Philadelphia Restaurant Has The Best Nachos In Pennsylvania
There are so many occasions applicable to eating a big serving of nachos. A ballgame, as an appetizer or simply just because. Eat This, Not That recently published the best nachos in every state, and a Philadelphia restaurant was recognized as Pennsylvania’s best.
The article details a glowing review of these nachos stating, “This is hands down the BEST nachos I’ve ever had. No chip is empty, and the chicken is so flavorful and juicy! The seasonings and ingredients are perfectly balanced to give an authentic Mexican taste to the nachos.” Nachos are tasty enough to be simplified into basic chips and cheese. Certain establishments choose to load them up with guacamole, salsa, meats, and local flavors. There are plenty of ways that establishments find to get creative with nachos.
In Eat This, Not That’s feature, they explain how they featured different nacho variations that often include food that was native to the state. In Philadelphia, however, these award-winning nachos come from a restaurant that also has a presence in New York City and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
El Vez
On S. 13th St. between Walnut and Sansom St. you will find El Vez, a popular Mexican restaurant that describes itself as “the embodiment of Mex-Eclectic spirit.” Furthermore, their flashy floor plan is filled with velvet booths to showcase their inspirations. Here you will find “unexpected interpretations of Mexican classics join traditional cooking on the expansive menu, complemented by a bar that boasts one of the biggest tequila selections — and the best margaritas — in the city,” El Vez states.
The Nachos
Three variations of nachos are available on both the lunch and dinner menus at El Vez. The Melted Manchego is your traditional dish of chips with melted manchego cheese and sweet onions. Then, there’s the Nacho Mama. This has the works piled on with queso mixto, black beans, salsa ranchera, sour cream, pickled red onion, and jalapeño. Lastly, you have the Macho Nachos, which is the Nacho Mama platter with a few additional choices of chicken or chorizo added in.
In addition, El Vez gives customers the choice of five different guacamoles that are freshly prepared. If the best nachos in Pennsylvania, unique guacamole, and world class margaritas did not fill you up, you then have long list of tacos, enchiladas and burritos to decide from.
There Are Now Over 90 Wahlburgers Locations
What started as one south shore, Massachusetts burger joint has now turned into a very popular chain. Mark Wahlberg is obviously most well-known for his entertainment career, but his restaurant business is also doing quite well. In fact, there are over 90 Wahlburgers locations now in the world.
Mark’s older brother, Paul, is a renowned chef. Along with brother Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on The Block, the trio opened their first “Walhburgers” restaurant in 2011. This restaurant, sporting an easily recognizable green logo, is in Hingham, Massachusetts in the Shipyard development. It sits along the harbor right across the street for Paul’s first endeavor in the area, a high-end Italian eatery called Alma Nova (named after his mother Alma).
Where It all Began… Hingham
The first official Wahlburger was met with much anticipation. With the brothers in town for the opening, along with many prominent Boston sports stars, like David Ortiz, the Hingham location was quite busy right away. Its location is essentially at the dock of the Boston commuter ferry so it also became a tourist attraction as it was easy to get to for those in the city.
The interior of the first Wahlburgers is a style now replicated across many others. The walls are plastered with billboard-style images of Mark’s movies, Donnie’s performances, and the A&E show promo shots.
Menu
A traditional burger is the mainstay of the menu. However, there is no shortage of creative options to add to it. Mark, Paul, and Donnie note their favorites on the menu. In addition, there are numerous options of fries, tots, and pickles to go along with it. If burgers are not your thing, you can choose between chicken sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, mac and cheese or chili. Finally, all of this can be washed down with a shake.
Reality Show
In 2014, the A&E network created a reality show about Wahlburgers. It aired for ten seasons. Though the show centered around a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant and its development, Paul, Donnie, and Mark also made appearances on the program. The show brought you inside the passionate conversations about the restaurant’s growth. Furthermore, it showcased Alma, the family’s breakout star.
Later that year, the franchise model began with Walhbergers Toronto opening. One by one, new Walhbergers locations were opening across the country. Next, in 2018, the Wahlberg’s partnered with Hy-Vee, which would open over 25 locations in the Midwest.
Going Global
The burger doesn’t stop there. In addition to Canada, there are now four Wahlburgers in Australia, and one in Auckland, New Zealand in addition to two in Toronto. Other notable spots include within the Walhlberg’s hometown of Dorchester, MA, around the corner from Fenway Park, and a spot on Hollywood Boulevard.
Bring It Home?
Wahlburgers at Home offers selections of their premium meats, sauces and pickles available at grocery stores across the country. There’s a rolling Walhburgers food truck. Lastly, there are surprise new items like the Government Cheese Fondue set, and specialties announced numerous times per year. Paul often explains the inspiration behind the items, and some of them are available to order. For example, the Chorizo Jam Burger.
Wahlburgers is still growing. The newest locations include recent openings in Las Vegas, NV and Quincy, IL. To find the Wahlburgers nearest you, visit: Wahlburgers.com
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.