Food Country Restaurant Reviews serving the Delaware Valley

Stepping in to the original Charcoal Pit location on Concord Pike in Wilmington brings a sense of 50s nostalgia. You can probably tell from the picture—it’s the kind of place that has jukeboxes at every table. Known for its burgers, milkshakes, and ice cream, Charcoal Pit originally opened in 1956, and has since expanded to three additional locations in North Delaware . The burgers come in 4 oz. or 8 oz. sizes, chargrilled, with the standard optional fixings and served on a sesame-seeded bun. Like any good burger joint should, Charcoal Pit uses only fresh ground beef. The burger’s artery-clogging partner in crime is the milkshake, which Esquire magazine named on their “67 Things Worth a Detour” list a few years back. Charcoal Pit’s milkshakes are made fresh with hand-scooped ice cream and served in frosted metal cups. If you don’t like to drink your ice cream, the menu also includes a large selection of huge sundaes named after area high schools. And if you’re feeling really adventuro...

Jeff's Take: With taquerias, quality is a crapshoot—it’s usually either going to be really good or really bad (for the latter, see Mike’s review of Taqueria Moroleon). You’ll very rarely be able to figure out what you’re getting just by looking at the place. Luckily, I tried Taqueria La Veracruzana, located in South Philly near the Italian Market, after a trusted friend recommended it. This place isn’t much for atmosphere—we’re talking Mexican wrestling and soccer playing on television and pretty harsh lighting. The important thing is that the place is clean, because many taquerias aren’t. Standard with each meal is a generous serving of crisp, homemade tortilla chips served with two salsas—one jalapeno-based, and one smoky chipotle-based. Both are about medium-hot, and are very different from what most people are probably used to. If you prefer, you can order fresh pico de gallo or guacamole for a few extra bucks—I like to order some guacamole with the chips and then use some on m...