South Philadelphia
by Nabewise
Philadelphia is known for its colonial history and its cheese steaks. South Philly's one of the best places to find the latter. Better still, restaurants here tend to be the super friendly sort–you know, the kind where everybody knows your name. Filled neither with hipsters, artsy boutiques, nor historic estates, South Philadelphia totes a low key nature that can be quite refreshing. Home to dive bars, long-term residents, and Philadelphia’s iconic row houses, South Philadelphia is truly an authentic area of the city.
South Philadelphia Articles and Reviews
Table of Contents
South Philly
I grew up visiting my Italian grandmother in South Philadelphia on the weekends, so this part of the city is like home to me. Neighbors are friendly and actually know your name, and there are still stores that aren’t run by faceless corporations. You can walk down many streets and find corner stores similar to Marie’s, where you can get a sandwich for $4.50 with anything you want on it. The owner will even know your name and what your preferences are. I even remember going to Federal Pretzel’s with my grandmother on Sunday mornings and we would get a dozen pretzels for cheap, and if any pretzels were slightly deformed coming out of the oven, the people working there would throw them in the bag for free.
Jill H.
So Much to Love
To live in South Philly is to love South Philly. Once here, you’ll know why.
It’s got everything, and everyone, you love to love.
Pat and Geno’s wid wit!? Yes!
A solid neighborhood base, full of old-timers who grew up in South Philly and never left because there was no place better to be? Yes!
An eclectic mix of immigrants bringing their culinary delights to their little food houses? Yes!
Where else are there so many Asian vendors at a place called “The Italian Market?”
A nearby, state of the art sports complex with the best teams to root for? Yes!
Passyunk Avenue- a sweet spot for unpretentious nightlife and friendly gatherings? Yes!
South Philly is the ****, wid wit!
So much to love. You can live in South Philly in relative crowd-free bliss, just regular people doing cool things, but making it all seem regular.
Hannah R.
Proud to be a South Philadelphian.
Home to the annual New Years Day Mummers Parade, South Philadelphia is always full of excitement and is extremely diverse in culture. South Philadelphia is composed of a diverse population of Italian Americans, Irish Americans, African Americans, Vietnamese Americans, and Mexican Americans, as well as many newer immigrants. Many residents have lived in the neighborhood for decades. In addition, many family-owned businesses are found in in this area. If you are looking for great public schools and public libraries, South Philadelphia is the place to look. It is home to several sports teams, including 2008 World Series winners, the Philadelphia Phillies. South Philadelphia is full of fun and rich in culture. It is my hometown and I could not imagine growing up anywhere else.
Jessica
South Philly
I grew up visiting my Italian grandmother in South Philadelphia on the weekends, so this part of the city is like home to me. Neighbors are friendly and actually know your name, and there are still stores that aren’t run by faceless corporations. You can walk down many streets and find corner stores similar to Marie’s, where you can get a sandwich for $4.50 with anything you want on it. The owner will even know your name and what your preferences are. I even remember going to Federal Pretzel’s with my grandmother on Sunday mornings and we would get a dozen pretzels for cheap, and if any pretzels were slightly deformed coming out of the oven, the people working there would throw them in the bag for free.
Jill H.
This nabe basically has it all, but none of it is particularly upscale or nice, which is just fine. Decent housing stock, some rough areas, some decent places to eat or drink. A tiny bit of shopping. like I said, it’s got it all, it’s just not that remarkable.
Mark J.
ahhh, refreshingly authentic.
this isn’t so much the place that new transplants to the city move—more lots of families and ppl that have been here for a long time. i like that b/c it’s got a really authentic philly vibe so u feel like ur part of the city and not just walking around any old gentrifying pseudo gritty neighborhood in the a big US city.
Michael L.