There’s something about a steaming bowl of matzo ball soup that feels like a warm hug from the universe, and at Hershel’s East Side Deli in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that hug comes with a side of nostalgia and enough delicious food to make your cardiologist nervously update their contact information.
This isn’t just any deli tucked away in the Keystone State – it’s a temple of traditional Jewish delicatessen fare that has locals and visitors alike forming lines that would make amusement park attendants jealous.
When you first walk into Hershel’s, your senses are immediately assaulted – in the best possible way – by the intoxicating aromas of slow-cooked brisket, freshly sliced pastrami, and that legendary matzo ball soup that could probably cure everything from the common cold to existential dread.
The space itself feels like a time capsule of classic deli culture, with its bustling counter service, open kitchen, and no-nonsense approach to feeding hungry Pennsylvanians…