Great Escapes: Specialty Food Stores

Every so often you are sent on a very particular quest by
your stomach, employer, family or gift list – to find a specialty food item. Whether you are looking for that perfect box of chocolates, the sweetest cake or the biggest wedge of cheese you can find, these area stores have those hard-to-find foods you’ve been searching for.

Penzey’s Spices – You’re in the midst of that perfect fall pumpkin roll…when you discover that your cinnamon jar is completely empty. Where do you turn? Penzey’s spices, of course, which will offer you a dozen different varieties of cinnamon, and a myriad of any other herb or spice you’ve wanted to try out. With everything from the sweet and tasty blends of cocoa to a medley of Spanish seasonings, you’ll never have a bland meal again.
Address: 8528 Germantown Ave., 19118

– If you’re looking for the fresh, exciting flavors of homemade bread and beer, than you’ll be right at home at Earth, Bread and Brewery.  Though the restaurant is closed this week for vacation, make sure you get there soon to try the delicious house drafts like Tout Va Bien (happy farmhouse ale) or the Nectar (Honey Basil Farmhouse Ale). But don’t fret if beer isn’t your forte. This delightful little spot makes its own sodas! With to-go growlers, and
homemade, traditionally-baked flatbreads and mozzarella made in-house, whether you’re taking out some beer or staying in to dine, your taste buds will thank you.
Address: 7136 Germantown Ave., 19119

 – All lucky children used to get to take a trip to the candy store down the street if they were well-behaved. At Zipf’s Candies in Chestnut Hill, they still can. This old-time candy shop tucked behind the Germantown Ave. storefronts will send you down memory lane with its glass shelves of any and all types of chocolate treats and gummy delights. Want chocolate bugs? Gummy sharks? Some old fashioned truffles to take home? Zipf’s has it all.
Address: 8433 Germantown Ave., 19118

– The Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop almost doesn’t need its own description. The name speaks for itself. Whether you’re looking for a fancy wedge of asiago for cooking or you want to impress some folks at a party, you can find a huge array of imported and domestic cheeses cut to order. Need more than just cheese? Never fear. Augment your gift of cheese with some exquisite caviar, chocolate and more. Or, you know, just pick one of their hundreds of cheeses or cheese spreads for a truly tasty snack.
Address: 8509 Germantown Avenue, 19118

– There aren’t many area coffee and tea shops that would be able to consider themselves a gallery – and not just for art, but for their brewing craft. Thankfully, InFusion continues to break the mold on redefining these gourmet drinks. With a spread of coffee that includes Café Cubano, Vietnamese Coffee and treats like an Almond Joy Mocha or a Peppermint Patty Mocha, those looking for a strong, rich caffeine buzz will be fully satisfied. And with a number of chais, loose-leaf and organic teas and a drink called the “Pooh Bear,” this specialty coffee and tea spot is hard to beat.
Address: 7133 Germantown Ave., 19119