Pita Pit: The Healthy Alternative

The Pita Pit (1601 Sansom Street, 215-564-1080)

by Allison Stadd

Dining on a budget may make fast food seem like your only option. Artery-clogging hamburgers, oil-soaked french fries, onion rings greasier than your acne-ridden little brother’s forehead? Yum.

But don’t despair. There’s an eco-friendly, health-conscious, fresh take on fast food in the heart of Center City, at The Pita Pit. Offering made-to-order pitas grilled right in front of you, plenty of vegetarian options, nutritious smoothies, and even lite mayo and whole wheat pita bread- the rare calling cards of healthy eaters- The Pita Pit holds fast to its motto: “Fresh thinking, healthy eating.”

The prices are drool-worthy, too: pitas range from $4.99 to $6.69, and are stuffed full of unlimited vegetables (either grilled or raw), the meat of your choice (or veggie steak, falafel, hummus or babaganoush for the tree-huggers) and any sauces (seventeen choices!) or cheese (American, provolone, cheddar or feta). Yum- for real this time.

The Philly steak rivals cheesesteak strongholds in the city (ask them to throw the onions and mushrooms on the grill with the meat), and the fresh chicken breast with really any sauce- BBQ, teriyaki, tzatziki- and piled sky-high with veggies is tastierand fresher than many such meals ordered at sit-down restaurants around town.

Every pita or salad (your choice of ingredients over lettuce, sans bread) is totally customizable so you can whittle your waistline and your receipt total as much or as little as you want.

The early morning and late night hours make The Pita Pit more than just a lunch stop, a boon since finding affordable breakfast options outside of food carts, or cheap dinners in such a fine dining area, can be tricky. Also cash-savers: $5 Falafel Fridays (baked in-house with fresh chickpeas and spices) and the new Happy Hour discount (sorry, no booze).

The casual, fun atmosphere with great music and friendly staff, plus free WiFi, means you can hang out at the restaurant, unlike typical fast food chains with air so thick with the smell of fried food you feel your blood pressure rising. But you can also order online, through The Pita Pit’s website or outside servers, for either delivery or pick-up.

Need another selling point beyond the wholesome fare and wallet-friendly price points? As of last July, The Philadelphia Pita Pit became a Certified Green Restauraunt, meaning it’s styrofoam-free and implements only sustainable practices like comprehensive recycling, using water aerators to limit consumption, and offering only biodegradable silverware, cups and lids.

Lighten your plate and keep your pockets weighed down at this refreshing reincarnation of fast food.

www.pitapit.com

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