Top Bacon Dishes In Philadelphia
In 2013, national real estate website Estately named Philadelphia as the #1 "Best American City for Bacon Lovers," and if current restaurant menus are any indication, that distinction doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. At the start of 2015, there are still plenty of bacon dishes to satisfy any craving for this salty, smoky pork product. CBS Philly previously brought you a list of top bacon dishes in Philadelphia in 2013, but this popular food deserves an updated list with even more spots for you to visit. From breakfast to dessert and everything in between, these dishes prove that bacon really does make just about anything better.
Alma de Cuba
1623 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 988-1799
www.almadecubarestaurant.com
Dim lighting and chic decor make Stephen Starr's Alma de Cuba a stylish place to enjoy Cuban cuisine from Owner and Chef Douglas Rodriguez. While dinner is incredible, visit during happy hour Monday through Friday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to get the best bang for your buck. Along with drink specials like $5 sangria and mojitos, there are also a variety of $5 appetizers. Royal palm dates are stuffed with almonds and blue cheese, wrapped in bacon, and served on an endive lettuce leaf for an amazingly well-balanced and tasty bite.
Blue Duck Sandwich Co.
2859 Holme Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19152
(267) 686-4687
www.blueduckphilly.com
Blue Duck Sandwich Co. recently opened in 2014 and has already become a neighborhood favorite. Offering creative twists on classic dishes and rotating homemade drink specials, the new American restaurant brings a Center City feel to a Northeast Philly strip mall. There are three standout bacon dishes, so pick your favorite based on your mood and time of day. If you visit during Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you'll want to order "The Remedy." The $9 sandwich featuring scrambled eggs, potato hash, cheddar cheese, bacon and Sriracha ketchup on a toasted bagel is the perfect meal after a late Saturday night. Entrees are served Tuesday through Saturday after 4 p.m., and you'll want to go for the wild boar meatloaf. For $16, it comes wrapped in bacon and is served with mashed parsnips, asparagus and a tasty herb gravy. Lastly, the $8 "B.B.L.T." goes for the bacon trifecta with crispy smoked bacon, thick-cut applewood smoked bacon and bacon mayo served on a toasted brioche bun with lettuce and tomato.
Fette Sau Philadelphia
1208 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 391-4888
www.fettesauphilly.com
Chef Joe Carrol's Fette Sau in Fishtown is the Philadelphian version of his successful Brooklyn barbecue joint with the same name. The menu of smoked meats available by the pound, classic sides like German potato salad and burnt end baked beans, and an extensive drink list, has made it one of the area's most popular spots for casual barbecue. If feasting on options like brisket, pork, ribs and sausage just leave you craving more meat, finish your meal with the bacon walnut brownie. At $3 each, the rich chocolate dessert is made with bacon that's been cooked to a crisp, chopped up and then folded right into the batter for a sweet and smoky treat.
Related: Top Pulled Pork In Philadelphia
The Gaslight
120 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-7691
www.thegaslightphilly.com
You've had bacon and waffles, but chances are good that you've never had them like Chef Jason Cichonski's "WaffaMul" at his first solo venture, The Gaslight in Old City. Served Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the $13 brunch dish is actually a type of grilled cheese sandwich featuring waffles stuffed with Gruyere and cheddar cheeses, scrambled eggs, oven-dried tomatoes and crispy bacon. This savory spin on a traditionally sweet dish is a great meal after a night out or when you need something hefty to stand for both breakfast and lunch.
Jake's Sandwich Board
122 S. 12th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 922-0102
125 S. 40th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 921-9580
www.jakessandwichboard.com
After great success at its Midtown Village spot, Jake's Sandwich Board has expanded to now include a location in University City. The second location, which opened in December 2014, means more opportunities to enjoy unique versions of Philadelphia classics such as cheesesteaks, brisket, pork and more. You'll find several bacon-centric options on the menu. Voted "Best of Philly," the $9.50 "50/50" is a half bacon, half pork sandwich with sharp provolone and Sriracha spread. And the $9 "Hypocrite" is half veggies, half bacon with mild provolone and marinara sauce. If you prefer to design your own masterpiece, beef and pork bacon are both available as $2 premium toppings on the build-your-own menu. For a sweet and salty treat, add a $5 side of chocolate-covered bacon.
Related: Top Sandwiches In Philadelphia
Kensington Quarters
1310 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(267) 314-5086
www.kensingtonquarters.com
New to Fishtown in October 2014, Kensington Quarters is a unique concept of restaurant, butcher shop and classroom. Guest lectures and butchering lessons are held in the upstairs loft, while drinks and food are served downstairs. Chef Damon Menapace uses locally-sourced ingredients that are antibiotic, pesticide, steroid and hormone-free as well as non-GMO. The popular $13 "Spelt and Bacon" dish is made with poached eggs and root vegetable escabeche. The bacon is cut from whole pigs brought to the Kensington Quarters butcher shop and broken down by butcher Bryan Mayer and his team.
Lolita Restaurant
106 S. 13th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 546-7100
www.lolitaphilly.com
Lolita comes from the restaurateur duo of Valerie Safran and Chef Marcie Turney, the same team that brought us area favorites including Barbuzzo, Little Nonna's and Jamonera. Serving Mexican street food, the Midtown Village spot originally opened in 2004 but went through a major renovation and reopened in 2014 with a new menu, look and liquor license. The $11 bacon guacamole is available on both the lunch and dinner menus. The creative take on the Mexican classic tops creamy guac with smoked bacon, crispy roasted Brussels sprouts and cotija cheese. It's served with a combination of corn, malanga and plantain chips for dipping.
Pub & Kitchen
1946 Lombard St.
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 545-0350
www.thepubandkitchen.com
Pub & Kitchen is your quintessential neighborhood gastropub, serving craft local beers on tap, quirky bar snacks and seasonal dishes with gourmet flair from Chef Eli Collins. Combined with aleppo pepper, mint and a honey glaze, lamb bacon adds a unique flavor to the crispy Brussels sprouts. The $12 starter is perfect for sharing as an appetizer or side to favorites like the "P&K cheeseburger" or rabbit meatballs.
The Twisted Tail
509-511 2nd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 558-2471
www.thetwistedtail.com
At Headhouse Square's The Twisted Tail, you'll enjoy Southern-inspired cuisine from the charcoal grill. The veal bacon (offered as a $9 grill dish) is a unique spin on your standard bacon side. The veal belly is cured with a heavy salt and spice crust for three days. It is then smoked for six hours and then left to air dry for an additional day before slicing. Just before serving, it's cooked over charcoal and then plated with a bit of pickled onion and whole grain mustard. While delicious smoky bacon pops up on a few other plates (the burger, smoked club and duck confit to name a few), the bacon jam that accompanies the grilled quail ($10) is particularly noteworthy. Sweet and smoky with tiny bit of bacon, this marmalade is so good that you'll want to just eat it plain.
Michelle Hein is the social media editor for a women's fashion company in Bucks County by day and a self-proclaimed food and drink fanatic by night and weekend. She enjoys attending wine classes, trying new recipes in the kitchen and going to old favorites and new restaurants alike in the Bucks County and Philadelphia area. If the writing gig doesn't pan out, she constantly dreams of owning her own bakery…perhaps connected to the restaurant/bar that her lawyer husband would love to open.
