Hershel's East Side Deli
Reading Terminal Market
12th and Arch streets
215-922-6220Deli, Chinatown/Loft District
Hershel's East Side Deli has something of a pedigree in the
delicatessen arts: Owner Steven Safern's father was a manager and
partner at Katz's in New York City. Hershel's, however, is much
smaller: "Eating in" means sitting on a chrome barstool overlooking the
pickle-wrapping station. A great place to start is the chopped liver
sandwich, a creamy spread that approaches pâté texture topped with
rings of raw onion on ultra-fresh, ultra-soft seedless rye. Sandwiches
at Hershel's are generous enough to convey an authentic deli experience
but not so big that sharing would be mandatory. Look for the
lemon-scented kugel, a densely packed pudding of egg noodles and cheese
with a cinnamon-dusted crust that inspires contented belly-rubbing.
Matzo ball soup comes piping-hot with several
bite-sized balls, which are denser and chewier than most varieties but
no less toothsome. Breakfast is limited, but the lox sandwich is
excellent. This may not be the Lower East Side — but it's a good nosh
on the east side of Broad. Open Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Average entree under $10
- Wheelchair accessible
- Cash Only
Hershel packs up the corn beef scraps for about $5/# (ask. Convert those nuggets into stellar corned beef hash. http://phillymarketcafe.blogspot.com/search?q=hash