Verified in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia water ice is a signature dish of United States; we have verified places to eat it in Philadelphia. Fine-grained Italian-style flavoured ice, sold from corner stores and stands across the city from April through September. Start with where to eat Philadelphia water ice in Philadelphia.
Fine-grained Italian-style flavoured ice, sold from corner stores and stands across the city from April through September. Lemon, cherry, mango, blue raspberry.
Water ice, called wooder ice in the local accent, is Philadelphia's signature warm-weather sweet. Italian immigrants brought granita to the city in the late 19th century; the South Philly version was refined to a smoother, finer-grained texture using shaved (rather than crushed) ice, sugar syrup and fruit. Rita's Italian Ice opened in 1984 in Bensalem and grew the format into a regional chain, but the canonical reference is Pop's Homemade Italian Ice on Oregon Avenue, run by the Pop Italiano family since 1932. Lemon is the founding flavour. Stands open on the first warm day in April and close after Labor Day.
Where to eat in Philadelphia:
Where to eat Philadelphia water ice in Philadelphia: the editor picks
Guided tour · 45 minutes
Explore the Reading Terminal Market of Philadelphia on a walking tour. Learn about the market's history, hear stories of some of the family-owned merchants, and choose...
Guided tour · 2h 30m
Discover Philly's most popular food favorites on a guided foodie walking tour. Get a taste of the city's history and culture as you chow down on favorite local dishes.
Water activity · 2.5 hours
Celebrate the holiday season with a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner cruise on the Delaware River. Enjoy a festive dinner with a live DJ and games.
