What are the opening hours?

Monday 11am - 9pm Tuesday 11am - 9pm Wednesday 11am - 9pm Thursday 11am - 9pm Friday 11am - 10pm Saturday 11am - 10pm Sunday 12pm - 9pm

EMei Restaurant

Name: EMei Restaurant
Address: 915 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, US
Telephone: +12156272500
Price range: $$

* 76 Most Vital Restaurants – The Inquirer, 2024
* Top 50 Restaurants – Philly Mag, 2023/24
* Best Sichuan – Craig LaBan & The Inquirer
* #1 Chinese by UPenn Students – The DP, 2025
* Where to Eat in Philadelphia – Food & Wine, 2023

Since opening in 2011, EMei has become one of Philadelphia's most highly sought out restaurant destinations, renowned for our authentic Szechuan cuisine led by Master Chef Zhao. Chef Zhao has dedicated almost four decades to mastering Sichuan cuisine, and he incorporates heat-packed chili oils, aromatic peppercorns, and expertly seasoned cuts of fish, meat, and produce into our wide range of dishe

s.

At EMei, our customers come to indulge in our classical dishes with original spices and adventurous sensory flavors. Our menu stands up to the scrutiny of native palettes, earning EMei the reputation as the premier destination for Chinese locals seeking authentic and flavorful Sichuan cuisine.

EMei’s Recent Award Highlights：
#19 on Philadelphia Magazine's 50 Best Restaurants;
Listed on OpenTable's 22 Restaurants That Define Philadelphia Dining;
Named Philly's Best Szechuan Restaurant by Craig Laban & The Inquirer;
One of the Best Three Resta

06/07/2026

We need a bigger kitchen. 🔥
On a typical weekend night, there can be 30–40 orders continuously waiting in queue while our team assembles each dish from raw ingredients before it ever reaches the wok.

At 2,000 square feet w. 18 kitchen staff at one time, our Chinatown kitchen isn’t small—but it has been operating at full capacity almost every weekend during last year.

We’re incredibly grateful for the support, and excited that our future larger kitchen and new locations will give our team the space they need to keep doing things the EMei way: cooking from scratch, one order at a time. 🥢🌶️

# KitchenLife BehindTheScenes CookToOrder PhillyRestaurants

05/08/2026

Being part of Philly’s college communities has always meant a lot to us — and being voted Penn students’ #1 Chinese Restaurant for the second year in a row makes it even more special. 🥇🌶️

Thank you to the 2,500+ students who voted for us in the annual “Best of Penn” by the The Daily Pennsylvanian.

From late-night takeout runs and after-class dinners to student org gatherings and graduation celebrations, we’re grateful to be part of your Penn journey.

Whether you’re celebrating the end of finals, catching up with friends, or craving authentic Sichuan flavor, come celebrate with us at EMei. 🥢🔥

02/27/2026

Honored to return as the catering partner for Ascend Philadelphia’s Chinese New Year Celebration, co-hosted with Drexel University, at the historic Main Building Auditorium 🧧🏮

With 250 registered guests in attendance, the evening was filled with vibrant energy, bold Sichuan flavors, and meaningful connections. From handcrafted small bites to signature EMei dishes, everything was prepared fresh to celebrate the New Year in true festive spirit.

We’re grateful to Ascend Philadelphia and Drexel for trusting us again this year. It’s always an honor to be part of a celebration that brings together culture, leadership, and community under one roof.

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02/24/2026

Closed for Lunch. Staff Lunar New Year Celebration, Reopen at 3PM

02/23/2026

Snow outside, woks still blazing. 🔥
We’re open for dine-in & takeout as usual.

02/21/2026

Fresh string beans — trimmed by hand, every single day. 🫛

Sourced seasonally from warmer farms during the winter, delivered fresh to our kitchen each morning, then prepped in-house before they ever hit the wok🔥.

Real ingredients. No pre-cut packs. No shortcuts.
A kitchen that never slows down. 🔥

02/20/2026

Our hot chili oil isn’t poured from a jug.
It’s made from scratch in our kitchen once a week — 40 gallons at a time.

Three hours of slow preparation. More than a dozen ingredients — from Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, and cinnamon to fresh scallions, ginger, and layered chili peppers — slowly blooming in hot oil to build depth, aroma, and balanced heat.

Because at EMei, everything on our menu has been made in-house for 15 years.

02/15/2026

High volume. Zero shortcuts.

Our wok prep chefs hand-portion every ingredient to order — fresh noodles, crisp vegetables, premium cuts of meat — Assembled fresh for every ticket — then straight to the flame. 🔥

No sauce packets. No pre-made bases.

Just real ingredients, precise timing, and high-heat 🔥 wok skill behind every plate. 🍜🥢

That’s how authentic flavor is built at EMei — one order at a time.

01/29/2026

A Chinese restaurant… ranked #2 for Chicken in Philadelphia. 🐔🔥

We’ll take it.

From Chongqing Spicy Chicken 🌶️
to General Tso’s
to Chicken Fried Rice & Chicken with Broccoli —
your love turned EMei into one of Philly’s top chicken destinations on DoorDash.

Not fusion.
Not trends.
Just bold Sichuan flavors + serious wok skills.

Thank you for ordering, rating, and showing up for us.
📍 Chinatown, Philly
🛵 Delivery & pickup available

01/08/2026

Grateful for words like these from someone who understands food, people, and community:

If I’m anywhere near Chinatown as I was recently, I always to and stop by EMei — and judging by the fact that it’s always packed, I’m clearly not alone.
There’s a reason this place keeps racking up accolades.
There’s a reason the room is buzzing every night.
There’s a reason you can feel the love the second you walk in.

- Serious food
- Zero shortcuts
- Consistency that most places only talk about

Funny enough, I recently realized our restaurant and EMei were once covered together in the same piece — didn’t even clock it at the time. Birds of a feather, I guess. When people are doing things the right way, the universe has a way of grouping them.

Always great to see the owner — and my friend Dan — as we go way back, and it’s been incredible watching him build something that’s become a cornerstone of Philly’s Chinatown dining scene.

If you haven’t been — go.
If you haven’t been recently — go back.
If you love restaurants that are busy for all the right reasons — this is it.

Continued success, my friend. Philly’s better because EMei exists.

Address

915 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
19107

Opening Hours

Monday	11am - 9pm
Tuesday	11am - 9pm
Wednesday	11am - 9pm
Thursday	11am - 9pm
Friday	11am - 10pm
Saturday	11am - 10pm
Sunday	12pm - 9pm

Telephone

+12156272500

Website

http://www.emeiphilly.com/

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