Federal Donuts and Fried Chicken

Federal Donuts located at 1219 South 2^nd Street in South Philadelphia and 1632 Sansom Street in Center City, opens hungry eyes to the tri-fecta that is coffee, donuts, and fried chicken. While the combination of the three may sound odd, the folks at Federal Donuts have truly mastered their trade of unique, fancy doughnuts and seasoned chicken. This food joint opens at 7 a.m. to 7 p.m or until they sell out-and believe me, they will sell out. So getting there at a reasonable time is advised to make sure you have every option available. On my most recent visit I decided to take a trip to the original south Philly location that I had never been to before. Walking into federal, you will notice that the place is quite small, and will most likely be crowded. With a few seats here and there, this place ideally grab and go and may not be as accommodating to larger groups. Nevertheless, what will surely catch your eye when walking through that big blue door is the spread of colorful donuts, sizzling donut machine, and chicken being hand dipped and battered. 

The menu at Federal starts with their Fancy” doughnuts, $2 each, that consist of exotic flavors such as S’mores, Arabic Coffee, Chocolate Banana, and more as they change and add new flavors everyday. If you didn’t make the rush and there are no fancy doughnuts left, Federal has “Hot n’ Fresh” donuts for $1.25 each. These donuts are made hot on the spot and come in a variety of coats such as Indian cinnamon or vanilla lavender. These delicious doughnuts can be accompanied by Federal Donut’s custom signature blend of coffee that is roasted to perfection. Now if you aren't into donuts or want a quick good lunch, the chicken at Federal will surely have you hooked. The chicken can come in a variety of glazed or dry rubbed flavor including buttermilk ranch, chili garlic, or honey ginger. Much like the donuts, these flavors are constantly changing and new flavors arise frequently. Chicken is ordered either half (4 pieces for $9) or whole (8 pieces for $17) and includes breast, thigh, and drumsticks. I ordered a half of buttermilk ranch chicken, which came in a neat box with a plain donut and some Japanese cucumber pickles on the side. I can safely say that Federal Donuts has the best fried chicken I have ever eaten. It was not too difficult to bite into and is bursting with flavor. So if you are looking for a quick remedy that will satisfy your sweet and salty cravings, Federal Donuts is an absolute must. 

Honest Tom's Taco Shop & Lil' Pop Shop

When your cravings lead you south of the border, Honest Tom’s serves up some classic tacos and burritos that are sure to satisfy. Owned by Drexel graduate, Tom McCusker, the taco shop originally started in 2009 as a colorful food truck in west Philadelphia where it was quickly praised for its breakfast style tacos among others.  Around the summer of 2012, Tom and his crew opened up a small, yet quaint, brick and mortar location in an effort to spread their goodness to many.

At Honest Tom’s breakfast is served from 8am until noon and lunch/dinner until 9pm. A typical breakfast taco at Honest Tom’s contains scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, guacamole, cheese, and salsa, all between a flour tortilla and can be accompanied with coffee from local GreenStreet roasters. While the breakfast at Honest Tom’s has always generated solid buzz, their lunch and dinner options, which now include burritos, are stealing the show. The menu at the taco shop is pretty standard, tacos are 2 for $6 and burritos are $8 with options for meat including chicken, pork, beef, steak, and fish, depending on the season. Vegetarian options include rice and beans or my personal favorite of sweet potatoes catering to those with restrictions. 

On my most recent visit, I had a chicken burrito, which was both insanely large and delicious. One single burrito was more than I could handle which makes this place way worth the value. When chatting with Tom on my visit, he uncovered that what makes the food at Honest Tom’s so honest is that mostly all the ingredients are from local farmers that can be found at Clark Park. By using only the freshest products, Honest Tom’s tacos and burritos are simply a cut above the rest in terms of quality for the price.

If you find yourself needing treatment from excessive hot sauce exposure, Honest Tom’s trusty neighbor Lil’ Pop Shop cannot go unmentioned. Also made from 100% natural and local ingredients, this artisanal popsicle shop is home to many peculiar flavors both dairy and non-dairy. The flavors are always changing based on whatever produce is in season at the farmers market which always brings new discoveries. On my visit, I got the vientmenese ice coffee flavor that had a strong, yet creamy flavor and included coffee grounds for texture. At $3 a pop, some may question the value, though after tasting the quality and dedication put into the making of these popsicles, Lil’ Pop Shop is simply unmatched.

Pizza Brain & Little Baby's Ice Cream

Pizza Brain, located at 2313 Frankfurt Avenue in Fishtown offer an effective remedy for not only your hunger, but also your culture, being the home of the nation’s first Pizza museum! Originally starting simply as an art exhibit for the “Guiness-certified largest collection of pizza related items” that later turned into a pizzeria itself. Walking into “the brain” (local nickname), you might experience some sensory overload with every inch of the restaurant being covered in pizza memorabilia. Team Pizza Brain along with it’s conjoined neighbor, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, feature some of the most unique and innovative slices and 

scoops around.

The menu at the brain is divided between slices with a red base of rich, fresh crushed tomato sauce or white base slices with roux Béchamel (a buttery, creamy base, with garlic and olive oil). Pies range from about $11 to $22, and varying individual slices are either $3 to $4, making it relatively cheap option for some quality food. With their wacky names, my favorite of the red base displayed on the left is the “Forbes Waggensense”, consisting of house-made smoked pepperoni, mozzarella, fontina, grana padano cheeses, and fresh basil. My recommended white base is the “Lucy Waggle” also consisting mozzarella and grana padano cheeses, fresh thyme, sweet date, crisped prosciutto, and fresh arugula providing a unique sweet and savory flavor.

While it is hard, saving belly room for Little Baby’s ice cream is an absolute must for treating your sweet tooth symptoms. All the flavors at Little Baby’s are very unique such as everything bagel, balsamic banana, or early grey sriracha among many.  On my most recent visit, I was recommended the peanut butter maple tarragon flavor, nestled between a both a chai snickerdoodle and sugar cookie. I must say the combination of flavors was interesting but what makes Little Baby’s great are the endless possibilities.

One thing that cannot go unmentioned is the “secret” slice called the “Franford Avenue Taco”. This slice pushes the envelope consisting of a classic Pizza Brain slice topped with Little Baby’s pizza flavored ice cream.  While this is a bold challenge, experiencing the awesome combination is strangely well worth it, while being somewhat messy.

It is the risks and uniqueness of both Pizza Brain and Little Baby’s that puts them a slice above the rest. So if you need to heal your cultural and culinary ailments, this tag team are experts at their craft. 

AGNO Grill

Agno Grill, located on 2104 Chestnut Street, is a new build-your-own Mediterranean style restaurant that gives hungry bellies a fast, healthy, upscale meal for a reasonable price. From the same owners of Pure Fare, which specializes in highly nutritional meals, Agno Grill provides fresh and organic ingredients, is vegan friendly, and completely gluten-free. 

The menu starts with choosing a base of black rice, salad of spinach, or a gluten-free wrap. You then choose a protein that ranges from, chicken, braised steak, tuna, falafel (vegan), or grilled vegetables. After the protein, you have to choose 3 sides from a list of many and lastly choose two sauces the finish up the meal. 

At my most recent visit  (depicted on top), I got the black rice bowl with both chicken and braised steak. For my sides I got the cucumber and tomato salad, roasted cauliflower, and quinoa tabouli. For my sauces I got the Tzatziki and the Kalamata olive sauce. The cucumber and tomato salad tasted very fresh while the cauliflower had quite a kick to it. The quinoa was also delicious though it may not be for everybody. A friend of mine (depicted on the bottom) got the spinach salad with their vegan friendly falafel.

The sides included feta, cucumber and tomato salad, and also the cauliflower. Agno also offers a range of sides such as stuffed grape leaves, pita chips, and homemade deserts. As far as drinks are concerned, the grill offers organic ice teas and makes their own grape soda, which I highly recommend. The average cost of a bowl or wrap at Agno Grill is around $7.50-10 however the value of the food is incomparable and worth every penny. Agno is open from 10am-10pm everyday and is also BYOB. So if you are looking to cure that ravenous appetite, Agno Grill has a quick, quality, and healthy remedy for you. 

Underdogs Philly

Underdogs, located at 132 S. 17th, brings a revolution of hot dogs armed gourmet toppings, specialty sausages, and house-made hand-cut fries sure to cure your hunger pains. The location can be hard to miss with it’s hidden basement entrance, but behind the doors painted with their signature triumphant fist holding a hot dog, lays a new Philly favorite.

About $5-6 a dog or  $6.50-8 for a combo that includes fries and a drink, this joint offer good food for a good price. Each dog is nestled between the delightful rolls from Teffets’s Bakery in the Italian Market that also provide gluten free options to those with restrictions. The dogs range from classic beef hot dogs, chorizo, spicy and sweet Italian sausage, kielbasa, lamb sausage, veggie sausages, and more to satisfy any preference. As for what makes the fries unique, Underdogs offers a wide array of dipping sauces from malt vinegar aioli to chocolate cayenne mole. The restaurant offers over 23 different signature styles of dogs and managing to try every one of them, rewards you with your very own personalized Underdogs fist with your name on it to be displayed in all its glory on the walls of the restaurant forever.

On my most recent visit, I tried “The Maui Waui” that featured an all beef hot dog, wrapped in ham, and topped with pineapple salsa and mango mustard. Combining a sweet, salty, and spicy flavor, the dog was simply out of this world and Dr. Munch approved. Underdogs also have bellies in need covered during late night emergencies by staying open until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition, BYOB is also available after 5 p.m., which brings a fun lively crowd during those late night hours. So if you are in need of a quick, quality bite to cure your symptoms, look no further, for Underdogs has the treatment for you.