April 05, 2015

Philly eats that should go global

By Daniel Craig
PhillyVoice Staff

La Colombe/shop.lacolombe.com

A shot of La Colombe Coffee's Louisiane blend.

According to a report from the Associated Press, Philadelphia eats are spreading around the world.

The story cites big expansion from several local chains that serve dishes commonly associated with the region. Wawa has made big strides in Florida. Philly Pretzel Factory is going international. Rita's Italian Ice is in the Middle East and Canada, and did you know you can get a Tony Luke's cheesesteak in the Persian Gulf?

our Juffair branch is ready to serve you! #Bahrain #riffa #juffair #wednesdaywave #tonylukes #best #food pic.twitter.com/56kCKmcwYY
— Tony Luke's Bahrain (@tonylukesbah) October 22, 2014

That's pretty cool, but as Philadelphian's know, we have much more to offer than the stereotypical dishes. Here's three Philly exports that should go global:

La Colombe Coffee

They've already gotten their coffee in to seemingly every cafe and corner store in the city, and have locations in New York City, Washington D.C. and Chicago. The expansion has happened for good reason, as their variety of blends are delicious. La Colombe has Arcade Fire's endorsement, so maybe their growth will continue to accelerate:

Philadelphia Brewing Company

The Kensington-based brewery has a diverse selection of ales and the occasional seasonal beer. However, Philadelphia Brewing Company is probably most well known for their German Pilsner, the Kenzinger. It's a nice, cheap alternative to the domestics at most Philadelphia establishments. Maybe it's time to revive this semi-parody of a beer commercial to catch up with the popularity of Yuengling and Victory:

1732 Meats

If you haven't tried breakfast with slices of flavored bacon from 1732 meats, you're missing out. Their takes on the pork product include black peppercorn, garlic insanity, and Spanish smoked paprika. They're currently moving locations and updating the list of local retailers who serve their product, so their meats are a little hard to find. However, with bacon like this, it's worth the search: