Ryan and I took a 4-day trip to Philadelphia for my 28th birthday.
I grew up outside of Philly and spent a lot of weekends exploring the city (both my parents worked in Center City). So, I thought it was about time my husband experiences the “City of Brotherly Love”…
Being such a huge foodie, I was extremely excited about all the amazing food we’d be eating on this trip—and Philly did not disappoint. I enjoyed tons of soft pretzels, cheesesteaks, pizza, hoagies, sizzles and more. Philadelphia is a foodie’s paradise.
Add these 6 spots to your itinerary next time you’re in Philadelphia:
Hatville Deli
Hatville Deli is located inside Reading Terminal Market—one of America’s largest and oldest public markets. You can order deli meat (including ham, beef jerky, salami and more) to go or find a spot at the counter and grab a sandwich. All sandwich combos come with a side of chips and a drink.
I highly recommend their Famous Corned Beef Special Combo and Pastrami Special Combo.
Bassetts Ice Cream
Also inside of Reading Terminal Market is Bassetts Ice Cream. As a fifth-generation family business in Philadelphia, Bassetts Ice Cream is proudly known as America’s oldest ice cream company.
Their ice cream and sorbet is some of the best I’ve ever had. With 20+ flavors, they’ve got something for everyone. (And if you’re not in the PA area, they also ship!)
Ishkabibbles
When visiting Philadelphia, it’s pretty much a rule that you have to eat a Philly cheesesteak. Philly cheesesteaks aren’t hard to come by in Philadelphia. Lots of people claim they sell Philly cheesesteaks and claim their the best. Tourists love to flock to Geno’s and Pat’s (and yes, these places are very good).
But I’m going to let you in on a little secret… Ishkabibbles has the best Philly cheesesteak that I’ve ever had. Ishkabibbles has two locations—one in Center City and one on South Street—and both are incredible.
Tip: The South Street location offers more seating.
Wawa
While technically Wawa isn’t a restaurant, no trip to Philly is complete without a visit to Wawa. They have meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus everything/anything in between!
My #1 Wawa foodie recommendation would be a made-to-order hoagie. Using a Wawa order kiosk, Choose between hot or cold, toppings, size, etc. for a hoagie perfectly crafted to your liking. (I also suggest picking up a couple soft pretzels on the way out.)
Emmy’s Squared Pizza
Hands down: Emmy’s Squared Pizza is the best pizza that I’ve ever had. Emmy’s was located on the rooftop of Airbnb we stayed at (which made it incredibly convenient) and we ended up eating three of our meals there.
Emmy’s pizza is incredible, but they also have delicious salads, sandwiches and burgers! We enjoyed multiple drinks, appetizers and pizzas! Our favorite was The Colony—which has pepperoni, pickled jalapeños and honey! Bonus: They also have gluten-free pizza!
OX Coffee
OX Coffee is a cute, independent coffee shop in Queens Village that we discovered on our last Philly trip. The coffee shop is a bit small (not very spacious inside) but serves up some big flavors. I got an ice an iced mocha latte, made with Wilbur Chocolate, and Ryan ordered a chai tea. They also offer a variety of freshly-baked bagels, scones and sweet treats. In particular, I appreciated their music selection and artwork.
If it’s nice out, head to the back to check out OX Coffee’s outdoor seating area and garden—an absolutely serene setting to enjoy your drink!
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