USA
Tastes of Philadelphia
by Randy Mink
I hadn’t had Cheez Whiz since I was a kid, so I chose that for my cheesesteak, a hefty sandwich slathered with the flavorful yellow sauce. Others prefer melted Provolone or American cheese on the thin strips of ribeye stacked inside the long, chewy roll.
No food is more emblematic of Philadelphia than the cheesesteak. (To be clear, it is a sandwich, not a slab of meat served with potatoes.) Steak joints are found throughout the city, and everyone has their favorite.
The most famous cheesesteak masters are Geno’s and Pat’s King of Steaks, rival eateries that share an intersection in South Philadelphia. But I didn’t go for the obvious.
After scouting out some cheesesteak places in the Old City on my first night in town, I chose Campo’s. Tapping into Philadelphia’s colonial heritage, I dined at an outdoor table on Market Street, right across from Christ Church, a fine example of 18th century Georgian architecture. Family-owned since 1947, Campo’s is the official cheesesteak of baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies.
Though I came to Philadelphia primarily to brush up on American history, sampling the traditional food scene became a priority of equal importance. There were two must-see destinations on my list.
Reading Terminal Market
Come lunchtime, it seems everyone in downtown Philadelphia descends upon Reading Terminal Market, an indoor food emporium dating back to 1893. More than 80 vendors fill the sprawling space, formerly a railroad station. Neon signs enhance the old school feel.
Besides stalls offering fresh produce, meats and fish, you’ll find artisan cheeses and all kinds of regional and ethnic delights, from Cajun and Caribbean to Thai, Japanese and Filipino. You can get poutine and high-end corn dogs at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs, tapas at A Taste of Spain, and cheesesteaks and hoagies (Philly’s version of a sub) at Carmen’s.
Hearty Amish fare from nearby Pennsylvania Dutch Country appealed to me, so I sidled up to the counter at Dutch Eating Place and wolfed down every bite of my hot turkey platter with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, white bread and lots of gravy. Dessert was a softball-sized apple dumpling with a little pitcher of cream.
Italian Market
Serious foodies bring their appetite to the Italian Market, a mainstay in South Philadelphia since Italian immigrants settled the neighborhood in the late 1800s. The country’s oldest continuously operating outdoor market, now home to many ethnicities, is a collection of shops and stalls that spans nine blocks along South Ninth Street.
Italian Market tasting tours are offered by StrEATS of Philly, whose vivacious owner/guide Chef Jacquie (Jacqueline Peccina-Kelly) grew up in the neighborhood and loves sharing childhood reminiscences. The two-hour walks make up to eight stops and include chats with shop owners.
Our afternoon tour started with meats and cheeses at Claudio Specialty Foods, an Italian grocery in the same family since the 1950s. At Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese, we sampled thinly sliced salami and a creamy, crystalline Gouda from Holland. Cardena’s Oil & Vinegar Taproom let us try olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world.
Our final stop was Isgro Pastries, a fourth-generation bakery that’s been around since 1904. Each of us was given a cannoli filled with ricotta and dark chocolate chips—a sweet way to end our palate-pleasing tour.
