Beginner's Guide to West Philly Food

           When I first got to Penn I was told not to go past 40^th street.  That was where West Philly really started.  I was told the neighborhood beyond 40^th street was unsafe and not particularly interesting anyway.  Eventually curiosity got the better of me, and I began to explore what lies on 40^th street and beyond.  I realized I had been sorely misled.  The neighborhoods west of 40^th street are not only an interesting mixing ground of hipsters, immigrants, academics, and long established West Philadelphia communities, but a haven for culinary curiosity.  Despite the things people say about West Philly, it gets an unfair reputation.  I have wandered around much of West Philly on my own, and I a tiny white girl, have never felt unsafe. 

This is what I was told to expect from West Philly

          I was talking to some freshmen recently who had no knowledge of the fine food available beyond 40^th street.  This reminded me of my ignorance when I was a freshman.   Aside from ignorant freshmen I have met upperclassmen, and even students living west of 40^th street that weren’t aware of the dining options available to them.  I think students tend to want to go to center city or stay on campus for food.  Maybe eating in West Philly does not have the glamorous reputation of going downtown to eat, but glamour isn't actually edible.  

This is what I found

         To rectify this ignorance I have compiled this beginners guide to food beyond 40^th street in the hope of inspiring more of you to explore the great food options you might otherwise overlook. 

Brunch 

All the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes!

If you were deeply upset when Café Renata burned down, fear not!  It has been reincarnated as Renata’s Kitchen, at a new location. If you don't know what I am talking about, that's alright, but you should still check out Renata’s Kitchen on 4533 Baltimore Av.  It offers fine Lebanese fare during dinner hours, but their brunch is their real strong point.  You might remember me mentioning them on my last post for having one of the best hot chocolates in West Philly.  This is not all they have to offer.  The brunch menus includes such offerings as the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.  These delightful pancakes are tasty enough to be eaten without any maple syrup.  

Chinese Food

All the sweat inducing, mouth burning
Chinese food you can ask for!

On the east side of the 40^th street dividing line are some fine options to satisfy your Chinese food cravings, the most obvious option being Han Dynasty.  If you enjoy the spicy and slightly more authentic than usual offerings at Han Dynasty, you will also enjoy Chili Szechuan.  Chili Szechuan lays on the West side of 40^th street, at 4205 Chestnut St to be exact.  Chili Szechuan offers an Americanized menu and a non Americanized menu.  If you are bored of the generic Americanized options the non-Americanized menu at Chili Szechuan is certainly worth checking out.  Chili Szechuan offers food just as spicy as what you can find at Han Dynasty, has interesting menu selections you won’t find elsewhere outside of Chinatown such as duck blood soup, and makes a fine bowl of Won Ton Soup.  Their offerings have been deemed slightly more authentic than Han Dynasty's by some Chinese friends who went to both restaurants.  Chili Szechuan is a BYO, but they card so bear that in mind when planning your visit there.

Ethiopian Food

Seriously, why haven't you visited this place yet?

There is a decently sized Ethiopian community living in West Philly. With this community comes an abundance of Ethiopian restaurants in a relatively small area.  If you are new to Ethiopian food, which I certainly was when I first came to Penn, introduce yourself to Ethiopian food at Kaffa Crossing, 4423 Chestnut St.  Kaffa Crossing was also mentioned in the last post for its delightful hot chocolate.  Other than making delectable hot chocolate, Kaffa Crossing provides an approachable environment for introducing yourself to Ethiopian food.  I encourage you to simply explore as many of the different menu options as you can, and try the smoothies, and the hot chocolate. If you have not tried Ethiopian food before know that, at least at the Ethiopian restaurants in West Philly, the food you order is served on top of Injera.  Injera is a thin spongy bread that you use to eat.  If you are a strict vegetarian make sure to order your food separately from the rest of the group because everything your table orders is typically served together on one large piece of injera. 

Korean Food

Hot stone bowl = cook your food, and eat it too.

Unless you are Korean or grew up in an area with a large Korean population, Korean food is probably not something you have been exposed to.  There are two restaurants that offer Korean fare on campus, Koreana, and U-Town.  While you can go to these restaurants to satisfy your Bi-Bim-Bop craving, or to explore an unfamiliar cuisine, you have a better option if you venture past 40^th street.  Tampopo at 269 S 44th St offers Korean and Japanese food.  Tampopo has a nicer atmosphere than Koreana and U-Town, and offers better food.  If you decide to go to Tampopo, be sure to try the Bi-Bim-Bop in a hot stone bowl.  Bi-Bim-Bop is a good introduction dish if you have never tried Korean food before.  The hot stone bowl cooks the food while it is in front of you, and makes the dining experience more exciting.

Mediterranean

Oreo Beignets, enough said.

Aksum, 4630 Baltimore Ave, is one of my favorite restaurants in West Philly.  Basically everything here is good, so you can’t really mess up with your ordering options.  Even so, I recommend trying the hummus and the Oreo Beignets.  Yes Oreo Beignets, these are like fancy fried oreos...but better.

Middle Eastern

It is in your best interest to try all of the manakeesh

Manakeesh,  4420 Walnut St, delivers great food on multiple fronts.   They make a fine hummus, delectable wraps, and yes great manakeesh.  In case you did not know, manakeesh are Lebanese flat breads topped with seasoning, cheese or meat.  If you are craving something sweeter Manakeesh sells fruit smoothies, baklava, Lebanese pastries, and crepes.  I suggest trying the fig goat cheese crepe.

Pho

 

NOODLEY GOODNESS!

        Pho is a Vietnamese beef noodle soup served with bean sprouts, lime, chili peppers, and basil.  I find this to be a wonderfully comforting soup. There are places to get Pho on campus, but there are also some great places to get Pho farther west.  

• Pho & Café Saigon on 43^rd and Spruce offers Pho and fresh fruit smoothies.  What’s not to like about this combination?  
• For a more upscale dining experience check out Vietnam Café, 816 S 47th St, which offers a fine bowl of Pho, and plenty of other Vietnamese options to satisfy a curious diner.

Pizza

Pizza, brewed in house beer, and the exterior of a firehouse,
Dock Street Brewery has everything you could want...if all
you ever wanted was pizza, beer, and an old firehouse.

         While I will have a complete breakdown of the pizza of West Philly in a separate post, there are two locations on 40^th street or West worth mentioning now.  

• The first is Smokey Joe’s, 210 S 40th St, technically Smokey Joe’s and Enjay’s Pizza.  Yes, your favorite campus bar ate a pizza truck and now sells greasy bar pizza.  That said this is very good greasy bar pizza.  The menu is simple but worth trying while actually sober.  The pizza crusts here have a nice slight crunch which adds to the pizza eating experience.  
• The next pizza worth trying can also be found in a bar of sorts.  Clarkville, 4301 Baltimore Ave, serves pizzas that also have a nice bit of crunch to them.  These pizzas are not as greasy as those found at Smokey Joe’s and taste like they are made with better ingredients. I greatly enjoyed the Danger Pie, a simple pizza made right. 
• Finally there is Dock Street Brewery, 701 S 50th St.  This place brews its own beer and makes its own pizza.  The pizza menu here is extensive and interesting.  Each pizza they offer has a carefully thought out combination of toppings different from the options you see at most other pizza places. 

           None of these bars serve pizzas that travel well, the nice texture of the crust is often damaged while the pizza waits to be picked up and carried home.  Eat them in the restaurant or, if you must order them for takeout, be ready to get the pizza right when it is ready for pick up and transport it to the site of consumption quickly.

South East Asian Food

Not to be confused with Vietnam Cafe which is within
one block

While Pho is an aspect of South East Asian cuisine, there is certainly more than just Pho to explore.  Vientiane Cafe, 4728 Baltimore Av, sells excellent Laotian food.  They have extensive options for vegetarians, and offer surprisingly large portions given the nice atmosphere of the restaurant.  This is a cash only establishment, so make sure to stop by the ATM before visiting.

  

Sweet Things

           I have already mentioned Kaffa Crossing, Manakeesh, and Pho & Saigon Cafe as offering ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.  But West Philly has more to offer still.  

MORE LASSI THAN YOUR BODY HAS ROOM FOR!

• Mood Café, 4618 Baltimore Ave, has approximately a gazillion and one flavors of Lassi (you can round this down to about 100).  What is Lassi you ask?  It is an Indian yogurt based drink typically served in sweet, salty or mango flavors.  While most places only offer 3 types of Lassi, Mood Café offers approximately… a lot.  
• Other places with interesting smoothie options are Hibiscus Café, 4907 Catharine St, and Brown Sugar Bakery, 219 S 52nd St.  These two Caribbean establishments offer a unique selection of smoothie flavors and ingredients.  Both places also sell Caribbean soda brands.  I took someone from Miami to both of these places and they immediately became excited to find the Caribbean sodas they had not been able to find since leaving Miami.  Don’t be intimidated by the bulletproof glass between you and the cashier, or the long hike to get to Brown Sugar Bakery.  The drinks are worth the trek. 

             This is not a complete list of all of the restaurants worth exploring in West Philly, just the ones I consider important to try.  All of the remaining places are for you to discover.  Next time you are searching for a good meal, consider venturing West instead of staying near Penn or crossing the river.