Tommy DiNic’s Roast Pork, Reading Terminal, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Nancy and I headed up I-95 to do our 45th state capital walk in Trenton. We’d planned to do the walk on Friday and tour Philadelphia on Saturday, but forecast highs in the 90s on Friday and 70s on Saturday reversed our plan. We consulted not only the weather but also Philly food experts, Barry Zuckerman of BZMaestroEats, my favorite guide to food in the Philadelphia area, and ex-Philadelphians Julie and Scott Hammons about where and what to eat during our limited window of time. The answer was the Reading Terminal, formerly an active train station familiar to all Monopoly players, and now the home of the Reading Terminal Market.

Why the Reading Terminal Market? It has to be among the best food halls in the United States, and it offers one-stop shopping for sampling the essential Philadelphia foods. And why 10:30 am? Long lines develop early, especially for the quintessential roast pork sandwich at Tommy DiNic’s.

There already were people in line when we arrived, so I sped over to the counter where I enjoyed the view as I waited my turn.

I ordered a roast pork with broccoli rabe and hot peppers.  I forgot to ask for a seeded roll, but DiNic’s uses a Sarcone’s roll, which is one of the top rolls in Philadelphia.

Let’s take a look inside.

My heart, be still. A layer of crumbled sharp provolone marries the bread, and together they embrace the succulent roast pork. DiNic’s bathes thin, tender slices of pork in a broth while they await the sandwich, and the pork is delicious. The broccoli rabe retains a good bit of firmness, and adds both texture and a lovely bitterness that balances the richness of the pork and the provolone, while the hot peppers add brightness and that bite that enhances pork.

This is fine sandwich. The bread holds up well against the moisture of the pork, and it is genuinely flavorful bread. Pork, and particularly pork sausage, go beautifully with broccoli rabe, and it’s one of my favorite combinations. I look for it whenever I’m in an Italian restaurant, and it’s something I’ve had trouble finding in the Washington area. (I welcome your help.) If I could change one thing about the sandwich it would be to have more, and by more I mean excessive garlic with the broccoli rabe. But then my first rule of recipes is Double The Garlic, and my second rule is Add Some More. Your policy may differ, and I stress that this was a delicious sandwich, one of which Philadelphia should be proud.

And it only cost $12, plus something for the benefactors of humanity who made the sandwich, and also the mayor’s usual take.

Even at that hour, there were no free tables in the limited dining area, so Nancy and I joined a solo diner who was in town from Panama City, Florida. He used to live in Cleveland, as do many people in Florida, but was in town to see his son, a tech designer with Comcast, and to see Dave Chappelle’s show at the annual Roots Picnic. We talked a little about Hunt’s, and how hard it is to get good corned beef and pastrami in Panama City. He takes a bunch of Hershel’s corned beef and pastrami home whenever he visits Philadelphia. It was a good conversation, the perfect accompaniment to a great sandwich.

There are many other great pork sandwich places all over Philadelphia, but the Reading Terminal is a must-visit. DiNic’s is widely hailed as the best, and the consensus favorite to the extent that there can be a consensus about sandwiches. Barry also is high on their meatball subs. If you find yourself in Philadelphia, and there are so many reasons you should, make a point to have a roast pork sandwich at DiNic’s. It’s a bucket list sandwich.

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