PHLReview
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
Farina Di Vita
Included In
When you walk into Farina Di Vita, you'll find loud, husky men delivering impassioned speeches about roll consistency while slicing meats and making fun of their regulars who return a little too regularly. And as people who have been to our fair share (read: an absurd amount) of sandwich shops, we know that's a sure sign it's gonna be good.
And Farina Di Vita is more than good—it's all that and several bags of chips.
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
The takeout-only Queen Village shop, a warm and friendly bastion of South Philly’s favorite handheld, makes some of the city’s best hoagies and cutlet sandwiches. The Phillies hat-wearing owner is obsessed with ingredients: Carangi’s or Sarcone’s, never Liscio’s; chicken cutlets and butchered meats only from Ferrantes; and 24-month aged Parma prosciutto or bust. But he’s just as focused on greeting everyone who pops in, proudly showing off his sandwich special of the week like a Barker’s Beauty showcasing a blender.
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
As for the permanent menu, of course there’s a fantastic Italian, but it’s the Papale Special, stacked with pepper turkey, creamy Cooper Sharp, and olive oil, that’s the surprisingly simple standout (and you can doctor them all as you see fit). There’s not a bad cutlet sandwich in the house, but The Damien, packed with hot soppressata, pepper shooters, and cayenne, is a strong contender for the best sandwich on this side of Broad. It sounds like a ticket straight to heartburn town, but the crispy chicken and cool, creamy mozzarella balance the smoky heat.
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
Walk-ins from the neighborhood tend to huddle around the wall of Philly paraphernalia while they wait for their sandwiches. But calling ahead to order (especially on the weekends) is your best bet—they are frequently sold out of cutlets by noon thanks to regulars who pick up 20 at a time (yes, really). For large groups, Farina offers a more extensive catering menu with things like homemade crab ravioli and eggplant rollatini, and they do collabs with other restaurants and pop ups that showcase more nuanced, sophisticated fare. It’s not exactly what you think of when you think of a corner deli. It’s way, way better.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
The Papale Special
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
The Italian
photo credit: Gab Bonghi
The Bronco Cutlet
photo credit: Gab Bonghi