The Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia

— Photo by ML

Philadelphia is a great city for foodies. Not only is there food everywhere, but there is also all kinds of food from pretty much every region and culture on this planet. More importantly, a lot of it is actually very good. There are top rated restaurants like Le Bec Fin and Parc, and (my personal favorites) Alma de Cuba and Buddakan, which are always safe (although rather expensive) choices. And at the other end of the price spectrum you'll find the ubiquitous food trucks. It's obviously a bit more hit-and-miss here, but many of them will surprise you with fast, simple, and really good food.

Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia

— Photos by ML

Walking through the Strawberry Mansion section in North Philadelphia is quite an experience. You can see hints of a very different world from the past in the ornate row houses and avenues. There are so many details on these brick that call out the amazing craftsmanship from another era. Inside many still have beautiful ceilings, and here and there one can still find the original leaded stained glass panels above the entrance doors. The houses usually have hardwood floors, high ceilings, and stairs with wooden balusters and hand rails...

Stop! This sounds almost like a description of the houses in Philadelphia's Society Hill section? Maybe so, but only because I left out a few details. Society Hill and Strawberry Mansion are both romantic names hinting at a glorious past, and, in terms of geography, they're actually only 4.5 miles apart. But in terms of everything else, they might as well be on different planets.

Photo by ML

This is my favorite coffee shop in my neighborhood. It's a quirky, comfortable, non-Starbucksy, worn (but not tired!) coffee shop. The decor looks thrown-together (and I think that's how it actually was done), and it's really the opposite of a Cosi or Starbucks.

I come here off and on to chill out. The coffee is great, and while I haven't tried all of the baked goods, the things I have tried (mostly muffins and bagels), have always been good. And, by the way, wi-fi here actually works!

This place is located on a main tourist drag — on Chestnut between 2nd and 3rd Street — so, depending on season and time of day, you may run into some fanny-pack-people. But it doesn't happen very often, and they don't seem to linger very long.

That's it for now. On to the next place!

-martin.

Photo by ML

Another pizza joint in my neighborhood. And yes, there are a few more, and yes, I will visit them all as part of this highly scientific study. Actually, this place is on Market Street itself — can you say "tourist trap"? — and the place is definitely a bit more hype than substance. The prices have also been adjusted upwards to reflect the prestigious location, but, unfortunately, the food has not.

I have been here a few times, and while the food is ok:ish, it's nothing to write home about. The location is convenient, and if you have a craving ... sure, why not. I've had a few of their slices and also the Soho Cheesesteak. I'm sure there will be a "next time", but probably only because it's on my way from some place and because I'm too lazy to walk around the block to some other joint.

So, that's it for now. On to the next place!

-martin.

Photo by ML

I had been walking by here many times before I stopped in the first time. Not sure why it took so long, but I'm making up for it now. This is a very unpretentious pizza joint. The menu is a sloppy photocopy of photocopies. But hey, who cares as long as the food is good.

This place will never be Zagat-rated, but trust me, when you have a craving for a slice or two, or a whole pie, or you just have to have a cheesesteak, then you can't go wrong with this place. Sure, there are plenty of places like this, especially around here, but this one is above average and the prices are ok.

So far I've had a few of their slices and the cheesesteak with peppers. Personally I lean towards the cheesesteaks, but that's more because I'm not a huge pizza fan in general. Next time I go there, I'll try one of their hoagies.

So, that's it for now. On to the next place!

-martin.

Photo by Alvimann

I have been walking around my Philadelphia neighborhood quite a bit since I moved here not too long ago. And the one thing that has struck me the most is just how many galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, and bars there are around here. Of course, it's not really a surprise since I picked this neighborhood exactly for that reason. But it's only after walking around here that I've come to realize just how many places there are.

Now, I also really like food — both to eat and to cook — and I'm also one who willing to try pretty much anything at least once "just because". Add to that a pinch of "geek", 2tbsp of "wannabe writer", and a healthy dose of "amateur food critic" and you can understand how I came up with the idea of the Eatery Project.

The premise is simple: visit every establishment that serves food and/or drink and falls within an area defined North and South by Arch Street and Chestnut Street, and East and West by Front Street and 4th Street. And if you know anything about this area in Philadelphia, then you can understand how ambitious this project really is — there must be at least a hundred or so establishments in this area.