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Barrels |
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3 :: South Philly |
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South Philly has always been an incubator for family-owned trattorias, the businesses upon which Southern Italian immigrants built their American dreams in the first half of the 1900s.
When the soulful recipes are someone’s grandmother’s and the owners’ daughter/nephew/cousin is your server, you know you’re in one of these mom-and-pop spots. With family photos on the peach-colored walls and honest cooking in the kitchen, Barrel’s Fine Food fits this category like an Italian leather glove. Son to the Johnnie Barrels opened in the 1950s at 18th and Sigel, the Barrels of Wolf Street fame at 17th Street follows in the tradition of the 1950s restaurant's namesake, Johnnie “Barrel’s” Franco, and his ability to polish off a barrel of beer. Today, Barrel’s Fine Food is celebrating its 15th anniversary at 17th and Wolf in the Southern Italian enclave of St. Monica parish. Locals and brave Center City residents alike double-park for a shot of Barrel’s blushing penne rosetta, mountainous mussels (with bread for dipping, of course), and grilled chicken Caesar, rich with salty Parmesan—a Best of South Philly winner. The Fortune 500s are also fans; when the uptown pharmaceutical giants get hungry, they call Barrel’s corporate catering department for authentic South Philly food with the love only a family-owned place can give.
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