Must Eat Restaurants for Tourists (Philadelphia, Reading: 2014, live, shop)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by chessimprov

I prefer Franklin Fountain or Weckerly's to Bassett's. At RTM, I'd go for Flying Monkey over Bassett's. I don't know of any ice cream I hate, but Bassett's seems mainstreamed around here rather than a "must have". There is probably history to the ice cream I don't know about.

Bassett's has been making ice cream since 1863 and is one of the original tenants of the Reading Terminal Market. I believe it may be the oldest ice cream maker in business in the country.

Originally Posted by MB1562

Either Pat's or Geno's for cheesesteaks. They are overpriced, underwhelming, employees are asses, and it's a huge tourist trap, but it is the most famous place for them.

I've eaten at Pat's once, and never again. Never bothered to try Geno's.

I'd rate Geno's steaks above Pat's.

But I'm surprised no one here has mentioned John's Roast Pork. Granted, it's in a little shack on Snyder Avenue down by the waterfront and its hours are limited, but its cheesesteak puts the others to shame and its roast pork Italian is rivaled only by DiNic's.

Tony Luke's, further south at Front and Oregon, is also a good late-night roast pork-and-cheesesteak emporium.

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

The steaks at Geno's are just fine - not the best, but not bad by any stretch ... the employees are great as far as I'm concerned - order sandwich, pay for sandwich, get sandwich. What more do you want? A hug and small talk?
AND, if they're such tourist traps, explain the long lines after every sporting event and concert ... the attendees are overwhelmingly local (Delaware Valley).

Hey, loads of locals visit Gates' Bar-B-Q's six locations in metro Kansas City, and the Gateses can trace their business to Henry Perry, the migrant from Memphis who is generally considered the father of Kansas City Q. I still think their sauce is the best on the planet, and it's up there with Arthur Bryant's as a local legend. But I was underwhelmed by their ribs the last time I visited one of their locations - I think they're resting on their laurels - and there are several other establishments that now outrank it among Q aficionados, most notably Joe's KC on the Johnson-Wyandotte county line in Kansas. (I may be undercutting my own argument here, however, for the line at Joe's stretches out the door and it takes about an hour for you to get to the front of it. But there are only two Joe's KC locations.)

Back to cheesesteaks: Geno Vento is a major benefactor of the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus, so regardless what else I might say about the quality of cheesesteaks there or elsewhere, you all should go down and buy one from his shop.

--Sandy, PGMC Tenor II on long-term hiatus

[LibraGirl123]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Bassetts and Beiler's are inside the Reading Terminal Market. The Dutch Eating Place(next to Beiler's)and Down Home Dinner are also inside the Market. In fact if you have limited time, just go the market and skip the others on your list for another time.

Be warned the Market is a tourist destination but, we locals love it too.

Just a heads up to the OP: the Pennsylvania Dutch (Amish) merchants do not conduct business at the Reading Terminal on Sundays. Here's a list of their Pennsylvania Dutch merchants (which include Beiler's and the Dutch Eating Place):

pennsylvania dutch - Reading Terminal Market

[PhilliesPhan2013]

Originally Posted by CatsinSnow

if I'm trying to base a trip to Philly strictly for food what restaurants are not to be missed? I like comfort food and casual places. I looked on Tripadvisor and have down so far:
Beiler's Bakery-Cinnamon buns

John's Water Ice- Water ice

Stogie Joe's- Stromboli

Jim's Steaks- Cheesesteak

Philadelphia Soft Pretzel Inc- Pretzel

Little Nonna's- Pasta

Bassetts- Ice cream cone

DiNic's- Brisket sandwich

Essen Bakery- Challah


How about any really good pizza place? Too many options on Yelp and I don't typically trust Yelp for pizza reviews!

If you're willing to head outside of Center City, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

For pizza, I highly suggest City View Pizza. The cheese is amazing, the crust and bottom are always perfect, and the sauce is to die for! Since I'm a Temple student, I use the 15th and Cecil B. Moore location most often; however, there is one on 16th and Spring Garden if you aren't as willing to head further north. Pizza Brain, along Frankford Avenue in East Kensington, is also a MUST!

If you want to try a delicious cheesesteak, you should head to Northwest Philly and try Delassandros on Henry Avenue in Roxborough. If you can't make it up there, then Carmen's is the best cheesesteak spot in Reading Terminal Market.

Whoever recommended Belier's for donuts is spot-on! Pro-Philly tip: if you want to avoid the long lines at RTM, there is a much less busier location on 39th and Chestnut in University City, West Philly.

For ice cream, my personal favorite is the Rabbit Hole Cafe on 2nd and Brown in Northern Liberties. The "ice cream" is actually shaved frozen evaporated milk which is SO GOOD! Try the evaporated milk topping, too!

Best of luck with your foodie tour in Philly!

[MarketStEl]

A couple of other pizza joints I've been to here and liked:

--Marra's on East Passyunk Avenue. Very old-school, brick oven pies, but very well made.

--Pizzeria Vetri, 1900 block Callowhill. Marc Vetri knows his pie just like he knows everything else about great Italian cooking. Since Urban Outfitters acquired Vetri's restaurant company, you will probably see more locations open in the years to come (there's already one in Austin, Texas). And speaking of pizza and Marc Vetri, this isn't a touristy place, but his restaurant Osteria (640 North Broad, $$$) produces wonderful thin-crust pizzas as well; there's one that comes with a fried egg on top (as well as some other stuff) that's out of this world.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by CatsinSnow

if I'm trying to base a trip to Philly strictly for food what restaurants are not to be missed? I like comfort food and casual places. I looked on Tripadvisor and have down so far:
Beiler's Bakery-Cinnamon buns

John's Water Ice- Water ice

Stogie Joe's- Stromboli

Jim's Steaks- Cheesesteak

Philadelphia Soft Pretzel Inc- Pretzel

Little Nonna's- Pasta

Bassetts- Ice cream cone

DiNic's- Brisket sandwich

Essen Bakery- Challah


How about any really good pizza place? Too many options on Yelp and I don't typically trust Yelp for pizza reviews!

If you want traditional foods of Philadelphia, look for sticky buns, snapper soup, & pepperpot soup.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

If you want traditional foods of Philadelphia, look for sticky buns, snapper soup, & pepperpot soup.

... and a hotdog or smoked hot sausage with a smashed fishcake on top.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

... and a hotdog or smoked hot sausage with a smashed fishcake on top.

Levis Hot Dogs resurfaced in Abington a few years back. i don't know whether the eatery's still in business.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

If you're willing to head outside of Center City, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

For pizza, I highly suggest City View Pizza. The cheese is amazing, the crust and bottom are always perfect, and the sauce is to die for! Since I'm a Temple student, I use the 15th and Cecil B. Moore location most often; however, there is one on 16th and Spring Garden if you aren't as willing to head further north. Pizza Brain, along Frankford Avenue in East Kensington, is also a MUST!

Maybe the City View Pizza in Templetown is better but the one at 16th and Spring Garden has terrible pizza. The best thing
City View does is gyro platters. The better pizza in that area is from Brandywine Pizza at 15th and Brandywine. It's also open til 1am for nite owls. And my favorite is from John's, 1500 block of Spring Garden. They won the Philadelphia Magazine pizza slice award a few years ago.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

If you want traditional foods of Philadelphia, look for sticky buns, snapper soup, & pepperpot soup.

Interestingly I don't think a lot of people, especially ones under 45-years of age, associate those things with Philly anymore.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Interestingly I don't think a lot of people, especially ones under 45-years of age, associate those things with Philly anymore.

I think the poster was joking around. Anyway, I think pan-fried scrapple would fit into that category.