Northeast Philadelphia

Northeast Philadelphia is a more residential area of the city, although it is home to burgeoning Russian, Brazilian, and Indian communities and restaurants. Northeast Philly is home to Philadelphia Mills Mall (formerly Franklin Mills Mall), claimed to be the most visited attraction in Pennsylvania.

Understand

The Northeast is notable for bargain shopping. Northeast Philadelphia is home to Philadelphia Mills Mall, with many popular brands having large outlet stores there.

The Far Northeast is the farthest north you can get in Philadelphia without leaving the city. This section is mostly residential and somewhat suburban in character, with some light industrial parks. The lower portion of the Northeast tends to have a more dense, urban feel. Pennypack Park runs through the Northeast and the Far Northeast.

Port Richmond is largely populated by people of Polish and Irish descent. Known for various Polish businesses as well as restaurants, this section of the city is known for its authentic Polish cuisine. Many different grade schools, public and parochial, are in Port Richmond. This area of the city is very convenient to Center City, Old City, South Philly, the Northeast, as well as New Jersey via the Betsy Ross Bridge. Access to the El as well as the trolley and bus routes also make this area a great place to live and commute to different areas of the city. Affordable housing is also a perk of the Port Richmond area. This neighborhood is made up of mostly row homes and various types of apartments. Many businesses thrive along Aramingo Avenue, which is a heavy populated avenue in this neighborhood.

Wissinoming and nearby Tacony are home to several churches and grade schools. Access to New Jersey is provided via the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Wissinoming is situated to the east of Frankford, which is home to the Frankford Transportation Center (known colloquially as "Bridge and Pratt" since the terminal is at the intersection of Pratt and Bridge Streets). The Market Frankford Line (or El)'s eastern terminus is the Frankford Transportation Center. There are eighteen bus routes that stop here, leading to different sections of Philadelphia and beyond.

Lawndale is a diverse, residential neighborhood located between Cottman Avenue and Rising Sun Avenue/Roosevelt Boulevard.

Get in

40°1′34″N 75°2′31″W

Map of Philadelphia/Northeast

By train

Heading eastbound on the Market-Frankford Line, Church Station through the Frankford Transportation Center are all located in the Northeast (or a more liberal definition of the Northeast may claim as far west as Girard station to be in the Northeast). SEPTA's Trenton Line, West Trenton Line, and Fox Chase Line trains have stops in the Northeast as well.

By car

Easily accessible via I-95 (exits 27 though 35), Route 1/Roosevelt Boulevard, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 351). This is also a good part of the city to have a car, since distances are greater, and on-street parking in greater supply.

By plane

40.081944-75.0105561 Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE ^IATA). This is Pennsylvania's sixth busiest airport, providing U.S. Customs, Immigrations and United States Department of Agriculture services to corporate international travel—more casual visitors can arrive this way only if they are lucky enough to have their own aircraft! The airport averages 215-based aircraft, dominated by single engine aircraft, plus twins, jets, turboprops and helicopters.

By bus

An abundance of SEPTA buses serve the Northeast.

By boat

There are a few boat ramps along the Delaware River. The gates are often closed at 10:30PM by police; check online for times.

See

Otherworld is a surreal art installation in a disused big-box store at 2500 Grant Avenue in the Far Northeast. Not great if you have sensory overload issues.

Do

AMC 14 Movie Theater Conveniently located inside Philadelphia Mills Mall
40.09381-74.990831 Northeast Skate Zone, 10990 Decatur Rd. Here in the two rink facility they have public hockey, birthday parties, public skating, and hockey leagues. Besides two rinks there also is a pro-shop, snack bar, and an arcade.
Thunderbird Lanes. Bowling is always a good time! If you are looking for an old school family bowling alley then thunderbird lanes is the place for you! Located on Holme Ave they have cosmo, karaoke bowling every Friday night from 12:30-3:30AM as well as discount bowling throughout the week!

Parks

40.06861-75.09182 Burholme Park. Burholme Park is a public park that provides playing fields for sport organizations. The property is home to three baseball diamonds, a football field, and three soccer fields. Burholme also contains a playground and is very popular for sledding because of its large and distinct hill. The park is next to Jeanes Hospital, a mini-golf, and a driving range facility.
40.04372-75.019893 Pennypack Park. Large city park with 2.5 miles of scenic beauty along Pennypack Creek. This park includes creeks, waterfalls, biking trails, dog walking trails, and home to the Pennypack Park Music Festival. Complete with bike, horse, and hiking trails, this is a must see on a nice day. The best entrance is at Frankford & Ashburner, at the King's Highway Bridge. In the summer months the Friends of Pennypack Park host a summer concert series every Wednesday featuring local favorites. Park at the entrance at Welsh and Cresco and follow the crowd.
40.04169-74.992984 Pleasant Hill Park (Where Linden Ave meets the Delaware Riverfront). A great park for picnics, along with a popular boat ramp.
40.02442-75.068815 Wissinoming Park. Frankford and Cheltenham Ave

Buy

Frankford Ave and Torresdale Ave are the two main shopping streets in lower Northeast Philly. Northeast Philadelphia is also home to one of the Philadelphia's regions largest outlet malls, Philadelphia Mills. There also two other malls in Bucks County (outside the City of Philadelphia) about ten to twenty minutes away—the Neshaminy Mall and Oxford Valley Mall.

40.0873-74.96161 Philadelphia Mills (formerly Franklin Mills), 1455 Franklin Mills Cir, ☏ +1 215 632-1500. If you are a shopper, then you have picked the right place to shop! In the Far Northeast is the Philadelphia Mills Mall, which is a huge outlet mall. Located on Knights Road, Philadelphia Mills Mall is home to over 200 stores, X-games skate park, restaurants, and movie theater. It is easily accessible via exit 35 on I-95. (updated Feb 2018)
Artifax. Artifax is a producer and distributor of fine tobacco and accessories, conveniently located just around the corner from Steve's: Prince of Steaks. Although small, Artifax is a discrete shop one can go to if inclined to purchase any type of tobacco product or accessory, from plain old cigarette tobacco to intricate and extravagant glass pipes.
40.0467-75.05672 Roosevelt Mall. A strip mall that includes a multitude of outlets. Stores include Macy's, Verizon (residential and wireless communications), T-Mobile, Hot Topic, J&J Tattoos, Shogun III Hibachi Restaurant, CVS, GNC, Foot Locker, Toys"R"Us, Modell's Sporting Goods, Wings 2 Go, Hallmark, Salerno Pizzeria, Mandee, and Wine & Spirits. (updated Feb 2018) Located along Cottman Avenue, west of Roosevelt Boulevard.

Eat

Now Philadelphia was not named one on the fattest cities in the country for no reason! In Philadelphia, there is always a place to eat and go to have a good time! The Northeast has lots to choose from! From Dave and Buster's, Nifty Fifty's, Texas Roadhouse, and Chickie's and Pete's, you will never leave the Northeast hungry. Do not forget to grab a Philadelphia soft pretzel, Rita's water ice, and cheese steak, as well as stopping by a Wawa and grabbing a Tastykake.

40.10181-75.028321 Benny the Bum's, 9991 Bustleton Ave (in Northeast Philadelphia), ☏ +1 215 673-3000. The seafood capital of the Northeast. The atmosphere is casual, upbeat, and definitely fun, decorated with antiques, period signage, and collectible memorabilia. A real crabhouse. (updated Feb 2018)
40.02274-75.063622 Johnnie's Italian Restaurant, 4201 Comly St.
Nick's Roast Beef. A neighborhood tavern most well-known for its legendary roast beef sandwiches, Nick's Roast Beef has undergone its fair share of development since its humble beginnings in 1969. Lawndale locals flock to this friendly neighborhood pub and restaurant located on Cottman Avenue. A welcoming and friendly atmosphere combined with great food and fun makes Nick's Roast Beef a fine location to wine and dine.
Steve's Steaks. A contender with the many other infamous cheese steak houses in Philadelphia, Steve's Steaks is a wholesome neighborhood cheese steak spot in Lawndale owned and operated by native Steve Iliescu and his family. In 1992, 1998, 2005, and 2007, Steve's was voted "Best Cheesesteak" by Philadelphia Magazine. On November 27, 1998, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to make the world’s largest cheese steak for the Guinness Book of World Records. The steak itself was 365 feet long and was made by 22 local cheese steak restaurants, all competing to be the best of the biggest. Ultimately, Steve's was crowned the winner. (updated Feb 2018)
Uzbekistan Restaurant, 12012 Bustleton Ave (In the heart of the northeast's "Little Russia" is this Uzbekistani restaurant right off of Bustleton), ☏ +1 215-671-1990. With both and indoor dining area as well as a heated outdoor patio, this restaurant serves common Uzbekistani dishes (of course the country's national dish of plov is included) and regularly hosts events where you can witness and participate the Northeast's eastern European migrants' festivities. (updated Apr 2023)

Drink

The normal bar in Northeast Philadelphia are corner pubs, holding about 100 people. The area around Cottman and Frankford Ave. has a large selection of bars to choose from, with reasonable beer specials (just ask the bartender). Few have a cover charge of $3 to $5 if a band is playing; don't be embarrassed to turn it down and go to a different place.

Chickie's and Pete's. Nationally recognized as one of the top sports bars in America. The Roosevelt Blvd location is larger than the Frankford Ave.

Sleep

40.1033-75.00511 Motel 6, 11580 Roosevelt Blvd, ☏ +1 215 464-9400. $70-100. (updated Nov 2016)
40.0789-75.02962 Four Points Philadelphia Northeast, 9461 Roosevelt Blvd. $80-130. (updated Nov 2016)
40.0516-75.05173 Roosevelt Inn, 7600 Roosevelt Blvd, ☏ +1 215 338-7600, toll-free: +1 888 338-7604. $70-90. (updated Nov 2016)
40.0297-75.10614 Days Inn, 4200 Roosevelt Blvd, ☏ +1 215 289-9200. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Has smoking rooms. Across the street from a Walmart and other strip mall stores. $70-90. (updated Nov 2016)

Crime

While much of Northeast Philadelphia is relatively safe, the areas of Fairhill, Glenwood, Hunting Park, Harrowgate, Stanton, North Central, West Kensington, Hartranft, and Kensington comprise a section that earned the nickname "The Badlands" that has been repeatedly identified as one of the nation's largest open-air drug use and drug-related crime areas in the nation. The region's crime is so notorious that it has been the subject of numerous documentaries and even a novel called Third and Indiana.

Connect

Go next

Routes through Northeast Philadelphia (by subway)

Upper Darby ← North Philadelphia ←

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NE

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Routes through Northeast Philadelphia (by commuter rail)

West Philadelphia ← Northwest Philadelphia ←

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This district travel guide to Northeast is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.