Serious Sandwiches: Tony Luke's Roast Pork Italian, Philadelphia
I don't know if there's much to say about the roast pork Italian sandwich at Tony Luke's other than it's pretty near perfect.
Tony Luke's is conveniently located near the junction of I-95 and I-76 in the shadow of the Walt Whitman Bridge—a quick lunchtime detour on my trip from the Big Apple to central Pennsylvania this past weekend. I probably don't have to tell you that I spent the first two hours of that trip in anticipation of finally trying one of these much-hyped sandwiches.
As Joy Manning pointed out in her guide to Philly's best roast pork sandwiches, the roast pork Italian is overshadowed by the cheesesteak but is fast becoming well-known outside the City of Brotherly Love.
Tony Luke's
39 East Oregon Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19148 (just west of the I-95 overpass; map); 215-551-5725; tonylukes.com
Must-Haves: The roast pork Italian with broccoli rabe
What You'll Spend: roast pork Italian, $7.95; cheesesteak, $7
It consists of thinnish slices of juicy, slow-roasted ham; sharp provolone; and either spinach or broccoli rabe. Everyone I know raves about the rabe, which is what I went with—it gives the sandwich a slightly bitter bite.
The vehicle for delivery is that same signature bread used for the city's cheesesteaks. Indeed, this bread seems like it was almost made for a roast pork Italian, since it's soft enough inside to soak up the sandwich's juices but just crisp enough outside to rein it all in—stopping well short of the mouth-damaging crustiness of a baguette. And the proportions are all in balance—not too much bread, not too much filling, no ingredients falling out of an overstuffed sandwich.
In Tim Warren's Washington Post story about this other icon of Philadelphia foodstuffs, he all but swears off cheesesteaks in favor of the roast pork Italian. I don't know if I'd go that far—but at least the decision gives me something to occupy the first leg of my journey with.
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39 Comments:
Personally, I prefer the Roast Pork sandwich at Dinic's in the Reading Terminal Market. Every time I take the train up to Philly I have to stop in for one, followed either by a Termini Bros. Cannoli or a Fisher's Soft Pretzel.
Delorenzosfan at 3:13PM on 03/03/09
@Delorenzosfan: Wow, that was fast. I knew a comment like this was coming. You can't single out one cheesesteak or RPI in Philly without getting partisans from the other places calling you out. Next time I take the train out to Lancaster I'll go to DiNic's. Thanks for the nudge!
Adam Kuban at 3:25PM on 03/03/09
I'm so glad the other Philly foods are getting their props. We get a little sick of always reading about cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. I also have to agree with Delorenzosfan. I prefer Dinic's as well. I like mine with spinach rather than with broccoli rabe.
Lizy Yagoda at 3:34PM on 03/03/09
A favorite Delaware food blog posted today about pork sandwiches too! I wonder if one was inspired by the other? Anyway, here are a few options outside of Tony Luke's and in Delaware!
Second Helpings
inothernews at 3:35PM on 03/03/09
@Lizy: I'll have to eventually try one with spinach, but all my Philly friends and other RPI fans I know seemed to say that broccoli rabe was the way to go. Is it that you don't like the bite of the rabe? I love spinach, but I can't imagine it giving the sandwich as much of a kick as broccoli rabe.
@inothernews: Thanks for the link. I had no idea that was there. My post today was inspired by the fact that I rolled through Philadelphia on Friday and finally got around to blogging the sandwich now.
Adam Kuban at 3:41PM on 03/03/09
I must confess: DiNic's is my very favorite as well. And I haven't seen it said here, though maybe it's implied, that there should be sharp provolone accompanying the pork and rabe. That is a holy food trinity if ever there was one.
Joy Manning at 3:45PM on 03/03/09
@Joy: I guess I glossed over it, just mentioning that sharp provolone is on the RPI. It is my understanding that a RPI by definition is pork, sharp provolone, and rabe or spinach. Or maybe you're chiming in to emphasize the sharpness of the provolone. In that Washington Post article, Tony Luke talks about the extra sharpness of the provolone he uses. And indeed it really gives the sandwich an edge. I'm still dreaming of that thing.
Adam Kuban at 3:49PM on 03/03/09
I guess you don't have to trek to Philly for Tony Luke's anymore? Seems like they'll be coming to your local grocer's freezer aisle.
tina_eats at 3:50PM on 03/03/09
It's been a few years since I've had one of these, but I always thought that the roast pork was a better choice than the cheese steak. Tony Lukes and DiNic's both do a great roast pork.
kaszeta at 3:51PM on 03/03/09
Not sure if the link came through, but here is what I was trying to link to: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/homepage/20090303_ONE__WHIZ__FROZEN__WIT.html
Sorry in advance for the double post.
tina_eats at 3:51PM on 03/03/09
Oh good lord in heaven. Can somebody please ship one of these luscious beauties down here to Atlanta for me? I think I'm in love!!!!
juliebugsmama at 4:03PM on 03/03/09
I will never go to Tony Luke's again. Last time we were there in 2006 they screwed our order up, forgot items and then proceeded to tell me why they could not stop to fix our order. They can keep it.
DiNic's is very good roast pork and so is John's Roast Pork on South Street.
JerzeeTomato at 4:08PM on 03/03/09
I had one of these at the Tony Luke's stand at the Phillies ballpark. Amazing. And the Philly ballpark has the best food of any ballpark I've been to. That is until the Mets new park opens in a few weeks!
chaddius at 4:09PM on 03/03/09
I was just in Philly over the weekend and went with the pork as well. We drove down Saturday morning and went directly to Tony Luke's. The next day after a tour of the Eastern State Penitentiary we swung by the Reading Terminal Market for lunch. I just had to compare so I went with another one, this time from DiNic's. I think DiNic's edged out Tony Luke's.
This was a great last hurrah for a little while: I'm having my gallbladder out next Thursday. Oh the pain that ensued Sunday night but so f'ing worth it!
NorthernBBQer at 4:11PM on 03/03/09
Right, Adam--my eyes skipped right over those magic words: sharp provolone. This thread is making me hungry.
Joy Manning at 4:12PM on 03/03/09
I actually tried the roast pork Italian at Tony Luke's just a few days ago and it was a huge letdown from the one I had last summer at the Tony Luke's stand at the ballpark, which is exactly the opposite of what I expected. DiNics is great. Either one beats the pants off a cheesesteak.
Buckethead at 4:36PM on 03/03/09
Oh Joy, you (and a bunch of other people) would be so disappointed in me; I was in Philly this weekend, went to DiNic's for the roast pork sammich, but FORGOT ABOUT THE PROVOLOOOONNNE!! (Still, it was tasty! I ate the whole thing and then felt overstuffed.) If I had told you I was coming (I didn't plan my trip very well) you would've steered me in the right direction. Adam's post has beat it into my head.
I'll get it right next time.
roboppy at 4:48PM on 03/03/09
Damg, 'Boppy. Yours looks like all broccoli rabe, no pork! But that photo looks beautiful. I didn't know you were in Philly, too, this weekend.
Adam Kuban at 4:54PM on 03/03/09
My girlfriend was in Philly and brought me back a pork sandwich from DiNic's. It was awesome, even after 4 hours of sitting in the car. I love her (and the sandwich).
Grill_Baron at 5:00PM on 03/03/09
@Adam: Yeah, now that you mention it there's quite a difference in the meaty characteristics of our sandwiches. Not that there wasn't a lot of pork in mine—it's just hidden by the broccoli rabe—but yours looks like a meatsplosion. :O
roboppy at 5:44PM on 03/03/09
A fried of mine and I went on a cheesesteak tour of Philly and this sandwich was the only non-cheesesteak of the day and it won out no question. This could be partially due to the fact that we may have been cheesesteaked out considering we ate 5 of them on top of our RPI.
Just an FYI we went to Pats, Genos, Tony Lukes (we got both a cheesesteak and a RPI), Steves Prince of Steaks, and finally Paganos. My favorite cheesesteak was Steves.
I stopped there for a second time a few weeks ago before the Metallica concert. It was an amazing way to start our evening. My friend doesn't even like pork and he said the experience was downright amazing.
steamsoldier at 5:54PM on 03/03/09
I realize this is somewhat off-topic, but has anyone been to the old Tony Luke's in NYC since it became Shorty's? Was wondering if the roast pork was still good there.
SoundBitesNYC at 6:07PM on 03/03/09
Best Meat In The Majors!
Tony Luke's New York City
Location To Be Announced
And Many, Many More!
http://www.tonylukes.tv/stores/
thomassweet at 6:14PM on 03/03/09
I want to go to there
Laurel E at 6:35PM on 03/03/09
@steamsoldier: I'll have to agree. I've tried the 3 majors (Pat's, Geno's and Steve's) and Steve is, in my mind, the Prince if (not the King) of steaks in Philly. I'll have to send an email to the person I was with the last time I was in Philly about where we got the pork sandwiches -- they were awesome. It was some dumpy bar in South Philly that barely wants to serve you. But if you get served, it's good.
BrianPrestonCampbell at 7:35PM on 03/03/09
Adam, next time in Philly, let us know. You can try some Scrapple and head you off to Tony Luke's favorite pizza place (on the Jersey side)!
jonfoxx at 8:06PM on 03/03/09
@SoundBitesNYC: I've ordered the roast pork Italian twice now at Shorty's, and it's fine (says a New Yorker), but it was better when the business was affiliated with Tony Luke's.
EatingInTranslation at 8:46PM on 03/03/09
Ha! I just mentioned this sammich in the post on the frozen Tony Luke's stuff!
growler at 10:14PM on 03/03/09
You guys have to try the roasted peppers at least once on your roast pork from Dinic's. Slightly spicy and soo good. What is Tony Luke's favorite pizza place on the Jersey side???
JudyH at 12:09PM on 03/04/09
@Adam: Yall are making me hongry. I haven't had one of those in a while. I like to hook mine up with some hot peppers. Guess I'm going to Philly sometime real soon.
Joe DiStefano at 3:22PM on 03/04/09
@SoundBitesNYC, I too can concur that the "roast pork special" at Shorty's is perfectly fine. It's just smaller than the Roast Pork Italian....and ten bucks. Good sandwich but not worth it, IMO.
DakRalter at 3:42PM on 03/04/09
Not worth it if you have other alternatives available, maybe. But from 600 or so miles away, I'd sure give $10 for it right now....
lemons at 1:42PM on 03/05/09
Looks nice, but I'd still rather have a cheesy combo Italian Beef, with peppers, dipped, from virtually any place in Chicago. It's hard when you're 4000 miles and an ocean away.
NotAmerican at 3:31AM on 03/08/09
I read about this on scoreboardgourmet.com
mikeyjake at 12:55PM on 03/08/09
when I saw your article on Tony Lukes, I got all excited like I won the sweepstakes! My husband was just talking about this place and the killer sandwiches (his favorite is also the roast pork) -it's gonna be one of the first foods he eats when he comes home from his stint in the Navy....We're taking a weekend trek from NY to Pa. just for some sandwiches!! (the pepperoni cheesesteak is another good bet too) ..YUM!
Italiancupcake at 7:39PM on 03/08/09
Finally!
Dan Roberts at 6:33PM on 03/13/09
@Adam Congratulations on finally making it there. Now ya gotta hity DiNic's. My message is short and sweet. Anyone who knows me knows that with me it's all about the pizza. However, check out my "Last Meal on Earth" comment on my profile.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
pauliegee at 7:33PM on 03/19/09
Adam- nice seeing you at the Hot Dog Hootenanny. Never been to the real Tony Luke's but before morphing into Shorty's (uphill on the decor, downhill on the food), the roast pork Italian at the Tony Luke's "outpost" on 9th avenue was at one point my favorite sandwich in the NYC.
--- Guttergourmet
guttergour at 6:17PM on 05/05/09
Tonight's the night. Think I'm gonna give the spinach a try this time. I've had it that way at DiNics and like it very much. BTW, if you are ever in the area early in the day, be sure to check out their breakfast sandwiches. I like to add sharp to my Broccoli Rabe and Egg:
http://www.tonylukes.com/menu.htm
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
pauliegee at 8:07AM on 05/21/09