Pub & Kitchen

closing in on my philly top 10

Finding a fellow burger freak in the wild is such a thrill. Pretty much everyone likes burgers (that’s why I started this whole thing) but coming across someone who has their own ranking system, specific loves and hates when it comes to buns and toppings and can rattle off their top 10 is something special. I came across someone on TikTok a few weeks back who’s been eating her way through the burgers of Philadelphia. I reached out to Nicki to meet up at a spot on both of our to-try lists and landed on Pub & Kitchen.

@nickislaneCan’t stop thinking about Fountain Porter’s $6 burger it’s a classic #phillyfood #philly #burger #fyp

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Pub & Kitchen, on the border of Rittenhouse and Graduate Hospital (pLEASE correct me if I am wrong, thank you), is an airy, wood-trimmed gastropub which was perfectly cozy for a walkable spring day.

We both got a glass of buzzer beater Happy Hour white wine and burgers, mine without cheese and hers with Cooper Sharp (cheesesteak teas). Our burgers were $21 and came with a large side of fries, not too bad on the price per bite. The rest of the burger specs: double smash patty, shredded lettuce, dill chips and a classic little burger sauce all on a snowflake roll.

spongebob big bun pants ok

Nicki and I had both never heard of this kind of bread, and both of us honestly thought it was ciabatta. In a vacuum, the roll was great and would go crazy with some salted butter but I don’t think it’s a match for a burger, especially given the patties. While I was impressed with the thin patties at a.kitchen that were cooked to temperature and stayed juicy, the P&K double smash was on the dryer side and browned all the way through. The combined textural deficiencies between those two main components made eating this a little bit of a chore.

a.kitchen+bar

I think the shredduce, sauce and pickles brought life and flavor back to the burger. I’ve grown fond of a shredduce, especially when it’s able to stay in its assigned seat and not just coat the plate with each bite. Nicki got a side of aioli with her fries since they were out of ranch and she hates ketchup (we listen and we don’t judge) and that sauce alongside the burger sauce added back some great moisture and tang.

I think it’s awesome that they have a happy hour special inclusive of their burger - a single patty version it plus a lager runs you $15, but I’m curious how their already-imposing snowflake roll would fare against 50% of the meat.

Since I’m not at a full 10 burgers tried I won’t be hitting you with the ranking quite yet, but that’ll change by the end of May. In the meantime, give Nicki a follow and see if she’ll be able to find the milkshake+burger combo she’s been chasing since she moved from LA.