Best Unique Soup Spots In Philadelphia
By Allen Foster
When the outside temperatures begin that two season long nose dive from chilly straight down into frigid, it's time to seek comfort in all things warm and yummy. But seriously, how many times can you eat a hot tomato one spoonful at a time before your taste buds revolt, demanding something with a bit more pizzazz? Following is a list of soup spots that will not only warm you from the inside out during these heat-challenged months, but they will also give your tummy a reason to rejoice! Here are five of the best places to rediscover soup in and around the Philadelphia area.
Good Spoon
1400 N. Front St.
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(267) 239-5787
www.goodspoonfoods.com
Good Spoon is a small artisan soupery that is at the forefront of Philadelphia's thriving local foods movement. Utilizing the numerous farms located throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Good Spoon makes all of its soups from scratch using as many local, organic, and sustainable-sourced products as possible. Although their entire menu is a unique and constantly evolving flavor experience that always reflects the season's freshest ingredients, if you can get your spoon into the Senegalese Chicken and Peanut Stew, you'll understand why this company is revolutionizing the way Philadelphia thinks about soup.
Spring House Tavern
1032 Bethlehem Pike
Spring House, PA 19477
(215) 646-1788
www.springhousetavern.com
In the 1700s, travelers could take a stage coach to the Spring House Tavern and spend the night at the hotel as they ventured from Philadelphia to Bethlehem. That means that this storied establishment has been thrilling diners with its culinary excellence for over 300 years. If you are craving something that is startlingly unique and flavorful, the robust and hearty Snapper Soup is the perfect choice. The thick brown delight is made with snapping turtle meat and topped with a splash of sherry.
Ben & Irv's Deli
1962 County Line Road
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
(215) 355-2000
www.benandirvs.com
In 1954, Ben Shore and Irv Chudnoff opened one of the finest delicatessens in the region on Ogontz Avenue in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia. Thirty years later, Ben's son-in-law, Len Bromberg, and his colleague Marty Margulies repeated the magic and opened a Ben and Irv's Deli in the suburbs. The new establishment quickly became a holiday staple and one of the most acclaimed caterers in the Delaware Valley. Arguably, the soups are all iconic, but if you're looking for that wow factor, instead of settling for the old standbys of chicken noodle or matzoh ball, try Ben & Irv's unforgettable Homemade Cabbage Borscht.
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The Soup King
5611 Bensalem Blvd.
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 245-7687
www.soupkingbagelocity.com
The Soup King is a small eatery located on Bensalem Boulevard just a very short distance from the remarkable suburban metroplex that is blossoming around the thriving Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The establishment offers an abundance of traditional soups ranging from Split Pea to Broccoli & Cheese to Cream of Chicken & Mushroom to New England Clam Chowder. But if you're looking for some edible pizzazz that is just a step off the beaten palate, try the savory Potato & Ham soup that has been spruced up with some cream and a tantalizing dash of invigorating spices.
Noord
1046 Tasker St.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(267) 909-9704
www.noordphilly.com
Noord is a Dutch-themed eatery in South Philly that offers diners a whole slew of dishes with befuddling names such as Huzarensalade, Gehaktballen, Konijn in het Zuur, Bitterballen, and Gravlax. But we're not mentioning Noord because it's one of the top need-a-translator-to-order restaurants in Philadelphia, we're bringing it to your attention for the establishment's phenomenally exotic offering to the appetizer menu, the must-try Mustard Soup with Smoked Salmon Cream!
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