Delicious City Philly

Hoagie Throwdown 2026 was an incredible day! Mother Nature couldn't curb our appetites - after postponing for a few weeks to avoid the nor'easter, we ended up with a beautiful day and heated competition, both in and out of the ring. We reveal who took the title of Philly's Hoagie Champion, and this hoagie might surprise you...

Tag @deliciouscitypodcast on Instagram with your favorite picks, and if you're a chef in Philly and think you deserve a shot at the championship belt, get ready to throw down next year!

• (00:00) Hoagie Throwdown 2026 Is in the Books

• (08:02) The Results: Winner by 8 Votes & the Top 3 Revealed

• (17:09) Wrestling Recap: Luigi Primo & BTA

• (28:05) Whatcha Been Eatin': lamb, tofu and soup season

• (38:53) Cheese Plates Are OUT

• (43:36) Midnight Pasta Rooftop Party Recap: Meatballs, Timbale & Focaccia

We could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs.

Watch us on YouTube

Listen to us on Spotify

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Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us in your posts so we can talk about them on air!

FEASTIVAL, the annual fundraiser for FringeArts, returns on Wednesday 10/28. FringeArts CEO Nell Bang-Jensen tells Delicious City what makes this event the prime spot for performing arts and culinary arts to intersect, and what will wow you at this party! We also welcome Ari Miller of Post Haste, who's co-hosting this unique immersive event. He also recounts his days working at High Street and meeting Eli, and tells us what's next for Post Haste.

Speaking of incredible and tasty events, Hoagie Throwdown is FINALLY back this Sunday 10/25 at Other Half Brewing! We've got updates on hoagie competitors, a costume contest, and what to expect at this royal rumble of rolls. Get your tickets now.

• (00:00) Restaurants need table hooks for purses and jackets
• (06:48) Ari Miller talks Post Haste, exciting dinner collabs
• (15:15) Viral "Billion Layer Lasagna"
• (17:33) Nell Bang-Jensen, CEO of FringeArts
• (27:18) THIS SUNDAY: Hoagie Throwdown! Costume contest + competitors added
• (30:33) Best Bites: old favorites and spicy takes
• (41:18) The Dish: Halloween events and fall dinner collabs

We could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs.

Watch us on YouTube

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us in your posts so we can talk about them on air!

Dave's back after a work trip and he can confirm: Philadelphia is the greatest food city there is. The gang shares what they're devouring now that the weather's chilly, including hot pot, baked wings, Turkish dishes and more.

AND: the road to Hoagie Throwdown leads to Other Half Brewing on Sunday, October 25th! Grab your tickets and get ready to sample ALL the hoagies so you can vote for your favorite and crown Philly's Hoagie Champion. Plus, live pro wrestling all afternoon, craft beer and local snacks, and good vibes all around. See more at DeliciousCityPodcast.com.

• (00:00) Dave the compliance narc: banquet tables, Skittles and Dallas BBQ
• (05:18) The great Pumpkin Spice Latte debate
• (08:00) Hoagie Throwdown: October 25th! Get tickets now
• (16:59) Whatcha Been Eatin': Biscoff trend, fresh feta, ramen and wings
• (30:51) The Sauce: Restaurant news from Bar Caviar, Field Day, Caroline's and more

We could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs.

Watch us on YouTube

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us in your posts so we can talk about them on air!

What do you get when an American speakeasy meets Japanese craft cocktails? You get Almanac, which has been recognized across Philly and the US as one of the best new bars serving creative drinks that just hit. Over a round of highballs, Vy To and Rob Scott tell us about how they balance Japanese and American styles on their menu, and their focus on hyper seasonal flavors… and, BREAKING NEWS: they're working on a companion space in Rittenhouse!

• (00:00) Hoagie Throwdown New Date: Sunday 10/25
• (03:00) Midnight Pasta Dinner on Saturday 10/10
• (08:49) Vy To and Rob Scott from Almanac cocktail bar
• 18:30) Teasing their new bar in Rittenhouse
• (27:58) Cocktail Tasting: Cashew High & Boca Water Highballs
• (40:12) Best Bites of the Week
• (45:58) The Dish: Pop-Ups & Events Around The City

And of course, we could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs.

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us in your posts so we can talk about them on air.

Pro wrestler and pizza maker Luigi Primo, reigning champion of the Hoagie Throwdown, is coming back for more THIS SUNDAY at Other Half Brewing in Fishtown! We're taking a look at some of the amazing hoagies that you can sample at the event, and Luigi talks about his path through the Philadelphia wrestling scene, his unforgettable Sandman "kendo stick hoagie" story, and how he actually trains for matches by making pizza. Plus, Eli didn't know he was attending a Benson Boone show at Mario Carbone's star-studded wedding at The Grill in NYC.

• (00:00) — Hoagie Throwdown hype & Eli's sweet getup
• (06:55) — Luigi Primo enters the ring
• (08:27) — Recapping Last Year's Event: The Sandman's kendo-hoagie-stick
• (14:34) — Reading Gabbagool like a Gabba-fool
• (21:57) — Weirdest things people put on a pizza
• (28:20) — Luigi's pizza training method
• (54:26) — Mario Carbone's wedding, Benson Boone's secret backflip & the "Sauce Boss"

And of course, we could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs.

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us in your posts so we can talk about them on air.

If you had a magic wand and could keep one Philly restaurant open for at least 50 more years, which would you pick? With the news of a handful of beloved institutions closing, we talked about the ones that we'd be lost without.

Hoagie Throwdown is less than 2 weeks away - get your tickets and chow down with us on Sunday 9/27! Eli, Marisa and Dave play a rapid-fire game to determine which hoagie is our ultimate favorite, plus match-ups of toppings and sides. When you can only pick one, these choices are freakin' hard! Just when we thought we knew everything about each other's tastes… (looking at Dave, who puts mayo on Italian hoagies…!)

Plus: Whatcha Been Eatin' has us longing for more shore days, and the Sauce is packed with the latest restaurant and food news you need to know.

• (02:05) Restaurants we want around forever
• (08:53) Hilarious "Throwdown of Hoagies" Game
• (22:12) Whatcha Been Eatin': Oxtail ravioli, scallop risotto and more
• (44:03) The Sauce: restaurant news in and around Philadelphia

We could not do this podcast without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us so we can shout you out on the podcast

Philly's having a big caviar moment, and it's thanks in part to Gary Shusman. The hottest restaurants in the city partner with Caviar XS to upgrade their dishes with the smoothest, freshest caviar there is, and Gary loves converting the uninitiated into caviar fanatics. We talk pairings, fish, and Gary's background in nightlife that led him to become the Caviar King of Philadelphia.

Plus: Incredible quiche, pierogis and pepper pot soup in Best Bites... Win tickets to Hoagie Throwdown on YouTube (entry deadline is 9/8) or get yours before they're gone right here... and the two Philly spots that got their flowers from Bon Appetit.

• (00:58) Savor summer flavors before they're gone
• (07:30) Gary Shusman of Caviar XS
• (20:32) Oysters + caviar = winning combo
• (27:09) Best Bites: the greatest quiche Eli has ever tasted
• (37:47) Last chance to win Hoagie Throwdown tickets!
• (41:20) Two Philly restaurants highlighted on the new Bon Appetit list
• (44:36) The Dish: don't miss these pop-ups and dinners

We could not do this podcast without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us so we can shout you out on the podcast

Fly, Eagles, Fly… right into PHL. Delicious City is live at the Philadelphia International Airport, and we're joined by former chef to the Birds, Tim Lopez. Tim's book Kickoff Kitchen has a recipe for every NFL city, and these are dishes that he'd cook for the Eagles as they were on the road to the Super Bowl a few years ago (and yes, we did try on Tim's ring). He tells us about the players habits and superstitions, why he didn't include a cheesesteak recipe in his book to rep Philly, and what the top tailgate cities in the country are.

Plus: Alex Pearlman (@pearlmania500) has a lot to say about cheesesteak egg rolls, and we dive into our late summer faves with Whatcha Been Eatin'.

Thanks to our partners PHL Food & Shops for supporting this episode. We'll be back at the airport on 9/8 and 10/22, so if you're flying out of PHL, look for us in the B/C terminal!

• (01:00) Food recommendations when traveling
• (05:07) Can you bring a cheesesteak onto a plane?
• (09:07) Whatcha Been Eatin': Eli, Dave and Marisa dive in
• (28:20) Comedian Alex Pearlman crashes the podcast
• (29:57) Tim Lopez, chef and author of Kickoff Kitchen
• (42:45) "Devouring the competition"
• (44:37) Tailgate culture

HOAGIE THROWDOWN: We're less than a month away! Get tickets and we'll see you on 9/27.

And of course, we could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs.

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us in your posts so we can talk about them on air.

Chef Kevin Yanaga is back in the kitchen with Delicious City. The owner of Yanaga Kappo Izakaya in NoLibs talks about his journey from Japan to Philly (with a stop in Salt Lake City), his time at Morimoto, and how he's found a balance between Japanese tradition and his own unique style. We get into the story behind 637 Sushi Club, the secret-door vibes, the DIY anime wallpaper, and how Kevin creates an omakase experience that feels more like hanging out at his place than a traditional sushi counter. And - he gives us a taste on the chicken katsu and Japanese egg salad hoagie he's bringing to Hoagie Throwdown (it's a contender!) with a crash course in Kewpie mayo and his "Oma-cafe" coffee pairing.

• (00:00) Ice cream samples: how many is too many?
• (08:13) Hoagie Throwdown is 9/27! Watch on YouTube for a chance to win
• (09:40) Chef Kevin Yanaga of Yanaga Kappo Izakaya
• (29:41) Best Bites: drunken meatballs and crab rangoon dip
• (43:53) The Dish: don't miss these dinners in August and September

GIVEAWAY: Win a pair of tickets to Hoagie Throwdown on Sunday September 27th at Other Half Brewing! Here's how:

1. Comment on this YouTube video with your favorite hoagie spot in Philly.
2. That's it! No purchase necessary. One entry per person.
3. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on September 7th, 2026. The winner will be selected at random on September 8th and announced in the comments of this YouTube video. See YouTube video description for full details and official rules. GOOD LUCK!

We could not do this podcast without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us so we can shout you out on the podcast

Hope you're hungry - we've got a lot to cover this week. Yehuda Sichel loads us up burgers and nuggets with LOTS of sauces (dippy dippy time!) and reveals that Huda Burger will enter the ring at Hoagie Throwdown on 9/27. Eli's cooking up new merch for the podcast, which is available now at DeliciousCityPodcast.com. Everyone recaps Philly Mag's Best of Philly party in Whatcha Been Eatin', plus all the other snacks and bites that you need to try this summer.

Early bird tickets for Hoagie Throwdown are SOLD OUT, but you can still get GA tickets HERE

Rep Delicious City and look good doing it: new merch HERE

• (00:00) Now you can WEAR Delicious City! Official merch reveal
• (08:08) Yehuda Sichel of Huda Burger
• (21:51) Hoagie Throwdown: the sammies you'll savor on 9/27
• (29:11) Whatcha Been Eatin': corn soup, octopus salad, cheesecake and more
• (47:55) The Sauce: what's opening and closing in Philly this summer

And of course, we could not do this without our amazing partners who are as passionate about food and drink as we are:

• If your restaurant or company wants to be in the headlines for all the right reasons, click here to discover how Peter Breslow Consulting and PR can take your business to the next level
• Social media and digital content are two of the most important things you can create for your brand. Check out Breakdown Media, a one stop shop for all of your marketing needs

Listen to us on Spotify

Listen to us on Apple

Watch us on YouTube

Connect with us on Instagram, and share your eating adventures by tagging us so we can shout you out on the podcast