The Bent Page

If you want the best roast pork sandwich (bar none and I’ve had them all over the world) you have to go to John’s Roast Pork at the corner of Snyder Ave and Weccacoe Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. I was introduced to this place in 1991 by my pal who worked on the river long before I did. He said, “Let’s get some real food.” He wasn’t kiddding. This place is on a wedge of land that used to be the edge of a massive railyard, part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This yard served the Port of Philadelphia (and was immediately adjacent to the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Greenwich Yard). The B&O is gone, as is the Pennsy, but John’s remains. Here’s a first look:

Now, don’t get to thinking about Philly Cheesesteaks. I’ll get to them in another post, and yes, John’s makes the absolute best cheesesteak (again, bar none, and I’ve had them all over the world, too, thank you very much). Sticking with the roast pork… you’ll be glad to know that the Bucci family, which owns this place, roasts the pork Italian style. It takes hours. Then, in the morning, they slice it, leave it in pans of the natural juices, and by ten thirty AM, the line starts to form. By eleven or so, a hungry customer has to wait over half an hour. And when the bread runs out, that’s it. Go early or go hungry! Here’s a photo of the beast:

Some of you might be thinking that it doesn’t look like much. First off, that bread is the seeded kind (on the side leaning away) with a strong enough crust to hold in the juices but soft enough to be easy chewing. The bread alone is a masterpiece. Inside you have the roast pork, provolone cheese, and hot peppers. I would have more photos but people in this part of Philadelphia think you’re weird when you take pictures of your food and they’re probably right. I was hungry, too, very hungry. This sandwich stood no chance against that. Anyway, the pork is never dry. Every bite is a flavor explosion without being overpowering. All the subtlety is there. And the thing is so filling, you don’t eat until the next day.

Here’s a photo of Vonda Bucci and I. It was Vonda and her husband John who started this place as a wooden shack that served the railroaders and others in this area back in the 1930’s.

These days Mrs. Bucci works with her son John, Jr., who right now is battling some tough health issues, but he’ll be back. For more than half a century this family has been feeding us and we’re always grateful. Of course, I have pre-paid my open heart surgery that will come sooner or later from eating like this. By the way, that fork in my pocket is to pick up anything that might fall out of the sandwich in the process of demolition. Don’t forget, the best roast pork sandwich in the world is that much better when consumed with an ICE-COLD Coca-Cola.

When next you’re in Philadelphia and you have a hankering for one huge meal, try John’s. Forgot those other places that are famous for various reasons. John’s is the real deal. The New York Times and Gourmet Magazine, among other publications wrote the place up, which is another reason for the huge crowds in the last several years. That aggravates us regulars a little, but we have to make room for the rest of the hungry world. It’s only right. They should not be denied a taste of the best. ENJOY!