Finding Flavors Far From Home
Iconic Philly institution with enough lights to draw tourists from space (there’s another famous one right behind!)
Hugo, one of the Exchange at Penn Correspondents, shares his experience here at Penn during the Spring 2025 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.
To an uninformed observer, American food often gets reduced into caricaturistic forms: greasy, oversized portions served with a bottomless soda or a perpetually simmering cup of diner coffee. But as with all stereotypes, it barely scratches the surface of the real picture.
As someone with a deep love for food, diving into the culinary fabric of a new country is often high up on my travel goals. And doubly so for my study abroad in Philadelphia, where I have months to trawl through endless guides, Reddit threads and websites as well as to carefully place myself in the shoes of each region as I explore. From coast to coast, city to city, and especially within the vibrant food scene of Philadelphia, I’ve found myself constantly surprised—and often delighted—by the tastes, textures and traditions on offer throughout all the cities I’ve crossed paths with.
From late-night diners to In-N-Out burgers savored on the West Coast, food has been an unexpected yet delightful companion in my journey across the States. Wandering through Chinatown stirred a beautiful kind of nostalgia— flavors, smells, and a bit of chaos that brought me right back to Asia. And then there was the Caribbean and Mexican food I tasted during my travels, spectacularly flavorful – certainly an absolute rarity in Australia where the immigrant landscape brings a different cultural mix to the table.
And this is not forgetting all the seafood I’ve had – blue crabs in Maryland, buttery lobster rolls in New England, and of course the classic clam chowder (or should I say “lobstah” and “clam chowdah” – one thing I can definitely bond with New Englanders over!). Coming from a Cantonese food culture, lobsters and crabs are certainly prepared rather differently – the fare on the East Coast were eye-opening, and absolutely delicious in their own right.
Philly truly has an aggressively local food identity, replete with practically legendary institutions, and much much more. Few dishes inspire such debate as the cheesesteak—sparking online debates and drawing in food pilgrims to South Philly, Reading Terminal Market, and beyond. From its supposed origin at Pat’s, evolving into an iconic rivalry with Geno’s literally right across the street, trying all these places sure has been an experience. (a fun 40-minute wait at Angelo’s Pizzeria – worth it though!) And before I arrived in Philly, I’d never heard of Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, nor could I tell you what a hoagie was, or how a soft pretzel was supposed to taste. But once you try them all out, you’ll feel just thaaaat much closer to the city.
And to address the stereotype I started off with:
Admittedly, campus dining halls aren’t going to pop up on a Michelin guide anytime soon—but there’s a strange, primal satisfaction in the sheer abundance of all-you-can-eat dining halls. Or maybe I’ve just developed terrible eating habits… we’ll have to see. And the sheer convenience and variety of all the fast- food chains. Midnight hunger pangs no longer require settling for a sloppily slapped together McDonald’s burger—now there’s a world of questionable burgers to eat.
And with that many chains, there’s just this much more room for debate between the fanatics and connoisseurs of each chain. (for what it’s worth, I have had some solid food and drink recommendations)
In the end, food is much more than just sustenance and studying abroad has been one of the best ways to scratch the surface of an incredibly diverse food culture. Food connects us in unfathomable ways – a source of unity, an inciter of online debates, the progenitor of regional rivalries. Sometimes the price tag may make me cry, especially when my home currency is limping along at 60 cents to the dollar, and I conveniently forget that the tax and tip is not included. But to me, food in this country has an incredible power to bring me anywhere, even to the comforting feeling of home.