Marchiano's Bakery, LLC — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I'm sad to give such a low rating to a place with such good food, but I'll explain.

First of all, cash only. Yes, with an ATM in store, but still cash only. I'm not even deducting any stars for this, just mentioning it.

Apparently, you can't simply "try" or get a piece or even 2-3 from their famous tomato pie. You need to buy half a tray, at least. Of course, if you live nearby, come to visit with a car, or have been going to this store for years, you know these things and it's fine.

But we didn't. We came with our bikes a very long way, and even though the people were super kind to us, they made absolutely ZERO EFFORT to help us get some pie despite agreeing to get half a tray.

We just needed to move the pieces to their smaller packages (the ones they use for other breads and pies), which were so much smaller and we could use 2-3 of them, and it would've been perfectly fine. But nope. They wouldn't "move" the pie.

The cherry on top was them suggesting we get their speciality breads instead. Which we did. Then, after we left, we read in the instructions that they're supposed to be baked first... And they didn't mention that to us.

$10 for a bread that is not even baked? I'd reconsider.

With that being said, the cheesesteak with the onions and the sauce bread was the most delicious cheesesteak we've had in Philly. The pepperoni was yummy, too, but a bit more basic.

Promise to come back more prepared next time and finally taste...

Anyone not familiar with the area & Marchiano's may be misled by the term "bakery". Don't expect to come here to buy cakes or French baguettes. I grew up in the area and have always know them for what they are: some great Philadelphia comfort food that would be at any family gathering or watching a game at home with friends. I've moved outside of the city but will still drive 40 minutes into Manayunk to load up on their stuffed breads.

As others have said, it's cash only takeout and you heat up your stuffed breads at home. Tomato pie (no, it's not pizza) is served room temperature - that's just how it's done. They may close early if they sell out, no surprise, why stay open if all your product is all sold. Sure parking isn't great, but it's pretty typical for a lot of areas in the city. You can usually find a parking spot somewhere on Umbria street or nearby and walk to the store. Most days I can easily be in and out of there in about 20 minutes.

Why come here? For me, the stuffed breads are amazing and they have such a variety (pepperoni & cheese, cheesesteak, broccoli & cheese, buffalo chicken, etc.). The people are just about as friendly as you can get, too. As for tomato pie, some people like it and others aren't into it. But just about everyone can find a stuffed bread...

There is a reason this place is famous for their tomato pie. While only living here a year I can comfortably say hands down that this is the BEST tomato pie in the area. (My partner grew up in the area and also vouches so take her word if needed!)

Pictured is their half tomato pie which I split with my partner and foolishly devoured over the course of a few hours. The tomato sauce has this unique richness while the bread maintains a delightful chew complimented by the perfect side and bottom crunch. The mouthfeel, flavor, texture, and taste keep me coming back for every next piece until this masterpiece miraculously disappears!

Not pictured is their specialty spinach cheese stuffed bread which was heated at home to a perfect browned crust and gooey inside.

If you find yourself in Manayunk or the surrounding area be sure to add this inexpensive tasty treat...