The search for the best roast pork in Philly

Another day, another "top" list.

Serious Eats explores the roast pork sandwich, which many cheesesteak-weary Philadelphians acknowledge is truly the Philadelphia sandwich nowadays.

Serious Eats' Niki Achitoff-Gray contends that roast pork sandwiches "have a lot more flavor agents working in their favor" than cheesesteaks do.

"There's the roll, typically encrusted in nutty sesame seeds and saturated with a generous ladleful of meaty pork juices," she writes. "There's the gooey tang of melted sharp provolone and, under ideal circumstances, the pleasantly bitter bite of broccoli rabe. And that's not counting the roast pork itself, or the myriad optional condiments like long hots that you can slap on top."

Achitoff-Gray praised six of the 14 shops whose wares she sampled - all but one "regulars" on the Philly better-sandwich circuit; alas, she does not identify the eight she ignored.

For a Brooklynite, she did a pretty good job, all told, though she once described one sandwich as a "hoagie."

Three of the shops serve the classic version: John's Roast Pork in South Philly, DiNic's at Reading Terminal Market, and Campo's Deli in Old City.

The others seem to rate categories of their own.   

High Street on Market in Old City was cited for its "cheffy" sandwich, which is built on a house-made roll filled with kimchi-style fermented broccoli rabe, with brine-cured pork and what Achitoff-Gray calls "some pretty stellar aged sharp provolone." Yeah, it's $12.

Paesano's in the Italian Market gets noticed for its pulled-pork Arista sandwich, topped with broccoli rabe, Italian long hots, and extra-sharp provolone. (And as an aside, dear reader: Paesano's is expanding its Northern Liberties location by moving it next door.)

The only "surprise" on Achitoff-Gray's list was George's at Ninth and Christian Streets in the Italian Market. She grooves on the "big, melting chunks of roasted pork shoulder that's been left to marinate in its own fatty juices."

Since we're talking favorites here, I'll supplement her list with two sandwiches from the city's growing roster of rotisserie shops.

I'd bet 80 percent of the customers come into Rotisseur (102 S. 21st St.) and the new Petit Roti (248 S. 11th St.) for spit-roasted chicken, which is delicious. But these guys also do a mean, all-natural pork.

Rotisseur's sandwich has a Korean leaning to it; the "bo ssam" (not to be confused with By Saam, if you're an old Phillies fan) stuffs pork belly, pickled pineapple, Dijon slaw, cilantro, greens and jalapeno on a crusty roll ($9). Rotisseur calls it a banh mi, but I generally associate banh mi with barbecue pork - not this level of juiciness.

Petit Roti's is French, all the way. It's built around thin-sliced heirloom pork ($8.50) and is served on a life-altering baguette. To make it more Philly style, get sharp provolone for an additional $1.50. Alas, no greens in sight. But there's Dijon mustard.

The Serious Eats story is here.