POE'S SANDWICH JOINT
FUN COUNTERCULTURE VIBE
Philly's best cheesesteak venues come in a wide variety of locations and themes - and one of more unusual of these, without a doubt, is Poe's Sandwich Joint in the city's West Kensington section. Poe's is unusual all right, but their delectable cheesesteaks and other unique creations are well worth the trip.
Owner N. A. Poe (born Richard Tamaccio, Jr.) is a Philly-based comedian, former cannabis activist, and self-proclaimed pothead whose many arrests eventually led him to shift gears in the late 2010s and enter the culinary world to support his young family. Poe had no formal training but managed to create an imaginative array of "highest class munchies" that were inspired, in equal measure, by his Italian grandmother's recipes and "copious amounts of high-grade marijuana."
Those munchies speak for themselves. Philadelphia magazine named Poe's "Best in Philly" in its very first year, and the place has been featured in The Thrillist and Maxim. Suffice it to say that Poe's steak, grilled perfectly and served on a seeded roll with your choice of cheese, is awesome. For other Poe's sandwiches like the Gabbygool, Heshy, Mushman, Jeggyboy, Baby Wook, and The Wop, we refer to you Poe's website.
Poe's Sandwich Joint is basically just a takeout window located inside the tasting room of the Human Robot Brewery. Poe describes it as the "ultimate stoner beer geek experience." It's a nice comfortable space with plenty of high-top table seating and decorations you definitely will not find anywhere else - a Kensington souvenir postcard wall mural, along with portraits of Pogo the Clown (serial killer John Wayne Gacy) and Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito from Goodfellas ("Funny how?").
Not everyone gets the vibe, and that's fine. But if it's good food you want, Poe's Sandwich Joint should be on your list. As Poe himself proclaims, "It's like a trip to grandma's house... on weed."
POE'S SANDWICH JOINT
1710 North 5th Street
(215) 454-2654
