I-95 en route to new york and then back again?

[littlew1ng]

I'm sure many of you CHers have made this trip and we're planning to do so this weekend. Will be leaving early tomorrow afternoon for manhattan and returning saturday evening. We plan to stop for wings at the Jughandle Inn in New Jersey. Anything along this route that merits a stop?

[Delucacheesemonger]

Lee How Fook, take Callowhill exit in Center City Philadelphia, then left at 11th St., half mile off 95 and excellent Chinese, closed Monday, open 11 to 11

[MikeR]

I haven't been there for years, but Mastori's Diner somewhere around Ft. Dix used to be our regular stopping place. As expectred these days, they have a web presence

http://www.mastoris.com/

[FoiGras]

MikeR--I am so glad you mentioned Mastori's Diner. I could not recall the name when I intended to respond yesterday. I kept coming up with Matteo's (which is an Italian restaurant I used to frequent in Los Angeles).

Anyhow, I haven't been to Mastori's in about 7 years, but it is a massive place and a diner with well executed food choices/preparations. Not gourmet, mind you. Just huge portions of typical (and slightly above) diner-type food.

Another place where I haven't been in years, and wasn't my choice but my husband's, is the Charcoal Pit on Concord Pike in Wilmington, Delaware. The place was always jammed with people chowing down on burgers and hotdogs. FoiGras

[chowsearch]

second on charcoal pit, shakes and uberburgers, not far off 95

[dining with doc]

Buddys crabs and seafood, rising sun /Northeast exit go east for a couple of miles into Northeast and its is on the main stretch of road on your right

Italia: also exit 3 on NJ Turnpike. go south toward Philadelphia and it is on your left. Great Pizza, Philly cheesesteaks and pasta dishes etc. worth the stop

[Sop]

Doc, I believe you're talking about Woody's Crab House. Buddy's is the awful tourist trap in Naptown.

[dining with doc]

you are right. It is Woody's

[rcooperman]

De Lorenzo's Pizza - their new place now with bathrooms, excellent tomatoe pies, exit 8a on the Jersey Turnpike, call first as they have odd hours, 609 341 8480.

Santillo's Brick Oven Pizza - exit 13 (?), within 5 min of the exit to Staten Island, 639 South Broad Street, Elizabeth. Truly great Pizza in an interesting situation. It's literally behind their house.and you take it a Portugese bar aroud the corner for drinks.

Rutt's Hut - Route 3 on the banks of he scenic Passaic River, olde timey road food, been there for 50 + yrs

[Sop]

Cheesesteaks & footlongs at the Dog House, New Castle DE

[Warthog]

Alfred's Tomato Pie, Blackwood NJ about five miles southeast of NJT exit 3 on BlackHorse Pike (I think that's NJ RT 168) - literally get off the exit ramp and head away from Philly, no other turns necessary. Once you get about five miles, start looking for a traffic light at Church Street, and Alfred's is about 100 feet past the light on your left, across the street from a drug store (Ekard's, IIRC). The public library is just past Alfred's on your left, which is another navigational aid in case you miss Alfred's (it's a small place -you might miss it).

Really good New Haven style pizza, and if Alfred's there, it's like getting entertainment at no extra charge - he's quite a character.

If you go, tell Alfred that Kenny from Baltimore says hello!

[maoj]

We normally stop in Edison NJ for some deli: http://www.haroldsfamousdeli.com/

[lawhound]

I have only been there once but thought it was a full cut below the quality at a good NYC deli. Huge portions, B- quality.

[maoj]

Ah, but the pickle bar .... Plus any of this is significantly better than one can get here. (Pastrami and corned beef wise). When we have gone I would probably give it a B+.

[HowChowBlog]

Really? I love Harolds as a rest stop, and I naturally compare it to the deli that I can buy around here. That corned beef is so delicious. Is there anywhere else you recommend to stop for sandwiches on a drive to NYC? I'll detour a while for a place *better* than Harolds.

[maoj]

There is not one that I know of until you actually hit NYC. My in-laws drive down from Paramus when they want deli and do not want to go into the city. Katz's has the best Pastrami, but we actually prefer Harold's Corned Beef to Katz's, hmmm ... my family's favorite place actually closed corned beef wise, so I am not sure what to recommend for that, I would stick with Harold's unless lawhound can help you.

[lawhound]

Sorry, no ideas here. I have friends who like Harolds, so I really wanted to like it, but just wasn't impressed.

The pickle bar is nice, though.

[mnadel]

Yes, but it requires a detour into Philadelphia. Koch's Deli at 43rd and Locust Streets, just west of the University of Pennsylvania campus. Jewish deli that holds its own against anything in New York.

[HowChowBlog]

Wow. Is there still a Koch brother there? I seem to remember that one of them died years ago. I'm laughing that you answered my question with Koch's because I lived at 41st and Locust years ago. Those sandwiches were outside my normal budget then.