A BRIEF STORY ABOUT SIMONETTA’S ITALIAN CAFÉ
“My, grandmother,
Rose Symia, is the creator of many of the recipes I serve my customers. She got
them from her parents who came here from a little village in Lebanon,” divulges
Philip Simonetta, the half-Lebanese, half-Italian owner of Simonetta’s on S. Broad
Street. As I watch him mix up a batch of hummus, the redolent mashed-chickpea spread
of the Mediterranean and Middle East region, I notice he leaves the recipe pages
right out in the open for my prying eyes to glimpse: chicken cutlets and stuffed
grape leaves. “Hey! Remember that episode of ‘Seinfeld’ where Elaine thrusts a fistful
of bisque and gumbo recipes into the Soup Nazi’s face?” I ask. “Forget about it!”
Phil assures me; “these are written in code.” Oh well.
As a young
teenager, Simonetta ran a fruit stand in the summer and put his energy to use. Later
on, his relatives tapped into his work ethic and he took positions at the various
family-owned bars and restaurants located in Easton, Pa.
“I thought
S. Broad Street was a good location for my concept of what I felt I could offer
the community.”
Simonetta
has taken four good ideas and fused them into a multi-functional café that is friendly,
homey and spotlessly clean. There is free wireless internet service, a gourmet coffee
bar, TV lounge and, of course, great food. In addition to the Lebanese fare, wraps,
cutlets, hoagies, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and pickle barrel, Simonetta’s
is also an ice-cream parlor featuring Breyer’s Ice Cream. Yummy! Oh, did I mention
the $4.99 foot-long hoagie that’s always available?
As a popular
after-school meeting place, Simonetta’s is the place to unwind. I see a gaggle of
giggling girls from the nearby Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School walk
in, take seats in the back, open up their books and start doing homework. They order
hoagies and cold drinks. “We love it here!” 13-year-old Iliana Taormina exclaims.
Her friends, sisters Robyn and Brooke Janitsch and Jenna Torres, all nod in agreement.
At the counter
stands a stunning blonde waiting for her order. “I was getting my nails done next
door and heard about this place from the shop,” says Deanna DiNardo. “I just moved
to South Philly from Center City to be closer to my daughter Breona, who goes to
Southern High.” And speaking of the angel, as I turn and look, in walks Breona with
three of her friends. “This place is great! I like the idea of it. The chicken cutlets
are the best!” declares pal Matt Pasca.
Philip Simonetta
has many good ideas. He has a fund-raising program where you can sell tickets for
hoagies and earn a dollar for every sale. He offers franchising opportunities for
entrepreneurs. And he believes in giving back. “I just hooked up with Bob Pantano
and I’m going to be doing some charity work for the police and fire and Variety
Club. I also plan on a starting a civic group to produce a Broad Street Festival.”
Since many
great works are often born on a street corner or emerge from a restaurant’s swinging
door, Simonetta’s will continue to impress with its quality and one-on-one family
service.
As seen in the South Philly Review
TUESDAY APRIL 1, 2008 - Stumbling across SIMONETTA’S ITALIAN HOAGIES located at
2510 South Broad Street, between Porter and Shunk Streets, was a well needed surprise.
If you are bored with the same routine of a sandwich shop or the typical restaurant
experience you need to visit SIMONETTA’S to become part of a new café revolution.
SIMONETTA’S is not just a typical restaurant. It is a revolution to the café industry.
At SIMONETTA’S you can choose from over 40 sandwich and wrap options, fresh salads,
unique homemade Mediterranean dishes, as well as a tasty serving of Ice Cream or
a Banana Split to hit the spot from ZECCA Ice Cream. You can have all of this while
bringing your laptop along to surf the web through the FREE Internet Connection
and FREE Fax Service that SIMONETTA’S offers their customers. With seating for about
thirty, SIMONETTA’S is a great place to stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee with a
few friends, or to hold your small private parties and events. You can also let
SIMONETTA’S cater your next event with a multitude of party trays to suit your needs.
One thing I am sure of is that you can not go wrong with SIMONETTA’S. They offer
only the fi nest DIETZ & WATSON’S MEATS, fresh roasted locally owned TORREO COFFEE,
and only use the freshest baked breads from CARANGI’S BAKERY located just around
the corner from their store. Be sure to stop by SIMONETTA’S and meet the wonderful
and friendly employees who cater to your every need. You can visit them online at
WWW.ILOVEHOAGIES.COM to view their menu, or simply call them for a delivery at 267-324-5758.