Shank's sandwiches
You can obviously take Shank's out of the Italian Market - though the cramped new Center City edition of this luncheonette will never have the old neighborhood feeling of the Carpenter Street original. But as long as the founding Perri family's women are still cooking, you can't take the Italian Market soul out of Shank's menu.
You can obviously take Shank's out of the Italian Market - though the cramped new Center City edition of this luncheonette will never have the old neighborhood feeling of the Carpenter Street original. But as long as the founding Perri family's women are still cooking, you can't take the Italian Market soul out of Shank's menu.
Bringing along the heart of this kitchen was the plan when new owner Marcello Ciurlino moved the popular lunch spot north this summer, and it's payed off with sandwiches that exude a genuine South Philly savor. There are crisp, pan-fried chicken cutlets with sharp provolone and long hots. There's the legendary giambotti, a special-order mega-omelet with a kitchen sink of fillings mixed into a half-dozen eggs. And thankfully, there is still the meltingly tender roast beef (slow-roasted and prime) that made Shank's famous. Add sharp cheese, peppery greens, and a shine of rich gravy. It's a true taste of the Italian Market on a bun.
- Craig LaBan
Prime roast beef sandwich ($6.50 small, $7.50 large), Shank's Original Uptown, 120 S. 15th St., 215-629-1093.