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Old Man Winter Is No Match for Zoup’s! Comfort Soup
“A Jewish woman had two chickens. One got sick, so the woman made chicken soup out of the other one to help the sick one get well.” – Henny Youngman Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Full disclosure: I don’t much care for soup. I fault my mom for that as well as for having sent me to charm school at 12 years of age. But that’s another story altogether, which I’ll reserve for my memoir. The onset of my soup-phobia began in childhood, when our soup staples alternated between thin chicken-noodle with two pea-sized bits of poultry of questionable authenticity. It’s alternative was chicken with rice, equally runny and with the same meager addition of a barely-there protein…
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Not Your Typical Pizza Joint, &pizza Jazzes Up Pizza Pie Biz
Story, photos by Lauren Aynn Incoming pizza fanatics, there’s a new player in town and it’s name is &pizza (and-peet-suh). From its clean design to its new innovative take on take out, &pizza is a real stand out in its class. They haven’t reinvented the pizza wheel so to speak, but they have found ways to make it their own. &Pizza also proudly partners with local causes to help strengthen the community around them. In fact if you have a cause close to your heart they encourage you to make a request on their website. Truly a great way to keep in touch with the needs and wants of the…
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Chima Brazilian Steakhouse Sets the Bar Higher for Other Steak Houses
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) One a chilly Philly Friday night, we ventured out into the East Coast tundra for some meat. Well, technically all the meats. We tried some other super meaty places nearby before (ahem) and were not impressed. However, Chima Steakhouse pretty much blew us away from the moment we sat down. The drink menu is on an iPad which is cool and trendy however I like to have a physical copy in my hand as I like to study the wine list. But our server was knowledgeable and soon we had exactly what our taste buds were asking for. The full menu including…
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Discover the Fine Art of Making Limoncello While Eating Amazing Italian Food at Osteria
Story, photos by Dana J. Prophet Made with the simplest ingredients and a wee bit of testing plus patience, Limoncello is a drink most willingly embrace. Delicious and versatile enough to combine into cocktails and even desserts, Osteria’s Sommelier Frank Kinyon showed his eager students how practically anyone can make this refreshing liqueur with a surprising ingredient – Everclear grain alcohol! As Frank demonstrated, the students and myself were delighted to enjoy a full course of the best dishes Osteria had to offer. Some were made from family recipes and it was easy to taste the love and tradition in every morsel. Along with each course, a regional Italian wine…
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Vault Brewing Company Expands Bank Brewery to Yardley Warehouse
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Located in the suburbs of Philly, the Victorian town of Yardley in Bucks County houses Vault Brewing who does not consider themselves a bar, a pub or even a traditional brewery. Entering in the “faux vault entryway,” you’ll notice you may have entered an old school bank except that the entire brewery and wood-fired kitchen oven are completely open to view. The brewery that once sat directly behind the bar is now expanding down the street and up the hill. The décor is a combination of regal bank, stark industrial, old-world and modern. What is not modern is there are no TVs, pub traditional menu items and no pop or rock…
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Saint Benjamin Brewery Offers Craft Beer with a Side of History
Story, photos by Dana J. Prophet If you drive a bit past Temple University’s Main Campus, you’ll come to a brewery and tap room that’s within the Kensington section of the city. Saint Benjamin Brewery offers modern brewing techniques and also holds onto history that reaches back to the days of prohibition while presenting both distinctive and magical craft brews along with a menu of tantalizing food. The brewery is nestled within the middle of the street and it was also previously a historic carriage house and stables of the defunct Theo Finkenauer Brewery. Sadly, that brewery is now an empty lot. Fear not though because Saint Benjamin has all…
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Take a Walking, Eating and Drinking Chew Philly Tour Through Chestnut Hill
Please feel free to offer promo code EXPLOREPHL for $29/adult tickets to our Manayunk or Chestnut Hill tour. Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Meet the first Northwest Philadelphia food and culinary tour since 2011, Chew Philly. With tours led by the lovely Elyse Castillo, these tours aren’t just for tourists. You can discover one of the many cultural gems and neighborhoods Philly has to offer. Perhaps you enjoy sampling delicious ethnic foods in historic neighborhood or want a taste of that perfect tomato pie, dip your tongue into decadent cappuccinos or lick ages old ice cream from the best specialty shops in Philly. The walking tours make you feel like you can…
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Pizzeria Vetri is Brick Oven Pizza Served Family Style
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Brick oven, thin pizza pie with fluffy crust and only the best and freshest ingredients… that pretty much describes Pizzeria Vetri. We chose to go to the Art Museum area location because if you get there early enough, there’s plenty of parking nearby (other locations near Rittenhouse Square and King of Prussia). Good food, good drinks & good people. Get delivery, dine in but make sure to sign up for the e-mailing list for a free rotolo (trust us, it’s soooo worth it). Not all pizza is created equal and as a person who eats it at least once a week and have eaten it in…
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From Farm to Home Grass Fed Meat Delivery, Lil’ Ponderosa is a Grill Master’s Dream
Story by Explore Philly, Photos courtesy of Lil’ Ponderosa Lil’ Ponderosa is a new farm-to-home grass-fed meat service for Philadelphia and surrounding areas. The sustainable ranch based near Lancaster, PA provides grass-fed meat for its own award-winning farm-to-table restaurant John J. Jeffries, and now offers its meats through special combination boxes and a monthly subscription service. Shop all cuts of beef and organ meat, house-made jerky, and farm heritage pasteurized pork from the neighboring farm. Now carnivores don’t even need to move off the couch to order home delivery of locally raised grass-fed beef and pork products. Products are currently available a la carte or in special combination boxes, and…
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Sit Outside and Enjoy Sunset Views, Chews at Winnie’s LeBus in Manayunk
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Winnie’s in Manayunk is a Main Street Manayunk staple, full of fresh food and sweet sunny – or sunset – views. Usually I always do brunch or lunch there and once upon a time, they did quizzo during happy hour for a steal and I would leave every night with a ridiculously large chocolate cupcake as a snack for later. This time we were invited for a lazy Sunday dinner with a fresh abundance of summer fruits and vegetables prepared the homemade way. In a culture of pre-prepped, packaged and ready-to-eat, it’s nice to know that there are still some hometown Philly favorites that are…
