Fox E.
Yelp
Not to be confused with Peps (bald guys who manage Man City), pips (things inside lemons and oranges), Peeps (insanely sweet Easter marshmallow bunny things), Pups (loveable furry babies), or Poops (what Pups do regularly), this is a place which everyone in Philly - and every visitor to Philly - should try. And tragically, almost nobody does. You can tell by the number of reviews - or lack thereof.
What to get: Water Ice and Gelati.
What not to get: A spot on Jerry Springer to try and find out who your Pops is.
Water Ice is like the Roast Pork Sandwich and the infamous Cheesesteak. Only unlike the Cheesesteak (and much like the Pork), it's absolutely delicious. I have no idea why, of these 3 claims to food fame, it's the bland, boring one (Cheesesteak) that became internationally famous. Forget it. Come here and get yourself a water ice or a Gelati, and you'll see what I mean.
Water Ice has been exported around the country now by Rita's, which is from Philly, but it's still not as famous as it should be. In South Philly you have an assortment of tiny little family-owned water ice shops, which over time will go out of business if we are unlucky. I believe Italiano's already has, or will be soon. That leaves Dati's, John's, Jimmy's, a few others that I can't remember... and my favourite: Pop's.
The Lemon is good, with chunks of Lemon Rind in it. Cherry is okay. Black Cherry is excellent. Ginger Ale flavour is yum. Chocolate flavour water ice is a Philly specialty and doesn't taste great to me anywhere I get it. The Lime is sweet and good. Mango is good. Coconut is delicious. Yummy af.
And it only costs 1.75 for a pretty big cup of water ice.
Gelati mixes layers of frozen custard with water ice. It sounds like it might not work but it absolutely does. It's wonderful. Rita's does a version using soft serve and it works really well, but since you can get that at Rita's, skip that option, and do the Pop's original, the unique specialty for South Philly Water Ice shops... the Gelati using hand-dipped hard ice cream. Vanilla, specifically.
The service is usually lovely, unless this one very tanned brunette girl is serving. She is sooooo mean. But you know what. I kind of like it. Don't tell her.
With great service and a wonderful range of delicious water ice flavours, this is one of the best and most traditional dessert spots on the east coast. I hope it never goes away, but with under 50 reviews (when some of the trendy crap has 500), I fear for all of us and our history and these sorts of hidden gems, as homogenized culture takes over and ruins everything that made food and drink and dessert, great.
Yes, you should visit Pop's. Very soon. One day you won't be able to anymore.
And then I won't be able to rap anymore.
If you lose pen TOPS and you clean with MOPS
If you have mad HOPS and you're licking your CHOPS
If you're hassled by COPS and they give you no PROPS
The problem STOPS when you go to POP'S
Your friends are SLOPS and your plans are FLOPS
Your plumbing PLOPS and you work black OPS
You dance to BOPS holding riding CROPS
But the penny DROPS when you go to POPS
So go to sweatSHOPS and shout from hillTOPS
On planes (nonSTOPS) and hotels (bellHOPS)
Write Fables (aeSOPS) wearing glasses (eyeDROPS)
And write on deskTOPS there's no place like POP'S
Whether you're a CYLOPS or triceraTOPS
Whatever the backDROPS, mountaintops & rainDROPS
For the Jurgen KLOPPS and the geeks on lapTOPS
Forget the pawnSHOPS, let's all go to POP'S
WHAT