Philadelphia: The City of Foodie Love
by Gremotraveler

Whether it is the famous Love Park artwork by Robert Indiana or the scene from Rocky where he climbs the steps of the Museum or Art, who hasn’t fallen in love with Philly? There are only a few iconic food cities in North America where the people are so passionate about their local food that it spans past their boundaries and becomes a globally recognizable part of the polis. Montreal has bagels. Chicago has deep-dish pizza. Seattle has coffee. None compare however to the water-ice eating, hoagie sharing, cheese-steak grilling city of Philadelphia. When you remember the fun food you would eat on a pier or at the fair as a kid, it probably orginally came from the city of brotherly love.

The diverse ethnicity of Philadelphia’s original settlers is what has contributed to the birth of such icons of American food. Philadelphia's most well-known dish is the cheese steak, a sandwich traditionally made with sliced sautéed beef and melted cheese on an Italian or soft roll. It is believed that the cheese steak was born in the 1930s when hot dog vendors Pat and Harry Olivieri put grilled beef on a hot dog bun and gave it to a taxi driver. It became an instant hit when a cook put melted cheese on the sandwich. Since then, the cheese steak has become synonymous with Philadelphia. Of course, if you ask some locals where to find the best steak, grab a chair and prepare to wait as they start to debate. The two places the tourist guides will refer visitors to is Pat’s or Geno’s. Pat's Steaks was founded in 1930 by Pat Olivieri and Geno's Steaks in 1966 by Joe Vento. The two restaurants have since developed a rivalry about which sells the best cheese steaks, though several other restaurants also have proponents.

One such rival outside of South Philly is Steve’s Prince of Steaks, located in the Northeast region of Philadelphia. Steve’s Prince of Steaks was founded by Steven Iliescu in 1980. His empire began on the corner of Bustleton and St Vincent in Northeast Philadelphia, where he saw his dream of becoming “The Prince” turn into a reality. The experience on its own is one you will remember forever, particularly the regimental ordering process. To not be seen as an outsider, one should know the ordering process by heart. If you forget, it is clearly written on the wall for newbies. To order a cheese steak, you go to the steak window where you place your order. Ordering requires a knowledge of the cheese steak language. A “cheese steak” means you want a cheese steak. When it comes to onions, you need to say “with” or “without”. Finally, you need to choose a cheese - Provolone American, or Mozzarella. Little tip – American is the best. The final order is “cheese steak with American” after which you will be delivered with the price. You pay (exact change is best) then move aside or onto the fries window if you want another classic, fries with Whiz – a wrapped bag of fresh cut fries coated in melted cheese whiz. If by now you have not figured it out, the experience is loaded in calories and a bottle of Pepto Bismal is a definite must for the first-time visitor. But the sinfully delicious experience of chowing down on warm bread, meat and cheese as it drips down your arm is worth it.

If you have not been filled by the cheese steak or need a sugar-rush to get your heart beating again, it is time for another Philly staple, a water ice (pronounced “Wah-Tah Ice” by locals). Essentially a warmer version of an Italian ice, the Water Ice is a staple for locals either in the city or at weekends on the Jersey shore (pronounced “da show-r” by locals). One of the best is Rita’s Italian Water Ice, another Northeast Philly icon.

Rita's opened in the summer of 1984 in the northeast suburb of Bensalem. The summer of 1984 was a hot one, and in the months preceding the opening of the first store, Bob Tumolo and his mother, Elizabeth, were busy experimenting on recipes for Italian water ice. After several tries and various flavor combinations, eventually the Tumolo's found themselves with their recipe for success. Today, Rita’s is the biggest chain of water-ice in the northeast. The Ices are made fresh daily and available in more than 30 different flavors. The black-cherry is by far a favorite if you must try only one. Large chunks of black cherry are mixed into an ice-milk like substance but don’t be fooled, it is actually made using a non-dairy creamer as an ingredient which contains sodium caseinate. It will never get Michael Pollan’s seal of approval but hey, everyone should be allowed to have at least one water ice in their life. Besides, after a cheese steak do we really care at this point? Water Ice can be eaten as is but combining it with a rich Vanilla ice-cream is better. In addition to Water Ice, Rita's makes an old-fashioned Frozen Custard, available in chocolate and vanilla, served in either a cone or a cup. They also serve milkshakes and sodas, but there is another northeast Philly icon you should try if this is your fancy.

If you are looking for the world’s largest soda fountain, be sure to check out Nifty Fifty’s Diner (2491 Grant Avenue at Roosevelt Boulevard). Still a small business after many years, Nifty Fifty’s philosophy is based on the core standards of service typical of malt houses in the 1950’s. They use only fresh ingredients, grind and hand-form each burger, and still use old-school equipment to make their over 100 different sodas. When you step inside, you feel like you are in the 50’s. Not just by the décor, but the spirit in which the proprietors manage the place and pride themselves in community involvement. They support Shake Day fundraisers for local schools and charitable organizations and are 9 time winners of the Best of Philly Award. They are vocal about their values and are not afraid to criticize the mass-produced, chemical-filled, pre-packaged burger chains responsible for the demise of the many malt shops which once dominated the American landscape. As they clearly state on their signage, “we are not just another restaurant, but a way of life.”

The values of Nifty Fifty are probably why Philadelphians love them so much. In Philly, the people love life and are proud of their city and culture. It is apparent whether you are waiting in line at the cheese steak window or listening in on conversations at Morimoto, the famous Philly restaurant owned by the Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto. Wherever you go, there is new food to discover and friendly locals willing to tell you everything about it. I go at least twice a year and love every minute of it!

The Gremotraveller is a Toronto-based businessman who frequently flies and has lots of time in between meetings.