Pa Philadelphia Pod Restaurant

The cuisine of Philadelphia was shaped largely by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's mixture of ethnicities, available foodstuffs and history. Certain foods have become iconic to the city. Invented in Philadelphia in the 1930s, the cheesesteak is a well known icon of the city, and soft pretzels have become a part of Philadelphia culture. During the 18th century city taverns were major meeting places for politicians and businessmen while the 19th century saw the creation of two Philadelphia landmarks, the Reading Terminal Market and Italian Market. After a dismal restaurant scene during the 20th century, the 1970s saw a restaurant renaissance that has continued into the 21st century.

Innovations

Philadelphia's large immigrant population has contributed to a large mixture of tastes to mingle and develop. Many types of foods have been created in or near Philadelphia or have strong associations with the city. Philadelphia's most iconic food is the cheesesteak. The cheesesteak is a sandwich traditionally made with sliced beef and melted cheese on an Italian roll. In the 1930s hot dog vendors Pat Olivieri and Harry Olivieri put grilled beef on a hot dog bun and gave it to a taxi driver. After Pat and Harry had started selling the sandwich, the cheesesteak was finalized when a cook put melted cheese on the sandwich. Originally, the cheese was melted in a separate container, to accommodate their large clientele who followed kosher rules (thereby not mixing dairy and meat). Cheese Whiz continues to be the most popular cheese topping (over American and Provolone).

The hoagie is another sandwich that is said to have been invented in Philadelphia. Declared the official sandwich of Philadelphia in 1992, the hoagie is a sandwich made of meat and cheese with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on an Italian roll. Another Italian roll sandwich is the roast pork Italian. The sandwich consists of sliced roast pork with broccoli rabe or spinach and provolone cheese. Philadelphia Pepper Pot, a soup of tripe, meat, vegetables, is claimed to have been created during the American Revolutionary War and named after the home city of its creator. Snapper Soup, a thick brown turtle soup served with sherry, is a Philadelphia delicacy, generally found in area bars and seafood restaurants. In many places, it is served with oyster crackers (such as OTC Crackers) and horseradish.

A food associated with Philadelphia but not invented there is the soft pretzel. The soft pretzel dates back to 7th century France and was brought over to the Philadelphia area by the Pennsylvania Dutch in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Pretzels became iconic with Philadelphia by the numerous vendors who would sell pretzels on street corners. Water ice or Italian ice is similarly associated with Philadelphia because of its popularity. Philadelphia's proximity and interactions with the Pennsylvania Dutch has made food such as the scrapple also associated with the city.

Restaurants and markets

In early Philadelphia history the city's eating scene was dominated by taverns. By 1752, Philadelphia had 120 licensed taverns and numerous illegal taverns. The taverns ranged for all types of people and class from illegal grog shops on the waterfront that sailors frequented to the upper class taverns that members of city government enjoyed. Taverns such as the London Coffee House, the Blue Anchor, Tun Tavern and John Biddle's Indian King were regular meeting places for the political and business leaders of the city.

Popular restaurants during the early 1800s included the United States Hotel and Parkinson's on Chestnut Street and Joseph Head Mansion's House on Spruce Street. One of the most significant restaurateurs and caterers at this time was M. Latouche; an expert in French cuisine, his restaurant offered expensive food and choice wine. Towards the end of the 19th century the large number of Italian immigrants in South Philadelphia led to the creation of the Italian Market. The market, which runs along part of 9th Street, includes numerous types of food vendors along with other shops. Another market, the Reading Terminal Market, opened in 1892. Created to replace the markets displaced by the construction of the Reading Terminal on Market Street in Center City, Reading Terminal Market has over 80 merchants and is a popular tourist attraction. In 1902 Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart opened the first automat in the United States on Chestnut Street. The original Automat is now part of the Smithsonian Institution.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the restaurant scene was in decline. The city saw a large emigration into the suburbs, and fine dining could be found mainly in private clubs and dinner parties, but as the city started to rebound in the 1970s, Philadelphia saw a restaurant renaissance. In 1970 Georges Perrier and Peter Von Starck founded French restaurant Le Panetiere. After a year, the two split, with Von Starck taking the Panetiere name to a different location, and Perrier opening Le Bec-Fin, which quickly became one of Philadelphia's most renowned, at the original 13th & Spruce Street location. The years following saw many new fine dining spots open, including Kathleen Mulhern's The Garden in 1974, the Four Seasons' Fountain Restaurant in 1983, Judy Wicks's White Dog Café, and Susanna Foo Chinese Cuisine in 1987. Along with the up-scale restaurants numerous ethnic and fast food restaurants opened throughout the city. The 1970s also saw the rise of street vendors. The vendors, building off the well established tradition of chestnut and pretzel vendors began selling numerous merchandise including hot dogs, fresh fruit, hats and other clothing accessories. By taking up sidewalk space and possibly business, the vendors annoyed established stores which eventually led to numerous legal battles revolving ordinances restricting vendors. The issue was surrounded by race and class overtones, but vendors have since become commonplace.

Restaurants today include The Capital Grille, Vetri and Fogo de Chão in Center City. Center City is also home to Douglas Rodriguez's Alma de Cuba and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto's Morimoto restaurants. Other major dining locations include Old City and Chinatown, which has numerous Asian eateries. South Philadelphia is home to Dante and Luigi's, Ralph's, Paradiso, Le Vertu, and the Victor Café, while University City has Sansom Row, which contains the restaurants La Terrasse, White Dog Café, and Pod, among others. In September 2006 a smoking ban went into effect for Philadelphia restaurants and bars. The ban, which exempts private clubs, hotels, specialty smoking shops, and bars that serve little food and apply for a waiver, had a troubled start and went unenforced until January 2007. Just a month later Philadelphia City Council passed a ban on trans fat in restaurants, which went into effect on September 2, 2007.

Miscellaneous

  • Black Cherry Wishniak—Old-fashioned black-cherry soda, made with actual black-cherry flavoring. The name "wishniak," while not exclusive, is generally associated with the popular regional soft-drink brand Frank's.
  • Tastykake—Since 1914, the Tasty Baking Company has provided the region with its line of pre-packaged baked goods. The best-known varieties include Krimpets (jelly-filled, butterscotch-iced, cream filled or chocolate with cream filling and chocolate icing), Kandy Kakes (chocolate or peanut butter enrobed cakes, formerly called Tandy Takes), Tasty (fruit) Pies (which, unlike many competitors', are neither deep-fried nor sugar-glazed).
  • Beer was brewed by the colonials in Philadelphia from its very start. Philadelphia-style porter is known throughout the world. A lager brewery was established in the Northern Liberties section in the 1840s. The beer most associated with Philadelphia today is perhaps Yuengling, brewed in nearby Pottsville, PA. At one point, the city had more than a hundred breweries, though most closed with Prohibition. Today, a handful of micro-breweries operate in and around the city, including Yards, the Philadelphia Brewing Company, Sly Fox, Lion Brewery, Manayunk, Red Bell, Victory, Flying Fish, and Nodding Head (see Breweries in Philadelphia).
  • Spirits - Philadelphia Distilling is a distillery in East Falls, Philadelphia. It produces Bluecoat Gin, Penn 1681 Vodka and Vieux Carré Absinthe.
  • German butter cake—A very rich type of pound cake with a buttery, pudding-like center. Not to be confused with the traditional butter cake or the St. Louis version.
  • Tomato Pie—Essentially a cheese-less pizza two feet by three feet in size, with extra oregano. Many Philadelphians recognize tomato pie but are unaware of its name. Tomato pie is normally served cold or at room temperature. It is more often found in the Northeast section of Philadelphia with some slight variations found in Trenton, New Jersey and other suburban localities.
  • Cheese sauce —A gooey, orange, dairy condiment carried by many street vendors. In general, Philadelphians do not hesitate to add cheese sauce to any inexpensiv

    Philadelphia Restaurant Guide - Fine Dining in Philadelphia, PA

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    Pod Restaurant

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