Feast of the Seven Fishes is, in my opinion, the best Italian tradition that isn’t Italian. Like eggplant parm and peas in your carbonara, it’s a delicious Italian-American adaptation based on the Catholic tradition of eating fish (a leaner meal) the night before a holiday or feast.

So, yes, a pre-feast feast. It’s become a custom for many northeastern Italian-American families to cook the spread for family and friends at home on Christmas Eve, but seven fishes is a lot of fishes to cook yourself. Check out these Philly area restaurants that are offering their own take on the feast in the run-up to Christmas. Buon natale.