A Side of Sandwich with your Gourmet Groceries

As I mentioned,  we would be hearing from some new voices on ML Philly. Today, we are getting a report from this week’s profiled luncher Mike, who is checking out the sandwiches of everyone’s favorite cheese shop.

After a particular harsh weekend of holiday partying in NYC a friend of mine was suffering. After 3 days of complaining and not eating I proclaimed the immortal phrase that as children, we were all a victim to: “would you like some cheese with that wine?” As it turns out, said friend DID want some cheese (and bread,) so we decided to have lunch at Di Bruno Bros. (1730 Chestnut St.) Being a man who believes all things can be made better with cheese, and also knowing that Di Bruno Bros has a small market inside where I could buy goodies to go, I was looking forward to it.

Di Bruno Bros has a café upstairs when you can order sandwiches and salads to be delivered to your table, as well as a buffet, where you can build yourself a plate for $9.99/lb. Another option is the market downstairs, where sandwiches are also made, or you can simply purchase some individual items to enjoy at one of the tables upstairs. They range from potato salad to Sichuan Noodle salad and everything in between. The lines can get long, but they move quickly so you never have to wait more than a few minutes. The café has televisions as well, in case you are dining by yourself, or your dining partner lacks conversation skills.

After wondering around in the downstairs market like a small child in a candy shop, I finally decided on getting a sandwich. I tend to stay away from the simple dishes, in favor of busier ones, but the Caprese sandwich was surprisingly delicious. Di Bruno Bros managed to have delicious tomatoes on hand, even though it’s 20 degrees outside and tomato season is long over. The fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil were brought together by the star of the sandwich, the bread! Rosemary bread baked fresh and served warm brought this sandwich to a whole other level of delicious. For $7.99 this was a lunch I’m sure I’ll be repeating.

Never being satisfied with just one option, I also ordered the grilled chicken sandwich with roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and basil pesto on a baguette. A simple, no frills sandwich that satisfied my hunger, but wasn’t the most inspiring thing. While the bread was a bit of a let down here, the pesto really picked up the slack. The chicken was a little dry, but the pesto stepped in again, providing enough balance to make the sandwich overall enjoyable.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

  • A TON of options, there’s something for everyone.
  • I enjoy watching cooking shows while eating.
  • I can have lunch and get some items for dinner to go.

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

  • I enjoy food a bit more complicated.
  • The sandwiches are a little pricey

Di Bruno Bros, 1730 Chestnut St (@ 17th St), 215-665-9220

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