Grandma’s Philly ★9.5

Grandma’s Philly: A Grandmother’s Thai Recipes, Served as Small Plates

Every dish at Grandma’s Philly answers to a single judge: the memory of Chef Locket’s grandmother, whose Thai home cooking the chef reproduces from memory in the middle of Midtown Village. It is a restaurant built on inheritance — “I am honored to serve and share my childhood dishes with you,” as Locket puts it — and the tapas-style portions turn that inheritance into a tasting journey.

The Story

Locket and the family behind South Philadelphia’s respected Ratchada kitchen conceived Grandma’s Philly as Pennsylvania’s first Thai tapas restaurant: home-style dishes, sized for sharing, seasoned from a pantry of six essentials the chef calls grandma’s herb garden — Thai basil, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, peppercorn and Thai chili. The concept earned a loyal Center City following and back-to-back recognition in local dining awards for Thai food.

What to Order

Begin with Grandma’s Meatballs, fragrant with lemongrass, ginger and kaffir lime, then Crying Grandma — grilled skirt steak sauced with tamarind. The panang curry is widely considered among the best in the city, the spicy garlic eggplant with tofu shows the kitchen’s vegetable range, and the pineapple fried rice with cashews and pork floss is pure comfort. Round out the spread with papaya salad, drunken noodles or a Northern Thai specialty, and end with mango sticky rice.

The Space

A bright, plant-hung dining room with white leather banquettes and warm wood — casual enough for a weekday lunch, lively enough for date night, with cocktails and a proper happy hour on the bar side.

Who It’s For

Couples grazing through six small plates, colleagues on long lunches, Thai-food devotees comparing curries and families who like the table crowded with dishes.

Good to Know

Do I need a reservation? Helpful for weekend dinners; lunch is usually walk-in friendly.

What makes it different from other Thai spots? The tapas format — small plates meant for sharing — and recipes drawn directly from the chef’s grandmother.

Which dishes are essential? The panang curry, Grandma’s Meatballs and mango sticky rice.

Can the kitchen adjust spice? Yes — dial the heat up or down plate by plate.

Does it work for vegetarians? Comfortably — tofu and vegetable plates are genuine highlights, not afterthoughts.

Opening hours