Recently in Philadelphia Category

One of the biggest things people get homesick for is the food of their youth, especially around the holidays. Philadelphia is rich with unique foodstuffs, and I don't blame folks for missing cheesesteaks done right or any other local delicacy that's hard to find elsewhere — and you might miss them, too, once you've had them. So, here are a few classic Philadelphia foods to try when you're in Philly this fall, and info on how to send some to your favorite Philadelphian expat.

The Reading Terminal Market is a good place to both sample lots of stuff and get it shipped wherever. Better yet, it's super close to the Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia City Center. After you peruse the dozens of specialty stores, restaurants and Amish farmstands, stop into the Pennsylvania General Store to have some of them shipped — including those beloved Tastykake treats found in convenience stores all over town. (You can order directly from the bakery, too.)

For Philly cheesesteaks, Campo's Deli is considered by some to be one of the best, and makes it easy (though not cheap) to get yours "whiz wit" shipped wherever you need it.

Gelato isn't exactly unique to Philadelphia, but Capogiro's superlative quality and wide range of unusual flavors inspire great devotion. As long as you're willing to purchase six pints at a time, you can order it online and have it shipped anywhere in the country. The "Thank You Thanksgiving" mix, with mint, pumpkin, apple cider, cinnamon, pear and mascarpone-apple would be perfect for the holidays.

It's time for another round-up of great places for warming comfort food for cold nights, this time focusing on one of my personal favorites: macaroni and cheese. Hot and gooey, salty and starchy — it's exactly what I want when it's blustery outside. And I know exactly where to get it.

In New York, I head to Sarita's Mac and Cheese — S'mac — a few blocks from the W New York - Union Square. A dozen varieties, from four cheese to Parisienne to Indian-incluenced Masala, most of which can be made gluten free on request.

The Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia City Center is just on the other side of the Philadelphia Convention Center from the Reading Terminal Market, which is home to one of Delilah Winder's restaurants — home to what Oprah declared in 2003 to be the best mac and cheese in America. It may have slipped a bit from that height, but it's still a solid showing, and great when combined with the fried chicken.

A bit north of Seattle, Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro releases its Cabin Fever cask ale this week, which goes perfectly with its popular mac and cheese. While it's a bit of a trek from the W Seattle, the drive to get there is a beautiful one and the combination meal of mac and cheese with Cabin Fever is worth the trip.

The Italian-American community is strong in Philadelphia — the city is the home of Rocky, don't forget — and nowhere is it stronger than at the 9th Street Italian Market. It's a few minutes away from the Sheraton Society Hill, and also a step back in time, with its many stalls packed with produce, butcher counters full of custom-cut meats, and handmade sausages along with fishmongers purveying the morning's catch. There are also lots of great shops and restaurants surrounding the market so you don't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. For an old-school Italian treat, have dinner at Villa di Roma, which is in the market. From the old-timey cash register (cash only!) to dishes like fried asparagus and eggplant parmigiana, it's a great comfort food spot.

If the market and Villa di Roma are examples of the city's Old World roots, Osteria is an example of modern Italian, both in the cuisine and the decor. The pizza rates among the country's best according to GQ's Alan Richman — baked in an 800° wood-fired oven imported from Italy — but the rest of the menu shines, too. Start with the house-cured salumi plate and don't stop till you get to the zuppa inglese (what tiramisu wants to be when it grows up).

The James Beard Foundation Awards were this week, so I thought it might be fun to highlight some of this year's award-winning regional chefs for you to check out on your travels. While there were many winners in New York, we'll save those for another post.

Should you find yourself at the aloft Charleston Airport & Convention Center, be sure to make the trek into town to visit FIG, where Chef Mike Lata cooks with seasonal and locally grown ingredients in a relaxed, contemporary "neighborhood restaurant" atmosphere. FIG stands for "Food is Good," and it lives up to its name.

Amada is a 3-minute walk from the Sheraton Society Hill in Philadelphia, and brings a little Old World Spain to the birthplace of our nation with chef Jose Garces' authentic tapas. If the idea of salad wrapped in Serrano ham sets your mouth watering, you have something to look forward to in Philly.

La Belle Vie matches the hip sophistication of Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis. Chef Tim McKee's kitchen produces lovely continental cuisine for the theater crowd, as well as five- and eight-course tasting menus for those for whom dinner is theater. The lounge has developed a reputation for some of the most innovative cocktails in the Twin Cities — including the Montgomery Burns, made with prune-infused gin and fresh lemon sweet-and-sour.

Spring always makes me eager for brunch again. I think it's the warmer weather, the greenness returning here in Chicago -- the ability to wait outside for a table without freezing. At any rate, here are a couple good places for brunch around the country, so you can enjoy a nice late morning meal wherever you are.

University of Pennsylvania students and their parents flock to Marigold Kitchen for Southern-style grits ad collard greens in the heart of Philadelphia. It's just a few blocks from the Sheraton University City.

You'll probably build up quite an appetite waiting to get into Phoenix's Matt's Big Breakfast — fortunately it lives up to its name despite its diminutive size. Order up a salami scramble and a mug of locally roasted coffee, or switch to lunch and go with the tossed cobb salad. Either way, Matt's is a good option when staying at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

The Bloody Mary gets top bill at Craigie on Main in Boston, but the whole menu deserves attention. The restaurant does its own butchering and focuses on seasonal ingredients, which means you get to sample delights such as house-made "Dimanche" sausages and spring greens. It's close to the Sheraton Boston.