NYTimes Travel Says CBP Grub Rules

There's nothing quite like a hot dog and cold beer on a summer night at a Phillies game. But sometimes you want to eat something a little more exciting. The New York Times Travel section gives Citizens Bank Park props for having some of the best options in the Bigs.

But the prize for vernacular food probably goes to Citizens Bank Park, the four-year-old home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Most of the action takes place in Ashburn Alley (named for the Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn), a brick promenade behind center field where fans can practically hang over the visitors’ bullpen or dine under the giant Liberty Bell sign that lights up and rocks back and forth when the Phillies hit a home run.

Ashburn Alley is home to hoagies, Chickie & Pete’s crab fries (French fries dusted with Old Bay seasoning) and two of the city’s respected cheese steak purveyors, Rick’s Steaks and Tony Luke’s. Tony Luke’s had the better cheese steak of the two (though their other locations are notably superior). Even better is Tony Luke’s juicy roasted pork and provolone sandwich, dressed with tender broccoli rabe, as good a meat sandwich as there is in the majors.

Also not to be missed is the Schmitter sandwich from McNally’s, an outpost of an 87-year-old Germantown tavern at the end of Ashburn Alley. It’s not named for the Phillies legend Mike Schmidt, but rather, I was told, after a long-gone McNally’s customer who always ordered it with Schmidt’s Beer, the now-defunct Pennsylvania brand.

This article reminds me, it's been way to long since I've had a Schmitter.

>>Buy me some sushi and baby-back ribs [NYTimes via theIlladelph]

Comments

[ron]

and winning makes it all taste better!

[Pete D]

The Schmitter with double meat on a long roll at McNally's is in my opinion the most punishing sandwich Philadelphia has to offer. No one can claim to be a true Philly sandwich fan without trying one.

[Chamomiles Davis]

Ah yes, Schmidt's! My dear departed grandmother used to keep her refrigerator stocked with it.

I regret never having had the opportunity to experience "the shits from Schmidt's," since I was just 14 when they closed the local brewery.

[Dave]

Not that anyone from the NYT would know or care, but there's more to Chickie & Pete’s crab fries than just "French fries dusted with Old Bay seasoning." I make the Old Bay variety at home all the time and they're good but C&P definitely add some secret ingredients to theirs.

[Walklett]

God damn I love Schmitters.

@ CD: What about the Schmitter Schitters?

[Tartan69]

No offense to Chickie's & Pete's, but those crab fries make me nauseous. You can only have about 10 fries before the Old Bay becomes too overpowering.

The lobster pizza is their hands-down best food (although I don't think its available at CBP).

[TJ]

Wait...something about the Phillies in a national paper and no mention of snowballs, booing, or santa?

We're movin up in the world!

[Loqiel]

Well played TJ, well played.

[doubleh]

Best ballpark food hands down and I've been to a LOT of parks. The garlic fries in San Fran are pretty tasty (with real garlic on them, not garlic salt), too.

[How do you spell retard?]

Have to agree with Tartan 69. Plus, they only come in obese-guy size so you have to eat the entire gallon of potato mess at the bottom of the container.

[mernmern]

McNally's is in Chestnut Hill, not Germantown. As for the Schmitter, it is indeed great... but without the special sauce.

[GreggyD]

It's always such a nice feeling to sense my arteries closing up a little bit more every time I down a Schmitter.

[Chief Wahoo]

A bar in Cleveland called Otto Moser's serves a similar sandwhich. It's a hamburger topped with about 3/4 high stacks of fried salami and provolone. It's fucking delicious.

Also, Schmidt's was the only beer served in the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium.