An Amazing Chicken Cheese Steak
Tierra Verde, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Sports Bar, Sandwiches
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: December 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Phila Deli Zomato rating:
Phila Deli is home to the authentic Philly cheesesteaks outside of Philadelphia and a place that would make Pats King of Steaks proud. In addition, they have sandwiches, Italian sausages, hoagies, salads, and an array of breakfast menu options. Open and owned by a snowbird resident named Matthew after being unsuccessful in finding an authentic Philadelphia style delicatessen he decided to open his own and name it Phila Deli. Google has them listed as a wine store, though they are so much more. Yes, they sell wines, but they also have a full-service bar, dining room, and fantastic sandwich menu that includes their cheesesteaks, one, in particular, that was amazing.
Phila Deli Menu:
- Appetizers
- Soups and Salads
- Cheese Steaks and More
- Breakfast Sandwiches
- Eggs and Omelets
- Pancakes and Such
- Sides and Extras
- Desserts
My wife had come to Phila Deli several times, calling it a nice little lunch escape that is only known by a few locals. The restaurant is attached to a larger shopping center that includes real estate offices, small stores, and other restaurants such as a small French Bistro and a little store that my wife purchases organic soups from. Every time my wife made a visit to Phila Deli she had a favorite from the menu, a chicken cheese Philly steak where you could choose from an assorted roll, hoagie, bagel, or a wrap. The dish came with mushrooms, onions, peppers, jalapeños, hot cherry, or banana peppers served with chips or a choice of French fries, coleslaw or potato salad.
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| Phila Deli / Chicken cheesesteak wrap |
The first bite, followed by others after was like discovering peace and harmony in a world surrounded by noise and chaos. The noise went away with that first bite, as the textures of chicken with cheese and vegetables all came together in one. My wife had the sandwich in a wrap. The flavor was of natural chicken jus and a mild spice mixture that was the same great melt in your mouth feel from start to finish. Pats King of Steaks would be proud indeed and may want to look at adding this to their menu.
The ‘Brooklyn Skyscraper’ with potato salad was my sandwich of choice as it was my first visit, but the second visit two weeks later would be my wife's favorite chicken cheesesteak. Not to say that the ‘Brooklyn Skyscraper’ wasn’t a good sandwich, but when my wife gave me a bite of that chicken Philly wrap, I wanted to switch. My sandwich was a generous portion of corned beef and pastrami sandwich on rye bread topped with coleslaw and Russian dressing. It had good flavors from the dressing, but the corned beef did not have any pickling spiced flavors from home-made corned beef, which made me think that the meat was being ordered from a larger provider like Sysco or others. One positive part of the corned beef was that it did not have a strong sodium residue from the brining using the sodium nitrite, though the beef did have a nice pink color to it.
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| Phila Deli / Brooklyn Skyscraper |
From my two visits plus the many other time my wife would pay the deli a visit, it will be a place that we continue to come to and enjoy, and worth a little detour to Tierra Verde on your way to St. Pete Beach.
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Bar / Sandwich Shop articles and restaurants similar to Phila Deli:
To include pita’s and subs/finger sandwich buffets / grilled cheese / Artisan sammies and more…
A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein two or more pieces of bread serve as a container or wrapper for another food type. A sandwich shop, booth, food truck, or storefront specializes in this cuisine and additions such as salads and soups. English afternoon tea restaurants and hotels also serve finger sandwiches.
Anclote Brew Gourmet grilled cheese and a bar in Greek country, Tarpon Springs, Florida
Mount Nelson Afternoon Tea Banquet of pastries and sandwiches at the Belmond, in Cape Town, South Africa
Pat’s King of Steaks Home of the original cheesesteak in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bar
Captain Tony’s Saloon Old school pub and landmark from 1851 in Key West, Florida
Cave Dubai A French-style wine bar at the Conrad Hotel, Downtown Dubai, UAE
Lucky’s Lounge slick lounge with a cool retro vibe at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts
Reflections Bar and Grill American favorites in the Westin Hotel at the airport in Detroit, Michigan
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Tierra Verde, Bayway, and Pass-a-Grille restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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2nd review of this seafood restaurant
Tierra Verde
|
Beachside Victorian-Style seafood restaurant
Pass-a-Grille / St Pete Beach
|
2nd review of this Beachside joint offering casual American eats
Pass-a-Grille / St Pete Beach
|
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
|
American Grill with an Asian twist
Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
|
Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi
Key West, Florida, USA
|
Homey seafood eatery in a 1903 cottage
Dunedin, Florida USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Phila Deli a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Phila Deli
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Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
Food quality
|
11
|
8
|
3
|
Plate presentation
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Customer service
|
10
|
8
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
|
9
|
7
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2
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Total regular points awarded
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49
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39
|
10
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.795918367346939
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“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
|
0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.795918367346939
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
|
3
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
3 of 5 Stars:
80% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded All My Expectations in a Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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Phila Deli does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Phila Deli:
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American
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Low Carb Choices, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Phila Deli Experiences:
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Lounge, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Phila Deli has a public lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Phila Deli is a non-smoking restaurant with a non-smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Alcohol prices:
$10.00 USD
Phila Deli:
1120 Pinellas Bayway
106
Tierra Verde, Florida
33715
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727 202-6978
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Contact
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Mon-Sat
8:00 am - 9:00 pm
Sunday
8:00 am - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Phila Deli:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Fine Indian and Pakistani Cuisine at the Burj Khalifa
Armani Hotel, Dubai, UAE
|
Fine dining Italian classics
Niagara, Canada
|
Contemporary Japanese restaurant, sushi, & cocktail mixology
DIFC, Dubai, UAE
|
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
