Sidecar at Baby Blues BBQ in Philadelphia

Sidecar at Baby Blues BBQ in Philadelphia

All that graduating made us hungry so we stopped for lunch at Baby Blues BBQ in University City. You might think that's not a great pick for a vegetarian, but my daughter pointed out the sidecar which is your choice of four appetizers and cornbread. It's like getting an appetizer and the cornbread for free compared to buying them a la carte, and I was really stuffed when I left so this makes a great lunch for a vegetarian. (There might have been some meat in the stock of one or two of these, so this is me saying they are vegetarian and not a claim by Baby Blues BBQ.) My choices were the beans, sweet potatoes, collard greens, and cream spinach. They all tasted great and so did the cornbread.

Check out the revolving bookcase door that shuts off the banquet room down in the basement. It felt like we were hanging out in a speakeasy and made for a great private place for us to celebrate.

Where to Eat in Philadelphia  >>

H Mart food court in Philadelphia

The sunny weather held up so my daughter and I continued to enjoy the food in Philadelphia. One of her favorite spots is the food court above the H Mart in Upper Darby. There's a bakery, smoothies, and several Asian spots serving sushi and soups. 

We grabbed some red and green bean goodies from the bakery while our soup was being cooked. 

The soups are very tasty and spicy, and we were really stuffed when we left. This is a great stop for Asian food if you are in the area.

 

There are H Marts all over the country. They don't all have a food court as big as this one, but be sure to check them out for their fresh food and market.

Where to Eat in Philadelphia  >>

Seitan cheesesteak at Lee's Deli in Philadelphia

Seitan cheesesteak at Lee's Deli in Philadelphia

Continuing our walk along West Philly's Baltimore Avenue, my daughter spotted a sign in the window of Lee's Deli stating he serves seitan cheesesteaks. Of course we had to try one, and it was delicious. It's cooked to order and full of cheese and broccoli. This might be a bold claim, but I prefer this to a steak or pork cheesesteak. It's that good!

Plenty to choose from at Lee's Deli

Where to Eat in Philadelphia  >>

Fresh Smoothies at Hibiscus Cafe in Philadelphia

Fresh Smoothies at Hibiscus Cafe in Philadelphia

The weather was sunny so my daughter recommended we take a walk around the Baltimore Avenue neighborhood of West Philadelphia, and we landed at Hibiscus Cafe and Juice Bar.

Hibiscus Cafe serves wraps, salads, juices, and smoothies in addition to coffee and tea. You can see how fresh the ingredients are because they are sitting right there behind the counter. 

We tried a couple of smoothies. One was the Island Mix which is mango, kiwi, coconut milk, and pineapple. The other was the Simple Green which kale, kiwi, avocado, spirulina, flax seed, sea moss, and rice milk.

Both of these smoothies were delicious! Very fresh and full of flavor. And they were not too cold which I like.

 Next time I've got to try some of their vegetarian grub! This is a great place.

Where to Eat in Philadelphia  >>

Mt. Vesuvius Ice Cream Sundae at Franklin Fountain

Mt. Vesuvius ice cream sundae at Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia

After a huge meal at City Tavern, we walked around Old City Philly until we had room for dessert. Read my full review of the Mt. Vesuvius Ice Cream Sundae at Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia's Old City after the break.

Founding Fathers Dinner at City Tavern

City Tavern in Philadelphia

The City Tavern in Philadelphia combines history with top cuisine. Read my full review of the American dinner at the City Tavern in Philadelphia after the break.

Scrapple at The Dining Car and Market

The Dining Car and Market in Philadelphia

The Dining Car and Market in Philadelphia is located in a shopping mall, but it looks like its from a different era. It was built by the Swingle Dines company and dropped at its current location. The hostess says its been there since the early 1980s although the restaurant itself is older than that. It's like walking into a 1940s dining car with silver and black and art deco everywhere. It's a lot of fun just going inside. There's plenty of seating, which is a good thing since it was very busy when I was there for an early lunch. The Dining Car also has a bakery.

I found The Dining Car and Market in the original Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives book which has been one of my go-to books during my cross-country road food trip from California --

Scrapple, eggs, and potato pancakes at the Dining Car and Market in Philadelphia

TIP: It's cash only at The Dining Car & Market.

The Dining Car and Market on Facebook

The Dining Car and Market web site

Chicken and Donuts at Federal Donuts

Chili garlic fried chicken at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia

Chicken and waffles is a popular dish any time of the day, but chicken and donuts? Read my review of the fried chicken and cake donuts at Federal Donuts in Philadelphia after the break.

The Gremlin at Ishkabibble's Eatery

One of my daughter's friends tipped us off to Ishkabibble's Eatery which was right on the path of our cross-Philly day trek. He said the cheesesteaks there are incredible, but we were still so full when we arrived from our breakfast at Honey's Sit N Eat that we only had room for a drink.

With a name like The Gremlin, how could I resist? It's only grape juice and lemonade, but it's delicious and a great thirst-quencher on a hot day.

Ishkabibble's Eatery web site

Ishkabibble's Eatery on Facebook

Mac n Cheese Pancake at Honey's Sit 'N Eat

I think foodies can agree that macaroni and cheese goes with just about anything, or at least, with a lot more things than our parents used it for. It's in sandwiches, stuffed under meat dishes, and so why not put it in a pancake? Which is exactly what I had at Honey's Sit n Eat. Read my full review after the break.

Roast Pork Sandwich at John's Roast Pork

A close look at the roast pork and spinach sandwich from John's Roast Pork in Philadelphia

John's Roast Pork also has Philly cheesesteaks, but I figured I wanted to get the roast pork since that is what's in their name. And I wasn't disappointed! Read my review of the roast pork sandwich at John's Roast Pork in Philadelphia after the break.

Best Pretzels Ever at Center City Pretzel Company

Pretzel right out of the oven from Center City Pretzel Company in Philadelphia

Admittedly, I'm not a pretzel fanatic. I can pass them by when walking through the mall, and don't take them in the snack bags on the plane. But the pretzels at Center City Pretzel Company are different. What makes them the best pretzels? Read my full review of Center City Pretzel Company in Philadelphia after the break.

Pork Italian at Tony Luke's

Tony Luke's has been seen on a lot of TV food shows, such as Man Vs. Food, Food Feuds, Food Wars, and Throwdown with Bobby Flay. So I figured the sandwiches would be good, and they sure are! Read my full review of Tony Luke's Old Philly Style sandwiches in Philadelphia after the break.