A Pinch Of Grease Poles, Cannolis and Peronis

A Pinch Of Grease Poles, Cannolis and Peronis

Festival season is alive and well here in Philly. The sun was shining bright this weekend, and South 9th Street transformed to all things Italian and so much more. This was the first year I got to go to the annual festival both days, and the good eats and better vibes were 🤌 so 🤌 damn 🤌 good 🤌.

For those that aren’t familiar, Philly’s Italian Market is iconic for its fresh food markets that line the streets alongside many Italian restaurants, butcher shops, bakeries as well as many other international shops. My first apartment in the city was just a block off the market’s now 10 blocks… safe to say I didn’t make the most of it, but I’m not sure I ever would say I could have. This weekend wasn’t one where you’d be running fast like Rocky.

Now back to the festival since I’m sure those who don’t know are wondering what the hell a grease pole could possibly be. While it may not be an unfamiliar concept for Philly — the city is known for greasing its street poles to keep people from climbing when celebrating major sports wins — the grease pole competition is an invited challenge: climb the 30-foot pole “to reach prizes of meats, cheeses, gifts, and money. Perhaps even more important to the winning team are the bragging rights… until next year.”

Watching two groups come together to conquer 30 feet of grease was the perfect start to Day 1. I prefer my two feet on the ground, so I watched from the sidelines before moving on to fill my well-prepped empty stomach with great eats and beverages.

Lines were LONG for fresh pasta from Talluto’s, porchetta sandwiches from Esposito’s, and cannolis and baked goods from Isgro Pastries. Mix in many other options of tacos, skewers, street corn, grilled mango and much more, and the options truly were endless. And let’s not forget about the beverages… the iconic pineapple margarita, an aperol spritz, maybe a quick espresso pop. I’m a simple man, and my Batman signal was the Peroni stand, as well as mixing in the Fishtown Iced Tea in the carton, of course.

A rundown of the bites across the two days since the pictures are really what we’re here for:

• Italian Sausage Sando with Peppers and Onions from Cannuli’s Meats

• Cannoli and Sfogliatelle from Anthony’s Coffee House

• Focaccia Pizza, Chili Dogs, and Meatball Parm Panuozzo from Paffuto (all shared with friends)

• Italian Hoagie from Hoagies and More, a hidden gem in the market

A very odd callout here about that lack of hoagies sold at stands. Sights were set by the group going into day 2, and ending the day sitting in a street a block off the market was the cherry on top of the festival experience.

Conquering the market would take years and year of attendance. We’ll get there one day. But it’s all about finding a happy medium of waiting in lines and just going with the flow of what sticks out to you at the right time.

I’ve chatted all about the food because that’s what we’re all here for, but the vendors at this market are all so damn talented, and I wish I could buy a whole lot more. Kept it light this year with a few Philly designs from Cracked Bell and a shirt from the Deli Collective.

Mark my words: May in Philadelphia marks its own version of the stretch from Thanksgiving to Christmas with the Broad Street Run and the Italian Market Festival. Talk about some iconic local holidays. Madone 🤌🤌

You don’t have to climb a pole to have a great week. Enjoy this one 🤘