Fall Is When Philadelphia Shopping Gets Good
Every Philadelphian knows the moment. One morning in early October the air turns crisp, and the whole city starts reaching for sweaters, cast iron, and anything that smells like cinnamon. It's October 11 as I write this, Halloween is a few weeks out, and the holiday season is closer than anyone wants to admit. That makes this the best stretch of the year to shop the city on foot.
This guide skips the mall-crawl approach. We've picked the neighborhoods that suit fall best: the food stalls and kitchen shops of the Italian Market, the tree-lined stretch of Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill, and the Walnut Street blocks of Rittenhouse Row, where the new-season layers come out. Pick one neighborhood, wear good walking shoes, and plan a lunch stop.
Stock the Kitchen on South 9th Street
Fall is cooking season, and the Italian Market is where Philadelphia goes to prepare for it. Start at Di Bruno Bros. (930 S 9th St), then work down the block. Talluto's Authentic Italian Food (944 S 9th St) and Claudio's Specialty Foods (924-26 S 9th St) are close by, and Esposito's Meats (1001 S 9th St) and Cappuccio's Meats (1019 S 9th St) are the stops for a Sunday braise or a holiday roast.
Then cross to Fante's Kitchen Shop (1006 S 9th St), a neighborhood institution for cookware. If you've been meaning to replace a pot or pick up a gift for the person who cooks everything, this is the place. When hunger hits, Angelo's Pizzeria (736 S 9th St) holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and is right in the middle of the market.
Go early on a weekday if you can, since the sidewalks fill up on weekends. Bring a sturdy tote for the heavier items, and check each shop's hours before you head out. Hours vary from stall to stall and season to season.
Chestnut Hill: Philly's Best Fall Walk
If you only make one trip out of Center City this season, make it Chestnut Hill. Germantown Avenue's cobblestones and tree canopy look their best in October, and the shops reward slow browsing. Kilian Hardware (8450 Germantown Ave) is the kind of old-fashioned hardware store you'll want to wander through, and it's a handy stop for fall chores. A few doors up, Greene Street Consignment (8524 Germantown Ave) is good for finding a jacket or sweater with some history.
For flowers and something sweet, Robertson's Flowers and Cake share the 8501 Germantown Ave address. Farther down the avenue, Night Kitchen Bakery (7725 Germantown Ave) is a good place to stock up on baked goods. When your feet need a break, McNally's Tavern (8634 Germantown Ave) is a classic place to sit down.
Layer Up on Rittenhouse Row
When the temperature drops, Walnut Street is the place to build a fall wardrobe. J.Crew (1719 Walnut St), Free People (1632 Walnut St), and Anthropologie (1801 Walnut St) are all within a few blocks. lululemon (1720 Walnut St) is the stop for cold-weather running and walking gear. For a more curated approach, Joan Shepp (1905 Walnut St) and Boyds Philadelphia (1818 Chestnut St) are worth the detour.
Plan your meal around the route. Vernick Food & Drink (2031 Walnut St), which is MICHELIN Recommended, and Parc (227 S 18th St) are both close to the shops, so you can book a table and shop around the reservation.
Begin at the Joan Shepp end of Walnut Street and work back toward Free People, so you finish closer to Center City transit. Split the walk into two halves with a meal in the middle, and shopping bags won't weigh you down.
Beyond the Usual Districts
A few more stops are worth the detour if you have time.
With the holiday a few weeks away, a store called Halloween on Pine Street is hard to pass up. It's a short walk from the other shops on Antique Row, so pair it with a browse through the neighborhood's antique dealers.
Manayunk's Main Street is a good fall walk, and this bookshop is a natural stop for a rainy-day read. Pair it with a pint at Manayunk Brewing Company (4120 Main St) to round out the afternoon.
Cooler evenings call for records. Browse here, then head to Suraya (1528 Frankford Ave), which is Michelin Recommended, for dinner next door.
