20 Delicious Holiday Food Traditions in Philadelphia

For over a century, Isgro Pasticceria has perfected the art of the Italian pastry, building a dedicated clientele who fill their holiday plates with cannoli, ricotta cookies and more. Holiday delicacies are available through phone pre-orders, online through Caviar, or in person for those who enjoy the camaraderie that comes with standing in the long line that forms outside the shop. Sending a gift? Select cookie tins are available to ship.

Wax balls of specialty cheeses hang from the ceiling of this classic, circa-1950 Italian foods shop, where, during the holidays, customers happily line up around the perimeter of Claudio’s for sliced-to-order capocollo, prosciutto and soppressata. The shop also offers imported olives, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, pastas and fresh mozzarella. In addition to the shipping options the store has always offered, Claudio’s does gift-basket shipping as well.

This longtime cheese shop has several locations throughout Philly and its suburbs, but Di Bruno’s most immersive holiday experience is found at its original South 9th Street Italian Market flagship location. Beginning right after Thanksgiving and culminating in the days preceding Christmas Eve (when people begin lining up before sunrise), customers wait patiently to stock up on specialty products to precede, enhance or conclude a special meal — think olives, antipasti, cured meats and hundreds of cheeses from around the globe. In addition to curbside pickup for local customers, Di Bruno’s also ships tasty gift boxes to loved ones near and far.

This elegant, old-school bakery opens as early as 6 a.m. on the days close to Christmas to feed fans its famous sweets — cakes, cookies, biscotti and, of course, cannoli. Termini offers curbside pickup at all its locations and delivery via UPS and Mercato. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the bakery has introduced a new cake box, cookie tin and bag design, as well as a limited-edition holiday ornament.

For the holiday season’s leftover turkey sandwiches, locals rely on the Italian Market’s Sarcone’s for their brick-oven baked rolls. Order ahead for your holiday celebrations and pick up in store, or if you live in South Philly, you can have plain and seeded loaves delivered to your home Sundays through Fridays.

For a butcher with family roots dating back to 1920 and an old-world feel — thanks to neon window signs and meat displays — try Cappuccio’s Meats, whose homemade Italian sausage is a must-try. It comes in all sorts of varieties — from lamb to Andouille.

America’s oldest continuously run confectionery and candy shop feels like a trip back in time, thanks to the meticulously restored 1911 storefront with period-attired clerks and timeless confections. The winter holidays at Shane are all the more festive with the store decked out in evergreens and selling carefully crafted chocolate assortments, nostalgic confections (like jawbreakers and malted milk balls), gem-colored clear toy candy (Victorian sugar sculptures) and rich drinking chocolate, made to order. The shop is open for in-store browsing, but be mindful of the limited capacity.

Bell’s Market is a European grocery store that has been serving the Bustleton community in Northeast Philadelphia since 1995. The store specializes in foods from Russia, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria and Hungary. In the neighborhood — home to a large population of Russian, Ukrainian and other Eastern European immigrants — families fill their holiday tables with a number of special dishes, including blinchiki (crepes), pirozhki (meat or vegetable pies) and sweets like pryaniki, a wintry-spiced Christmas cookie.

The German-style Christmas market, which pops up in LOVE Park each holiday season, features a German food court with warm favorites like raclette cheese sandwiches, bratwurst, Belgian fries, spätzle and, of course, German glühwein (mulled wine). Head here when you’re looking to replenish during a marathon shopping session or when you’re just plain hungry for some Eastern European classics.

This historic Chestnut Hill bakery has been whipping up buttercream and meringue for their cookies, cakes, pies, pastries and ice cream since 1889. For the holidays, Bredenbeck’s offers seasonal sweets, like pumpkin pies, apple cider mousse pies, gingerbread house kits and German Christmas cookies.

Family owned and operated for four generations, Rockledge’s Danish Bakers is famous for its buttercake — a gooey, sugary, buttery confection. Outsource your holiday baking here and go for the butter cookies or cinnamon buns.

The River Wards have always featured a healthy population of Polish immigrants, concentrated mostly in the Port Richmond neighborhood. Here, several long-running businesses brace for busy days around the holiday season. Smoking meat the Old World way since 1938, Czerw’s supplies families with multiple variations on its classic kielbasa, plus hearty mainstays of the Polish table, like handmade pierogi and golabki (stuffed cabbage). Note that this old-school shop is cash-only. Updated safety precautions for 2021 include in-store customer limits.

The deal is similar at Swiacki, which is also renowned for its kielbasa and kabanosy (which Swiacki’s calls a Polish Slim Jim). The Swiacki family also peddles Christmastime staples like chrusciki (“angel wings”), slivers of sweet dough fried to a crisp and doused in powdered sugar. Don’t be deterred by the long lines — they move quickly.

In the mood for dessert? Try the absolutely unbeatable pound cake bricks with vanilla or chocolate icing (or, get this: butter cake), holiday cookies, Stollen, Babka and more at Stock’s. Regulars know to expect seriously long (but often seriously fun) lines at this Port Richmond institution. The good news: They move fast. Remember that Stock’s is cash only.

Tamales are a year-round favorite throughout Mexico, Central America and South America, and they are sold with increased fervor during the holiday season. In the South 9th Street Italian Market, Mole Poblano does an incredible variation on tamales soaked in their titular sauce — which are only available on weekends and tend to sell out quickly.

People looking for Honduran-style tamales for the holidays can stop by Tamalex, an authentic Central American restaurant a few blocks off of the Italian Market. Pro tip: The best way to support this small business is to order takeout or delivery by phone: (215) 465-1665 or (215) 668-2406.

The popular Famous 4th Street Delicatessen has been serving up traditional Jewish foods in Philly’s Queen Village neighborhood since 1923, making it the perfect place to stop for latkes and other delicacies during Hanukkah. Other goods on the menu include chicken in the pot, giant stuffed sandwiches and matzoh ball soup. Stop by to satisfy an impromptu craving or order delivery.

James Beard Award winners Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook and team have perfected the art of the sufganiyot, the official miniature jelly doughnut of Hanukkah. The fried specialty is available to pre-order through the website and available for pickup at select Federal Donuts stores during the eight-night holiday.

Opened during the pandemic, this specialty foods shop (think of a classic New York premium shop that embraces Jewish traditions) is notable for their smoked salmon, sable, tuna, caviar, pickles, olives and bagels. For the holidays, order ahead of time for hand-sliced smoked fish, latkes, and their famous brunch boards, featuring multiple types of salmon, bagels, cream cheeses and accompaniments.

This Jewish-style bakery, which means “to eat” in Yiddish, is helmed by James Beard Award-nominated chef Tova du Plessis, who takes inspiration from the baking practices from her youth. From challah to babka and Jewish apple cake to bagels, all treats can be ordered for pick up, delivery, or if you’re willing to chance first-come-first-serve: in-store shopping.