Just before Thanksgiving PYT’s Tommy Up announced plans to introduce a new specialty burger each week. The menu kicked off with a Thanksgiving burger made from ground turkey topped with stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. Following that, Up collaborated with neighboring restaurant El Camino Real to create a pastrami special burger topped with Texas smoked brisket and smeared with Thousand Island dressing. Yesterday, the Tijuana burger dropped with housemade guacamole, chipotle mayo and tortilla strips.

Check out Fries With That Shake, where self-proclaimed burger baroness Jess has full ongoing coverage of the PYT burger of the week.

PYT
1050 N. Hancock Street – Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

The history of both sandwiches and beer can be traced back thousands of years. So it’s no wonder, that the two are the perfect match for a hearty and flavorful meal. The Foodery, a long time institution in Philadelphia, offers many choices in both departments in their Northern Liberties store.

Upon entering, you’ll find yourself both overwhelmed and delighted by the selection of over 800 beers. When you’ve gathered yourself, you’ll notice the deli tucked into a tiny corner decorated with Boars Head meats. We sat down with Foodery employee Andrew Rubenstein to taste two of their best selling sandwiches and pair them with some exciting new brews.

The Son of Diablo is a spicy beast of a sandwich, smoked turkey with bacon and a fiery chipotle sauce between toasted sourdough from Baker Street Bread Co. To compliment the bold flavors we chose Great Divide’s 15th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA. The beer’s malty, bready notes lead way to a sweet toffee finish with a notable nip of hops, that helps to extinguish the Diablo’s flames.

The Foodery allows customers to build sandwiches to their liking, and very often these creations show up on the menu as specials. One such special is the OMG Turkey with fresh mozzarella, avocado, roasted red peppers, and sundried tomato pesto on multi-grain. For this fresh and light sandwich, we went with Pretty Things Baby Tree, a Belgian quadruple style beer infused with dried plums. Despite being a dark, high alcohol content brew, Baby Tree is a summer seasonal with a crisp, fruity bite and smooth finish. This beer works well to accentuate the avocado and roasted red pepper in the sandwich, as well as add a dimension to the multi-grain bread.

Although The Foodery’s deli gladly accepts call in orders, we recommend coming in, placing an order and taking your time browsing the beer. As the only store in Philadelphia with such a wide selection, and the ability to mix and match a six pack (and receive a discount) The Foodery is a great spot to fill our never ending need for sandwiches and beer.

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The Foodery
837 N 2nd Street – Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

Imagine the antithesis to a dimly lit, packed-to-the-walls dive bar. What do you see? A large open space, with sunlight pouring in, and plenty of room to breathe, right? Thus, the story of Swift Half, David Garry and Heather Gleason’s follow up to the wildly successful, and now Center City staple, Good Dog. Located in The Piazza in Northern Liberties, Swift Half not only differs from its elder in space, and ambiance, but also the dining experience. Think pub food with an emphasis on slow cooked, rich, and inviting flavors.

Upon the initial announcement of Swift Half’s opening, the first thing on everyone’s mind was the burger. Will it be the same as the infamous Roquefort-stuffed creation at Good Dog, blissfully worshiped by Craig LaBan? Or will chefs Jessica O’Donnell and Jeff Kozlowski lock themselves in deep meditation and create something even more epic? The answer is simple really, no really, that’s the answer; the two chefs went with simplicity. The Swift Half Burger is the same eight ounce patty of seasoned ground sirloin used at Good Dog, draped in a sheet of perfectly sauteed sweet, and tangy onions. Don’t be disappointed when you realize there are no hidden treasures deep within the meat, instead the burger can be topped with any of the fine offerings from the cheese plate. Keeping it traditional, we opted for the Keen’s aged cheddar and applewood smoked bacon, and the results were brilliant.

The muffaletta was a long time Good Dog favorite that has now been transplanted to Swift Half’s menu. O’Donnell’s take on the classic New Orleans sandwich ditches the Sicilian bread for slices of sourdough olive loaf, specially made for her by Wild Flour Bakery. A succulent ratatouille of eggplant, artichokes, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes and seasoned with rosemary and thyme smothers spicy molinari friuli salami and an intense, dry aged cremosa provolone. With the option to remove the meat or cheese, the bulky ratatouille with its overwhelming flavors makes this sandwich a great choice for vegetarians.

There’s no question why the steak sandwich has moved from the daily specials to a full residency on the main menu. Tender, slices of pink and juicy NY Strip are topped with an aioli with a garlic kick, crisp arugala and beautifully ripened plum tomatoes. The zest from pickled onions help to balance the sweetness from the aioli and the pepper flavor from the steak. Served on a crispy, onion ciabatta, this was our favorite of the bunch. Imagine a fine steak meal in one hand, a pint of a hoppy local craft beer in the other.

The sandwiches at Swift Half, succeed quite well in carrying out the vision of thoughtful pub food. We’re glad to see they are, as other restaurants in Philadelphia, embracing Twitter for draft updates and menu specials. Be sure to follow them: @swifthalfpub.

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Swift Half Pub
1001 N 2nd Street – Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

Paesano’s is not just Girard Avenue’s favorite neighborhood spot anymore.  It is now openly celebrated as one of Philadelphia’s very best sandwich destinations, a draw for food tourists from around the region and beyond.  An extension of Chef Peter McAndrews’ classic Italian BYOB Modo Mio (itself a Best Of Philly winner for Prix Fixe), Paesano’s was named Best Of Philly Sandwich Shop and was named Glen Macnow’s overall winner of the Great Italian Hoagie Hunt.  We caught up with Chef McAndrews to find out where he goes from here.

Paesano’s opened with a simple mission: Chef McAndrews wanted a decent lunch place for himself and the Modo Mio staff.  When the space across the street from Modo Mio became available, Chef and his partner, Nathan Baynes, jumped in and started making food that is affordable with integrity, cooked in the Italian theme and style.  Chef McAndrews believed that sandwiches could be made with more taste and love than most other places; he explained that there are a thousand cheesesteaks, but probably only 30 that are good, that achieve harmony of meat, cheese, onions and bread. (for the record, Chef McAndrews likes his steak chopped.)  The results speak for themselves: “the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted,” and “my favorite sandwich place” are common refrains among customers, who line up down the street to get a bite at lunchtime.

An Italian cooked sandwich shop, not a traditional hoagie shop, Paesano’s uses Liscio’s hoagie rolls because they hold up to wet sandwiches better than other rolls.  And they cut off the ends of the bread because in Chef McAndrews’ view, no one wants to feel like they got shortchanged on ingredients because of that end.  But don’t worry – you’ll find the ends reemerge as bread crumbs across the street.  The sandwich names are largely based in the Italian language: Gustaio (lamb sausage) means “good taste”; Arista (roast pork) means “the best part of the pig”; Diavlo (spicy chicken) means “the devil”.  But Daddy Wad (the award winning Italian hoagie) has a decidedly different etymology: it was Chef McAndrews’ childhood nickname, befitting a self-described “big kid.”

The Daddy Wad’s coronation as Best Italian Hoagie has catapulted it to the top selling item at Paesano’s, displacing the Arista, a porchetta sandwich with broccoli rabe, Italian long hots, sharp provolone and natural jus.  The broth is the key to the flavor, according to the Chef, who sources locally-raised Lancaster suckling pigs (under 21 lbs).  The roast pork is topped with broccoli rabe that is cut properly for a sandwich (bite-sized) and enough sharp provolone to add that creamy, tangy burst of flavor.   The Gustaio, Paesano’s lamb sausage sandwich, is a harmonious balance of flavors: intense gorgonzola, sweet heat from the sundried cherry moustarda, hearty lamb, and sweet fennel on flatbread.  And the Tuscan Tony, Paesano’s decadent take on the Texas Tommy, serves up a fried hot dog wrapped in soppresata then smothered in Bolognese sauce.  With options for vegetarians and meat lovers alike, Paesano’s satisfies all comers.

The formula is working.  Customer service is personal, gracious and natural in its diverse, dynamic, integrated Northern Liberties neighborhood.  So it is clear why Chef McAndrews wants to keep things the same.  But with the surge in popularity, Paesano’s is struggling to keep up with the volume.  They need more space, and see a broader opportunity (including Center City) but are not in a hurry and want to make sure that any change is fully thought-through.  No matter what the future holds, it is clear that today, Paesano’s has found their niche and has earned their spot at the table among Philadelphia’s best sandwiches.

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Paesano’s
152 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

Imagine the smile on my face when Frank Maimone, owner of Rustica in Northern Liberties told me, “The thing about pizza is it’s really just a glorified sandwich.” Take a glance at the 18 or so specialty pies on the menu and you’ll realize that they are open faced translations of classic sandwiches and entrees (like the bacon, egg and cheese pizza or the kielbasa, kraut and mustard pizza.) Sandwiches are almost always a second thought at a good pizza shop, including Rustica, where seven out of ten customers order slices and whole pies. Still, Maimone doesn’t see sandwiches as second-rate citizens, and the creative combinations he’s come up with are all the proof we need.

This story begins with the rolls; hoagie in character, baguette in flavor, and dotted with sesame seeds, they were specially created for Rustica and are provided by Leonardo’s Italian Bakery. Maimone drew on his lifetime of experience in the food industry to craft the menu, along with his grandmother’s meatball recipe, and some recommendations from the staff. Although the sandwich’s personalities may be quirky, Maimone believes in simple ingredients, fresh produce that is sourced locally as well as meats and cheeses from Claudio’s on 9th Street. Of the thirty-plus sandwiches(!) offered, we tasted some of the top sellers.

The Bella embodies all that a summer sandwich should be: turkey and provolone is topped with zesty, fresh pico de gallo and an entire sliced avocado. The Italian is based on some of Maimone’s favorites, and packed full of genoa, capicola and prosciutto to fulfill his mantra that “your jaw should hurt” after working on a good hoagie. Many chopped, grilled chicken sandwiches adorn the menu, but the Enrico Soavé is the crown jewel of them all with garlic-kissed, slightly crunchy broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and provolone cheese. We were thoroughly impressed with Rustica’s special cheesesteak the Tartufo, a combination of finely chopped ribeye, truffle cream, and caramelized onions which packed a new and inviting flavor.

Lines form and phones ring off the hook at Rustica during lunch and dinner for good reason, the restaurant has been serving delicious, exciting food in a friendly atmosphere for over eight years. Prices haven’t changed in some time, and Maimone doesn’t skimp on the food he serves, despite rising food costs. It’s a way of doing business that has brought regulars and new customers back again and again.

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Rustica
903 N. 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)