mardi Gras, which starts at Fat Tuesday and some of the other surrounding bars. There was a major incident back in 2001 in which the celebrating got out of hand. Today, there is a larger police force to try and keep order while letting the celebration continue. But this doesn’t keep others from exploring South Street during any other time of the year.

Before leaving South Street in Philadelphia, one can not forget about Philadelphia Cheesesteaks, also known as Philly Cheesesteaks. Several locations on South Street sell Cheesesteaks, but one of the more famous ones is Jim’s Steaks, located on the corner of Fourth and South Street. There are many times that you will see long lines on the weekends, both day and night. This is not to say that this is the only place to buy a cheesesteak in Philadelphia—hundreds all across the city, and at least ten “must-eat” cheesesteak places.

When visiting South Street, don’t forget to head down to the Delaware River side, where the street ends on a bridge down from Downey’s Restaurant. Here, you can sometimes watch artists doing their own thing or even catch a glimpse of the Battleship of New Jersey off in the distance. The result is that South Street in Philadelphia is a must when visiting Philadelphia. With so much to choose from, you can’t go wrong.