Philadelphia
Di Bruno Bros built the modern Philly specialty food retail; the Italian Market tradition runs centuries deep. Philadelphia is underrated nationally but locally serious about cheese.
Positioning
Philadelphia's cheese culture is anchored by Di Bruno Bros — founded 1939 in the Italian Market, now multiple locations including Rittenhouse Square + Comcast Center + Italian Market. The shop's combination of Italian-American heritage with serious European + American curation makes it the regional standard. The broader Italian Market on South 9th Street provides the historical and cultural context; Reading Terminal Market downtown adds another concentrated retail node. Philadelphia is editorially underrated in national conversations but serves as the regional cheese capital for the Mid-Atlantic.
Cheese culture history
The Italian Market on South 9th Street is one of America's oldest continuously-operating outdoor markets — established by Italian immigrants in the late 19th century, still functioning today though significantly transformed. Di Bruno Bros (founded 1939 by Italian-immigrant brothers) grew from one of those market stalls into the modern specialty food empire. The cheese expertise at Di Bruno's deepened in the 1990s-2000s as the third generation expanded beyond Italian focus into broader European + American curation.
Key neighborhoods
- Italian Market (South 9th Street) — Di Bruno Bros original location, plus broader Italian-American food retail
- Rittenhouse Square — Di Bruno Bros Center City location, the upscale neighborhood's cheese gravity
- Reading Terminal Market — downtown, multiple cheese vendors plus Amish/PA Dutch dairy producers
- Fishtown — newer wave of food retail + Wm Mulherin's Sons restaurant cheese program
- University City — Trader Joe's + Whole Foods + smaller specialty shops
Specialty shops
- Di Bruno Bros — multiple locations (Rittenhouse + Italian Market + Comcast Center + Ardmore); the regional standard
- Talluto's — Italian Market, since 1967; Italian-focused with deep selection
- Claudio Specialty Foods — Italian Market; Italian-American institution
- Reading Terminal Market — multiple cheese stalls including Amish dairy producers
- iGourmet — based in West Pittston PA (north of Philly); online but Philadelphia-area shipping advantage
Restaurants & markets
- Di Bruno Bros cheese-bar (Rittenhouse) — adjacent to retail, serves the inventory
- Vetri — Italian, Spruce Street; strong cheese course
- Zahav — Old City; Middle Eastern with notable cheese plate
- Reading Terminal Market lunch + cheese shopping combo
Travel access
Best seasons
September-December (alpine arrivals + holiday) is peak. April-July is secondary peak. The Italian Market is open year-round but most lively on Saturdays.
Avoid these pitfalls
- The Italian Market is not the tourist Reading Terminal Market — it's a working neighborhood retail district; behave accordingly
- Di Bruno Bros pre-pandemic was famous for samples and conversation; counter service times have lengthened — plan extra time on weekend
- iGourmet is online; if you visit Philly, prioritize physical retail