Philadelphia is a foodie town. Yes, it’s known primarily for soft pretzels, cheese steaks, and scrapple; however, dig beneath those layers of comfort food and you’ll find numerous locations for a foodie to indulge their taste buds. Here are a few places where they are more than welcome.
Reading Terminal Market — The first stop needs to be at this downtown mecca for foodies. Dozens of merchants offer not only items to pick up and eat on the LOVE square but also counter service. Consider the Dutch Eating Place, known for the delicacies of the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish, Kamal’s Middle Eastern Specialities, and the Down Home Diner for classic comfort food. And a foodie can’t leave the market without several scoops from Bassets Ice Cream which features mixtures from the area’s premier frozen dessert company.
Ting Wong — A few blocks west of Reading Terminal Market is Philadelphia’s Chinatown. A foodie should feel right at home in many of the shops and cafes of this neighborhood; nevertheless, they should consider their main stop at Ting Wong. Not many Chinese restaurants serve traditional breakfasts, but Ting Wong does with Chiang Fun filled with various meats or fried dough. They also vary some standard recipes. For instance, perhaps you’d be interested in fried rice with diced chicken and anchovy.
Fork — A quick walk or SEPTA ride to Old Town brings one to this restaurant that takes traditional recipes and spins them on a, well, fork. Take lasagna as an example. Fork makes their own pasta and fills the middle with cherry grove farm cheese, sweet potatoes, and pickled apples. Or perhaps you want to partake in smoked shrimp carpaccio with watermelon radish and kumquat.
Amada — This Old Town staple is a foodie’s paradise with tapas and a variety of unique plates. For the starters, diners can savor lamb tartar or Datiles Con Almendras — bacon-wrapped Medjool dates and almonds. Diners may also be interested in Sopa De Chirivia which is a parsnip & pear soup with pork belly and quince. Main dishes include Fideos Con Mariscos — calamari linguine & vermicelli with clams, scallops, and Sweet Onion Cream.
Philadelphia is simply not for those who only like mustard on their pretzels or their steak sandwiches ‘wit’ or ‘witout.’ With many of its restaurants and chefs reaching national prestige, the City of Brotherly Love is ready for a new foodie revolution.