Gavin's guide, on SPOT
Where Action Bronson Ate in Philadelphia
6 spots · Philadelphia, United States
America's Food Capital, season 4, episode 8, covered Philadelphia. The cheesesteak here is the Germantown Avenue one rather than the Passyunk argument, and around it sit beef rendang over rice, a fried lasagna sandwich with an egg on it, and pink pistachio sticky buns off a Rittenhouse bakery counter. Zahav closes it out with hummus tehina and laffa straight from the taboon.
#1
Max's Famous Steaks
North Philadelphia, Philadelphia · Sandwiches · $
For the Philadelphia episode in season 4, FTD skipped Passyunk entirely and went north to Germantown Avenue for the cheesesteak that actually feeds this neighborhood. Provolone, fried onions, a roll that vanishes under the pile. Late is the right hour to try it.
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Cheesesteak with provolone and onionsPepper steakChicken cheesesteak
#2
Angelo's Pizzeria
Bella Vista/Italian Market, Philadelphia · Pizza · $
FTD gave season 4, episode 8 to Philadelphia, and this 9th Street counter covered both halves of its case: pizza and hoagies off the same house baked bread. The roll is the real argument here, not the toppings. Cash, early, and eat it standing on the street.
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Upside down pizzaItalian hoagieMargherita pizza
#3
K'Far Cafe
Rittenhouse, Philadelphia · Israeli · $
Season 4, episode 8 of FTD broke up the Philadelphia sandwich marathon with an Israeli bakery run, pastry after pastry off this Rittenhouse counter. The pink pistachio sticky bun is the one that built the reputation and the babka holds its own beside it. Weekday morning, before the case thins out.
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Pink pistachio sticky bunLemon cheesecake babkaChocolate rugelach
#4
Hardena
Point Breeze/South Philly, Philadelphia · Indonesian · $$
The Philadelphia episode of FTD, season 4, episode 8, built a plate here the way the room intends, pointing at the day's Indonesian stews and greens over rice. The rendang is the anchor and everything else arranges itself around it. Come before the good trays run down.
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Beef rendangSayur lodehSayur singkong
#5
Paesano's
Italian Market, S 9th St at filming, Philadelphia · Sandwiches · $
Back in 2014, on an early FTD run, the order here was a fried lasagna sandwich with an egg on it and a chicken liver hoagie chased in behind. Those early stops never carried dependable season numbers, so the year is where it stops. Peter McAndrews has never treated a sandwich as a small thing.
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Fried lasagna sandwich with eggLiveracce chicken liver hoagieArista
#6
Zahav
Society Hill, St James Pl, Philadelphia · Israeli · $$$$
Michael Solomonov cooked through his Israeli menu for season 4, episode 8 of FTD, coals going for lamb and skewers while the taboon turned out laffa to catch all of it. The hummus tehina is the plate that reset a lot of American kitchens. Book the tasting and let the room run the pace.
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Hummus tehina with laffaPomegranate-braised lamb shoulderAl ha'esh skewersFried cauliflower
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