Fiore

Philadelphians love tomato pie and sandwiches. This is an established fact, like gravity itself or airlines playing piñata with your checked bag. So, by the transitive property, we also love Fiore, an Italian cafe that moved from Queen Village to Kensington. Although they close at 3pm, Fiore's menu is exciting and varied enough to warrant multiple visits in one week. 

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

It’s always packed, so you’ll see strangers sharing a wooden two-seater and singing along to oldies like they’ve known each other for years. Someone might be using the counter as a makeshift desk as they craft an email between bites of a pillowy chai sugar donut. Outside of being an intimate, relaxing place where you have to call dibs as soon as anyone moves an inch in their chair, it’s one of our favorite bakeries and places to grab breakfast or lunch in the city. Like Dolly Parton with hairspray, the chefs at Fiore are creating masterpieces with dough. The large, airy brioche keeps all the cheesy, caramelized onion goodness in place through each bite of the BEC. We think about every pastry, from the sweet cream-filled balloon-like bomboloni to the beautifully laminated almond cornetti more than weekend plans on Mondays. Come by for a bubbly tomato pie and walk out with ricotta gnudi for later or a crispy fried chicken sandwich that's so thick, it looks like it never missed chest day at the gym.   

Food Rundown

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Hot Chocolate

We always wondered what it was like for Augustus Gloop to fall into a river of chocolate in Wonka’s factory. And after one sip of this hot chocolate, we know. It’s like s a warm bath of liquid fudge, but somehow it’s not overly sweet. It’s topped with a light, homemade marshmallow.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Pastries

Whether you grab a coconut bombolini, chocolate almond cornetti, or fiocchi di neve with freshly fallen snow-like powdered sugar, you’ll feel driven to show them off to anybody passing by on the street. They’re all worth picking up before brunch at your friend’s place or any day you just need to treat yourself.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Tomato Pie

Unlike most tomato pies, which seem to be covered in a lotion of red sauce that never gets rubbed in, this sweet basil sauce is baked into the thick crust here. Charred mounds and airy pockets give each bite a little smokiness.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

BEC

This isn’t a typical bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with multiple layers. They essentially make an omelet out of soft scrambled eggs, bits of bacon, and small cubes of caramelized onions and fold it all on a large brioche bun. It’s buttery, has a slice of melted cheddar cheese, and can keep you full for most of the day. So you’re essentially paying $12 for breakfast and lunch.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Chicken Sandwich

Calabrian chili oil drips out after each bite of this super crispy chicken sandwich. In combination with the house pickles, dill, and sesame seed milk bun, it’s nicely balanced between coolness and spice. There’s a great crunch to the whole thing, and every element—from the slightly salty pickles to the herbs—works in harmony. Order it.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Ricotta Gnudi

These ricotta dumpling-like mounds are the only pasta option on the menu. You’ll get a plate of six soft balls that are lighter, chewier, denser, and more delicious than any gnocchi that has ever made you do a double take.