Category Archives: Food

Pitruco Pizza: Food Truck Producing Restaurant-Quality Wood-Fired Pizzas

The Philadelphia food truck/cart scene has definitely taken leaps and bounds forward.  While it still has a ways to go to come close to the variety and quality of the New York, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon vendors, there’s been much progress.  Just a few short years ago, we were, more or less, limited to long-standing, stationary trucks parked in University City and Temple and relatively average carts in Center City.  There were no Twittering trucks announcing their location and presence to their followers.  Food trucks were notably absent from Center City.

Thankfully, things have gone up and up.  New food trucks and carts have popped up, including roving ones.  The variety and quality have vastly improved, with cupcake trucks, a taco truck from an Iron Chef, as well as other ethnic specialty foods.  Events such as the Night Market and Vendy Awards have also helped spotlight the scene.

And now, the next step in the evolution is the pizza food truck in Center City.  And not just any pizza, but wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza.  Pitruco Pizza recently made its debut, with a current rotation of two days at Love Park in Center City and two days in University City.  Continue reading →

White House Sub Shop Highlights Any Atlantic City Trip

A visit to Atlantic City from Center City Philadelphia is only about 65 miles and a little over an hour, so it’s not really accurate to describe it as a road trip.  You can go there on the way to or from a weekend at the shore, as a spur-of-the-moment decision during a night out, or for a planned gambling excursion.  Regardless of the circumstances, I strongly recommend that you make time for a submarine sandwich at White House Sub Shop on Arctic Avenue.

Open since 1946, White House is well known to both old timer residents as well as newer generations of Atlantic City visitors.  The corner shop itself is not large and is an exercise in inefficiency.  There are about 10 booths, and those looking to sit down must stay outside the inner door until a waitress takes them to a table.  Those looking for take out can proceed inside to  the back, where they then stand around like stockbrokers waiting to place buy-sell orders.  For those looking to sit down at the counter, it’s a gray area whether you can go in and sit down without a waitress taking you there or not.  Somehow, this system has worked for about fifty years.

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What to Expect (and How to Order) at Christo’s Falafel

With the recent demise (though a positive one for the proprietors) of Far From Home Cafe, I’m looking for a new favorite food truck/cart in Center City to fill the void.  First up among the contenders: Christo’s Falafel cart.

To describe Christo’s as just a food cart or  falafel vendor does no justice to the entire experience.  Located on the northeast corner of 20th and Market, Christo’s is sometimes there and sometimes not there during weekday lunch.  Its proprietor, Gus, doesn’t exactly post on Twitter (if he knew what it was) what his appearance schedule is.  The first thing you’ll notice about the cart is the massive line that forms when it does show.  Actually, let me take that back.  The first observation you’ll have is the irresistable aroma from the charcoal grill billowing towards Market Street.  I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but because the 20th and Market Street corridor is extremely windy, even on hot summer days, the cart’s placement on the corner is perfect for catching the downwind breeze towards Market Street pedestrians.  If it was, the guy is a genius.  On each of my visits, there would be passers-by who would ask the folks in line about the cart and what was being served.

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