7 Philadelphia Specialties for Football Fans to Try While in Town

It’s no secret that Philadelphians are a passionate bunch, with a general love for Wawa, creative street parking, and the Eagles. Game day means the city empties except for bars with TVs, and practically every person is decked out in various shades of green Birds gear. When you're in town to catch the game, you'll find the food scene is just as championship-worthy as the team. Here are 10 must-try eats for football fans in the City of Brotherly Love.

Cheesesteaks

Yes, you have to get a cheesesteak. It's basically a city ordinance. Find one of the very best versions at Angelo’s, with frizzled steak piled onto long rolls that are baked in house. Nearby on South Street, Jim’s is an institution (order it with Cheez Whiz and fried onions), and Pat’s King of Steak is home of the world’s first cheesesteak, created by legend Pat Olivieri in 1930. Expect long lines on game day, but they move quickly. 

Roast pork sandwiches

Philly's other famous sandwich doesn't get the tourist crowds, but locals know: The roast pork is the real MVP. Try one of the others at John’s Roast Pork. The no-frills counter service spot makes the city’s best version, with slow-roasted and thinly sliced garlicky pork, sharp provolone, and sautéed spinach on a long roll. Find another standout version at DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market, where the roast pork sandwiches are made with the traditional broccoli rabe instead of spinach. 

Hoagies

Completing Philly's holy trinity of sandwiches is the hoagie — also built on a long roll and filled with sliced Italian deli meats and cheeses like capicola, mortadella, and provolone, plus optional olive oil and vinegar, oregano, and sweet or hot peppers. Find excellent traditional versions at Breezy’s, Cosmi’s, and Farina Di Vita, and more inventive (and equally excellent) versions at Honeysuckle Provisions (vegetarians will love the turnip hoagie with benne seed mayo and havarti) and Middle Child (order the So Long Sal with artichoke relish and balsamic mayo).

BYOB restaurants

Thanks to Pennsylvania's Byzantine liquor laws, BYOBs are everywhere. First, grab a bottle from one of the new guard of independent shops selling interesting labels you won’t find at the state-run wine stores, like Di Bruno Bros. 9th Street Bottle Shop or Sally’s, or the city’s first urban winery Mural City Cellars. Bring your bottle to Mawn for inspired (and outrageously good) Cambodian dishes like cold night market noodles and fried chicken with fish sauce caramel, Gabriella’s Vietnam for Vietnamese hot pot and beautiful platters of sizzling catfish and savory crepes, or Illata, for a menu of frequently changing but always perfectly executed shareable plates, as well as some of the city’s most memorable desserts. 

Italian food

The city’s Italian food game has been strong since the early 1900s, when an influx of immigrants came from Southern Italy and settled in South Philadelphia. Try delightfully old-school Red Gravy versions at Ralph’s (America’s oldest Italian restaurant), Dante & Luigi’s, and Scannicchio's (not far from Lincoln Financial Field, aka the Linc). For more modern takes, visit Marc Vetri’s Fiorella (do not skip the ricotta gnocchi in brown butter), Fiore (order all the handmade pastas on the concise menu and stick around for small-batch gelato afterwards), and the splurgy-but-worth-it Ambra, where you can sit in the kitchen and watch the multi-course menu come to life. 

Cannoli

Philly's century-old Italian bakeries are still thriving. Try Isgro (est. 1904) or Termini Brothers (1921) for a cannoli filled to order with chocolate chip-studded ricotta. (Skip the offered powdered sugar unless you’re eating it right away — it makes the cannoli shells soggy.)

Soft pretzels

German settlers brought pretzels here, and Philly's been perfecting them since. Nowadays, find standouts at Miller’s Twist — hand-rolled in front of you at the Reading Terminal Market — and Philly Pretzel Factory, with locations throughout the city, including inside the stadium. 

Water ice

It's "wooter ice" here, not Italian ice, and comes in flavors like lemon, cherry, or pineapple. Get the best versions of the slushy, fruity treat at John’s or Pop’s, or, if you’re in the stadium, seek out Rita’s. 

Tacos

Thanks to a wave of Mexican immigration in the '90s, Philly's taco scene is strong. Make time to try the tacos at South Philly Barbacoa, where chef Cristina Martinez’s slow-cooked barbacoa goes on top of fresh-pressed corn tortillas. Or try El Chingon for quesabirria with adobo-braised beef and homemade cheese, or Blue Corn for taco platters that pair well with margaritas as big as a baby’s head.

Splurges

Whether your team won or you want to take the sting of an epic loss (probably the second thing, #GoBirds), make a reservation at one of Philly’s award-winning fine-dining restaurants. At Friday Saturday Sunday, get chef Chad Williams’ dreamy tasting menu upstairs, and the city’s best cocktails at the downstairs bar. At Kalaya, chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon is behind fiery, wildly flavorful Thai fare, and chef Greg Vernick’s Vernick Fish serves exquisite seafood dishes in an elegant dining room.