Which Big East City Has the Best Food?

[August_West]

If any Husky fans end up in Omaha I ask that you get a steak or Reuben or even freaking oysters in the middle of the country at Plank. Anything other than Runza, please.

Is it sad I know what a runza is?


And welcome to the yard.

 

[UconnFanDC]

That’s probably just because after 15 years in DC, you know where to go and which places you like most. It is critical to have the advantage of trying myriad places in a given area because your personal preferences are more likely to be met. Most major cities and tourist areas have good food, but you can’t find it without putting in some time. There are so many great little places that you find over the years.

I’d say New York is the clear winner with Chicago and Philly a solid 2 and 3. DC and San Francisco are way up there as well. Ultimately, quality of ingredients is the main factor for me. In New York in particular, the meats and cheeses used are top quality, even in diners. There is a commitment to quality over price. I love that and I think Philly, Chicago, DC and even Providence take ingredients seriously as well.

I wouldn't say that to be fact but I hear you. I travel to NY, CT, Philly often and catch up to family and friends to eat frequently.

It's more on preference and opinion honestly. If you like Italian, soul food, Asian, Caribbean, etc.... your going to pick based on that. I personally prefer Italian and Caribbean so my decision would be based on that and when I go to many places based on a resident/native selected, I have not been impressed. Lol.

 

[storrsroars]

Is it sad I know what a runza is?


And welcome to the yard.

I'm surprised those things never made it big here in Pittsburgh. Basically just a pierogi on steroids. Which should be right in Pittsburgh's wheelhouse.

Anyway, there's plenty of worse stuff out there.

 

[superjohn]

Are we judging a food city by only it's best? Cause if we are factoring in a likelihood of being disappointed or being served crap, Chicago gets docked points in my experience.

Where were you served cr@p in Chicago? That's surprising to me.

 

[storrsroars]

Where were you served cr@p in Chicago? That's surprising to me.

He was probably in Rosemont.

 

[Kolumbo]

East Hartford/The Rent

 

[Hoophound]

I wouldn't say that to be fact but I hear you. I travel to NY, CT, Philly often and catch up to family and friends to eat frequently.

It's more on preference and opinion honestly. If you like Italian, soul food, Asian, Caribbean, etc.... your going to pick based on that. I personally prefer Italian and Caribbean so my decision would be based on that and when I go to many places based on a resident/native selected, I have not been impressed. Lol.

That's kind of what I mean. I'd say I rarely like a place recommended to me. I tend to like the places I find on my own. My wife tends to like the same ones. They meet our preferences for taste, atmosphere, ingredients and so on.

I am mostly Italian and Italian restaurants are a great example of preference. Do you like authentic Italian or American Italian? Are the dishes made in the style and manner you prefer? Take meatballs: firm, mushy, all beef, pork and beef, some veal? We may both like good Italian food but I can almost guarantee we don't even like the same style meatball.

 

[Waquoit]

Where were you served cr@p in Chicago? That's surprising to me.

Lou Malnati's is crap. Chicago Chop House sucked.

 

[storrsroars]

Lou Malnati's is crap. Chicago Chop House sucked.

Lou Malnati's is crap because you don't like deep dish or because it's a poor version of deep dish?

Chicago Chop House sucked because you feel you vastly overpaid for the protein or because it was lousy quality protein and/or prepared poorly?

I know this is the age of everything is "amazing" or "awesome" or "sucks" or "is crap", but some of us are still out here combatting the epidemic of hyperbole and would like details.

I personally don't find deep dish appealing. I've had maybe 4 in my life, including Lou's and Giordano's once each. I'm hardly qualified to even know what a good deep dish is. I wouldn't have thrown any of them out, but they all kind of bleed together in some tomato casserole melange memory. And I just won't pay $70+ for a steak anywhere, unless it's served on Charlize Theron's naked butt.

 

[Waquoit]

Lou Malnati's is crap because you don't like deep dish or because it's a poor version of deep dish?

Chicago Chop House sucked because you feel you vastly overpaid for the protein or because it was lousy quality protein and/or prepared poorly?

Yes to both.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The Ironbound is safe and has really good Portuguese/Spanish/Brazilian food.

Amazed that it took 68 posts before this was properly noted.

SJU is in Jamaica. Let's have some official guidance on the rules here. I mean if SJU has all of NYC, then UConn gets New England.

If you restrict SJU to Queens alone, it's a legit contender.
And they do play games at MSG.

You've made the argument for adding Hartford more so than all of CT, let alone New England.

 

[superjohn]

Lou Malnati's is crap. Chicago Chop House sucked.

Malnati's is what it is, you just don't like deep dish.

Chop House is one of the only steakhouses I haven't been to. David Burke's was my favorite steak but it closed.

 

[olehead]

Article is right about NYC Pizza. Queens ranks as third or maybe fourth borough, with the Manhattan slice as tops.

Best cheesesteak in Philly is Jim's. Down on South Street and in Overbrook, cousin of Pat I believe. The writer sleeps on Chicago deep dish. I could get lost in lust in a really good pie.

Beware of that Cinci chili, not real chili, but more of a cheap hot dog topping. How the writer doesn't allow DC to claim blue-crab is nuts.

What could Storrs claim BY faithful given a 20 mile radius?

 

[huskymedic]

What could Storrs claim BY faithful given a 20 mile radius?

Rein’s Deli...

 

[Waquoit]

Rein’s Deli...

and Shady Glen.

 

[8893]

Rein’s Deli...

and Shady Glen.

RIP Kathy John’s.

Speaking of which, is Rambling Rich still around?

 

[Hoophound]

I’ve said it here before with great regret, but I love Skyline Chili.

 

[Ratso]

Amazed that it took 68 posts before this was properly noted.

If you restrict SJU to Queens alone, it's a legit contender.
And they do play games at MSG.

You've made the argument for adding Hartford more so than all of CT, let alone New England.

good point. Samson Johnson plays @ the garden so manhattan counts, Nova plays @ the wells fargo, so the city of philly should count just like hotford for uconn. i think the distance from villanova to philly is similar to uconn to hartford

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Article is right about NYC Pizza. Queens ranks as third or maybe fourth borough, with the Manhattan slice as tops.

Best cheesesteak in Philly is Jim's. Down on South Street and in Overbrook, cousin of Pat I believe. The writer sleeps on Chicago deep dish. I could get lost in lust in a really good pie.

Beware of that Cinci chili, not real chili, but more of a cheap hot dog topping. How the writer doesn't allow DC to claim blue-crab is nuts.

What could Storrs claim BY faithful given a 20 mile radius?

While we'd scoff at this in a different thread, if we're going up against Big East locations, Pepe's in Manchester is 19 miles from Gampel.

 

[storrsroars]

Rein’s Deli...

Back in 70s I would've driven there just for the half sours.

 

[Kolumbo]

back in the day:
Ted's Giant Grinders
Willington Pizza
Bidwell Tavern - wings

 

[UconnFanDC]

That's kind of what I mean. I'd say I rarely like a place recommended to me. I tend to like the places I find on my own. My wife tends to like the same ones. They meet our preferences for taste, atmosphere, ingredients and so on.

I am mostly Italian and Italian restaurants are a great example of preference. Do you like authentic Italian or American Italian? Are the dishes made in the style and manner you prefer? Take meatballs: firm, mushy, all beef, pork and beef, some veal? We may both like good Italian food but I can almost guarantee we don't even like the same style meatball.

I love authentic Italian but I have no problem with the franchise like Maggiano's. But of course my trip to Italy was canceled due to the pandemic. Sigh

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Place is ridiculous. I’d go there just for the hummus, but they kill everything.

I was in Philly for work and I went by myself but ordered like I was in a group of ten. Just a disgusting display of gluttony.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

and Shady Glen.

Shout out to Willington Pizza and Willimantic Brewery.

RIP Sara's Pockets.

 

[Deepster]

Best cheesesteak in Philly is Jim's. Down on South Street and in Overbrook, cousin of Pat I believe. The writer sleeps on Chicago deep dish. I could get lost in lust in a really good pie.

This. ^^^

Pat's and Geno's are hot garbage. And Jim's has a beer license.