Fresh mozzarella is one of those foods that tells you a lot about a deli. When a shop makes it well, the rest of the counter usually follows, from the cold cuts to the bread to the hoagies.
Pennsylvania has a long Italian food tradition, and some of the best mozzarella in the state comes from small shops on busy city streets and suburban roads. From the Italian Market in South Philly to the Strip District in Pittsburgh and the Lehigh Valley in between, these seven delis give you a very good reason to bring a cooler on your next trip.
Some are famous, some are neighborhood fixtures, and all of them take their cheese seriously. Pick one, grab a ball of mozzarella, and plan the rest of your meal around it.
1. Claudio’s Specialty Foods, Philadelphia, PA
South 9th Street has plenty of storefronts, but Claudio’s is the one that still looks and acts like old-school South Philly. It sits at 924 S 9th St in the heart of the Italian Market…