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Welcome to Banana Leaf

"Banana Leaf, a Malaysian-Chinese-vegetarian restaurant in Philadelphia, offers a wide range of dishes with takeout and delivery options. Known for their delicious roti canai and Pad Thai, the restaurant also serves refreshing Malaysian ice tea and coconut pudding. Customers praise the generous portions and flavorful seafood tom yum rice noodle soup. While some experienced delays in service, others appreciate the friendly staff and prompt seating. Overall, Banana Leaf provides a casual dining experience with a diverse menu, making it a reliable spot for satisfying meals."

LOCATIONS
  • Banana Leaf
    1009 Arch St Philadelphia, PA 19107
    1009 Arch St Philadelphia, PA 19107 Hotline: (215) 592-8288

Welcome to Banana Leaf, a Malaysian-Chinese vegetarian restaurant located in the heart of Philadelphia, PA. This cozy spot offers a variety of dishes that cater to all dietary preferences, from pescatarian options to vegan and many vegetarian choices. With a range of utilities such as delivery, takeout, and wheelchair accessibility, Banana Leaf strives to provide a welcoming dining experience for all.

One of the standout dishes at Banana Leaf is the Homemade Roti Canai, a crispy pancake served with curry chicken and potato dipping sauce. Customers rave about the flavorful pad Thai and seafood tom yum rice noodle soup, praising the expertly cooked noodles and generous portions. The Green Curry in Clay Pot and Red Curry in Clay Pot are also crowd favorites, offering a spicy and fragrant coconut broth with a choice of protein.

Customer reviews highlight the fast service, friendly staff, and overall enjoyable dining experience at Banana Leaf. Many customers mention the delicious roti canai and the tasty Thai basil noodles as standout dishes. The restaurant's BYO policy and convenient location in Chinatown make it a popular spot for casual dinners and takeout.

If you find yourself in Philadelphia and craving Malaysian and Chinese flavors, be sure to stop by Banana Leaf for a satisfying and flavorful meal. With a diverse menu, attentive service, and a cozy ambiance, this Asian-owned restaurant is a must-visit for food enthusiasts looking to explore unique and delicious dishes.

START YOUR REVIEW OF Banana Leaf
Andrew M.
Andrew M.

Had their takeout and dined in. In both instances, the food is delicious (you gotta get the roti with curry!). The pad Thai is actually quite good. Service is very fast and ambience is nice. Good spot for a casual dinner or takeout.

Ling C.
Ling C.

Food: In my opinion, I think they have one of the best value Pad Thais in the city. The noodles and chicken are perfectly cooked and perfectly saucy; generous portions. My favorite dish is the seafood tom yum rice noodle soup. The soup is nice and sour (which I love) but lacks a little spice. I always get a side of chopped chilis and then it is perfect. They have a generous amount of seafood and vegetables. We also always get the roti canai. Sometimes the texture can be a little too soft and doughy instead of nice and crispy. However, the chicken curry is consistent and flavorful. There is usually a piece of chicken and potato in it. Service: It is speedy and friendly. They checked in on us often. Ambiance: It's no frills. They have a well designed interior and it's huge. I would recommend making a reservation for a larger group (8+). They may require you to spend a certain amount. BYOB!

Kat J.
Kat J.

Always a reliable spot when in Philly. The satay is a big hit, particularly the chicken one. Even the pickiest of eaters would gobble them up. Service is friendly and prompt, and never have to wait long for a table despite the size of the party. BYO, make sure you stop by when you are in the area.

Catherine M.
Catherine M.

Located in Chinatown Philly, this tucked away spot was very busy on a Friday night! They brought out my order almost immediately but after waiting 10 mins, we still did not have my husband's entree. Not sure if the order was misplaced but after asking our server they were finally able to bring it out a few minutes later. I ordered the Nasi Lamek with rendang chicken. It was delicious home cooking. The bone in chicken thighs were moist and the sauce was deliciously seasoned. Rendang is considered a dry curry so less liquid than your typical curry. Paired with the cucumber and boiled egg, it kind of reminded me of a Vietnamese dish, thit kho but with chicken instead of pork. My husband ordered the calamari. Unfortunately it was overcooked and dry. The slices were thin so that all you could taste was the flour breading that it was fried in. After the long wait, it just added insult to injury.

Sharika M.
Sharika M.

Came here 7 years later with a larger group and was weary. Thankfully, nothing changed and everyone loved the food! Roti canai - some parts of the roti felt cold but the chicken curry that comes with it was absolutely divine. It reminded my mother in law of her own mother's cooking. I would equate it to standard Bengali chicken with johl. Steamed Chicken Dumplings - would not order these again, if you have a craving for dumplings, maybe the fried ones are better. They were super congealed and lacked flavor and structure. Banana Leaf Chicken Wings - excellent flavor on these wings! Banana Leaf Satay (mixed) - beef was excellent, like a teriyaki jerky taste, the chicken was not as flavorful. Indian Me Goreng - these noodles were packed with flavor and veggies and meat! If you like dan dan noodles, lo mein or a packet of Maggi noodles, these will not disappoint. Sizzling with Black Pepper Sauce - we got this in beef, it was a bit salty but so good! The beef pieces were cut and cooked to perfection. Mama chicken - kind of like orange chicken with kung pao sauce, carb heavy with all the breading Nasi Lamek- if you're looking for traditional Malaysian food, this is where you should start! The rice was cooked to perfection. The boiled egg felt like home. The chicken curry and cooked veggies is authentic to the cuisine. Food came out fast, plenty of seating and does not smell odd inside.

Laura P.
Laura P.

The Pad Thai was delicious as well as the stir fried morning glory(A type of spinach that's popular in SE Asia), however when I ordered the Prawn Mee Soup the wait was long and the soup itself was not that impressive. I would probably avoid the soup there if I were you even though it looks nice on paper.

Keerthana R.
Keerthana R.

The food was pretty good for the price. Our favorite was the Thai basil noodles it was very flavorful and tasty! The roti canai was also good just wish the food was warmer. The chicken satay and the other chicken dish were okay. We also got the earl grey lavender tea which was aromatic and a great way to complete the meal. The ambiance and service were good. Nothing extraordinary but a nice lunch/dinner spot with a couple friends.