From cheesesteaks to pretzels, a guide to Philly eats in Jacksonville in time for the Super Bowl

Youse guys may recognize this article from the fall when the Philadelphia Phillies made a World Series appearance. Well, it's a good year for Philadelphia sports: the Philadelphia Eagles are in the Super Bowl — again.

Any Pennsylvania — but specifically Philadelphia — or New Jersey transplants in Jacksonville are probably missing the sense of community that comes with having a big sports win. From using teamwork to climb greased poles to chanting in the streets and dumping beer on absolutely every passerby, Philadelphians celebrate sports on a different level. And with their second Super Bowl appearance in just five years, Eagles fans might be feeling a little homesick right now.

I have often referred to Jacksonville as the Philadelphia of the South. Both have long names. Both should be the capitals for their state/commonwealth. Both are known for their murals and extremely involved sports fans. And both have my whole heart.

And now I’m here to inject a little Philly into our Jax. A little 215 — or 267, that’s OK too — into our 904 in honor of the Birds and their great achievements during this football. Here are some local ways you can feel right at home on Sunday:

Cheesesteaks

While I always say the best cheesesteak is the one made from the Philly love passed down through generations of Mansfields, I’ve got your back when it comes to other places to snag your Philly phaves around Jacksonville in time for the championship game. Fair warning, these recommendations have a slight bias — provolone or American cheese only. Cheese whiz can get clogged up in the can for all I care.

Eagles send love to Jax:​​​​35 cheesesteaks delivered to coach Doug Pederson, Jaguars after win over Cowboys

After some independent research and crowdsourcing, the top restaurants serving authentic Philly cheesesteaks in Jacksonville are Philly’s Finest and Eddis and Sons. Both eateries boast City of Brotherly Love roots, and really that’s all you can ask for when ordering a cheesesteak. If you want the whole sports bar vibe and sense of community that comes with watching the Iggles game with family, Philly’s Finest might be the place to wear your Birds gear and get in on another rendition of everybody's favorite fight song, "Fly, Eagles Fly." If you want to get nostalgic about your old South Philly haunts, chatting with the Eddis family over some melted cheese and shipped-in hoagie rolls is the way to go.

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This one might be a bit controversial, but the North Florida Philly Burger at Carolina Jax provides a fusion experience. While this burger cannot be confused for a classic Philly cheesesteak, it is tasty enough to warrant an honorable mention in the category. Paying homage to what the city is best known for — besides having a fantastic sports year in 2022 — this burger features all of those classic cheesesteak staples: double American cheese, mayo, grilled onion and mushrooms and a bell pepper and poblano blend.

Philly Jacksonville pretzels

Sure, you can order a soft pretzel and cheese dip at almost any pub-style bar. But how many pretzels-only shops are there in Jacksonville? Auntie Anne’s spots are all over the city, but one lone, local soft pretzel joint exists. Jacksonville Soft Pretzels offers classic flavors, like salted and cinnamon, and pretzel party tray or large pretzel pack options for those having a Super Bowl party.

Don’t forget, nothing goes better with a soft pretzel than a Pennsylvania beer. Yuengling, the oldest operating brewing company in America, was founded in Pottsville, just outside Allentown, and is always a staple.

Water ice

As we all know from former Eagles coach Doug Pederson’s ice cream habits, cold treats are a Philadelphia staple. And what could be more Philly than water ice? Pronounced as “wooder ice” in native Philadelphian, this iconic summer dessert is more commonly known as Italian ice outside Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Made from water, sugar and flavoring, usually fruit-based, it is possible to get Italian ice in some grocery store freezer sections, but everyone knows it’s best poured fresh. Chains like Rita’s Italian Ice have popularized the treat all along the East Coast, but we’ve got some local spots for it as well. Perhaps you’ve seen the Gala’s Italian Water Ice food truck at different events around the city, or maybe you drive to the Orange Park Mall on weekends to get a taste of Island Dream Authentic Italian Ice. Rita’s and Jeremiah’s water ice shops are among the must-stop locations to scratch that Pennsylvania itch before kickoff.

Everything else

Youse had to know I wasn’t going to end this article without mentioning Wawa. One of the Philly-area’s proudest exports is this convenience store chain that provides for all your needs from hoagies to gas and everything else under the sun. Lucky for Jacksonvillians, Wawa — which operates only in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. — has over a dozen locations around the city, making it an easy quick stop to bring home anything you forget to grab before Sunday night, including more cheesesteaks. Because you can never have enough.

Let's make it feel like it's 2017 again. Go birds.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Round-up: Philladelphia foods around Jacksonville for the Super Bowl