Cheap Eats in South Philly

“South Philly el Corazon de los Mexicanos”. Veracruzana has been open for about five years, and is known as one of the best Mexican restaurants in Philadelphia. They’ve got breakfast, lunch, dinner and desert, as well as a variety of Mexican sodas. Specials of the house include Jaliciense Style Shrimp, made with Tequila, jalapenos, tomatoes, rice and refried beans as well as fantastically overstuffed burritos. I practically live off of the chicken tacos in the summer, and the Al Pastor (pork and pineapple) are not to be missed. There’s always weekend specials, too, and it’s BYO.

Vegetarian options: yes

Pho is Vietnamese noodle soup, and it contains a seemingly endless variety of ingredients. Pho at its most basic is simply beef stew, but a more adventurous diner can get meatballs, seafood, or even tripe. There’s also a ton of rice based dishes, and cold noodles served with grilled chicken or pork.
The staff at Pho Hoa are friendly, and you won’t have to wait very long for your food.
Plain old chicken pho is a staple in my winter diet. For about 5 bucks, one can get a giant bowl of hot, filling soup complete with all the fixings – bean sprouts, jalapenos, basil and lime. Load your soup up with Sarache (rooster sauce) and you’ve got yourself a handy hangover cure. It’s a healthy alternative to that cheeseburger that you were going to have instead. They’ve also got take-out if you’re in a hurry.

Vegetarian options: No

The first thing you’ll probably think when you walk the Passyunk Market is, “Hmm, this is kind of a weird place.” It’s located in an intersection between ACME and CVS, and all of the signs are hand-painted, somewhat poorly.
Do not be deterred. They have $2.99 hoagies. $2.99! That includes a choice of meat, cheese, and all the fixings, served on great bread. Add a bag of chips for 25 cents, and a can of soda for 50, and you’ve got lunch my friend.
I’ve never tried to see if any their other food is any good, but they do have a pickle bucket.

Vegetarian options: Yes