Midtown Lunch

I headed out with the plan of getting soup and falafel at Maoz. But the only soup they have was lentil, and that wasn’t what I was in the mood for. So I kind of ambled down Walnut Street and serendipitously found Pita Uno.

N.Y. Deli never made it and the spot next to NYPD pizza was vacant for a while. About 2 weeks ago Pita Uno let the light back in with Israeli home cooking.  After my meal, I noticed the Meal Ticket report giving more of the scoop on this place and the plans for a 2nd location in Manayunk.

The menu is small and the shawarma spit wasn’t ready yet. But the Israeli owner is really friendly and I was able to try the rest of his wares, and I got to satiate my soup craving!

Read more »

As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week it’s Abby, a pickle loving teacher.

Name: Abby

Age: 31

Occupation: Teacher

Where in Philly do you Work?: Old City

Favorite Kind of Food: Pickles, especially if they are deep-fried

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Scallops. Actually, I dislike slippery food in general.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: The gigantic sicilian pizza slices at Fork, etc. (3rd and Market); Chicken salad-salad at Cafe Lutecia (23rd and Lombard); Philly roll at Mizu (20th between Walnut and Chestnut); Falafel truck (20th and Market), you’ll feel sluggish and reek of garlic the rest of the day, but it’s worth it.

Read more »

This week our most recently Profiled Luncher John heads down to the wildly popular Federal Donuts. I am JEALOUS!

The opening of Federal Donuts in October presented a fascinating question: What happens when successful and respected chefs and restaurant partners open up a restaurant featuring a limited menu of only fried chicken and donuts in a neighborhood that’s off the beaten path in Philadelphia? The answer, as the throngs of people who’ve visited in the past two months can attest, is that if your food is good, then people are willing to come to your restaurant regardless of what you serve and where it is. Such is the story with the newest and best reason to make a trip to Pennsport.

Chef Michael Solomonov and business partner Steve Cook are part of the team behind Federal Donuts, which was established on the observation that there weren’t too many local establishments in the city with good, fresh donuts or fried chicken. That somewhat unusual combination is not necessarily intended to be eaten together like chicken and waffles (though it can be). Instead, Federal Donuts specializes in serving hot, fresh donuts in the morning before stopping at around 11 a.m. to prepare the fryer to cook up the fried chicken.

Read more »

• This guy is eating nothing but tacos all month, including Taco Riendo, Honest Tom’s, Tyson’s Bees, Guapos Tacos, and Jose’s Tacos [Month of Tacos via Thrillist]
• Schlesinger’s sandwiches use the best rye bread [22nd and Philly]
• The Inquirer is going food truck crazy with articles about, running a food truck, LeBan’s favorite new food trucks, and the artisenal food truck trend

Aki is another one of the many Washington Square West sushi spots. For lunch, they offer 2 rolls and a miso soup for $8.50. There is no list of the rolls included in the special so you just have to ask.

Read more »

On Monday I had the  winning meatballs at Pastificio and I mentioned I also picked up dessert in that same shopping plaza. As a few of you guessed, it was from Termini Brothers. They have 4 locations in Philadelphia. This one was empty mid day, allowing me all the time I needed to pick my poison.

Read more »

As is customary at Philly Lunch, every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Philadelphia. This week it’s John, a lawyer who loves brisket and hates Big Macs.

Name: John E.

Age: 37

Occupation: Attorney

Where in Philly do you Work?: Law firm at One Liberty Place, 17th and Market

Favorite Kind of Food: Barbecue – in particular, beef brisket and ribs. I tell my vegetarian friends that if something will make them switch back to meat, it’s good barbecue.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Mega chain fast food and restaurants. There are too many great places around town to eat to settle for Subway, Wendy’s, Ruby Tuesday’s and Applebees.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Philly: Roast pork sandwich from John’s Roast Pork (14 E. Snyder Ave.), everything from Paesano’s (1017 S. 9th St.), small falafel and side of latkes from Mama’s Vegetarian (18 S. 20th St.), platter from Christo’s Falafel cart (Southeast corner of 20th and Market St.).

Read more »