Guide To The Junk Food Tour
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) –- Philadelphia sightseeing tours want you to bring your eyes, and ears to catch the sights and sounds of the city. However, one new tour wants you to bring your empty stomachs.
The Junk Food Tour was founded by Jeff Gaynor. Gaynor said he looked at other city tours and thought he could come up with something better.
"You're down at either Independence Square, you're on Arch Street, but you really don't see the city. You don't get out to Manayunk. Nobody goes through the Drexel, Penn, and the huge Children's Hospital. They don't go down to the sports complex, nobody does that," Gaynor said. "So, I said let's combine the best of Philadelphia. Celebrate Philadelphia and also, while on the bus, go see all of the landmark locations and get their famous junk food."
It is not the type of junk food that you would normally think of. Gaynor said you won't just get peanuts, candy, or hot dogs.
Jeff and Vince from The Junk Food Tour talk to KYW's Tim Jimenez
Podcast
"It's succulent pork, sausages, spinach, broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone. It's not just hoagies and cheesesteaks. So, we put it together and decided to call it 'The Junk Food Tour,'" Gaynor said. "We could have called it the great food tour, but 'junk food' has the hook."
It is a five-hour tour on a coach bus that takes you all across the city. Everywhere from the zoo to University City, Boathouse Row, the Art Museum, Passyunk Avenue, Fairmount Park and much more. In between those historical and culturally significant stops, you get food from where the natives love to eat.
"For example; the first (food stop), Marchiano's. The egg and bacon, their spinach and cheese, and the other one is pepperoni and cheese (sandwiches). They're up in Manayunk and they're really nice people. Shank's; now they have two locations but we go to the one down by the river. To sit there and see the river while you eat their great food is fantastic! Other places (include) Paesano's. Also, Pop's Water Ice (which has been around) since 1932," Gaynor said.
Other food stops include Celebre's Pizza, right next to Chickie's and Pete's on Packer Avenue, and Campos at 2nd and Market in Old City.
Before making each food stop, you will actually order your items on the bus from your tour host. So, when you arrive, you'll be ready to chow down. Gaynor cites a South Street cheesesteak icon as an example.
"If you get to Jim's, which is on our route, normally you'd stand for an hour outside on occasion. With us, you pull up, everything's ready. You can either eat in or walk with your new best friends along South Street. Italian market same thing."
Gaynor wants you go get closely acquainted with those also taking the tour and said food is a great way to bring people together.
Drinks are provided and you don't just get samples at each food stop either. You get full portions of your chicken cutlet sandwich, your cheesesteak or whatever delicious treat you eat.
Full yet? You will have to find more room according to Vince, President of The Junkfood Tour.
"They're going to be getting pretzels and Tastykakes to take with them. It's going to be the new best thing in Philadelphia," Vince said of the tour.
If you can't finish all of your food, tote bags are provided for your leftovers. If it rains, no worries, you'll get a poncho. The tour costs $125 for adults over 18, $115 for those under 18 and over 62.
For more information or to make reservations check out Thejunkfoodtour.com
Reported by Tim Jimenez, KYW Newsradio
