Thanksgiving in South Philly wasn’t just a holiday — it was an entire neighborhood production. In a place where the rowhomes were barely fourteen feet wide and the families were large, this day meant early mornings, packed kitchens, loud voices, and traditions rooted deeply in our community.
It all started long before sunrise.
🍞 Cacia’s Bakery: Where South Philly Took Their Turkeys
Anyone who grew up in South Philly knows the magic of Cacia’s Bakery on Mole and Ritner. The bakery was legendary for its bread, rolls, pizzas, and strombolis — but on Thanksgiving, it became something even more special.
Because our home ovens were too small for the massive turkeys families prepared and all of the additional specialty items, we lined up outside Cacia’s with uncooked birds in roasting pans wrapped in foil. Those huge bread ovens could handle dozens upon dozens of turkeys, and the aroma of baking bread mixed with roasting turkey is something you never forget.
The bakery was tiny — one door in and out, a little service area that held maybe four customers at a time. I even went to school with Ray Cacia, one of the sons, at St. Monica’s. Their family lived and breathed that bakery, and everyone in the neighborhood felt connected to it.
On Fridays, Cacia’s made tomato pies and pizza — a tradition many believe started because of Lent. Today, you can find their tomato pies in supermarkets across Philly and Jersey.
The Thanksgiving turkey line looked just like the Sunday bread line after Mass: everyone waiting for hot Italian loaves and rolls so fresh you almost couldn’t hold them. And by the time you walked home with the dozen rolls in a brown paper bag, at least one was missing — and usually two.
🍰 Weinrich’s, Petito’s & Pastries Tied With String
Before the feast and football, families stopped at Weinrich’s Bakery on Bancroft near St. Monica’s. They sold cakes, cookies, and pastries for the holiday. Eventually, the bakery changed hands and became Petito’s, another Italian bakery that carried on the tradition.
Every pastry box was tied tight with string. You couldn’t open it without cutting the string. So, no matter how tempting a cannoli or slice of cake was, you weren’t sneaking anything out of those boxes unnoticed. Their cream donuts and cinnamon buns were epic.
🏈 Thanksgiving Morning: Neumann vs. Southern
While the rest of the city watched the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade, South Philly had its own main event: the annual high school football rivalry between South Philadelphia High School (Southern) and Bishop Neumann High School (now Neumann-Goretti).
Played at the Stella Maris field near 10th and Bigler, the game brought the whole neighborhood out early. The bleachers looked enormous to us as kids, and whether you went to Catholic school or public school didn’t matter — everyone mingled in the stands. The actual name of the field we never knew. It was in our minds connected to Stella Maris, so it became Stella Maris Field. We all knew what we were talking about.
This game was the unofficial kickoff to Thanksgiving. You didn’t miss it. It was part of who we were.
🏠 Inside the Rowhome: Small Houses, Big Families
In our rowhome, as my mother loved to say, “the house was lived in.” Thanksgiving prep began the day before: chopping onions, celery, and vegetables for the stuffing. The smell filled the entire house and lingered into the night.
The turkey went into the oven around 4 or 5 a.m. My father helped lift it in while moving his beer outside to stay cold. We had a refrigerator in the basement, but even that wasn’t always enough. Some years we went to the Ice House on Hicks and Oregon to buy blocks of ice for coolers.
Somehow, those small houses fit everyone — grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors. Downstairs had the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Upstairs were four bedrooms and one bathroom, until years later when my parents converted a closet into a powder room. With that many people packed into a narrow South Philly rowhome, one wet kitchen floor or icy front step could turn into a serious fall in an instant.
The adults ate in the dining room. The kids were always at the kitchen table — even when you were seventeen.
🍽 The Feast & The Never-Ending Kitchen
Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t just one meal — it was a marathon. Antipasto. Macaroni before the turkey. Stuffing. Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes. Vegetables: corn, carrots, broccoli, broccoli rabe. And every inch of the dining room table covered in platters and bowls. Don’t forget the Cacia’s bread. The gravey my mother made from the pan drippings was incredible. She was a fabulous cook.
Then came the desserts: pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, ice cream, pastries, and the old-fashioned hot chocolate made by warming milk on the stove and stirring in chocolate. Marshmallows or whipped cream on top.
As a side note, my wife, then my girlfriend lived 10 doors down. She came from a big Italian family. So as a teenager, I ate at her house and my house. The best of both worlds.
After dinner, you took a nap.
Then you woke up and ate again.
In South Philly, the kitchen never closed.
❤️ Community Tie-In: PhillyLegalConnect & The Oakes Firm
South Philly has always been about community — looking out for each other, helping neighbors, sharing food, supporting families. That same spirit is why PhillyLegalConnect exists: to give people in Philadelphia an easy way to find trusted legal help when they need it most.
If you or someone you care about has been injured and needs guidance, you can use the Get Connected button to reach The Oakes Firm, a Philadelphia personal injury law firm that treats clients with dignity, respect, and the values we grew up with in South Philly.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did South Philly families bring their turkeys to Cacia’s Bakery?
Because rowhome ovens were too small to fit large turkeys. Cacia’s baked dozens of them for neighborhood families in huge bread ovens.
Q: Where was the Thanksgiving rivalry game played?
At the Stella Maris field near 10th and Bigler — Southern vs. Neumann.
Q: What bakeries were open on Thanksgiving morning?
Cacia’s for bread and turkey baking, and Weinrich’s (later Petito’s) for cakes and pastries.
Q: What foods were traditional in South Philly on Thanksgiving?
Antipasto, macaroni, stuffing, turkey, vegetables, pies, pastries, and homemade hot chocolate.
Q: How did families fit everyone into small rowhomes?
Folding tables, borrowed chairs, kids in the kitchen, adults in the dining room — and a whole lot of patience.
⚖️ Disclaimer
This blog shares personal memories and commentary about South Philadelphia traditions. The legal information provided is general and does not constitute legal advice. For legal questions or injury assistance, use the “Get Connected” button to contact The Oakes Firm, a licensed Pennsylvania personal injury law practice.
