Jacob Goes By Jack
Train Attendant
Hi all - I'll probably have a couple hours to kill around dinner time at 30th St. Station tomorrow. Anyone know if a good cheese steak can be obtained inside or close to the station?
Cheese Steak at 30th Street
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Take SEPTA or bus to closest location to the two famous cheesesteak places in the Italian area, Pat's and Geno's. Sure they are not the best being now tourist stops but if you've never been there, it's worth it. We walked from Rittenhouse Square so you can find a way. You can do it with 2 subways to Ellsworth Federal station and a short walk or train/bus.
Acela150
Super Buff
If your desperate for a cheesesteak it's worth it. Simple because their the worst. BTW my vote goes for pats. I go once a year to experience a crappy cheesesteak. A good place is Jim's on South Street. The line goes around the block sometimes because he has good steaks.
Steve FROM PHILLY!
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Taste has nothing to do with it. If you go once to Philly, you have to say you ate at one of those places if only to say you were there. It's like any other tourist thing - everyone is going to ask if you went there and if you say you didn't, nobody will be interested in the fact that you went to a different cheesesteak place no matter how good it is. On a (non-Amtrak) business trip, a local fellow employee took us to a place he said was a lot better (and it was as it turned out) but nobody cared. So on our last trip, we had to try one of them (We picked Geno). It's one of those things you just have to do no matter how corny or silly. Similarly, on a trip to Amsterdam, I told my wife we had to walk through the red light district. She asked "Why would I want to do that"? I told her that everyone would ask and sure enough, even though that was 15+ years ago, if we tell people who have never been there, he first thing they ask is "Did you go to the red light district"? It is a great talking point.
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Acela150
Super Buff
I can agree it's a tourist type thing. But the taste business is for Philadelphians to decide.
Steve, if you had any taste, you wouldn't be living in Philly. <ducks><avoids thrown objects>
Aloha
It's been a long while but my cousin took me there and I thought they were good. Along while is 6-10 years.
Acela150
Super Buff
HAHA! To be honest if I didn't live here, I would want to live up in New England. I've always been fond of visiting that area. Not fond of the snow. I've been used to snow my whole life and it be hard to be in an area without it... As much as I hate it.. Not to mention the choices for points runs are endless up there. Could head to SPG then down to NHV and back to BOS. That's a decent trip to earn points. Downeaster. NEC. LSL to ALB down to NYP back to BOS. I just see possibilities out of BOS.Steve, if you had any taste, you wouldn't be living in Philly. <ducks><avoids thrown objects>
the_traveler
Engineer
Too good taste! :giggle:HAHA! To be honest if I didn't live hereSteve, if you had any taste, you wouldn't be living in Philly. <ducks><avoids thrown objects>
I guess I'm too late to be useful for the original poster, but...
I used to work at 31st and Market. My opinion is that in general, the food in that area kinda sucks. Best places in the station itself were the deli (can't remember the name, it's across from the ice cream place which is across from the post office) which has decent sandwiches, and Cosi. Outside the station, there's a Thai/Mexican food truck a couple blocks away, at 31st and Ludlow (only open for lunch); get the Cap'n Crunch Tilapia Burrito.
In practice, for lunch I usually went to the "American" buffet (as opposed to the "Asian" buffer right next to it), or brought my own lunch from home. When I was really craving good food, I went to Reading Terminal, which can be accessed within 10 minutes via Septa (take Regional Rail or the Market Frankford line to Market East Station, walk up the stairs all the way on the west side, and cross the street). But Reading Terminal is not open for dinner.
If you want a good cheesesteak, I can't help you with that. After I moved here, I kept trying all the cheesesteak places that the locals recommend, until I finally decided that I just don't like cheesesteaks. Really... it's just low-quality fried beef, with low-quality cheese added to it. Try an Italian Hoagie instead -- and get oil rather than mayonnaise on it.
The other thing I can recommend is: pretzels. Philadelphia is not actually famous for them for some reason I don't understand, but they are very good here. There are no less than three Auntie Anne's outlets inside 30th Street Station; try one.
I used to work at 31st and Market. My opinion is that in general, the food in that area kinda sucks. Best places in the station itself were the deli (can't remember the name, it's across from the ice cream place which is across from the post office) which has decent sandwiches, and Cosi. Outside the station, there's a Thai/Mexican food truck a couple blocks away, at 31st and Ludlow (only open for lunch); get the Cap'n Crunch Tilapia Burrito.
In practice, for lunch I usually went to the "American" buffet (as opposed to the "Asian" buffer right next to it), or brought my own lunch from home. When I was really craving good food, I went to Reading Terminal, which can be accessed within 10 minutes via Septa (take Regional Rail or the Market Frankford line to Market East Station, walk up the stairs all the way on the west side, and cross the street). But Reading Terminal is not open for dinner.
If you want a good cheesesteak, I can't help you with that. After I moved here, I kept trying all the cheesesteak places that the locals recommend, until I finally decided that I just don't like cheesesteaks. Really... it's just low-quality fried beef, with low-quality cheese added to it. Try an Italian Hoagie instead -- and get oil rather than mayonnaise on it.
The other thing I can recommend is: pretzels. Philadelphia is not actually famous for them for some reason I don't understand, but they are very good here. There are no less than three Auntie Anne's outlets inside 30th Street Station; try one.
Acela150
Super Buff
Ok several things here..
1. A cheesesteak is NOT low quality beef with low quality cheese. That's Pat's and Geno's.
2. Hoagies are good at several places in Philadelphia. My favorite is a chain called Primos. Agreed on the oil.
3. Philadelphia IS famous for pretzels. It is one of our lesser talked about qualities. They are best off of street vendors. Most sell them for 50 Cents. Walk by the street vendors look at the menu and it's on there. They are best served with Mustard.
4. Auntie Annes Pretzels are an INSULT to soft pretzels.. Along with Super Pretzel. If it doesn't look like an 8 it's an insult.
Steve...
Also please close off this topic the OP posted his trip was yesterday and most likely hasn't checked back. This topic is just going to be me ranting about Philly.
Agree. But then I'm not a Philadelphian.
Acela150
Super Buff
But their not true Philadelphia soft pretzels. End of story.. Vendors are true Philadelphia Soft Pretzels..
Let's end this discussion. Or Close the topic. It's becoming a Steve rant..
Let's end this discussion. Or Close the topic. It's becoming a Steve rant..
fairviewroad
Engineer
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Auntie Anne's sells a tasty snack, but no, they are not soft pretzels. Boy, could I go for a good Phily pretzel with mustard right now. And yeah,
if you pay more than 50 cents you got ripped off. (When I was a college student in Philly in the 90's you could usually find them for a quarter...
a cheap, filling snack for a poor college student.)
As far as cheesesteaks, I lived in Philly 4 years as a student and never once went to Pat's/Geno's. But I must have eaten hundreds of good
cheeseteaks in that time. Pretty much any street food truck makes good ones. The food trucks that can't make a good cheesesteak don't
stay in business, so just find a foodtruck with a few people in line and you know you'll get a good cheesesteak.
if you pay more than 50 cents you got ripped off. (When I was a college student in Philly in the 90's you could usually find them for a quarter...
a cheap, filling snack for a poor college student.)
As far as cheesesteaks, I lived in Philly 4 years as a student and never once went to Pat's/Geno's. But I must have eaten hundreds of good
cheeseteaks in that time. Pretty much any street food truck makes good ones. The food trucks that can't make a good cheesesteak don't
stay in business, so just find a foodtruck with a few people in line and you know you'll get a good cheesesteak.
NW cannonball
Conductor
Let's not kill this thread -- I want to know more about good places to eat in Philly.
Please - posters -- give me more -- I want to be there, I want to eat good, help me.
Acela150
Super Buff
this topic has clearly become about food.. if you want to talk about philadelphia food. talk about it in the philadelphia topic.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
To the OP, I also prefer a hoagie to a cheesesteak. Those Philly hoagies are amazing! Try to find one at a cafe or street vendor, there's less difference between hoagies than cheesesteaks because hoagies are cold.
G
Guest
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I actually looked that word up.
The most applicable definition, I assume, would be:
- a train operated by Amtrak as part of the Clocker service
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