Searching for Grab & Go Snacks in all the right places

By Neil Izenberg

Have you ever said to yourself, “I deserve a tasty snack”? Even without knowing you that well, I’m guessing you answered with a resounding “YES.” Snacking is among our greatest national pastimes, along with baseball, TV watching, and offering unsolicited advice.

If you love snacks, you’re not alone. According to a 2022 study from the International Food Information Council, about three out of four Americans snack every single day. That’s hard to believe. Only three out of four? Personally, I’m a nonstop snacker. My Ancestry DNA reveals me to be 72% Eastern European, 21% Neanderthal, and 7% chocolate cookie.

If you’re thinking about a snack right now, you’ve come to the right place. Queen Village is full of places to indulge just about any gustatory hankering, including vegan. Below is a list of some great spots, with a focus on locally made or grown grab & go treats – and a few deserving of special highlighting.

Must Visit Recommendations: Special Snacking Spotlight

Aurora Grace Chocolates, 517 S. 5th Street

A delicious collection of chocolate-cherry scones, macarons, chocolate bark, deep chocolate cookies, and bonbons with flavors galore. Aurora also makes a glutenfree sorbet and a spectacular granola.

Bloomsday Café, 414 S. 2nd Street

Get thee to the take-out window at

Bloomsday Café on weekends. Their baskets overflow with housemade croissants and a variety of flaky, beautiful pastries

One produced only on Sundays is Xuixo, a deep-fried Catalan pastry filled with orange cardamom cream

Cuzzy’s Ice Cream Parlor, 618 S. 5th Street

Cuzzy’s secrets? Extra richness with almost twice the butterfat content of most ice creams made with locally sourced cream from grass-fed cows, real mint, strawberries, and other seasonal flavors. Favorites include brown butter with sugared pecans, chocolate-chocolate cake, and vegan blood orange sorbet.

Sprinkled Sweetness, 510 South 5th Street

Philadelphia-trained baker/owner Tatiana Wingate creates a range of tempting cupcakes and mini cakes – as well as custom cakes for weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, baby showers, and whatever calls for a celebration. Popular picks include delightfully decorated cupcakes in many flavors and (her mom’s favorite) mini cheesecakes. They also have gluten-free brownies.

Sweet Life, 740 South Street

If you’re yearning for banana pudding or pineapple upside down cake, you’re in luck. They’re specialties of Megan and Tony Kennedy, the wife and husband team at the goodie-laden shop where they’ve been baking for 8 years. Check out their array of freshly made small pies (the sweet potato/pecan pie is a prize-winner), mini cupcakes, and many versions of their crowd-pleasing puddings.

Feed Your Sweet Tooth: Pastry Makers And Vendors

Creme Brulee Cafe, 618 S. 2nd Street (French-inspired pastries)

Dotties Donuts, 509 S. 6th Street. (everything is vegan)

Famous 4th Street Deli, 700 S. 4th Street (cookies and humongous pastries)

Federal Donuts, 540 South Street

Greenlight Café, 518. S. 4th Street

Ox Coffee, 616 S. 3rd Street

Philadelphia Java Company, 852 S. Second Street (with touches of the Middle East)

Rally Coffee, 701 S.7th Street (Okie Dokie Donuts and pastries for food sensitivities)

Red Hook Coffee and Tea, 765 S. 4th Street (vegan and gluten-free choices with a hippy vibe)

Sam Shaw’s Treatery, 306 South Street (store-baked Koffmeyer’s Old Fashioned Cookies)

Shot Tower Coffee, 542 Christian Street (a beautiful hangout)

Three Graces, 719 E. Passyunk Avenue (shipped in daily from NY)

Your Breakfast Or Anytime Fix: Bagels (And What Goes On Them)

Philly Bagels, 615 South 3rd Street (the largest variety)

Spread, 443 South Street (Montreal-style with classic fixings and then some)

The Bagel Place, 404 Queen Street (Roast pork kimchi on a bagel? Hmmm.)

Cool Off When It Gets Warm: Ice Cream And Water Ices

Frozen Rolled Ice Cream, 511 South Street

Häagen Dazs 242 South Street

Jaslyn Gourmet Ice Cream, 347 South Street (Thai-style)

John’s Water Ice, 701 Christian Street (since 1945, open April to October)

Rita’s Italian Ices, 239 South Street (a Philly classic)

Scoop Deville, 538 South Street (hardpack, soft-serve, and vegan)

Peruse The Varied Snack Options: The Farmers’ Market

At Headhouse Square Shambles, (2nd & Pine Streets) Sundays: 10am-2pm Beechwood Farms (apples “that taste like sunshine,” plus berries, grapes, and more)

Hayday Farms (shortbreads, cookies, and surprisingly delicious roasted garlic butter cookies)

High Street Bakery (umpteen baked goods; parmesan and caramelized onion scones)

Jezabel’s (modern Argentine; empanadas, cookies filled with dulce de leche, scones)

Market Day Canelé (French-inspired savory tarts, eclairs, carrot cake, classic canelé)

Three Springs Fruit Farms (more of nature’s bounty)

Wild Flour Bakery (snack-sized products including vegan fruit bread slices)

But Wait, There’s More: Special Mentions

Fresh2Go Juice Bar and Grill, 301 South Street (made to order Smoothies)

Lightbox Café, 704 S. 4th Street (vegan everything)

Cohen Hardware, 615 E. Passyunk Avenue (unexpectedly, neighbor-made pastries at counter)

Puyero Venezuelan Flavor, 534 S. 4th Street (small Venezuelan arepas; succulent little sandwiches and pancakes wrapped around tasty ingredients)

The above were only a sampling of what you can find as you amble in and around Queen Village, searching for snacks. Did we miss your favorite? Drop us a note and tell us where, what, and why to eleanor@qvna.org

Unsolicited Advice Corner: As a pediatrician, I’m obliged to address whether eating snacks is healthy. It depends on how much you eat and how they’re made. Nutrition experts recommend a diet moderate in calories, full of fresh veggies and whole fruit, and minimally processed with limited simple carbs.

Still, an occasional snack, wisely chosen and carefully savored… now, how bad can that be?

We our Volunteers !!!

With vision and compassion for future generations, volunteers care for our our parks, playgrounds and trees.

When powerful forces threatened to divide our neighborhood, volunteers unified, fought and won the battle and saved our community.

Whether cleaning and greening; serving on a committee or the Board; contributing to our magazine; distributing the Crier; helping in the office—whether regularly or for an hour here and there—QVNA appreciates your volunteer service.

Thank You Queen Village Volunteers

Thank You Queen Village Volunteers

Your Caring Enriches Our Community.

Since 1969, QVNA has depended on volunteers to lead and advance our mission of community stewardship, advocacy and service to help improve quality of life for Queen Village residents. To those who have helped bring positive change to our community, and to the volunteers who sustain it today, thank you for your service.