FYI Philly visits San Lucas Pizza, Johnny's Pizza and Mango Hut
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Ducis Rodgers and Alicia Vitarelli sample some of the best pizza spots in the region. Plus, summer treats and retreats.
San Lucas Pizzeria named one of the best pizza spots in nation
Inside a tiny corner shop deep in South Philadelphia, Valentin Palillero and his wife, Eva Mendez, are making Italian pies topped with traditional Mexican flavors.
It started with the Pizza Al Pastor when Valentin and Eva first opened San Lucas Pizzeria in 2005.
To convince customers, he started including a sample slice with every order.
Nineteen years later, it's one of his top sellers along, with the Carnitas with pork, guajillo sauce and mozzarella cheese, and the pizza Mexicana with avocado, beans and chorizo.
San Lucas Pizzeria is named for the tiny town Valentin came from in Puebla, Mexico.
He moved to the US when he was 15 to earn money to send back to his family.
He settled first in Brooklyn then came to Philadelphia 27 years ago.
It was here he started working in restaurants, getting his start as a very ambitious, eager-to-learn dishwasher.
His hard work paid off and the manager soon moved him to the kitchen where he spent nine years learning the ropes of the restaurant industry and recipes.
In 2005, he decided he wanted to be 'a boss' and opened San Lucas Pizzeria.
He and his wife make most everything in-house and offer lots of Mexican street food favorites, like tacos, burritos and tortas, along with nearly 20 varieties of pizza.
From a teenager coming to this country knowing virtually no English, Valentin is now the proud owner of a pizza shop that The New York Times calls one of the top 22 in the nation.
"I feel like a superstar now," Valentin says.
San Lucas Pizzeria |Facebook |Instagram
2000 S. Bouvier Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19145
215-607-7870
Johnny's Pizza packs big flavors into small shop on the Main Line
When Ducis Rogers tried Johnny's Pizza's pepperoni pizza with hot honey and fresh mozzarella, he said it was one of the best pizzas he had ever tasted.
Owner John Bisceglie bought the pizza shop just over a year ago from the previous owners when they closed after 37 years.
He changed to his own methods and menus, and has since won a Best of the Main Line award for his classic cheesesteak, and his pizzas now claim fans like Howie Roseman.
He says it all comes down to the highest quality ingredients, and cooking techniques.
Almost every person working at the shop is related to Bisceglie, and he continues to earn repeat customers.
Johnny's Pizza Bryn Mawr | Instagram
1025 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
610-525-4811
hours 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Mondays
Mango Hut Sorbet started by mom with a mission
When Reason Ali found out her young son Kai was born with sickle cell disease, she started making all-natural sweet treats for him at home.
After friends and family enjoyed the fresh fruit sorbets so much, she decided to start a summer side hustle called Mango Hut Sorbet.
The hairdresser-turned-solopreneur hopes to raise awareness of the disease through her business.
She hires out her mobile cart for private events, and recently expanded to selling at the Art Museum steps and the Philadelphia Zoo.
The sorbets come in cups and floats and are made from fruit only.
Weckerly's, Fishtown's beloved ice cream shop, gets new owner
Cristina Torres became the new owner of Weckerly's on January 6 of this year, taking over the beloved spot frrom longtime owners Andy and Jenn Satinsky.
After the couple posted they were closing on Instagram, it sparked Torres' interest to run the business.
She says she simply reached out to the couple and with her experience in accounting and consulting and was picked to keep the Weckerly's legacy going.
You'll be able to get scoops of all their most popular flavors and famously known ice cream sandwiches.
Since Torres has been the new owner, she has added six new flavors, catered Jason Kelce's charity event, and plans to create new flavors for the fall.
Weckerly's now sells their ice cream nationally and can also be purchased on the Weckerly's website.
Torres looks forward to revamping the space soon and enjoying the new ownership of Fishtown's favorite ice cream shop.
Website| Instagram| Facebook
9 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Little Walter's puts Polish food on a pedestal
Little Walter's is bringing an upscale Polish dining experience to East Kensington.
Chef and owner Michael Brenfleck is handrolling pierogies, making kielbasa and crafting just about everything on the menu at the restaurant.
The slogan is 'everything but the mustard' as the team found a Pennsylvania-based Polish mustard producer that was a perfect fit.
Everything else is made in-house on the custom woodfired oven that features a smoker, a plancha, a rotisserie and a grill.
The menu features the Polish name for all the items with an English description, offering guests an opportunity to be immersed in the Polish atmosphere.
New White Dog Café serves farm-to-table food in historic building
The new restaurant White Dog Café Chester Springs is bringing the brands familiar farm-to-table menu to Exton in a historic building.
This is the fifth White Dog Café in the area.
The newest addition is housed in the historic home of John Vicker, which dates back to the early 1800s.
Inside the space features typical White Dog décor, including paintings of local dogs, but it also accentuates the building's background.
There are seven inside spaces for dining, each with its own theme.
The original home is featured in two of the dining rooms.
That's where you will find the space that led to the underground railroad.
The menu utilizes local resources for food and drinks and there is an outdoor patio amongst the beautiful landscape for dining.
White Dog Café Chester Springs | Facebook | Instagram
181 Gordon Drive, Exton, PA 19341
The Swiftwater is the Pocono Mountains' newest luxury retreat
Nestled in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, The Swiftwater, a new luxury destination in the Pocono Mountains, has officially opened its doors.
The resort offers guests an unparalleled luxury experience.
Visitors are greeted by elegant art installations, a striking 10-foot chandelier, and an ambiance that exudes luxury.
The hotel offers a variety of accommodations, from private plunge pool suites to a concierge level with upgraded amenities and exclusive lounge access.
Every detail, from the custom mattresses to the high-end finishes, has been crafted to ensure comfort and style.
The Swiftwater also embraces its local community, featuring products from small businesses and art by local artists.
Guests can enjoy gourmet dining at The Olivette or unwind in the heated swim-in swim-out pool, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Poconos.
Book your stay today and experience the best of the Poconos.
'Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters' on view through Sept. 8
'Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes' features iconic works from the second-floor galleries.
The exhibition was co-curated by Cindy Kang and Corrinne Chong.
"See these paintings in a new light," says Kang.
'The Music Lesson' by Matisse is one of the highlights of the exhibition.
"And this exhibition presents an incredible opportunity to see them in a totally new setting and see new juxtapositions," says Kang.
There are 34 works on display, all from the Barnes' collection.
"Dr. Barnes collected Matisse and Renoir's work voraciously over four decades," says Kang.
She says the work on display spans Renoir's work from the 1880s, all the way through Matisse's late work from the 1940s.
The exhibition explores the artists' creative development and their connection to each other.
"This friendship of Matisse and Renoir," says Kang.
With a nearly 30-year age gap between them, Renoir mentored Matisse near the end of his life.
"It was just this period from 1917 to 1919," says Kang. "Matisse was coming up as a young artist in the early 20th century and he greatly admired Renoir, was collecting his work."
The exhibition will take visitors on a trip through European modernism.
Chong says the exhibition opens with "a cross-section of all the genres, such as portraiture and landscape, which Renoir had engaged with."
Renoir, an Impressionist, captured moments of modern daily life.
Chong says iconic Renoir pieces on view include, 'Leaving the Conservatory,' 'Mussel-Fishers' and 'Promenade.'
"The physical, tangible connection between the two is the 'Promenade,' which is a work that hung in Renoir's home when Matisse would visit," says Kang. "So a work that Matisse actually visited and studied in Renoir's company."
Renoir paved the way for Matisse's Fauve work in the early 20th century.
"This new style where he painted in incredibly bold, vibrant, non-naturalistic colors, and played with different proportions of space and perspective," says Kang.
Matisse's works on view include, 'The Joy of Life' and 'Red Madras Headdress.'
"We hope that visitors will be able to see how much Matisse did learn from Renoir," says Kang. "How important Renoir was to modern European art."
'Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes' is on view through September 8 at the Barnes Foundation.
'Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters' | Tickets
Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130
