John’s Roast Pork (May 2014)

Couldn’t resist! Had to go back to an old favorite, namely John’s Roast Pork in Philadelphia. This is the best joint for a roast pork sandwich or a cheesesteak in Philadelphia. Be sure to following the signs when you arrive:

Follow the signs at John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Follow the signs at John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

And here’s a look at the many tasty options you’ll find inside:

The tasty options at John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

The tasty options at John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Inside you’ll find a line, but it moves fairly quickly as they people behind the counter crank out the culinary hits:

Inside John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Inside John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

I enjoy the cheesesteaks here as well as the roast pork. Hard to tell you which is best. This time I had a large roast pork and put some hot peppers on. It isn’t pretty, but it is tasty, as you see in the next photo:

Large roast pork sandwich at John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Large roast pork sandwich at John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

And if you don’t know where this place is, here’s a map to show you exactly:

Map showing location of John's Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Map showing location of John’s Roast Pork, Philadelphia.

Easy to find. Bring a hearty appetite because there’s always plenty to eat!

Popi’s Restaurant, Philadelphia

In South Philadelphia, not far from the sports stadiums, you’ll find Popi’s Restaurant. This is a neighborhood place with lots of regulars, entertainment on weekends, and some very good food.

I’ve been going to Popi’s for years now, sometimes stopping in for a drink at the bar, other times having an expansive meal with friends. Either way, you’ll find yourself in a friendly environment, hosted by people who truly care about your experience.

Last night, my wife and I were there with a dear friend, the three of us at a corner table, relaxing, catching up, and generally having a great time. After a trio of salads we moved on to the entrees. Our friend ordered the chicken marsala, which is pictured below:

My wife likes Popi’s crab cakes and ordered them as her entree, as can be seen here:

I’m a simple guy and last night was looking for hearty food. Thus, I decided to go with rigatoni bolognese, an old standby.

Add a few glasses of wine, lots of conversation, a great waiter, and it all comes to a fine evening out. Popi’s is the kind of place you think of when you want a quality italian meal in a setting where you feel like you belong. The staff is on point, the hostess keeping an eye out, and everyone else in the place is enjoying themselves. That feeling is contagious, which is why I keep coming back to this place. Sometimes my wife and I will stop in just for dessert and a drink at the bar.

If you’re in the Philadelphia area, or not, give Popi’s a try. After all these years, they’ve never let me down.