In Bizarre Foods Philadelphia, part of the Delicious Destinations series featuring Andrew Zimmern, the host and his crew visited numerous restaurants in the city, showcasing a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Here is a convenient list of all the addresses and dishes highlighted in this exciting exploration of Philadelphia’s food scene.
ANDREW ZIMMERN PHILADELPHIA DISH – Cheesesteak
WHAT IS IT?
The cheesesteak is a foot-long sandwich made with thinly sliced steak, grilled onions, peppers, and cheese, served on an Italian roll. The chef uses loin tail, a well-marbled, less greasy cut of meat, sliced paper-thin to minimize chopping on the grill. Each sandwich contains 12 ounces of meat, and the chef pays close attention to every detail to uphold a tradition passed down through generations. The sesame seed-studded loaf is freshly made daily at a local Italian bakery and wrapped for the customers to take away.
WHERE IS IT?
John’s Roast Pork
14 E Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
The origin of the cheesesteak sandwich is disputed, but the most commonly accepted story is that a couple of hotdog vendors created it in the 1930s by frying chopped meat and onions and putting it in a hotdog bun. Cheese was not added until later when a shop manager tried it with provalone, and it became a Philadelphia icon.
ANDREW ZIMMERN PHILADELPHIA DISH – Tomato Pie
WHAT IS IT?
Tomato pie is a focaccia-like bread topped with tomato sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The bread dough used for the pie has a higher moisture and lower gluten content than pizza dough, and is made with malt, salt, and yeast dissolved in water. After resting and rising for 2 hours, the dough is portioned, rolled, and proofed for 30 minutes before being partially baked. Sarcone’s bakery, where the pie is made, uses a signature housemade sauce consisting of a secret combination of tomatoes and spices. The pie is then finished with a sprinkle of oregano, baked for 25 minutes, and served cut into squares.
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN PHILADELPHIA: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON THE LAYOVER
WHERE IS IT?
Sarcone’s Bakery
758 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Sarcone’s bakery produces 2800 loaves daily and their bread is often used for cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, it is well-known that tomato pie is not found in pizzerias, but in bakeries. This Italian dish was introduced in the early 1900s when Italian immigrants like Luigi Sarcone established businesses in South Philadelphia’s Italian Market.
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN PHILIPPINES : ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON NO RESERVATIONS
ANDREW ZIMMERN PHILADELPHIA DISH – Root Beer Float
WHAT IS IT?
A root beer float is a classic soda fountain treat made with spicy sweet root beer and Philadelphia-style vanilla ice cream. The root beer syrup is made by combining water, vanilla, cane sugar, brown sugar, black molasses, whole vanilla beans, cinnamon, and star anise in a copper kettle and cooking for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Philly-style ice cream is made using pasteurized dairy with cooked sugar, and a signature blend of Mexican and Madagascar vanilla extracts. The ice cream is extracted, covered, and chilled in a blast freezer for 12 hours. The root beer syrup is chilled and carbonated in a vintage wooden keg at the Fountain, then topped with ice cream.
WHERE IS IT?
The Franklin Fountain
116 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Root beer originated as root tea with roots in Native American medicine. It was commercialized by pharmacist Charles Hires at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Around the same time, Robert McCay Green of Philadelphia invented the idea of floating ice cream in soda. The two inventions merged and the root beer float was born.
ANDREW ZIMMERN PHILADELPHIA DISH – Stromboli
WHAT IS IT?
Romano’s bakes stromboli, an Italian bread stuffed with meat and cheese. The dough is made with cold water, butter, salt, sugar, flour, and yeast, mixed in the basement using equipment built by Pete’s grandfather. After rising for 20 minutes, the dough is portioned and proofed twice before being rolled out. Romano’s offers various types of stromboli, with the sweet original being the most popular, featuring three types of meat, bologna ham, Italian sausage, and ham calf, along with American cheese and roasted bell peppers. After proofing for an hour and partially baking for 25 minutes, the stromboli is slashed, spritzed with water, and finished baking for 20 minutes to order. Served sliced into thirds alongside Romano’s signature marinara.
WHERE IS IT?
Romano’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant
246 Wanamaker Ave, Essington, PA 19029, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Romano’s strombolis gained popularity in the 1950s and 60s among flight attendants and pilots during their layovers, who took them to go and introduced them to a wider audience. The sandwich’s name was inspired by a 1950 movie titled “Stromboli,” which became famous for the real-life affair between the director Roberto and the star Ingrid, who were both married to other people. The scandalous nature of the affair prompted Pete’s grandfather to name his sandwich after the movie.
DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA DISH – Sticky Buns
WHAT IS IT?
These are sticky buns, syrupy cinnamon buns topped with pecans, raisins or both. The dough contains wheat flour, sugar, eggs, and potato flakes which give them a light, fluffy texture. After a quick rise, the dough is rolled out, brushed with butter, and sprinkled with brown sugar. The chef expertly cuts the dough and presses it into trays filled with brown sugar syrup, nuts, and raisins. Plain cinnamon versions are also available. The buns are proofed at 120 degrees for 15 minutes before baking.
WHERE IS IT?
Beiler’s Bakery
51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Sticky buns can be traced back to Pennsylvania Dutch kitchens dating back to the 17th century. The term “Dutch” is a mispronunciation of “Deutsch,” which means German. German immigrants who settled outside of Philadelphia established Amish and Mennonite traditions, which have contributed significantly to the food culture in Philadelphia.
DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA DISH – Scrapple
WHAT IS IT?
Scrapple is a loaf made with pork trimmings, cornmeal, and spices. It can be paired with popular breakfast items like pancakes, French toast, or apple dumplings. Customers can enjoy it with syrup or ketchup, while the chef prefers it with two eggs over easy and a side of toast.
WHERE IS IT?
Dutch Eating Place
51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Scrapple, a loaf made of pork trimmings, cornmeal, and spices, has a long history in America, brought by German settlers including the Pennsylvania Dutch. The dish is made by boiling the leftover scraps with cornmeal and seasonings, forming the mixture into a loaf, cooling, slicing, and pan-frying. Today, many manufacturers use only prime pork cuts for their scrapple. Dutch Eating Place serves high-quality scrapple made in this manner.
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DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA DISH – Soft Pretzels
WHAT IS IT?
Soft pretzels are a savory snack made of twisted bread dough, sprinkled with salt and baked to a golden brown. Made with a mixture of water, yeast, and flour, the dough is mixed, portioned, and rolled into uniform strips by a machine. Expert twisters then hand-form the dough into a unique figure-8 shape, which is a Philadelphia specialty. After chilling for an hour to create an outer crust, the pretzels are dipped in a soda solution, salted, and baked to perfection. With high demand for the popular snack, Philadelphians consume 12 times more pretzels than the national average. Dipping sauces such as mustard, cream cheese, and melted Philadelphia cheese sauce are available.
WHERE IS IT?
Philadelphia Soft Pretzels Inc
4315 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19140, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia is estimated to consume 300,000 pretzels daily, a food introduced by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in the 1700s. The twisted bread originated in 610 AD by Italian monks and spread to Germany, where it was known as “Bretzels.” Soft pretzels are a popular breakfast food in the city and a staple in the public schools’ morning recess.
Unfortunately, this restaurant has closed its doors.
DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA DISH – Water Ice
WHAT IS IT?
Water ice is a frozen treat made with fruit juice and sugar, with lemon being the most popular flavor. The lemon juice is extracted using a juicer, and then mixed with sugar and filtered water. The mixture is further watered down and stirred before being churned in a machine for 15 minutes to create the final slushy product. It is a Philadelphia tradition to eat water ice directly out of the cup, but a spoon is also an option.
WHERE IS IT?
John’s Water Ice
701 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Water ice is a frozen dessert made from sugar, water, and fruit juice, similar to Italian ice or sorbet. It is churned and frozen like ice cream. Water ice, along with tomato pie, was brought to Philadelphia in the early 20th century by Italian immigrants.
BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA DISH – Snapper Soup
WHAT IS IT?
Snapper soup is a rich broth made from roasted snapping turtle and vegetables, topped with boiled quail eggs and finished with cherry foam. The snappers are roasted in their shells with onion, carrots, celery, and seasonings, then simmered with vegetables, herbs, and pan drippings for four hours to create a flavorful stock. The chef makes a roux with vegetables, duck fat, and flour, then adds tomato puree, veal demi-glace, and the snapper stock to create the broth. Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce give the soup a kick, and the snapper meat is added at the last minute to prevent overcooking. The soup is garnished with boiled quail eggs and sherry foam and assembled to order.
WHERE IS IT?
The Olde Bar
125 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA
Dating back to the early 1700s, snapper soup was a common item among colonial taverns in America and predates the Constitution. Today, the rich brown soup is still made with local snapping turtles, along with duck fat and veal stock, which gives it a beefier taste than one might expect.
BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA DISH – Roast Pork Sandwich
WHAT IS IT?
The roast pork sandwich is a Philadelphia classic, made by slow-roasting a top-quality pork hind quarter that has been seasoned with a secret blend of spices. The pork is simmered in gravy made from the bones, and chilled overnight before being sliced thin. The meat is piled high on a large sesame seed roll and topped with shredded sharp provolone cheese and salted greens, sautéed in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. The sandwich can be served wet with extra gravy, and is known for its juicy and flavorful taste.
WHERE IS IT?
John’s Roast Pork
14 E Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148, United States
Philadelphia, United States
NOTES – ANDREW ZIMMERN BIZARRE FOODS PHILADELPHIA
Although John’s Roast Pork is known for their cheesesteak, it’s their roast pork sandwich that is prominently displayed on their sign. The sandwich is said to be based on a recipe passed down from the owner’s grandfather who brought it over from the old country. While some speculate that the sandwich may have originated from the Italian dish, porchetta.
