It’s not often that a cheesesteak purveyor gains a big reputation so quickly that I feel a sense of urgency to get there before they are even a month old. But that was the situation that confronted me after seeing a series of online raves about the steaks at Verona Pizza of Maple Glen, Pennsylvania. Continue reading “Checking Out a Hot New Pizza and Steak Shop”
Author Archives: BZ Maestro
Stopping for Pizza on the Main Line
There are times when food-opportunity knocks and one came my way early last week when I had to run an errand in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The Main Line town, which was named after Revolutionary War general “Mad Anthony” Wayne, also happens to be the home of a pizzeria that was recently added to my restaurant listContinue reading “Stopping for Pizza on the Main Line”
Where to Go When Craving Whiz Wit’
The first cheesesteak I had at Jaxx Steaks Taproom of South Philadelphia back in 2021 – when they were still called Charlie’s Roast Pork – was impressive enough for me to name it the best steak that I ate that year. That was before I had sampled most of the steaks that would wind upContinue reading “Where to Go When Craving Whiz Wit’”
Revisiting One of Last Year’s Best
Starting back in late February I began revisiting the steak shops that made my top ten last year in an effort to gauge whether they still deserve a spot when I revise that list in a few months. I’ve also been including the five honorable mentions in that process and it was one of thoseContinue reading “Revisiting One of Last Year’s Best”
Will a New Steak Shop Live Up to Its Hype?
For this week’s cheesesteak I visited a South Philadelphia sandwich shop that opened just a few months ago with high expectations driven by local media coverage. Nipotina received the spotlight due in large part to its owners having already achieved notoriety with popular pizza and burger-centered restaurants. The question was whether they could make aContinue reading “Will a New Steak Shop Live Up to Its Hype?”
The Philly Region’s Best Barbecue
I somehow managed to get through the entire spring and first month of summer without having any barbecue. But that drought was happily put to rest Friday when friends John and Rob joined me for lunch at Holy Que Smokehouse in Lahaska, Pennsylvania. This was my second visit to Holy Que. The first made aContinue reading “The Philly Region’s Best Barbecue”
Too Famous to Ignore: Pat’s and Geno’s
It was roughly ten months ago that I set out for South Philadelphia’s most famous intersection with the intention of eating cheesesteaks from both Pat’s and Geno’s. But not all plans come to fruition and after eating what was unquestionably the worst steak I’ve had since starting this blog at Pat’s, I couldn’t bring myselfContinue reading “Too Famous to Ignore: Pat’s and Geno’s”
Next Up for the Visiting Kentuckians: Jewish Deli
Rather than making this week all about cheesesteaks, my visitors from western Kentucky and I decided to diversify our dining itinerary. Next up – for lunch Wednesday – was Famous 4th Street Delicatessen, a century old Jewish-style deli in South Philadelphia that is probably the area’s best known and beloved purveyor of pastrami and cornedContinue reading “Next Up for the Visiting Kentuckians: Jewish Deli”
Taking Visitors for Their First Good Cheesesteak
It’s only been a month and a half since the last time I posted about Goomba’s. While I wouldn’t normally return to any cheesesteak purveyor so quickly in light of how many other steaks I have to get to, there was a special reason for doing so Tuesday for lunch. My friend Louis had drivenContinue reading “Taking Visitors for Their First Good Cheesesteak”
A Different Kind of Pizza Perfection
Since moving from Center City to the suburbs a little over a decade ago, our dining out habits have changed considerably. For instance, we used to walk to most of the restaurants we ate at and generally picked some hot spot in town for special occasions like birthdays. Now we drive to meals and willContinue reading “A Different Kind of Pizza Perfection”
BZ Maestro Eats 