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Old 02-09-2018, 03:50 AM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
14,022 posts, read 8,894,064 times
Reputation: 10362

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Quote:
Originally Posted by goodlife36 View Post
Airbnb is an attractive option but I do not like the idea of staying in anyone's home. I will most likely stay in Center City and venture out from there.

I will check out Germantown if time permits.

Where do I go to get the best Philly Cheese Steak? Is the harbor close to Center City?
I hope you do manage to come up this way.

You're going to get multiple answers to that first question. Most of them will not list places located in Center City.

Some of the names most often mentioned when someone asks, "Who makes the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia?" include John's Roast Pork (Snyder and Weccacoe avenues, near the Delaware riverfront in South Philly), D'Allesandro's (on Henry Avenue one block north of Walnut Lane in Roxborough) and Tony Luke's (Front Street and Oregon Avenue, also South Philly).

Two oft-mentioned names do have outposts in or near Center City:

Steve's Prince of Steaks (original location: Bustleton Avenue and St. Vincent Street in the Northeast; CC outpost: 16th Street between Market and Chestnut)
Joe's Steaks and Soda (original location: 6030 Torresdale Avenue, also in the Northeast; outpost near CC: Frankford and Girard avenues, Fishtown)

A third, Jim's Steaks (original location: 62d and Vine streets, West Philly) is a South Street staple (4th and South streets). It has many fans, and the steaks are very good, but the cognoscenti rate it a little below the ones I mention above. (I would go there, though, before I went to Tony Luke's.)

Campo's in Old City (200 block Market Street) serves a very good cheesesteak as well.

I'd also like to suggest that you consider as an alternative the roast pork Italian, the sandwich some say should take the place of the cheesesteak as the signature Philly sandwich. One of the two best places to get these in the city will also take you to a beloved institution that's also the city's No. 2 tourist destination after the Liberty Bell: the Reading Terminal Market, our 125-year-old public farmers' market. DiNic's serves an excellent one with broccoli rabe (spinach is the more common green ingredient). Tony Luke's also makes a great one.

Philadelphia is on a river rather than a bay or ocean, so it has no harbor. But the city is where it is because of that river, and Old City is the neighborhood that lies next to it. There are some attractions along the riverfront that you might wish to check out, and if you visit sometime between May and September, one of them will be Spruce Street Harbor Park, the annual summer hangout the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation puts up in a boat basin at Spruce Street and Columbus Boulevard.
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Old 02-09-2018, 05:37 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia/South Jersey area
3,677 posts, read 2,546,524 times
Reputation: 12467
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodlife36 View Post
Airbnb is an attractive option but I do not like the idea of staying in anyone's home. I will most likely stay in Center City and venture out from there.

I will check out Germantown if time permits.

Where do I go to get the best Philly Cheese Steak? Is the harbor close to Center City?
So we have what is called "Penns Landing" if you stay in Center City (which I definitely would) every thing except Germantown is walkable.

Down on Columbus Blvd (which is where Penn's landing is) there is a great Jazz/Soul music restaurant venue called Warm daddy's.

Not sure when you are coming but if it's soon and in the winter you could probably skip Penns landing. there is a ice skating rink but it's real beauty is in the spring summer when we have a lot of festivals, beer gardens is open, paddle boating and the hammocks are out.

I will say one of the great things about Center city is IMO there really is a lot to visit (and I'm originally from NYC).

Don't discard the historical attractions. I gotta tell you I'm black and I really wasn't into history when I was younger but I am impressed how this city really honors it's legacy. lol, seriously check out the Betsy Ross house. I went there and they had an historical actress portraying her. girlfriend was good.
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Old 02-09-2018, 07:12 AM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
14,022 posts, read 8,894,064 times
Reputation: 10362
Quote:
Originally Posted by eliza61nyc View Post
So we have what is called "Penns Landing" if you stay in Center City (which I definitely would) every thing except Germantown is walkable.

Down on Columbus Blvd (which is where Penn's landing is) there is a great Jazz/Soul music restaurant venue called Warm daddy's.

Not sure when you are coming but if it's soon and in the winter you could probably skip Penns landing. there is a ice skating rink but it's real beauty is in the spring summer when we have a lot of festivals, beer gardens is open, paddle boating and the hammocks are out.

I will say one of the great things about Center city is IMO there really is a lot to visit (and I'm originally from NYC).

Don't discard the historical attractions. I gotta tell you I'm black and I really wasn't into history when I was younger but I am impressed how this city really honors it's legacy. lol, seriously check out the Betsy Ross house. I went there and they had an historical actress portraying her. girlfriend was good.
A couple of nits I'm going to pick with this:
  • Most of the Bynum brothers' restaurants do feature jazz as their live-music draw, but save for its jazz Sunday brunch, Warmdaddy's specialty is the blues. (A Bynum establishment with a great jazz program close to Center City is South at 640 North Broad Street.)
  • Germantown isn't as walkable as Center City, true, but it is walkable, and you can make a very nice stroll of going historic-house-hopping on Germantown Avenue, from Grumblethorpe in the south to Cliveden in the north.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:50 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia/South Jersey area
3,677 posts, read 2,546,524 times
Reputation: 12467
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarketStEl View Post
A couple of nits I'm going to pick with this:
  • Most of the Bynum brothers' restaurants do feature jazz as their live-music draw, but save for its jazz Sunday brunch, Warmdaddy's specialty is the blues. (A Bynum establishment with a great jazz program close to Center City is South at 640 North Broad Street.)
  • Germantown isn't as walkable as Center City, true, but it is walkable, and you can make a very nice stroll of going historic-house-hopping on Germantown Avenue, from Grumblethorpe in the south to Cliveden in the north.
thanks Market,
I live so close to South and have yet to make it over there. Have you been? There is a cafe on Germantown avenue that I went to 2 or 3 times last summer that I swear had the best breakfast but I can't remember the name of it.

My next area to "discover" is chestnut hill.
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Old 02-09-2018, 11:02 AM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
14,022 posts, read 8,894,064 times
Reputation: 10362
Quote:
Originally Posted by eliza61nyc View Post
thanks Market,
I live so close to South and have yet to make it over there. Have you been? There is a cafe on Germantown avenue that I went to 2 or 3 times last summer that I swear had the best breakfast but I can't remember the name of it.

My next area to "discover" is chestnut hill.
I haven't been to South yet.

I'll wager the breakfast place is B&B Breakfast and Lunch at Germantown and Armat. Damn good, damn cheap, damn stylish inside - a trifecta if you ask me.

Chestnut Hill's worth the trip.
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Old 02-09-2018, 05:18 PM
 
Location: The Communist State of NJ
7,216 posts, read 11,898,722 times
Reputation: 3756
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodlife36 View Post
Airbnb is an attractive option but I do not like the idea of staying in anyone's home. I will most likely stay in Center City and venture out from there.

I will check out Germantown if time permits.

Where do I go to get the best Philly Cheese Steak? Is the harbor close to Center City?
OMG, there it is again. The question to which there is no answer. It's the debate of the century.
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Old 02-09-2018, 05:20 PM
 
5,724 posts, read 7,457,061 times
Reputation: 4518
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarketStEl View Post
I hope you do manage to come up this way.

You're going to get multiple answers to that first question. Most of them will not list places located in Center City.

Some of the names most often mentioned when someone asks, "Who makes the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia?" include John's Roast Pork (Snyder and Weccacoe avenues, near the Delaware riverfront in South Philly), D'Allesandro's (on Henry Avenue one block north of Walnut Lane in Roxborough) and Tony Luke's (Front Street and Oregon Avenue, also South Philly).

Two oft-mentioned names do have outposts in or near Center City:

Steve's Prince of Steaks (original location: Bustleton Avenue and St. Vincent Street in the Northeast; CC outpost: 16th Street between Market and Chestnut)
Joe's Steaks and Soda (original location: 6030 Torresdale Avenue, also in the Northeast; outpost near CC: Frankford and Girard avenues, Fishtown)

A third, Jim's Steaks (original location: 62d and Vine streets, West Philly) is a South Street staple (4th and South streets). It has many fans, and the steaks are very good, but the cognoscenti rate it a little below the ones I mention above. (I would go there, though, before I went to Tony Luke's.)

Campo's in Old City (200 block Market Street) serves a very good cheesesteak as well.

I'd also like to suggest that you consider as an alternative the roast pork Italian, the sandwich some say should take the place of the cheesesteak as the signature Philly sandwich. One of the two best places to get these in the city will also take you to a beloved institution that's also the city's No. 2 tourist destination after the Liberty Bell: the Reading Terminal Market, our 125-year-old public farmers' market. DiNic's serves an excellent one with broccoli rabe (spinach is the more common green ingredient). Tony Luke's also makes a great one.

Philadelphia is on a river rather than a bay or ocean, so it has no harbor. But the city is where it is because of that river, and Old City is the neighborhood that lies next to it. There are some attractions along the riverfront that you might wish to check out, and if you visit sometime between May and September, one of them will be Spruce Street Harbor Park, the annual summer hangout the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation puts up in a boat basin at Spruce Street and Columbus Boulevard.
I appreciate the detailed response. I am not sure which ones are in Center City. I am not big on pork but I do like spare ribs. I will certainly check it out.

I am visiting in May. I want good weather. I saw something about a harbor but I can't find it. Maybe it is Spruce Street. I am not sure.
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Old 02-09-2018, 05:22 PM
 
5,724 posts, read 7,457,061 times
Reputation: 4518
Quote:
Originally Posted by Calico696 View Post
OMG, there it is again. The question to which there is no answer. It's the debate of the century.
Lol! I have to ask, right?
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Old 02-09-2018, 05:36 PM
 
5,724 posts, read 7,457,061 times
Reputation: 4518
Quote:
Originally Posted by eliza61nyc View Post
So we have what is called "Penns Landing" if you stay in Center City (which I definitely would) every thing except Germantown is walkable.

Down on Columbus Blvd (which is where Penn's landing is) there is a great Jazz/Soul music restaurant venue called Warm daddy's.

Not sure when you are coming but if it's soon and in the winter you could probably skip Penns landing. there is a ice skating rink but it's real beauty is in the spring summer when we have a lot of festivals, beer gardens is open, paddle boating and the hammocks are out.

I will say one of the great things about Center city is IMO there really is a lot to visit (and I'm originally from NYC).

Don't discard the historical attractions. I gotta tell you I'm black and I really wasn't into history when I was younger but I am impressed how this city really honors it's legacy. lol, seriously check out the Betsy Ross house. I went there and they had an historical actress portraying her. girlfriend was good.
I am coming in May. I will check it out. I want to be in a place that is walkable.

I am definitely going to check out Warm Daddy's. Sounds cool.

Really? I was not sure about that one. I will look into it. There is simply too much to see. I am intrigued by the Colored Girl Museum.

I am from NYC too. I was just looking for a quick getaway and wow. I was really blown away by the number of attractions geared to AAs. It is the most I 've seen thus far.

Do you live in South Jersey and commute to Philly for work? I thought about doing that once a upon a time. I have considered several places and decided to go South. I am shocked myself. I leave it God. Staying here does not make any sense. What made you decide to move?
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Old 02-09-2018, 06:00 PM
 
5,724 posts, read 7,457,061 times
Reputation: 4518
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarketStEl View Post
A couple of nits I'm going to pick with this:
  • Most of the Bynum brothers' restaurants do feature jazz as their live-music draw, but save for its jazz Sunday brunch, Warmdaddy's specialty is the blues. (A Bynum establishment with a great jazz program close to Center City is South at 640 North Broad Street.)
  • Germantown isn't as walkable as Center City, true, but it is walkable, and you can make a very nice stroll of going historic-house-hopping on Germantown Avenue, from Grumblethorpe in the south to Cliveden in the north.
Warmdaddy looks good. What is the name of the other establishment?

How would you plan a day in Germantown?
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